Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
OK I don’t know a ton about the schools, but some other folks could chime in.
Based on your criteria, I’d suggest exploring Multnomah Village, Sellwood, and Milwaukie. These all have walkability and character. Eastmoreland is beautiful but feels much more upscale, and residential. To me, Milwaukie doesn’t “feel” like a ‘burb, but more like an extension of SE Portland, with fewer of the Portland “issues“. You may not escape 100% of the homeless issue in these places, but FAR less of a problem in my experience.
Lake Oswego is upscale and on the wealthy side. It has a charming downtown that is clean and lively, but to me feels a bit contrived (probably because it is more modern and seems “engineered”). But tons of folks love it.
You may also find smaller homes in SW Hills at the upper range of your house budget. No homeless issue, but you need to bike or drive to enjoy your amenities. Lots of good hiking trails out your front door though!
My $.02. Hope that helps.
Eastmoreland would suit you to a T if you can afford it. I haven't looked at houses for sale there recently. It's bordered on one side by Reed College and another side by a golf course and other residential neighborhoods on the other sides. You can walk to a MAX stop in Westmoreland and you have the Westmoreland and Woodstock neighborhoods for shops and stuff that are sort of a long walk or biking distance away.
It was basically a fancy upscale suburb when it was built 80-something ? years ago and is not part of the actual city. The other neighborhoods around there that aren't technically part of Eastmoreland are also nice. The housing in those neighborhoods is just more mixed and not universally quaint like in Eastmoreland .
I would not recommend moving to Portland. I am trying to move to Vancouver WA now. The inventory is extremely low there. I believe many people are escaping to WA. I would not too concern about the homeless issue in Portland. The BLM anarchist issue is a bigger concern. They are currently burning more stuff while the fire fighters are busy putting off the forest fires. They attack police force too and the mayor is allowing the chaos. These dangerous people could start fire anywhere. Btw, prepare to pay more tax in the future. Those damages will not repair themselves.
With all due respect, this is false. The BLM protesters are hardly as big a problem as the homelessness. I doubt you would find a single person in Portland that would agree with that statement. It makes me wonder if the IP even lives here, or is just going off reports on social media and scapegoating by prominent politicians.
Lake Oswego, along Highway 43, is a tough bike route. I've driven this for about ten years and there are typical >5 bikers in the morning and maybe a handful more in the afternoons (easier ride). You can bike to the main northbound / southbound bus route into Portland, which many people do - each bus can carry two or three bikes on the front rack.
In all the years I've lived there, I quite literally have seen the same two or three homeless folks in Lake Oswego. There aren't tent cities, nobody sits on the sidewalk begging, etc. Primarily, this is because there is no mass transit such as the MAX line and just the one or two main bus routes, but also because it is a bedroom community where there just isn't the foot traffic in a central area such as downtown Portland or Boston or any other big city.
Regarding the BLM / Antifa deal, I would respectfully disagree with Easy Beezy. While it isn't a "bigger" concern than homelessness, it is still quite bothersome and unwanted by a large segment of the residents and workers. Unfortunately, most of these people do the same as they do with homeless - learn to live with it or ignore it. It is hard, though, to walk through downtown and now skip over used needles and panhandlers and have to also explain to your kids what ACAB and F_ck 12 means and why it is spray-painted on all of the boarded up windows.
Lake Oswego, along Highway 43, is a tough bike route. I've driven this for about ten years and there are typical >5 bikers in the morning and maybe a handful more in the afternoons (easier ride). You can bike to the main northbound / southbound bus route into Portland, which many people do - each bus can carry two or three bikes on the front rack.
In all the years I've lived there, I quite literally have seen the same two or three homeless folks in Lake Oswego. There aren't tent cities, nobody sits on the sidewalk begging, etc. Primarily, this is because there is no mass transit such as the MAX line and just the one or two main bus routes, but also because it is a bedroom community where there just isn't the foot traffic in a central area such as downtown Portland or Boston or any other big city.
