I want to move to Portland OR but can't afford it. What MSA in Ohio most resembles Portland? (Columbus: condos, neighborhood)

[brubaker]

I know I'll get 'creamed' for this but I really, sincerely want to know.

Which city or Metro Area most resembles Portland Oregon?

Thanks in Advance.

[000000]

the three c's will be your best bet to meet some other yuppies. well, maybe columbus and cleveland because cinci will feel too southern. you are comparing apples and lettuce, and will not be happy anywhere but portland by your own admission. it would be better to save your money to move out to portland later than move to somewhere in ohio now.

[brubaker]

Um, I'm nowhere near being a yuppie.

And I will be happy anywhere...nowhere in my post did I imply (much less admit) Portland was the only place I'd be happy.

But thanks for the quick response!



Edit:
I have family in Piqua and Dayton so I know a little, tiny bit about the area.

[mattalli]

No flames here just a question. What are you looking for as far as comparison? Cleveland and Cincinnati are more urban areas while Columbus is a big city with a small town feel.

[mattalli]

Originally Posted by 000000

the three c's will be your best bet to meet some other yuppies. well, maybe columbus

yuppies?

[brubaker]

Thanks.

I'm interested in access to the outdoors (Columbus?) but also Public Transit & Public Spaces inside the city. Fun stuff to do, a sense of community... 'Street / Sidewalk culture' ....if that makes any sense? That type of thing.

Hmm.

That's really as far as I got in thinking about it.

I realize places all have their own culture and identity 'going on', I'm not looking for a exact replica just asking a general, (supposed to be) 'fun' question.

Oh yeah, also:
Enjoying the outdoors (or at least being able to walk around places) is pretty important to me (as you may have noticed from above statements), and I read that there's not too many National Forests and stuff. So anyways, info about access to that type of thing would be interesting to me as well.

TIA

[mattalli]

I have friends who live in the Short North and Victorian Village areas of Columbus and there is always some kind of neighborhood event going on. There is a gallery hop and lots of small business owned shops and diners there. There are more events that go on during the summer. I found a link to some of the events. Columbus Ohio Festivals Information

There is a big project going on to build a park in downtown and there are a lot of new condos thathave been built to draw more people in.
We're planning on moving back into the area from the country next summer becuase we're just too far out from our jobs but most of the suburbs are a 20 minute drive into downtown.

I moved to this area from the Akron Canton area in 2003. I've also lived in Cleveland and Toledo but central Ohio is my favorite area by far, you know how us yuppies are .

Good luck in choosing an area that is a good fit for you!

[WeSoHood]

^^ To be fair matalli, Johnstown is essentially rural and NOT urban living. I do agree on Short North and Victorian Village though, they are nice. I just don't think they are too much like Portland (well I guess most of Ohio really isn't).

Enjoy being outside and like to walk around? Similar to Portland? Hmm.. I'd try Lakewood or Coventry in Cleveland. Not only will it be most similar, but Lakewood borders Lake Erie and the MetroParks. I'd do some research on the metroparks, they border Lakewood and run throughout the county.

Check out more about the metroparks here:

Cleveland Metroparks - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cleveland Metroparks

IMO, the metroparks are rarely mentioned when Cleveland is a brought up, but are an AMAZING thing to have running through Cleveland. You can be downtown, then 10 minutes later running on the trails, fishing, playing golf, or having a BBQ. But yeah, those 2 areas seem to have the similar hipster or urban scene that you find in Portland from my experience.

[mattalli]

Originally Posted by WeSoHood

^^ To be fair matalli, Johnstown is essentially rural and NOT urban living.

Yeah, I know, and I would never advise to move out here unless you were looking for some cow tipping summertime fun. We moved to Johnstown in 2008, before that we lived in Columbus and both work in downtown Columbus. To say Johnstown is "essentially rural" is being nice. That's what happens when you're not thinking that you'll have a 45 minute drive into work and when you move to an area you're not familiar with. We can't wait to move back.

I do agree about the metro parks in Cleveland. They are really nice and well maintained. I lived right off West 25th and Lorain in Cleveland. There was a lot going on downtown if you're into bars and the music scene but it's not the best area to live in. Lakewood is a good area to live in but there wasn't much going there as far as events.

[Daytonnatian]

Originally Posted by brubaker

Um, I'm nowhere near being a yuppie.

And I will be happy anywhere...nowhere in my post did I imply (much less admit) Portland was the only place I'd be happy.

But thanks for the quick response!



Edit:
I have family in Piqua and Dayton so I know a little, tiny bit about the area.

Every one of the top 7 cities in Ohio has areas and districts in town that are more liberal/open-minded-ish, if that's what you're going for.


Since you have relatives around Dayton, you may want to give the area top priority if you iwsh to see them much. Yellow Springs may be perfect, and although it is a small town, it is very "Berekley-esque" with many small shops, a thriving arts community, and Antioch College re-opening in 2011. In the Dayton area, the Oregon District in town may be worth a look, as well, and will most likely be the most cost-effective locale on your list.

Otherwise around the state, Oberlin, German Village and Short North in C-Bus, Ohio City, Warehouse District, University Circle, and Little Italy in the CLE, and Over the Rhine in Cincy immediately come to mind. I have limited knowledge of Akron, but it appears from my visits there that many locales in the city would fit your desires, as well.

If you are not confined to Ohio, some of the cities that best fit the criteria nearby are Ann Arbor and Grand Rapids up in the Wolverine State, as well as Pittsburgh.


Good Luck!!!!!