Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I belive for scenery Portland is tops regarding water. It's hard to match the crashing waves on the nearby coast.
BUT, for practical recreation, Austin wins with the kayaking, swimming, springs etc. It may be a weekend trip but you can swim in the gulf much of the year. Do people swim in the rivers near Portland or Pittsburgh? I mean without a wetsuit. Do they eat the fish they catch?
The Columbia River is home to one of the largest salmon runs on the planet. And yes, people swim in the lakes and rivers near Portland. Hell, they even go in the ocean! Ample opportunity to kayak as well.
This thread was a classic battle of 'hip' cities in 2014, which is still very relevant today. I'm curious to see a few opinions now that it's midway through 2016.
All of these cities have grown significantly since the 2010 census except Pittsburgh; however Pittsburgh posted the largest rate of change in city proper population (-8% to +0.04%) [via wiki].
I think that Boulder should be changed to Denver. Boulder may hit well above its weight, but is still not comparable to vastly larger population centers - and many contributors have considered Denver's amenities when discussing Boulder.
Are opinions still the same? The poll is pretty close....
Portland, Austin and Boulder were once great places...the problem is they were "discovered" years ago by "the hipster masses" and all three are too crowded, with horrible congestion and traffic, super high rents and house prices, and they lack the feel that once caused creatives to flock to them. All three are living off the "cliches" of what "they used to be", not what they are now.
The key is to try to find "the next" Portland, Austin and Boulder. Where might that be?
Pittsburgh would be the best for housing costs and being more off the radar, but it's just too cold and overcast for me.
Cost of living: Pittsburgh
Housing: Assuming housing costs, tie Austin/Pittsburgh Austin, boulder, pitts, port
Crime rates: Boulder
Beauty/scenary: Boulder
Access to bodies of water: Austin
Weather: Boulder
Schools from the lowest through college: Austin
Economy: Austin
Growth: Austin
Access to other cities: Pittsburgh
International airport: Boulder (part of Denver metro)
Public transportation: Portland
Amenties: Pittsburgh
Sports: Pittsburgh
Museums/zoos/aquariums/water parks/etc: Pittsburgh
Future growth: Boulder
Food: Pittsburgh (Permani Bros. Sandwiches. YES!)
I would choose Pittsburgh
Primanti Bros sandwiches are the absolute worst.
I don't know about Austin's k-12, but Pittsburgh wins for Higher Ed.
Also, Pittsburgh's mass transit is probably better than Portland. People place too much importance on light rail. Portland would have to increase the percent of people who commute via mass transit by 50% to match Pittsburgh.
Nope its not safe at all. All 2.4 million of us are dying.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
