Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Oregon
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 02-14-2008, 06:09 PM
 
Location: CO
25 posts, read 54,885 times
Reputation: 21

Advertisements

I have been wanting to relocate for the past couple years, ever since graduating from college. Right now I live in rural northwestern PA. The nearest city is about 35,000 people with not much to do and not very diverse culture-wise. The job market is pretty pitiful and the economy is going nowhere.
Oregon has always stayed near the top of my list of places to move.
Can anyone recommend a good "starter" city? I've never been to Portland or anywhere in OR, but I've done lots of research. I'm really into healthy living, eco conscious, organic foods, etc. etc. so I think that would be a plus. I love art, culture, ethnic diversity and I've done alot of traveling, but I am pretty conservative as well.
How is the employment situation? And is there any affordable housing? I'm open to any and all suggestions and advice!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 02-14-2008, 09:52 PM
 
Location: Salem, OR
15,574 posts, read 40,413,812 times
Reputation: 17473
There is plenty here for eco friendly organic eating people. If you want art and culture Portland is your best bet. You sound single?? So Portland and Eugene are going to offer you the most for singles.

Jobs depend on your field. Affordable depends on your perspective. Compared to CA we are cheap. What kind of rent to you pay now, that might help in terms of figuring out your needs.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-14-2008, 10:24 PM
 
Location: Oregon
97 posts, read 503,901 times
Reputation: 76
Default Portland is NOT a big city

Greetings, Portland is NOT a big, diverse city. It is overrated. Don't expect big city culture or amenities here. Affordability is all relevant. You are not going to find much of a house in Portland for under $300,000. Good luck.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-15-2008, 12:37 AM
 
116 posts, read 614,161 times
Reputation: 89
Quote:
Originally Posted by PNWhike View Post
Greetings, Portland is NOT a big, diverse city. It is overrated. Don't expect big city culture or amenities here.
Let's see...the Portland Art Museum currently has a Degas and Toulouse-Lautrec exhibit. This past season the Portland Opera had a great production of Carmen and this coming season will be doing La Traviata and Rigoletto. Oh, and The Armory is always having great dance groups and theater coming through.

If you don't consider this to be "big city culture" than I'm not sure what you're looking for. Sure, there isn't Shakespeare in the Park, but the Portland Festival Symphony does do great free concerts throughout Portland parks for free each summer.

Maybe you're idea of culture needs to be re-evaluated?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-15-2008, 06:05 AM
 
Location: CO
25 posts, read 54,885 times
Reputation: 21
I am single, its just me and my chihuahua mix doggie.
Cost of living where I live now is pretty cheap. Most people pay between $350-$600 in rent and you can buy a pretty nice house for $150,000. Anywhere I move, I will be renting.
I don't really need a big city, just somewhere in driving distance to one. I regularly drive 35 miles to shop at a big mall.
I really dig the bohemian vibe that Portland and surrounding places seem to have.
I had also looked into Phoenix/Prescott AZ, Santa Fe NM, Austin TX. But I like OR best of all. I really despise the never-ending winters of PA and crave the warmer weather.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-15-2008, 02:08 PM
 
Location: Oregon
97 posts, read 503,901 times
Reputation: 76
Default Speak for yourself

Quote:
Originally Posted by lucero32 View Post
Let's see...the Portland Art Museum currently has a Degas and Toulouse-Lautrec exhibit. This past season the Portland Opera had a great production of Carmen and this coming season will be doing La Traviata and Rigoletto. Oh, and The Armory is always having great dance groups and theater coming through.

If you don't consider this to be "big city culture" than I'm not sure what you're looking for. Sure, there isn't Shakespeare in the Park, but the Portland Festival Symphony does do great free concerts throughout Portland parks for free each summer.

Maybe you're idea of culture needs to be re-evaluated?
Have you ever been to New York City or Boston? Obviously you can't appreciatewhat REAL culture is until you've been there. You know you can't even begin to compare anywhere on the West Coast with NYC and Boston.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-15-2008, 03:22 PM
 
19 posts, read 66,053 times
Reputation: 11
Default relocate to affordable and safe place

to edyarn or anyone who can answer: which area do you live in and what is it like? I am looking for affordable rent. Is it safe? grocery or any shops nearby? Do you get a lot of snow? What is the weather like in the winter and summer? I am looking to relocate. Good high schools and univer? any nearby arcades, farms, activities, beach?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-15-2008, 03:38 PM
 
Location: Baker City, Oregon
5,457 posts, read 8,171,711 times
Reputation: 11618
Quote:
Originally Posted by PNWhike View Post
Have you ever been to New York City or Boston? Obviously you can't appreciatewhat REAL culture is until you've been there. You know you can't even begin to compare anywhere on the West Coast with NYC and Boston.
Culturally, Portland doesn't even come close to comparing to a Midwestern city like Chicago...........or even Minneapolis. Having streetcars, bike paths and organic food might be hip, but it isn't the equivalent of having the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, or really great museums, or Frank Lloyd Wright architecture, or outstanding universities,...................

Culturally, Portland is more like Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Not that it is high culture, but Portland doesn't even have major league baseball or football teams.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-15-2008, 03:55 PM
 
Location: Salem, OR
15,574 posts, read 40,413,812 times
Reputation: 17473
For the bohemian vibe you may want to consider Eugene as well. That is some cheap rent in PA. You could probably find a small studio or 1 bedroom in NE or SE Portland for that. Rents in the Pearl would be way out of that price range.

Portland is a great town and I don't think it is overrated. It is not a Chicago (where I hail from), but I don't think Oregon wants it to be that way. Chicago has great culture, architecture and is just incredible. It also has slums beyond belief. Every city has pluses and minuses. Portland has gone though some major transformations in the 17 years that I have lived here.

I don't think this is a competition for best culture...we want all of our cities to be truly unique. What is the point of going to NYC if Portland was just like it. That's the fun in traveling is seeing what culture has developed within a city.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-15-2008, 07:20 PM
 
Location: Oregon
97 posts, read 503,901 times
Reputation: 76
Default Chicago is lame compared to NYC

Quote:
Originally Posted by karlsch View Post
Culturally, Portland doesn't even come close to comparing to a Midwestern city like Chicago...........or even Minneapolis. Having streetcars, bike paths and organic food might be hip, but it isn't the equivalent of having the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, or really great museums, or Frank Lloyd Wright architecture, or outstanding universities,...................

Culturally, Portland is more like Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Not that it is high culture, but Portland doesn't even have major league baseball or football teams.
I like to visit Chicago. It has a lot going for it. It is undoubtedly the most cultured city in the Mid-west. Chicago is a complete backwater compared to New York City, Boston and other East Coast cities. It could only aspire to be anything compared to New York City.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2020 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Oregon
Similar Threads

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top