I'm Considering Moving From Seattle to Portland. Thoughts? (Beaverton, Hillsboro: home, buy)

[Jimrob1]

I live on the west side of Portland, have been here just a few years now. Where I work everyone but me is from Portland or Oregon. All of them from the east side and east county. From listening to them, I have come to the conclusion that Portland is not this bastion of liberalism except in certain neighborhoods. THe people I work with, are extremely conservative and not very knowlegeable about much beyond the end of their street. It seems Vancouver, Wa is as far away as Vancouver BC. I can't help it that is how they appear to be, and if they are comfortable being that way, More power to them. I find it odd though Portland is portrayed as so progressive and such a liberal population, however it has a large contingent that are anything but. You can find yourself confined to just a few areas of the city and leave that little liberal quadrant for the next little liberal quadrant and its a different world in between and beyond. Reminds me of when I stationed in Berlin and the wall was up. If you left West Berlin to go to East Berlin it was like entering the twilight zone. If Seattle seems to meet your needs more so, then you owe it to yourself to really do alot of research, and everyone needs a decent paying job. Actually if that is the deciding factor the better job outlook and one came up, go for it. Good Luck.

[EnricoV]

Jimrob1 -- if you're on the westside, you're not in Portland. You're in Washington County. And what you say is true. I believe I recently read Washington County's registered Democrats have only just overtaken Republicans by a percentage point or two. Where in Portland, it's like 75% registered Democrat. So the west side is much more conservative -and given the housing prices in the West Hills, I'm sure it's also true of those who live within the Portland city line.

As for having more racial diversity, from the facts and figures I've seen it doesn't seem to be true. Here's the numbers from this website for Portland vs. Beaverton, racially:

• White 75.5 (Portland) - 73.6 (Beaverton)
• Hispanic 6.8 - 11.1
• Blacks 6.6 - 1.7
• 2 or more/other 7.6 - 9.2
• Native Am. 2.3 - 1.4
• Vietnamese 2.0 - 1.3
• Chinese 1.4 - 1.6
• Asian 1.3 - 1.2
• Filipino .5 - .9
• Japanese .5 - 1.1
• Korean 0.0 (not given) - 1.7

Beaverton is more heavily Hispanic, and a lot less Black, but there's really not that much difference overall.

[John Shaft]

Originally Posted by Jimrob1

I live on the west side of Portland, have been here just a few years now. Where I work everyone but me is from Portland or Oregon. All of them from the east side and east county. From listening to them, I have come to the conclusion that Portland is not this bastion of liberalism except in certain neighborhoods. THe people I work with, are extremely conservative and not very knowlegeable about much beyond the end of their street. It seems Vancouver, Wa is as far away as Vancouver BC. I can't help it that is how they appear to be, and if they are comfortable being that way, More power to them. I find it odd though Portland is portrayed as so progressive and such a liberal population, however it has a large contingent that are anything but. You can find yourself confined to just a few areas of the city and leave that little liberal quadrant for the next little liberal quadrant and its a different world in between and beyond. Reminds me of when I stationed in Berlin and the wall was up. If you left West Berlin to go to East Berlin it was like entering the twilight zone. If Seattle seems to meet your needs more so, then you owe it to yourself to really do alot of research, and everyone needs a decent paying job. Actually if that is the deciding factor the better job outlook and one came up, go for it. Good Luck.

It's good to hear someone else has had this observation. Yes, these-self proclaimed "progressives" certainly hold traditionally liberal political views, but I've noticed this bizarre insularism as well. They may be liberal but they very definitely are not "worldly" or cosmopolitan. I've often heard some comments about folk who never go across the Willamette (either direction I think), and I thought it was a joke, but I'm learning it's only about 50% joking.

[semi-sweet]

So. Apparently, some people believe that "conservative" is synonymous with rednecks, ignorance, racism, bigotry, and greed.

Yup, there's that famous liberal tolerance and open-mindedness, again...
Tolerant of everyone who thinks exactly like you do.

The Pacific Northwest is overwhelmingly liberal. What people describe as "extremely conservative" here, would probably be described as "moderate" in other parts of the country.

I'm sorry, but this Seattle versus Portland debate strikes me as being
"Well, which part of this far-left region is farthest to the left?"

Either way, it's not exactly Texas, people. If there's anybody who feels genuinely excluded, censored, or outnumbered around here, it's people who are located anywhere to the right of Karl Marx....

[oldtintype]

[quote=EnricoV;3642625]Jimrob1 -- if you're on the westside, you're not in Portland. You're in Washington County.>>>


Really? Because I've always considered SW Portland and NW Portland to be "west side." I live in Goose Hollow and if asked I say I live on the west side-- downtown or close in SW....

Guess it depends on what you think of west side.....

[EnricoV]

[quote=oldtintype;3649298]

Originally Posted by EnricoV

Jimrob1 -- if you're on the westside, you're not in Portland. You're in Washington County.>>>


Really? Because I've always considered SW Portland and NW Portland to be "west side." I live in Goose Hollow and if asked I say I live on the west side-- downtown or close in SW....

Guess it depends on what you think of west side.....

Ah, see to me, westside is over the hills, and the county line runs down the spine of the west hills. Anything else is "downtown." And if I lived in Goose Hollow, I'd just call it that.

Classic example of needing a lexicon!

[Journey2LS]

Originally Posted by John Shaft

It's good to hear someone else has had this observation. Yes, these-self proclaimed "progressives" certainly hold traditionally liberal political views, but I've noticed this bizarre insularism as well. They may be liberal but they very definitely are not "worldly" or cosmopolitan. I've often heard some comments about folk who never go across the Willamette (either direction I think), and I thought it was a joke, but I'm learning it's only about 50% joking.

I agree. When I moved here I found it very strange that many people I met didnt leave their side of the city. They were proud of it too. I met people who had lived here for 5 years and had never been to Beaverton, Vancouver, Hillsborough and such. They only stay in Portland and everything else is off limits. I would also hear people say how they try not to cross the river or they havent been across the river in months. It is very bizarre.

[EnricoV]

I had a friend who had moved to the big, bad city from Tillamook. He was like that. He hadn't even been across the river into Washington. Ever! I couldn't believe he hadn't done it just to say he'd been in Washington.

[Nell Plotts]

A few years back I had occassion to visit a large manufacturing facility in Iowa. When the HR Manager told me that 75% of her 1,000+ employees had not ventured out of the county/adjoining county at any time in their lives. It was hard for me to imagine.

[Jimrob1]

[quote=oldtintype;3649298]

Originally Posted by EnricoV

Jimrob1 -- if you're on the westside, you're not in Portland. You're in Washington County.>>>


Really? Because I've always considered SW Portland and NW Portland to be "west side." I live in Goose Hollow and if asked I say I live on the west side-- downtown or close in SW....

Guess it depends on what you think of west side.....

Yeah that is how I see it also, I live in NW and I was told I lived on the west side when I moved here, so I guess I live on the West side. Multnomah county.