Moving? - Portland vs. Seattle vs. Nashville (living, best, cost)

[theforestmoon]

I tried searching and didn't see a thread comparing all three, so I thought I'd give this a shot!

I currently live in Los Angeles and I can't stand it here anymore. It's too hot and I'm tired of all the sun, I want autumn leaves instead of palm trees, it's too crowded, it's dirty, and housing is way too expensive for the low quality and small amount of space you can get. I'm miserable and I truly can't see a future for myself here. I want out!

I'm so very torn between Portland, Seattle, and Nashville.

I have friends in Portland and Nashville, but I've always been drawn to Seattle's appeal, and it's been a dream of mine to visit. I'm actually planning a Portland/Seattle trip this fall, and I've been to Nashville multiple times during all seasons except summer. I've visited Portland once in the spring.

I know that cost of living in Portland and Seattle isn't much better than LA on paper, but when you look at housing, you can find GORGEOUS 2 bedroom apartments for $2k when that's the price of a terrible 1 bedroom or studio in LA. I know that the cost of living in Nashville is waayyy cheaper than all of the others, but I'm also sure that my pay rate would go down as well, so I have a feeling I'd be in the same situation regardless. I currently make $57k a year as an executive assistant (with dreams of a creative career) and can manage to get by here, albeit with 2 other roommates in a junky apartment.

I'm liberal, not religious, and have experienced shell-shock and "judgment" from my visits to the Bible Belt which move Nashville a few notches down on my list. I also hate public transportation (makes me anxious) and I know that it's very prominent in Seattle and Portland, and not so much in Nashville, which gives it more points. I also hate talking to strangers and enjoy being left alone when I'm in public lol. The kindness in Nashville was startling to me! But I've also lived in LA for almost 10 years, so I guess I've been hardened... I'd love to hike and be outdoorsy, but I never go outside here in LA since it's so hot all the time. I also can't stand humidity. I have no desire for club scenes or nightlife except for when my favorite band occasionally rolls into town.

I feel like the PNW is somewhere I belong, but financially might not be the best decision in the long run? I'm really not sure.

All in all, when I picture my future, I see myself in a nice house surrounded by luscious green trees with a big yard for my dog. It's in a liberal/left city, where I can drive my SUV around town and get awesome food and coffee. I want a safe area where I can walk my dog at night in the crisp cool weather, and for my future family to feel safe in as well. I'd love some mountains and forests in the distance, or bodies of water. Growing up in California, the thought of being in a land-locked state makes me a little claustrophobic. I don't mind paying slightly extra for more space if it comes with a nicer home, but I don't want to completely break the bank - I'm not a millionaire. I don't have any desire to live in the middle of a city. I like peace and quiet, and don't mind a 15-30 minute drive to get to any type of special event.

Sometimes I wish I could just take the best pieces of these three cities and make my own!
Do any of you have opinions on which is best, and could possibly share your experiences living in or visiting them? I'd be happy to provide more details about myself if needed.

Thank you!

[fivenine]

I have quite a bit of experience in Nashville. I haven't lived there but I have been there quite a bit and know friends who have. I don't have as much experience with Seattle and Portland although I do want to visit Seattle and Washington State and I have done some research on that area. I can't say much about Portland so I won't comment much about that particular city.

I think Nashville based on what you describe would personally fall under "I like to visit but not live there" based on what you describe. While Nashville is pretty liberal it does still share some of the South's traditions of being friendly (some would say overfriendly), Nashville is very humid in the summer (hiking is probably going to be limited from October to April if you don't like humidity), and although the COL in Nashville is lower than Seattle and Portland your wages will also be lower so there may not be much difference in bang for your buck. Despite Nashville being Liberal, Tennessee is a Conservative state overall and once you get out of city core Nashville you will be in a predominantly conservative and religious area.

With that being said Nashville does have quite a bit of hiking options nearby and you are only an hour and a half from the Cumberland Plateau and about 3 hours from the Smokies which really pack in the scenery and hiking. Nashville is also a growing city with very low unemployment.

The main reason why I think Nashville isn't for you is that the things that Nashville does well are the things that you don't have much interest in (e.g. socialization, nightlife, etc.)

I think Seattle and Portland (based on what I know) would be better choices. You might have to compromise and settle for a suburb or outlying community and deal with public transportation and/or a commute if COL becomes an issue.

[mhays25]

Seattle doesn't make driving easy, as we've decided to focus on transit and density. We're a bad choice if that's your goal. Our transit commute percentage is much higher than Portland and several times Nashville by any geographic measure.

[deadpukka]

Originally Posted by theforestmoon

I know that cost of living in Portland and Seattle isn't much better than LA on paper, but when you look at housing, you can find GORGEOUS 2 bedroom apartments for $2k when that's the price of a terrible 1 bedroom or studio in LA.

For context, I lived in Seattle almost 20yr, and have been in LA off/on the last few years.

One thing to look at is difference in state income taxes. Oregon is around 9%, but WA and TN have zero state income tax.

I've been considering moving back to Seattle or moving to Nashville, so have been doing similar research.

Nashville is definitely the best from COL standpoint.

