I loved visiting OR. Now considering a move. (Portland, Salem: job market, neighborhood)

[nep321]

Last week I spent a few days in Oregon, visiting from Connecticut. I absolutely loved the coastline. I drove the 101 between Newport and Reedsport, then went along 138 all the way to Crater Lake, which was amazing! I spent one night in Salem, and only got to drive through Portland on I-5. Also, I have driven along I-84 in northeastern OR and stopped at La Grande to get gas. Anyway, I thought the whole state was amazingly beautiful and I am now thinking of moving there.

One thing that happened when I was there, however, was that 90% of the time it was completely cloud covered and raining most of the time. It was in the 60's at best during the day! This was last week on Wednesday. But I loved the greenery, forests and coastline. The scenery really spoke to me.

So, here's the reality. There seems to be BARELY any good paying jobs in OR in general. I am in the field of tax accounting and have seen postings for only maybe 1 or 2 jobs that I am qualified and interested in, and they happen to all be in Portland. Is this challenge of finding a job typical? Also, since I'm not a local candidate, that only makes things MUCH harder to be considered seriously.

Like I said, I haven't actually been to Portland, other than driving through on I-5. So I don't really count that. So I'm not sure if I would actually like the Portland metro area. But I certainly loved the rest of the state. I heard that the Portland metro is catered toward hipsters. I'm not a fan of hipster culture though. For example, I can't stand Austin, TX, or even Denver, CO to an extent, for their hipster cultures that are pervasive throughout the metro areas. Please tell me Portland isn't as hipster as Austin or Denver.

Anyway, It just seems like the state is weak on jobs in my field.

[Mr.Quiet]

It's the Pacific Northwest. It rains a lot. Why do people complain about a fact of nature? It's like people complaining about a drought in the Southwest. It's the DESERT, it's suppose to be dry.

[sorupaa]

Only a small part of the state rains alot

[leftwinghillbilly]

If you hate Austin you will hate Portland. Its even worse.

[Silverfall]

I think if you don't like Austin or Denver you won't like Portland proper. That said if you need more a more traditional suburban vibe Beaverton, Sherwood, Wilsonville, etc are all very typical suburbs.

[Nell Plotts]

Yes, finding a job will be your major challenge - it is for almost everyone. With a job in hand you will have no problem finding a Portland metro neighborhood that works for you.

[beaverdance]

Portland is pretty much the only large city. Jobs concentrate there. If you dislike "hipsters" in general, though, you won't like Oregon's progressivism. (Bend is nice and Republican, though, and it's beautiful there.)

Also, the outer west and southwest--Beaverton, Tigard, Lake Oswego--is Ward and June Cleaver suburbia, with nary a clandestine pot farm to be found (everybody's growing organic radishes). But yes, it does rain in Oregon--that's why everything's green and beautiful. Can't have one without the other.

Come to think of it, since Bend is drier and redder than the western half of the state, that place might just be right for you. The job market is crap everywhere in Oregon, so there won't be much difference either way. Everybody and his Golden Retriever wants to move to Portland, so rents are high--but then, that's true in Bend as well.

[cobaltking]

Portland is hipster Mecca.

[delta07]

Originally Posted by beaverdance

Portland is pretty much the only large city. Jobs concentrate there. If you dislike "hipsters" in general, though, you won't like Oregon's progressivism. (Bend is nice and Republican, though, and it's beautiful there.)

Also, the outer west and southwest--Beaverton, Tigard, Lake Oswego--is Ward and June Cleaver suburbia, with nary a clandestine pot farm to be found (everybody's growing organic radishes). But yes, it does rain in Oregon--that's why everything's green and beautiful. Can't have one without the other.

Come to think of it, since Bend is drier and redder than the western half of the state, that place might just be right for you. The job market is crap everywhere in Oregon, so there won't be much difference either way. Everybody and his Golden Retriever wants to move to Portland, so rents are high--but then, that's true in Bend as well.

Bend isn't as conservative as you are making it out to be. It's definitely a little more moderate than Portland, but the younger people, in general, lean to the left. There are also plenty of hipsters here. Not sure this would be the place for someone to move if they don't like liberals or hipsters.

OP, I grew up in Denver so if you don't like that city and feel it has too much of a hipster vibe going, I don't think you'll like Portland (or Bend for that matter).

[beaverdance]

Originally Posted by delta07

Bend isn't as conservative as you are making it out to be. It's definitely a little more moderate than Portland, but the younger people, in general, lean to the left. There are also plenty of hipsters here. Not sure this would be the place for someone to move if they don't like liberals or hipsters.

OP, I grew up in Denver so if you don't like that city and feel it has too much of a hipster vibe going, I don't think you'll like Portland (or Bend for that matter).

If you want a great map of Oregon's political-geographical landscape, all you have to do is get a map of which counties went red/blue during the last several elections. Bend pulses with a bright red glow.

Bend definitely has a mixture of types, but as it's somewhat of a haven for the pickup-truck-and-rifle crowd, you have a goodly dose of red-state conservatism. That's mixed in with the back-to-nature, techie, outdoorsy young (and not-so-young) crowd. The effect is to make Bend more conservative than most places in Oregon, but it's definitely no Texas Bible Belt town. I only mentioned Bend because it's a viable alternative for those who hate all them stinkin' liberals but still are attracted by Oregon's beauty and want to live there.