is moving to portland too late, at 40 or beyond? (HOA, mortgage)

[Nell Plotts]

My DIL's mother was an older single transplant and seemed to be busy every weekend. Adjustment is more a matter of personality than age.

[jjpop]

Do people go to the Phoenix boards and ask if they're too young to move to Phoenix? Or Miami? Maybe they do...

I get the reason why people think Portland is so exotic: it's because of the mass media portrayals. But c'mon folks! Portland is little different here, a little different there but the bottom line:
PORTLAND IS JUST ANOTHER CITY!

[pdxMIKEpdx]

Maybe I am just getting old, but I notice that when I am in Portland, especially the inner southeast neighborhoods (cause that's where I grew up and that's the part of Portland I spend any time in anymore), I feel that Portland is a young peoples town presently.

Most people seem a lot younger than me.
(I am in my sixties somewhere).

I still feel young at heart, but whenever I go out for a night on the town, I feel the reverse of a thirty year old having dinner at McGrath's.

I feel like I am the oldest one there!

IMHO, Portland is definately geared for people from 20 to 40 years old.

[pdx-transplant]

It is all relative I suppose. I have been here in Portland since 1994 and I can't wait to leave. Don't get me wrong--this is an awesome city in many ways. Culture, nightlife, restaurants, grocery stores, progressive, this and that. But truthfully, that stuff, like everything in one's life needs to be weighed properly.

As it stands now, a New Yorker would still love that relatively inexpensive rent (I did say relatively) here.
However, ask any average wage earning Portlander (that is, if they are employed), how they feel about the rent after several years of living here. I know... it is inevitable for a city to grow and expand. Rent increase is expected. All I'm saying is that for *me: The cost of living is at a point that long outweighs the relatively dismal state of employment health and the weather (highly subjective). Not sure where you are from (thinking of moving here), but think hard about this: While jobs are weak everywhere in our nation, Portland has seen its population explode exponentially. However, this growth came at a time when money for infrastructure is lackluster--which leaves transportation issues and congestion and a weak job market, etc. Some might argue this, but ask yourself exactly where will you live in town, what will your commute be like (warning: if you move to downtown or eastside and work in Hillsboro, you are in for a terrible commute). As for the weather, while I have lived in the PAC NW for 20something years between Seattle and PDX, it has become very difficult to endure. We have a large percentage of alcoholics and coffee addicts here because of the awful weather. No, there are no snow storms or hurricanes here. But you will have 9 to 10 months of nearly constant rain or grey skies (rain or not). Ask yourself if sun really matters to you--and be honest when you answer that question. Don't visit in July or August to make a judgement call on PDX. That is the classic mistake many people make.

To each their own as you will see some very rightfully defensive people respond to this. After all it is subjective. But I for one, can't wait to get out of this overpriced, overrated, rainforest.

PS, it is very true what they say about Portland: It's a place where young people go to retire. Which by the way, this breeds complacency for a low standard of living.

Just my 2 cents.

[urbanlife78]

^^ interesting point of view, I am actually more of a native Portlander that moved away and has been seriously missing life in Portland. Though I can understand the city isn't for everyone.

[NWGirl74]

Two of the most active Meetup groups in this area are for singles over 35 and one for those 50 and over. Being over 40 will definitely not stop you from having a life, however, it's a very fickle city for dating if that's what you're after.

And then there's the whole job market thing. You will be competing with people of all ages and experience levels for jobs.

[Minervah]

My earlier point was that there was no moat around the city and anyone can move here. As in any place, it is what you make of it and anyone of any age should do their homework about a place to see if it holds interest for them.

I live near Hawthorne Blvd where it's very trendy and there are many young people but there are older people here too. If you are here during the daytime as I am because I am retired, you will see many older people my age of 67. The younger 30-40 crowd are at work. At weekends you see people of all ages. In my apartment complex the ages range from 30-76 and everything in between.

Yes, it's true that many younger people want to move here, the twenty and thirty somethings, but their ages don't stop there. They do turn 40 and continue on. I think as long as someone can find activties they like, a job, a place to live and the weather isn't going to bother them age shouldn't be a deterrent because they will find others of similar age.

I think someone already said this, Portland, like any other city isn't for everyone but if it suits you then it will be the place for you regardless of how old you may be. People have come here in there 60's to retire and have been very happy. People in their twenties have moved here and been miserable. It simply depends upon the individual and what suits them best.

[lalahartma]

Old folks are cool, too. :-)

[hamellr]

Portland is all about the QUALITY of life, vs. the QUANTITY of life.

If you can't figure out the difference, or if you think quality has to do with the amount of money and possessions you have, then you'll never be happy in Portland.

[urbanlife78]

Originally Posted by hamellr

Portland is all about the QUALITY of life, vs. the QUANTITY of life.

If you can't figure out the difference, or if you think quality has to do with the amount of money and possessions you have, then you'll never be happy in Portland.

This might be the best description of Portland that I have ever read and probably one of the most true. The best thing about my years in Portland had nothing to do with how much money I was making.