Regarding the BLM / Antifa deal, I would respectfully disagree with Easy Beezy. While it isn't a "bigger" concern than homelessness, it is still quite bothersome and unwanted by a large segment of the residents and workers. Unfortunately, most of these people do the same as they do with homeless - learn to live with it or ignore it. It is hard, though, to walk through downtown and now skip over used needles and panhandlers and have to also explain to your kids what ACAB and F_ck 12 means and why it is spray-painted on all of the boarded up windows.
The graffiti scrawl downtown is not cool. I totally agree. I also think that the violent minority of protesters are undermining the cause, are not representative of black people (and aren't even black for that matter), and are mostly just looking to fight cops. Many are also from out of town. They arrested a guy from Florida last Friday.
Still, as annoying as it is, it is localized and will eventually go away. The homelessness is widespread, chronic, and affects everyone in Portland, exposing us to crime, terrible sanitation issues, and extreme littering. It also contributes to a general feeling of decline that is disconcerting in the extreme. I don't think the two issues are even comparable. A guy died in the woods behind my house a few months ago.
Hello! I have lived in Portland (Downtown, NW, and now in a NE neighborhood). I am surprised by the amount of negative reviews that the posters have written about....I have answered some questions from you below:
My question is --- how much of an issue is homelessness within the actual neighborhoods? I want to be clear that seeing it in a neighborhood that I live in would not be acceptable to me. I noticed upon perusing Reddit that some progressive folks suggest that one should just be more compassionate, however, that is not a suitable arrangement for me as a prospective homeowner. In any event, is this homelessness a problem everywhere in the city? And if so, to what degree?
As the other posters have written, there is certainly homeless here in the city, but in neighborhoods that have been mentioned such as Beumont Wilshire, NW by the hospital, Alameda, Irvington, etc. there are minimal issues that are associated with the homeless population. It is somewhat neighborhood specific however and as always, one must take precaution.
I think it mentioned that you will have a 220K + income? You will be more than able to find a good neighborhood to live in without these issues.
(2) How prevalent are protests and the uber-liberal attitude? I consider myself fairly socially liberal and more of a moderate/independent, but there's certain sticking points that I standby (e.g., I want the police funded and neighborhoods safe).
I called the police a few weeks ago as there were kids that jumped over the local school fence and were skating in areas that they should not have been skating. They were able to show up and take care of the situation with minimal effort.
Not sure what the anecdotal incidents of 911 calls not being answered are and if so that is certainly a concern. I have NOT had any issues where I did not think a police officer would show up.
(3) Do folks generally enjoy living in Portland / is it a bikable city? The prospective job is in downtown. Could one bike from say Lake Oswego to downtown?
I certainly do (look at one of my posts reviewing the city, albeit it being somewhat old now)
Very bikable city - my family and I even go for joy rides around the city
Just pick a place somewhat close to work.
(4) How much of an issue is the rain and 9 months of overcast skies? It's pretty grey where I am currently in the winter, so I wonder how much I would be affected, but folks always seem to hammer on the lack of sun and overcast skies in Portland. How do folks adapt?
VERY grey in the winter, but that is part of living up here in the Northern US. Certainly grey from about October to March/April every year. Take a nice vacation to the eastern portion of the state with some sunshine, or perhaps to SD. Having said that it is likely one of the most grey periods....there are migrating whales that may cheer ya up between December and January on the coast
(5) Is Portland too small? I find the amount of amenities where I am at to be a nice feature.
I think it is a perfect size small big city. Big enough to have great music venues, restaurants, gyms, spas, great class airport, NBA team, liberal lifestyle, etc.
Small enough to know a lot of people around town easily. Suburbs are fairly far removed.
Feel free to send me a DM if wanting a more personal conversation, but your age, family size, goals, etc may play a part in all of this also.
Good luck - keep us in the loop in regard to what you decide.
Hello all, I am evaluating a job opportunity. I would be coming from a larger city, Boston, which I do enjoy because of access to all of the amenities. When I visited, Portland has a beautiful landscape and I think I would be able to have more space in terms of a house / yard than I have currently, which is a sell. A couple sticking points, however, was:
(1) I was really shocked by the amount of the homelessness. I had never seen anything like it before and it was quite an eye-sore on the beautiful landscape. My question is --- how much of an issue is homelessness within the actual neighborhoods? I want to be clear that seeing it in a neighborhood that I live in would not be acceptable to me. I noticed upon perusing Reddit that some progressive folks suggest that one should just be more compassionate, however, that is not a suitable arrangement for me as a prospective homeowner. In any event, is this homelessness a problem everywhere in the city? And if so, to what degree?
