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I'm not the original poster, but I'll oblige if the Portlanders don't get defensive, eh? I'm 'doing the favor' of telling why, and I'll try to give the city its due in the process.
I moved to Portland in mid-'06 and left this January without looking back.
It's a gorgeous place, as anyone who's been there can tell you. Besides the natural beauty, streets are relatively clean, public transport is modern and safe (in comparison to nearly every other American city), and the lack of sales tax makes your dollar go farther. (Though they'll get you on the other end when you receive you first paycheck.) The whole city is an ongoing experiment in urban planning, and many of the ideas are fine ones.
So why'd I leave?
1. The jobs. Not good anywhere these days, and particularly so in Portland. There's plenty of $9-hr. work for the many twentysomethings who are flocking there, but there's a glut of experienced workers and very few good-paying jobs for them.
Others have discussed the truth or falsity of Oregonians' recalcitrance to hire transplants, and the spectre of age-related discrimination in Portland (which, there, seems to translate to "over 35"). I'll accept that some people believe both those things to be myths, but I'm on the side of those who found them real.
2. The people. Polite as can be, helpful in a good-Samaritan way, and obsessed with the notion of community. All good things. But I'm with those who found them to be cold just under the surface (see the infamous "Seattle freeze" thread; there's one in Portland, too). I certainly met some nice folks, but overall there's a streak among Portlanders that leaves a good number of them to be passive-aggressive, closed-minded, and remarkably incurious about anything outside their own eco-system of beliefs.
And the continual boosterism of "Portland is the most awesome city in America" began to sound, by the end of my stay, not too much different than the "America is #1!" attitude you might find in an area with diametrically opposed political positions. The bellicose "Portland: love it or leave it" attitude is indistinguishable to me from "America: love it or leave it."
3. The myth of the 'creative class.' You can't be in Portland too long without hearing about the 'creative class,' that mythical group of folks who is supposed to creating wonderful things one after the other. But stay a bit longer and you'll wonder: what the hell are they creating?
The arts in Portland are moribund (few professional writers, dreadful stage productions, mediocre art) which may have something to do with the Pleasantville-ness of the place...there's just not a lot of impetus to get things done there. This week I read a comment from a comedian who had visited Portland and said he wanted to detonate an 'ambition bomb' in front of Powell's Books, and I knew what he meant.
---
Anyway, I'm gone, and there are some things I miss: the view of Mt. Hood on a crisp clear day, hopping the MAX to run errands, Portland's magnificent library, and other things.
But there are farmer's markets in other cities, and environmentalism, and liberal thinkers, and fine bookstores, and all the other things of which Portland is justifiably proud (and sometimes behaves like it invented). In my opinion, there are also better jobs and friendlier, more open-minded (and, yes, more diverse) people elsewhere.
Like anywhere else, Portland is right for some and not for others. That's not a knock on the city...but neither is it a knock on the "others."
Absolutely great post GB1. You've summed things up just about perfectly! There are many things I like about Portland, but am looking to move to a smaller, less smug community.
I grew up in Portland/Vancouver and thought I could help explain why I moved away.
I think Portland is scenic and beautiful.
I think it is clean and modern.
I think it is logically laid out and designed.
I think the mass transit is convenient and safe (and free downtown).
The schools are great and there is not very much crime by comparison.
I honestly think it is a city with very much going for it and the people who live there do not know how good they have it!
BUT
I moved to Florida purely for the weather initially. I do not regret my move at all, but I have noticed that Florida cities are not nearly as good at managing their growth. There is more crime, traffic, and worse schools. There is a lot of sprawl that Portland is famous for having a good handle on with their urban growth boundary.
I also feel like there is way more entertainment here, better outdoor opportunity since there is more sunshine, and more nightlife. I feel more connected to other major cities and thus the world in general. I think you would not mind the weather going from snow to rain, but sunshine to rain is rough.
Most people who generally complain about Portland are either really affected by the gloomy weather or have no basis for comparison because Portland is a great place to live and continually ranked as a "best place to live".
I'm not the original poster, but I'll oblige if the Portlanders don't get defensive, eh? I'm 'doing the favor' of telling why, and I'll try to give the city its due in the process.
I moved to Portland in mid-'06 and left this January without looking back.
It's a gorgeous place, as anyone who's been there can tell you. Besides the natural beauty, streets are relatively clean, public transport is modern and safe (in comparison to nearly every other American city), and the lack of sales tax makes your dollar go farther. (Though they'll get you on the other end when you receive you first paycheck.) The whole city is an ongoing experiment in urban planning, and many of the ideas are fine ones.
So why'd I leave?
This is an excellent post and sums up the dualities of PDX. I too was surprised by the insular nature of a supposed comspolitan/ "progressive" population. There's as much conformity in the "alternative" PDX folk as within the most vanilla suburb in Anytown USA. But if you belong to that demographic, then you belong and you will fit in.
For myself, I love the Pac NW setting which is unparalleled in the US. But everytime I venture into downtown PDX, I thank God (or more appropriately Gaia the Spirit-Earth Mother of Boodle-boodle) that I live on the west side rather than Portland proper.
We are considering a move to Portland from a suburb of Boston. We have three children ages 5,7, and 9yrs. My sister lives in Portland and is finishing graduate school in a few months. She really loves Portland and would like to stay. We have visited a few times and are thinking West Linn might be a good area for us with good schools. I am concerned about quality of schools, and gray weather being depressing (although I wonder if we don't have just as many gray days). My children also have seasonal (grass and tree pollen) and food allergies. The milder climate, beautiful surroundings and outdoor activity as well as a more evironmentally conscious population is what attracts us (as well as my sister). It seems like it might be a better place than where we are to teach our kids what is important in life. It would be a really big decision for us, and if we move, my parents will also follow (no pressure!). Does anyone have any advice for me? Either from a native to Portland or from someone who has also relocated. Thanks!( This face because I am going crazy trying to decide what is the right choice for us!)