I've been looking at 2BR in Seattle recently, and I'm curious where you found great options at $2K/mo? Maybe just the areas I was looking at, but I found I'd need to spend $2300-2500 there to get similar size/quality as I have in LA now (1200sq ft 2BR duplex @ $2850). In general, housing costs in Seattle are almost a wash from LA, but you don't have the ~8% taxes (at least at my tax rate). Nashville I was finding similar 2BR around $1500-1600, which is a huge difference.

I haven't visited Nashville yet, but it does seem like a solid option, but I've read it can be as dreary as Seattle - so I wouldn't necessarily go for better weather.

Edit: I'm actually looking at Richmond VA as a middle-ground - mid-level income tax, reasonable weather, and much lower COL. Visiting there at the end of the month to check it out.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by theforestmoon

I also can't stand humidity.

That alone should remove Nashville from your list.

[theforestmoon]

Originally Posted by JMT

That alone should remove Nashville from your list.

I thought the same

[theforestmoon]

Originally Posted by fivenine

I have quite a bit of experience in Nashville. I haven't lived there but I have been there quite a bit and know friends who have. I don't have as much experience with Seattle and Portland although I do want to visit Seattle and Washington State and I have done some research on that area. I can't say much about Portland so I won't comment much about that particular city.

I think Nashville based on what you describe would personally fall under "I like to visit but not live there" based on what you describe. While Nashville is pretty liberal it does still share some of the South's traditions of being friendly (some would say overfriendly), Nashville is very humid in the summer (hiking is probably going to be limited from October to April if you don't like humidity), and although the COL in Nashville is lower than Seattle and Portland your wages will also be lower so there may not be much difference in bang for your buck. Despite Nashville being Liberal, Tennessee is a Conservative state overall and once you get out of city core Nashville you will be in a predominantly conservative and religious area.

With that being said Nashville does have quite a bit of hiking options nearby and you are only an hour and a half from the Cumberland Plateau and about 3 hours from the Smokies which really pack in the scenery and hiking. Nashville is also a growing city with very low unemployment.

The main reason why I think Nashville isn't for you is that the things that Nashville does well are the things that you don't have much interest in (e.g. socialization, nightlife, etc.)

I think Seattle and Portland (based on what I know) would be better choices. You might have to compromise and settle for a suburb or outlying community and deal with public transportation and/or a commute if COL becomes an issue.

Yeah, that's what I kinda thought as well. I LOVE visiting there and I have a great time every time I go, but that's also because I'm in "vacation mode", I think. During those weeks, I'm okay with going out and nightlife because that's what I paid to visit for, but during the rest of the year, all I want to do is relax. Nashville would definitely be the easier option due to lower COL and having friends there, but I think the other two would be the best in the long run (I hope). Now I'm just torn between those two! lol

[theforestmoon]

Originally Posted by mhays25

Seattle doesn't make driving easy, as we've decided to focus on transit and density. We're a bad choice if that's your goal. Our transit commute percentage is much higher than Portland and several times Nashville by any geographic measure.

That's good to know. Is it basically a walking city like NYC and having a car is pointless?

[jas75]

Just addressing the climate concern alone, Nashville is completely different from Seattle and Portland. Nashville's weather is far more changeable during the winter than the Pacific Northwest, with more sunshine and a wider range of temperatures. Long periods of cool, cloudy, drizzly weather are possible, but they seldom persist for extended time periods like in the other two cities. Some winters have multiple ice storms that temporarily paralyze the area, and others are pretty benign. But the Southeast in general is not so rough on those who suffer from a lack of sunlight compared to the Pacific Northwest.

[musicfamly5]

As someone from the Portland/Seattle area and has family/friends/business in Nashville I'll give you my input on the three.

Seattle is not a place to go if you want to move somewhere and be able to enjoy all the PNW has to offer. It's crowded, very political (and not just purely progressive like people think, a lot of conservative people live in the surrounding towns and once you leave Seattle you can run into areas worse then the south.) a extremely high cost of living with having to deal with low cost problems (lots of aggressive homeless, terrible traffic, and unstable housing market).

Oregon is great! Portland is even better, you have lower cost of living compared to Seattle, and although there is a income tax, you don't have sales tax which WA does have and is increasing by the year it seems. I find Portland more livable and the people are ten times more friendly then those in Seattle (and Nashville depending on who you are).

Nashville is special. It's a lot older and "established" then Portland or Seattle so you have more history and it has a huge music scene down there if you don't mind (not just country music either. Lots of great Rock, Jazz, and Alternative music is coming out of Nashville these days). I don't find the humidity that bad compared to other southern states, in fact most of the time it's dryer and cooler then Seattle (which does get humid especially during our hot summers where the cloud coverage stays). You'll have a low cost of living and plenty of progressive people to hang out with, but it will be more "diverse" in the people and cultures you encounter. I would caution you about moving there as most people from the West Cost find it so polarizing from what their used to (the attitudes, politics, and how things just generally get run by the established TN core) and you never ever really fit in it seems like.

I say visit and if you like it try Oregon. You'll be close enough to Seattle that you can visit most weekends for events or hikes in the mountains, but you can also enjoy all things Oregon as well! You'll have less issues with traffic, more progressive and friendly neighbors, tons of great cheap food (but really, check out the food trucks), and you can always go down South to California for a visit if you need some extra sun (and if your from LA and not used to the PNW winter you will probably need some sun therapy every once in a while. I think you could make a real future in Oregon, not so much for WA or TN.