Portland Neighborhoods- Where to live? (Washington: houses, employment, living in)

[JustCurious12]

My husband and I are going to be empty nesters but we are far from old (unless you consider late 40's old)!

We would love to live in a vibrant neighborhood with a fairly well-educated, diverse, interesting population. That being said, we are turned off by gentrification/yuppie lifestyle. Perhaps we are looking for something that no longer exists, but we would love to live in a place that's safe, where we could interact with interesting people of all types, who are not necessarily rich or "successful."

We are interested in Portland because when we have visited the city we have liked it very much, and because we are New Enganders who generally don't want to live in a "big" city like Boston. We have some flexibility with our employment options.

If you live in Portland, is there a particular neighborhood/area you would recommend? We are not adverse to living in a town nearby as well, but I must admit, I prefer not to live in suburbia or in a development. Any/all details you could be provide would be greatly appreciated.

[dubthang]

All of the neighborhoods on the peninsula will provide a mix of yuppie/gentrification/working class/student/poor. The ratios of what to what will be different depending on which neighborhood. Off the peninsula, you will find a greater working class group, but that may be too suburb for you. Search a bit on here. There is a lot of talk about the different neighborhoods.

[JustCurious12]

Thank you for that. Yes, I am searching around here but it's a little confusing when you don't really know the area. We plan on driving up soon and just looking around. If you have a chance, can you let me know which neighborhoods are "on the peninsula?"

[dubthang]

Peninsula includes West End, East End, Bayside (East and West), Parkside, Old Port, Arts District, Business District, Waterfront, St. John Valley, and some people may include Libbytown. Some people don't consider the Waterfront as its own neighborhood.

The colors in this picture depict the districts, not the neighborhoods. Generally, the peninsula is considered to be south of 295.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neighb...ortland,_Maine

Neighborhoods | Portland, Maine

This link is interactive. Click on the neighborhood, and it'll take you to the approximate area.
Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed

[JustCurious12]

Thank you so much for that! It is really helpful.

[OOBGAL]

I would be happy to help you with questions on Portland neighborhoods. I grew up in the next town over and my Family are Portland natives. It is a very diverse city. There are lots of areas you probably want to stay away from and others areas that are wonderful. Feel free to send me a message!

Sara

[Crookie]

Let's see, you want something working class (if I understand correctly) but not suburban, and of course safe. I'm not sure exactly what suburban means to you. Portland has a lot of neighborhoods that consist of single-family houses with small yards both back and front. Is that too much? If not, I can recommend the area I used to live, which we called "The States" because a lot of the streets were named for states. On the map, it's the blue area to the northeast of Washington Avenue.

The West End is the most gentrified part of the city, so you'd want to avoid that.

If you're looking for something more densely packed than what I just described, the Rosemont or Deering Center area might be good. I've never lived there but have often driven through them. It all depends on exactly what "suburban" means to you.

Have you already made your trip? If so, I hope you found someplace that looked good!

[Giantrobot]

Drive up Brighton Ave, Forest Ave or Washington Ave, as mentioned. These are the corridors into the city, and the main areas of "suburban" Portland. You are only minutes from downtown in either direction. Many neighborhoods in between all of these.

[Jameson_]

Hi, since my english is not really good, I have a doubt: what do you mean with The West End is the most gentrified part of the city??
And, other question... What would you choose between West end and East end?
Thanks!

[dubthang]

Originally Posted by Jameson_

Hi, since my english is not really good, I have a doubt: what do you mean with The West End is the most gentrified part of the city??
And, other question... What would you choose between West end and East end?
Thanks!

The West End is not the most gentrified part of the city. Don't worry about it. There are many people of many different ages in the West End.

West vs East? Depends on the amount of money you want to spend. The East End was once the cheap end of town, but now it is the most expensive due to the vast water views, multi million dollar homes, and small local shops. The West End is not cheap either, but more manageable. The West End is closer to the Arts District and the Old Port. The West End covers more area so there are more places to choose from, and there is more on street parking. Completely different vibe from each area while still being the same vibe of living in a progressive ocean town.