Portland???? (home, school, living)

[st3350]

I want to give you a quick background on myself before asking for advice...

I moved out to LA about 3 years ago from a small Midwestern town. While it is true that LA has grown my career by leaps and bounds and is full of culture that I love-- it is also true that the big city is very isolating and meeting genuine, honest, loyal people (that stick around LA and live nearby) has not been my experience here.

Now I know nothing other than LA and the small town that I grew up in.

Here's my question...
where can I move next that will be large enough to have diversity and culture of it's own, provide a job in the data industry, include people that are easy to get along with (midwest values and openness), cost of living is affordable, and has mild weather?

Do these exist in Portland?

[oldtintype]

If you want midwest values and openness you're looking at moving back to the midwest.....
COL being affordable is subjective. Mild weather is as well....

[PortlandSux]

Portland is like a smaller, more hipster and parochial LA with an overcast wet climate. It's going to be just as isolating as LA, maybe more culturally so because of the rain.

[OHW]

Originally Posted by st3350

I want to give you a quick background on myself before asking for advice...

I moved out to LA about 3 years ago from a small Midwestern town. While it is true that LA has grown my career by leaps and bounds and is full of culture that I love-- it is also true that the big city is very isolating and meeting genuine, honest, loyal people (that stick around LA and live nearby) has not been my experience here.

Now I know nothing other than LA and the small town that I grew up in.

Here's my question...
where can I move next that will be large enough to have diversity and culture of it's own, provide a job in the data industry, include people that are easy to get along with (midwest values and openness), cost of living is affordable, and has mild weather?

Do these exist in Portland?

I'm not being facetious here - try Albuquerque. The weather can get cold, but it stays pretty dry when it's hot. For most of the US, that counts as temperate. The cost of living is great and it's a more moderate city than most on the west coast or in the midwest.

[PortlandSux]

Or try the Southeast, like North Carolina. Much more outgoing people, diverse economy (definitely a lot of opportunity in data industry in the Triangle), affordable, and good weather at least half of the year.

If you want outgoing people with Midwestern values, Portland is the absolute last place you should consider. It's the truth.

[Yankeemama]

Originally Posted by PortlandSux

Or try the Southeast, like North Carolina. Much more outgoing people, diverse economy (definitely a lot of opportunity in data industry in the Triangle), affordable, and good weather at least half of the year.

If you want outgoing people with Midwestern values, Portland is the absolute last place you should consider. It's the truth.

Yes, I agree. Portland is not always what people think it's going to be. Come spend time here when it's not Summer and immerse yourself if possible. I have no regrets that I moved here since it is a great place for my kids. I will not stay after their schooling since it's just not home for me. I didn't have too many pre conceived ideas of Portland so I am not devastated by the reality of living here. I read peoples' first and early impressions of Portland though, and I wonder if they are putting Portland on a pedestal. Portland is a nice place to live but it isn't some utopia in the forest.

[EnricoV]

Originally Posted by PortlandSux

Or try the Southeast, like North Carolina. Much more outgoing people, diverse economy (definitely a lot of opportunity in data industry in the Triangle), affordable, and good weather at least half of the year.

If you want outgoing people with Midwestern values, Portland is the absolute last place you should consider. It's the truth.

Sure. As if your user name doesn't say everything about your opinion?

[VTHokieFan]

Originally Posted by EnricoV

Sure. As if your user name doesn't say everything about your opinion?

I sure do miss the North Carolina beaches though.

[EnricoV]

Originally Posted by VTHokieFan

I sure do miss the North Carolina beaches though.

Quite possibly, but I don't think "beaches like North Carolina's" was one of the OP's wants.

Besides which, North Carolina having nice beaches doesn't mean that Portland Suxs.

[jjpop]

EVERY place there are trade offs. Depends on whether or not what you are trading is that important to you. And sometimes you don't find out about those trade offs until you live someplace for a while and the shine wears off.