Best City to Live near Portland?

[Larry Caldwell]

I speak from experience when I say SAD can be managed in Oregon without the use of drugs. Get a light box. I have 1200 watts of fluorescent tubes that surround me. I stand in it for 30 minutes every morning when I get up, before dawn in the winter. Since I started this regimen, no SAD.

[Nell Plotts]

I do know about the cost of housing in HI, my parents had a home in Honolulu for many years.

Only you and your husband can determine if our cloudy weather can be accommodated with his health condition. Our role is limited to cautioning you to prepare to deal with that.

When I responded with the comment about work-life balance I intended to convey that a quality home life is more valuable than compensation. I also wanted to let you know that my daughter is also a CPA, has had a rocket career and is married with children. She chose her employer carefully, she looked at the values of the partners and how they accommodated their own work-family issues.

I didn't catch your current compensation, wanderbygrace is the best resource for advice about Portland metro. I do know that compensation is effected by the client base when you work for an accounting firm. My daughter worked for one of the Big 6 after college, the pay was very low for juniors. The career track is akin to medicine, you are first an intern with lousy pay. After a few years of audit experience most either choose a career in public accounting or find a position in private industry. Other than staying in public accounting the easiest move is into an industry you audited. There are head-hunters who specialize in your profession, seek them out.

Best of luck to you and your family.

[Hawk J]

We live on side of a beautiful, forested mountain at about 2000'. Even in winter, many days have some partial sunshine, maybe at least an hour or two.

So maybe y'all can find a place mostly above the clouds.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by Hawk J

We live on side of a beautiful, forested mountain at about 2000'. Even in winter, many days have some partial sunshine, maybe at least an hour or two.

So maybe y'all can find a place mostly above the clouds.

Yes, go HIGH... when you leave Portland via airplane, you often get sun (elevation) BEFORE you get beyond city limits.

I'm at 1200 ft and BETWEEN the clouds (with plenty of 80 mph winds)... westbound clouds are lower... Eastbound (rain) higher. It can be depressing at times (only about 285 days of overcast / yr...)

[Hawk J]

I forgot to say, we are on the southern side of mountain. Very little wind here.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by Larry Caldwell

I speak from experience when I say SAD can be managed in Oregon without the use of drugs. Get a light box. I have 1200 watts of fluorescent tubes that surround me. I stand in it for 30 minutes every morning when I get up, before dawn in the winter. Since I started this regimen, no SAD.

Larry I am very glad you were helped with the light boxes for your SAD. But the OP needs to know that realistically not everyone is. I mentioned my friend who had to move back to sunny Jacksonville. She stuck it out for eight years and only got worse even with the boxes and eventually meds. They don't work for everyone.

Just so the OP knows there is a possibility of fixing the problem but there is also a possibility it can't be fixed. I am glad your problem with SAD was resolved because I watched my dear friend suffer through it so much.

The good news is that she is completely happy in Jacksonville, married to a great guy and has all the sunshine she needs.