San Diego VS Portland

[californio sur]

Originally Posted by toughguy

This stat comes from an old Forbes "top ten list" from 2004. They derived their rankings by looking at median income levels and median housing values. This was during the peak housing bubble when San Diego real estate was outrageously overpriced. If you look at the list, you will notice that places like New York and Boston are conspicuously absent, which should give you an idea about the validity of this Forbes piece. San Diego is a wealthy metro area but nowhere near even the top 10. Honestly, we need some fact-checkers on this site.

If you want to see the true metric of a city's wealth, you want to look at Gross metropolitan product - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Thanks for the more accurate information. Actually it was Wikipedia where I found the quote about San Diego's wealth. Makes sense that housing was a major contribution.

The metro San Diego\ Los Angeles population is set at 22 million and when you consider that the two cities are only 100 miles apart, that is considerably larger than Portland metro.

[toughguy]

Originally Posted by californio sur

Thanks for the more accurate information. Actually it was Wikipedia where I found the quote about San Diego's wealth. Makes sense that housing was a major contribution.

The metro San Diego\ Los Angeles population is set at 22 million and when you consider that the two cities are only 100 miles apart, that is considerably larger than Portland metro.

Yeah I find it necessary to check wikipedia citiations, because a lot of times the data is out of date and/or is from dubious sources.

[glasshalfpool]

I may be the first person in history who's visited San Diego and had Portland in the back of my head the whole time. San Diego is sorely behind Portland in terms of urban planning and environmental stewardship. SD is surrounded by appalling exburban sprawl, and with that comes exburban values, such as living in McMansions and driving SUVs. In the San Diego suburbs, you'll find the hate-spewing, fire-breathing version of a Christian God, accompanied with ubiquitous anti-abortion billboards. I don't feel as strong of a religious vibe in Portland. San Diego might be an oasis from this, but you're never too far away from this exburban culture (in fact, it surrounds you) and the shameful leaders that this culture spawns.

I would say that any walkable city with culture, intellectualism, and history is somewhere I'd rather be, even if there is some crime and even if the city has seen better days. There's something about being mixed in with culture, art and history that makes a city feel more vibrant. That being said, I would place San Diego, CA at the top of my "worst places to live" list. I hate car culture, and that city doesn't provide much interest to me. I'd rather be less safe, but thrilled with culture, grit and history than to be in a spread-out car-driven city. No offense to San Diego lovers, this is just my preference.

Environmentalist hippie types are much more prevalent in Portland, as they are everywhere in the Northwest. Almost everybody I know in Portland has a compost bin, whereas this is a rarity in SD. Of course you're aware of how far ahead Portland is in terms of mass transit (light rail), urban growth boundary, and so on.

[PITTSTON2SARASOTA]

I'd have to go with Portland on this one....a very progressive city in regards to urban planning and renewal; coupled with a great opportunity for pedestrians...i.e. good walkability and bicycling opportunities. Also I love the downtown...very compact, many parks and trees and interesting architecture as well.

[brzzz]

San Diego is basically a resort. Portland is a real city. If I could I'd live in Portland but stay in San Diego in the winter.

[ronaldojernkins]

Who could possibly say its a tie in terms of downtown vibrancy?

DT Portland is far more vibrant than DT San Diego, and has a much stronger urban fabric

[timeofseasons]

Originally Posted by DANNYY

I mean Portland, Oregon by the way.

San Diego & Portland

Criteria:
- Public transportation
- Education
- Recreational activities
- Natural scenery
- Population (city, MSA, CSA, etc.)
- Skyline
- Downtown vibrancy
- Location
- Weather
- Economy
- Diversity (people)
- anything else you can think up to compare them....

Remember, you don't have to talk about all the criteria, just pick the ones you know and or want to talk about.

Both are nice but Portland is very impressive, have you seen Broadway street? Lots of stores.

[18Montclair]

I really like San Diego but Portland is one of the few cities that would take me away from California.

I love it up there. So fresh and clean, so green, so compact, so characeteristically Pacific Northwestern.

I LOVE it up there.

San Diego has its major pluses tho. Its climate is well, famous. Its beaches and mediterrenean scenery is perfect. Its Downtown area has seen a stunning upswing in development over the past decade and today it far outclasses Downtown LA.

I think Id prefer to live in La Jolla over Lake Oswego, but as far as the cities themselves go, I think Id prefer Portland.