Interracial couple looking to relocate. (Portland, Eugene: houses, living, prices)

[B&Bstef]

My husband & I are looking at Portland as a possible place to move next year. I wanted to know how interracial couples are perceived & treated in Oregon. I am black and from Los Angeles, CA & he is white and from Greenville, SC. We currently live in Tucson, AZ and just cannot endure another summer living three blocks from the sun!

[fairweathergolfer]

Hey! I am sorry I can't give you any hands-on Portland information regarding mixed couples and how people up there may respond, as I do not live there. But I lived there once for a short while and also the Seattle area for 13 years, which is similar in some ways. (I live in LA right now, so Hi from your old home.)

My sense is you should have no problems. Interestingly enough I have heard from many black women and men that have moved from other parts of the country (usually east coast) that they were freaked out at how nice whites and blacks were to one another in the NW, (This was when I was in Seattle, I don't imagine Portland is that much different.) and also how integrated (in comparison). A few women told me it actually offended them at first, but then they got used to it. But that is race relations. As far as mixed couples I know it can come from both sides. I know in Seattle in a certain crowd (the hard-core political black crowd that does a lot of organizing), you may get some jibbing, but all in fun, not angry and hateful. People are very friendly in Portland and I think you will feel very welcomed.

I understand about wanting to move on from the sizzling sun in Arizona. I visited there a couple of springs ago and I was covered in clothes just because it was so hot, my skin literally couldn't stand the sun on it another second and I had to be outside and it was spring!

Best of luck to you and your sweetie. May your new community welcome you both with open arms. Hope this is helpful.

[B&Bstef]

Thanks so much for the info & insight!

Oh, how I miss California, but it is much too expensive for me now.

[fairweathergolfer]

Oh, how I miss California, but it is much too expensive for me now.

I completely understand.

Yet, If my husband's work wasn't outdoor based and if there weren't so many options in my field here, that there wouldn't be elsewhere, I would love to have a nice home in Portland. We may live in one of the best areas of LA, but in order to do so live on a busy street, with Sunset two houses away! And the house itself is quite small (not by LA/Cali standards, but anywhere else. I often ask myself if the benefits of the sun and the area are worth the noise, pollution, rudeness, and small home (why spend a ton of money on a remodel on a busy street?). Sometimes I wonder. You are so right about the cost of housing though. It is maddening and sad. Even though we own a house here I keep hoping the prices will go down as it is just out of control. Sounds as though it is slowing down though.

I hope everything goes well in your search and also remember there are PLENTY of Californians, specifically LA folks up there as well .

[diggitydot]

The NW is pretty progressive. You'd be surprised how accepting people can be, particularly near larger cities like Portland.

I grew up very close to Portland and now live in a suburb of Phoenix. The NW is very different from the face of the sun here in AZ, culturally speaking. People tend to be more laid back and less judgemental about this type of thing.

For example, I grew up in a VERY small community. My three best friends were mixed races of Thai/Caucasin, African-American/Caucasin, and Native American/African-American. It's wasn't a big deal even back then. (And I'm 31, now.)

You'll always run into some dumb bigot with a big mouth, but I've found them less frequent in the NW. Just my own experiences, though.

Oh, and I LOVE Portland. Always have and always will. It's an interesting city with a diverse arts/music/literature scene. I could die happy in the middle of Powell's Books rare book section. Great microwbrews, fantastic music, and a fabulous First Thursday arts walk. That city is amazing.

[PDXmom]

Portland is very progressive and open minded and laid back. Most people here are accepting to anyone or any couple who is nice. There are other small towns in Oregon that would be equaling welcoming to an interracial couple (Hood River, Bend, Eugene).

Please keep in mind it rains 9 months out of the year here. The people that I've met who have moved to Portland and did not like it either did not like how progressive Portland is (these folks were from the mid-west originally) or could not stand the 9 months of gray skies and misty rain. I personally LOVE the rain and it doesn't rain hard enough to really prevent you from walking the dog etc. But it's grey for a long time. However, the reward is the summers!! It stops raining late June and doesn't start again until October. The Summers are prefect... a few hot days (90 degrees) mixed in with 80s and 70s.

Good luck with your decision!