Portland "unhappiest city" (Green: crime rates, credit, unemployment)

[griz134]

BusinessWeek ranks Portland at top of "unhappiest cities" list - OregonLive.com

[Wicked Felina]

And? This would be news to you and who else?

That's why they call us the "Sweden of the West."

There may be those who still think we're exaggerating about unemployment. So many threads here about the weather...if greyness bothers you, or you have SAD, unfortunately, this will be a difficult area for you to thrive in. IMO.

[Venusian_Artist]

You can get that from BusinessWeek, or you can just peruse this forum and delight in all the passive-aggressive nutjobs that support Rose City status quo. It's like working an Algebra problem two different ways: they both get you the right answer (be sure and show your work for full credit.)

[argo69]

Half of the six scoring criteria they are using are potentially weather related (depression, suicide, cloudy days) so the study is going to be skewed against a city like Portland. I'd be interested in how the results played out if the study strictly went off of unemployment and crime rates. I suspect that a city like Los Angeles (10% unemployment plus crime) would find its way onto the list pretty quickly.

As much as Portland has topped the Best Places To Live lists over the years (ironic considering its #1 spot on this Unhappy Cities list), there are many people who simply are not constitutionally suited to a climate that is drizzly and overcast for much of the year.

[griz134]

I'm not unhappy. The weather here has never bothered me. I think the weather is actually quite nice compared to other areas of the country I've lived in. Just thought this article would create some conversation.

[subsound]

I love the weather frankly, I think it does skew it to be honest to just say cloudy days and rain make cities unhappy. From the perspective of unemployment I think things are going from grumpy to out right alarmed.

[Wicked Felina]

Originally Posted by subsound

I love the weather frankly, I think it does skew it to be honest to just say cloudy days and rain make cities unhappy. From the perspective of unemployment I think things are going from grumpy to out right alarmed.

Yes, I think things will go from grumpy to alarmed.

The weather in Portland is just fine. Last winter, for the first time, the rain (or the greyness, rather) started to bother me - but certainly not enough to leave. Hasn't bothered me since. (I was being facetious with the "Sweden" comment).

I don't find this city or Oregon to be unfriendly at all. There are cities with certian conveniences which PDX doesn't have that I miss. But overall, it's an extremely decent place to live.

As far as making friends goes, I think you'll get out of that what you put into it. Friendliness begets friendship. No matter where you live. There're just too many factors to consider to call a city the best place to live, the cheapest or the unhappiest. That kind of a qualification cannot be done.

[backdrifter]

I found people to be pretty happy in Portland. I certainly was. These things are skewed. I think Portland's an optimistic city, so how can it be an unhappy one? Oregon has always had high unemployment. And grey weather is beautiful weather. Unhappiest city, my a**!

[lilypad]

Just from my perspective, was sitting in a restaurant a few weeks ago for a couple of hours, watching people go by. Mostly jovial, happy, laughing and animatedly talking to each other. I usually find people friendly here and helpful, not sure what the "unhappiness" finding is all about. Though it was a nice sunny day that day! I also get down about the weather here, though this winter has not been bad for sunny days at all it seems.

[BLAZER PROPHET]

We have a pedophile as a mayor, the highest number of homeless kids in the nation and lots of rain.

At least one can see why we're so unhappy.




Here's a comment at the KGW site about Portland:

Portland was a kick-*ss town in the 1980's. This was before all of the hipsters and freaks started moving in from California and the East Coast. Also in the late 70's and 80's a lot of money was starting to flow into Portland and businesses were moving here and office buildings were going up one after the other. Imagine that! Why Portland ever got the reputation as a "happening" place and a mecca for hipsters is beyond me. When I was growing up here Portland was pretty much a blue-collar type of place with a smattering of hippies and artsy types.

Now the populace is full of angry, self-absorbed progressive types who want to control everybody and everything. I don't even bother going downtown to shop unless I absolutely have to. I will stay here in the burbs thank you very much. And don't get me started on how dirty everything is in such a supposed "Green" city.