I moved here 9 months ago and love it! I came from the midwest though am a native Texan. The winter in PDX was a joke, really only a couple of cold days and not nearly as dreary as I anticipated. I thought it might be a mild winter until my neighbor (who has been here more than 14 years) said that this winter was colder and wetter than she remembered! Guess it's all relative...I was used to frigid temps and blizzards. It does rain but it isn't endless like they make you think. I'd say it is more gray than rainy and that doesn't bother me since there are flowers year round and loads of green trees to make the gray less so.
Being from Houston, the humidity there was relentless so I'm happy to be in a place where I don't need to use A/C to be cool. Just raise the windows in the summer and you're good to go!
Not that weather is a major factor in deciding to move someplace, but the fact that Portland is so close to the coast, the mountains, the amazing Gorge, a fairly decent size metro to explore, it really is a superb spot to be!
My middle child is in pre-school in Lake Oswego (right by West Linn) and it really is a neat part of the city. Very hilly, gorgeous views and friendly people.
Good luck with your decision! My kids are 6 1/2, 5 and 3 and we've had no regrets!! By the way, you're lucky your sister is here and your parents would move...our family is still in TX and the midwest though we're getting them thinking about heading this way!!
GB1 and roneb, I quite agree with you. I have lived here for 30 years. I am 62 now. I haven't liked some of the changes I have seen here but some have been okay. I think my awakening that this town was no longer for me when I found myself jobless a few years ago. Although I have office skills, education etc I couldn't compete with the younger crowd. I think if you are over 30 and trying to earn a living here it is very difficult. If you are my age it is just about impossible.
So many of my friends have moved away mostly because they could no longer afford to live here it's sad. Within a couple of years time I went from being a part of a large group of friends to only one or two.
Portland is no longer the city of original ideas and interesting people it once was. Not every place is for everybody and Portland is no longer a place I would move to but it could be great for the right people. Someday, as soon as I find a place more conducive to my needs I will move there.
Thanks, Minervah. Were I still in Portland, I would offer to buy you a cup or glass of whatever just to have the chance to chat. I'm sorry about your friends.
I'm sorry about your job situation, and wish that I could disagree with your conclusion about age in Portland. From what I could see, the "elderly" (and I don't think 62 is elderly, by any means) are particularly invisible there; the city, as it is now, seems hyperfocused on youth, and humans become obsolete there at a particularly early age, compared with other regions. Older folks are probably not venerated in the rest of the country, either, but the variety (Portlanders would say "diversity") of many generations is particularly absent there...there's just not much for them. Even in the Oregonian and on the evening news, there's very little representation or acknowledgment that they exist. And the fact that Portlanders toss around the word "old" as a pejorative is just goddam sad.
Your comments about Portland a generation ago are interesting, because I found myself wishing I'd lived there in the 1970s or 1980s, when things were probably more depressed but less boutique-y and hip. Portland still has the vestiges of a vital, more salty city, but it doesn't seem to have the variety and vibrance that one feels in a place where the vitality and energy of youth mixes with some of the sagacity and serenity of age, of surviving circumstances both joyful and hard.
It's never too late to move - is there any place you're thinking of?
Some things that bother me about Portland (as, yes, a former San Franciscan):
- Everything here is very Portland-centric. Every other business is labeled "PDX this..." or "Portland that...". Everything is "local". Which is wonderful in some ways, but often Portland feels like a tiny bubble.
- Lack of diversity. Portland attracts a very specific type of person (or, I at least think it does). I guess this isn't too different from other smaller cities, though.
- I feel like it is REALLY difficult to meet people here. I'm not sure why. People are friendly, but it seems as if most are content in their own social circles and unwilling to branch out. I don't get it, and I'm working really hard to figure out what I need to do to meet new people here. I've never encountered this problem before.
The "bubble feel" of Portland is what REALLY bothers me. Portland is nice, yes, but it is certainly not the most progressive city in the world, and there is always room for improvement. It can take hints from other cities.
What I do like:
- For a city lacking in size, there are a lot of great businesses here. There are good (cheap) restaurants, good clothing stores, one of the best bookstores. This is nice, and I feel like many of the retail establishments here are far superior to SF. I'm not missing out on anything.
- City is very accessible. I don't need to drive to get to where I want to go.
- The "feel" of the city is really fun and eclectic.
- It is EXTREMELY easy to break into new industries (specifically, creative ones). You want an internship with a local fashion label? Just walk up to them, start a conversation, boom you have an internship. Portland is extremely supportive of up-an-coming talent. This would be a great place to open a business... perhaps because of the "bubble" mentality I spoke of in disregard earlier, heh. People welcome local bands, businesses, with open arms.
Am I glad that I live here? Yes. Sometimes I do wonder, however, what I'm missing out on by living in a smaller city. I'm young and like living here now, but I will need to branch out in the next few years. This is not a place I see myself living in permanently.
Edited to add some things perhaps more specific to your situtation: Would be a great place for a family with kids, I think. I haven't been to Boston, but I think you'll find that there is not as much to do here. There are some great landmarks fun to visit for visitors, but they get old after a while after living here, in my opinion. The city has a high concentration of very creative individuals, but even so, the art isn't the best and Portland feels, at times, culturally lacking.
Last edited by mmermerm; 04-05-2008 at 03:57 AM..
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( This face because I am going crazy trying to decide what is the right choice for us!)
By the way, you're lucky your sister is here and your parents would move...our family is still in TX and the midwest though we're getting them thinking about heading this way!!