(2) How prevalent are protests and the uber-liberal attitude? I consider myself fairly socially liberal and more of a moderate/independent, but there's certain sticking points that I standby (e.g., I want the police funded and neighborhoods safe).
(3) Do folks generally enjoy living in Portland / is it a bikable city? The prospective job is in downtown. Could one bike from say Lake Oswego to downtown?
(4) How much of an issue is the rain and 9 months of overcast skies? It's pretty grey where I am currently in the winter, so I wonder how much I would be affected, but folks always seem to hammer on the lack of sun and overcast skies in Portland. How do folks adapt?
(5) Is Portland too small? I find the amount of amenities where I am at to be a nice feature.
I know that's a mouthful, so thanks in advance for your wisdom and perspectives.
Ok I will not even read the rest of the replies, Stay in Mass. I am a New Englander and this will not meet expectations even if it seems like it will. Just move to Milford o something. Go to Fitchburg even. dont come to Portland. Only telling u what I would do also. Hell even pick Nashua NH and Manch vegas. U will get more out of it, a lot more out of what u want in life.
PS - for what it's worth, I found Portland to be more similar to Boston than to either of the other metro areas I've lived in - New York and Los Angeles.
I saw someone going through Brooklyn and feel Portland has most in common with that place. U might think Boston because of the MAX but its not. The chinese food has a similar look and feel to Bostons but its watered down.
IMO Sac town is the best city in the west at this time plus it tends to be like the midwest a bit more.
The homeless has gotten insane even for Portland standards. There’s a new tent city over by 82nd and Powell that I have never seen more than one or two tents in that area before. It used to be that most of those tents were in or near downtown but now they’re all over the city. If you’re going to move here I would recommend you move to the suburbs instead, Portland is just way too dangerous, at this rate we’re going to be as bad as Detroit.
Indeed, I told this person not to move here, people who want to come to Portland NOW of all times are NUTS. It was even bad to come here in 2018, even 2012 people talked of the bad employment problem as well. I come from MA/NH also and I would move back in a minute vs staying in Portlands west side and most of the area. I am stuck here looking to move out and some want to come in?? Its insane.
Portland needs to close off migration and focus on getting people to leave who cant. Thats what the govt needs to do in this place but no new people should be coming in.. nope.. or to Seattle as well. Its that bad here approaching the election.
There are some leafy neighborhood enclaves within the city where you don’t have homeless in your face (Irvington, Beaumont-Wilshire, etc). The problem is that if you want to enjoy any of the amenities in any of the hip /trendy districts in town, you are going to be dealing with homeless. They are all over the place.
Also, Portland is uber left coast liberal. If you have “moderate” views (like funding the police), be careful about expressing those views out loud.
As has been mentioned, suburbs like LO will insulate you to some degree from both sets of issues.
FWIW, we are moderates/independents and are plotting our escape from Portland. IMO it has lost its way.
Good luck to you.
U HIT THE NAIL.. All of us moderates are screwed in this state, its just extremes. I am looking for spots with more moderates in them to move to. I cant stand how this state is so divided. A lot of hatred. Neighbors dont talk to u, i never been to such a bad place and I dont come from a place known for its hospitable nature as well so if I tell u this, u know its bad.
It also pisses me off that my mom and stepdad are feeding into the Trump BS and want to vote for him again too.
And also I am MtF trans as well and I have not fit in for how liberal of a place this is supposed to be. I am not on either side at this point. Let the nuts be here and kill eachother, just dont follow me to where I go next is all demand out of them or I will fight them. I HAD IT!!!
I am not moderate as far as wanting tons of police funding, i do like the defund police thought most as people do tend to get stopped for petty things, I just dont like this extreme BLM and Trump garbage both. I have seen Police lives matter signs in SE Portland like 122nd and Division ish.
