Portland, ME vs Portland, OR (better, place, life, Boston)
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PORTLAND, ME:
Cold, but sunny winters.
Great summers.
On coast, near beaches.
Small, but filled with city amenities (only big city in Maine).
A bit pricey to live in.
PORTLAND, OR:
Cool, rainy, gray, drizzly winters.
Great summers.
Near mountains.
Large, filled with big-city amenities.
Even more pricey to live in.
I had fun while visiting Portland, OR but I would not want to live there. The view of Mt. Hood is spectacular. The Pacific coast line IS beautiful and is not too far away. The public transit is strong for a city its size and it's great they have such a strong biking culture. However, Portland is too isolated for me (2-3 hours from Seattle but otherwise very far from other urban hubs). The West does not have as much historical significance. Also, my seasonal depression would hit rock bottom there. An average of 66 hours of sunshine in December would drive me nuts. I prefer snow to on-going cold rain.
I love Portland, ME, and Maine at large. There is natural beauty, small town New England culture, glorious seasons, great food (Lobster and Blueberries!) and proximity to Northeastern cities. Boston is nearby and it is 5-7 hours to NYC, depending on when/how you travel there. If I ever leave PA, it would probably only be for Maine or Vermont.
Portland, Maine is an incredible place to live if you can endure the winters. It's a bit more moderate than much of northern New England as it's coastal, but it's still pretty brutal.
It depends on what you're looking for - if you want a place with great restaurants, bars, and shopping, good public transit, and a variety of urban neighborhoods then Portland, Oregon is the clear winner. If you prefer a smaller city that's more affordable and historic (and has a very good downtown for a city its size) then you'd prefer Portland, Maine.
Portland, Maine is an incredible place to live if you can endure the winters. It's a bit more moderate than much of northern New England as it's coastal, but it's still pretty brutal.
Either way, I'd go Portland, Maine. Awesome town.
Totally agree. Having been to both multiple times, I'd move the Portland Maine in a heartbeat if circumstances allowed.
Tough choice. I like them both. I grew up in New England and lived there most of my life and now live about an hour and a half from Portland (Oregon). In terms of scenery/nature, it's going to be Oregon for me. The gorge is absolutely stunning as is the coast, Mt. Hood etc. Everything out here on the west coast is much larger in scale but Portland Maine is still beautiful. If you enjoy going to beaches however (not me) you can actually swim on the east coast whereas out here the water is much colder and no one really swims in it. Maine is a 4 season climate and has beautiful fall colors and snowy winters. Out here it's more like 2 seasons...summer and then rain and grey lol. Portland Maine is a quaint New England city while the Oregon variant is much larger and there is also a much larger homeless problem out here. I'd choose the Oregon Portland personally if I had to pick but I love both.
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