Portland or Seattle

[Inkpoe]

Well... which taxes you want to pay? Portland has income tax, Seattle doesn't. Seattle has sales tax, Portland doesn't. Portland property taxes are higher than Seattle. Seattle has more "fees" than Portland.

Both WA and OR have leftist government and are in severe debt. They're trying to figure how to resolve that. Personally, I'd choose WA. WA's politics are easier to swallow than OR's politics.

Seattle is more metropolitan with lots of great suburbs. Portland is a small city in comparison. Traffic are equally bad (though, I think Portland is worse because there's no side roads to take). I think Seattle has more to offer, though Portland isn't a bad choice.

[Bossanovawitcha]

For anyone still trying to run down Portland v Seattle, I'm going to post on it this thread.

You can't compare oranges to apples - so why try? Eat them both.

Portland Traffic is nowhere near as bad as Seattle's for commuters.

Portland - work to live.
Seattle - live to work.

Both cities are superlative and you can find whatever you are looking for.

No city can touch Seattle's incredible natural setting.
Portland has so many amazing parks and outdoor amenities you can feel you're out of town in any instant.

Your tax burden will be higher in OR the more you earn. However, it's a world leader in 'sustainability' and being a 'green city.' So you are part of something important living in Portland. You get great services, public transportation. You can live without a car if you choose in more areas than in Seattle.

Let's face it - overall, an economy attracts $ that can be hidden from taxation / taxed less.
Seattle attracts investment because capital is taxed at a lower rate, from capital gains to income to business. Flip houses and hardly pay any tax while driving up real estate. Sprawl is created, but admittedly it's beautiful sprawl. Infrastructure cannot keep up - good luck commuting across Seattle bridges or on most stretches between Olympia <-> Everett on I-5 during rush hour.

Portland attracts a lot of food / service / artistic folk because they can live easier on lower wages, and don't pay taxes (report it) on all their tips / income. Bartender life in Portland / Eugene is quite good - $50 / hour and hardly any tax. If you work on tips and like to spend $ on having fun, nowhere in the world is as good as Portland. Its the ultimate "Saloon Town."

The latter (no goods tax) benefits a general populace more. The former (no income tax) attracts more wealth.

The food scene in Portland is better than Seattle. 3:1 for Portland in # food carts. Portland sets food trends for a reason.

The seafood in Seattle is better than in Portland.

Weather is not as similar as the temp averages and people would have you believe. Portland's hotter when hotter, and cooler when cooler, and has more clouds. However, the clouds are 'lighter' than Puget clouds (let more light through), and the water in the Sound keeps Seattle more temperate. I like both, but for me Seattle's weather suits me better.

You can go round and round comparing the two. Apples to oranges.

One was built on agriculture and the other on a gold rush. Ironically, today it's agriculture/food/service that defines $ and lifestyle of Portland apart, and the tech gold rush that sets Seattle apart, as far as earning / economies go.

I'd say my favorite comparision is - Seattle:Tokyo and Portland:Osaka. White collar vs blue collar. One is more high-brow, classy and delicate and one is more brash, people-centric, and fun.

Paris vs Provence.
Milan vs Florence.

Fortunately, you get to visit both quite easily in the PNW (and Olympia, Tacoma, Eugene, Bellingham, other awesome cities) whichever you choose.

If you're looking for 'unique' then Portland wins, hands down, and probably forever. Seattle is becoming more and more "guilded" and full of fake lips, expensive purses, and scenesters than ever as Amazon tows jobs and recruits in from all over the country faster than cloning. This is pushing the artists, musicians, and common folk out of town - and these people are who define any city's true vibe.

Rome was only ever truly as strong as its Plebs were allowed to be.

Portland can't be bothered with trivial stuff such as money when life can be lived. Irresponsible? Maybe. Awesome? Definitely.