Hello! I have lived in Portland (Downtown, NW, and now in a NE neighborhood). I am surprised by the amount of negative reviews that the posters have written about....I have answered some questions from you below:
My question is --- how much of an issue is homelessness within the actual neighborhoods? I want to be clear that seeing it in a neighborhood that I live in would not be acceptable to me. I noticed upon perusing Reddit that some progressive folks suggest that one should just be more compassionate, however, that is not a suitable arrangement for me as a prospective homeowner. In any event, is this homelessness a problem everywhere in the city? And if so, to what degree?
As the other posters have written, there is certainly homeless here in the city, but in neighborhoods that have been mentioned such as Beumont Wilshire, NW by the hospital, Alameda, Irvington, etc. there are minimal issues that are associated with the homeless population. It is somewhat neighborhood specific however and as always, one must take precaution.
I think it mentioned that you will have a 220K + income? You will be more than able to find a good neighborhood to live in without these issues.
(2) How prevalent are protests and the uber-liberal attitude? I consider myself fairly socially liberal and more of a moderate/independent, but there's certain sticking points that I standby (e.g., I want the police funded and neighborhoods safe).
I called the police a few weeks ago as there were kids that jumped over the local school fence and were skating in areas that they should not have been skating. They were able to show up and take care of the situation with minimal effort.
Not sure what the anecdotal incidents of 911 calls not being answered are and if so that is certainly a concern. I have NOT had any issues where I did not think a police officer would show up.
(3) Do folks generally enjoy living in Portland / is it a bikable city? The prospective job is in downtown. Could one bike from say Lake Oswego to downtown?
I certainly do (look at one of my posts reviewing the city, albeit it being somewhat old now)
Very bikable city - my family and I even go for joy rides around the city
Just pick a place somewhat close to work.
(4) How much of an issue is the rain and 9 months of overcast skies? It's pretty grey where I am currently in the winter, so I wonder how much I would be affected, but folks always seem to hammer on the lack of sun and overcast skies in Portland. How do folks adapt?
VERY grey in the winter, but that is part of living up here in the Northern US. Certainly grey from about October to March/April every year. Take a nice vacation to the eastern portion of the state with some sunshine, or perhaps to SD. Having said that it is likely one of the most grey periods....there are migrating whales that may cheer ya up between December and January on the coast
(5) Is Portland too small? I find the amount of amenities where I am at to be a nice feature.
I think it is a perfect size small big city. Big enough to have great music venues, restaurants, gyms, spas, great class airport, NBA team, liberal lifestyle, etc.
Small enough to know a lot of people around town easily. Suburbs are fairly far removed.
Feel free to send me a DM if wanting a more personal conversation, but your age, family size, goals, etc may play a part in all of this also.
Good luck - keep us in the loop in regard to what you decide.
Thanks everyone for your feedback and take on things. It is a tough choice because the opportunity is great.
Let me, if I may, lay out some things I like about Portland and you can tell me if I am fantasizing or in the ballpark.
1 - Like the beautiful houses and architecture. There's some really pretty spots and I like what the prices get me there in Portland vs. something similarly priced here. The houses have a lot of character unlike other places I've seen other than maybe Austin, Tx. Related to this, there is a lot of upside to owning real estate in Portland. If Seattle and the west in general is any indicator, it could go up another 30-40% over the next decade or so.
2 - The smallness to it seems to be a bit of an asset as well as it could be a more manageable city in some ways. Where I live now is more spread out in terms of driving and living life.
3 - While Im generally not a fan of the clouds/dreariness. Having cool spots like Bend or maybe other parts of east Oregon or Idaho to take off to for a weekend if I need some relief could be great.
4 - The idea of pretty grand nature and mountains nearby is pretty cool.
5 - Maybe I could build a pretty nice group of profession friends for myself. In this regard, maybe I could be a 'bigger fish' in a medium size to smaller pond so to speak. My income is around the same here where I live as it would be there in Portland.
6 - Love music and the arts scene and while I have that here, there seems to be more of a level of accessibility to it in Portland
7 - Giving west coast living a shot sounds charming
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
