5 ms·

In Portland, OR, my healthcare is 4% and my 2k+ house in the burbs (30 min commute) is <20%. At $3500/mo (about $750k house), there are over 500 house availabl

by dsp1234 11y ago

In Portland, OR, my healthcare is 4% and my 2k+ house in the burbs (30 min commute) is <20%. At $3500/mo (about $750k house), there are over 500 house available right now[0] just in the actual city of Portland (not including suburbs). And that's just limiting it to 2bd 1.25ba (and above) detached houses (not including condos, duplexes, etc) It's totally possible to work and live somewhere other than California. [0] - https://www.redfin.com/city/30772/OR/Portland/filter#!uipt=1&max_price=750000&num_beds=2&num_baths=1.25&region_id=30772&region_type=6&market=oregon https://www.redfin.com/city/30772/OR/Portland/filter#!uipt=1...

jeremy_k 11y ago
Yeah but rain. I lived in Oregon for 22 years, and I've been living in California since 2012 and although its been through a drought, let me tell you some things I don't miss after being back in Oregon for the holidays. Waking up to gray, gloomy skies, with rain pouring down. Waking up to the dark at 7am in the Winter. Sunset at 4:30. It actually gets cold haha. The summers are amazing though! You get spoiled living here and thats why people like it.
- dsp1234 11y ago
  Totally agree
linkregister 11y ago
Aren't you leaving out the most important differentiation between Portland and SF? The amount of available jobs and their salaries is vastly different in each location. One minute of searching for "software developer" on indeed.com: SF: 7,223 jobs, median $95k Portland, OR: 1,222 jobs, median $80k
- elenorelange 11y ago
  interesting that based on his numbers the extra $15k in SF is not enough to make up for the rent. and the guy in portland has a house!
- dsp1234 11y ago
  It's obviously a smaller market. I'm just suggesting that it's possible, and providing some anecdata. From a real standard of living, the cut in pay is overwhelming made up by the fact that I live in my own detached 2k+ sqft house on a .25 acre of land (and at significantly less than $3500/mo). Again, just looking at the city of SF directly, there are 13 homes for sale under $750k with a min of 2bd/1.25ba. Take a pay cut, have access to 40 times as many houses. It's possible to do software development and not pay $3500. Which was what the above poster was talking about "I'd love to stop paying $3500/month in rent, but any property to buy around here has a median price of $1.2 million." the most important differentiation between Portland and SF? Also, the most important differentiation between Portland and SF is the weather. Anyone will skill can get a job here (I've never had to look more than a couple weeks).
- prewett 11y ago
  How many software developer jobs do you need? 1222 sounds like it would provide quite a bit of choice. Plus, there's probably fewer people looking for those jobs in Portland. Not to mention the fact that the salary is 20% higher in SF, but rent is 60% higher in SF [1]. I'd say that's a pretty big win for Portland. [1] http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_cities.jsp?country1=United+States&city1=San+Francisco%2C+CA&country2=United+States&city2=Portland%2C+OR http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_cities.jsp?coun...

by dsp1234 11y ago

jeremy_k 11y ago

Yeah but rain. I lived in Oregon for 22 years, and I've been living in California since 2012 and although its been through a drought, let me tell you some things I don't miss after being back in Oregon for the holidays. Waking up to gray, gloomy skies, with rain pouring down. Waking up to the dark at 7am in the Winter. Sunset at 4:30. It actually gets cold haha. The summers are amazing though! You get spoiled living here and thats why people like it.

dsp1234 11y ago
Totally agree

linkregister 11y ago

Aren't you leaving out the most important differentiation between Portland and SF? The amount of available jobs and their salaries is vastly different in each location. One minute of searching for "software developer" on indeed.com: SF: 7,223 jobs, median $95k Portland, OR: 1,222 jobs, median $80k

elenorelange 11y ago
interesting that based on his numbers the extra $15k in SF is not enough to make up for the rent. and the guy in portland has a house!
dsp1234 11y ago
It's obviously a smaller market. I'm just suggesting that it's possible, and providing some anecdata. From a real standard of living, the cut in pay is overwhelming made up by the fact that I live in my own detached 2k+ sqft house on a .25 acre of land (and at significantly less than $3500/mo). Again, just looking at the city of SF directly, there are 13 homes for sale under $750k with a min of 2bd/1.25ba. Take a pay cut, have access to 40 times as many houses. It's possible to do software development and not pay $3500. Which was what the above poster was talking about "I'd love to stop paying $3500/month in rent, but any property to buy around here has a median price of $1.2 million." the most important differentiation between Portland and SF? Also, the most important differentiation between Portland and SF is the weather. Anyone will skill can get a job here (I've never had to look more than a couple weeks).
prewett 11y ago
How many software developer jobs do you need? 1222 sounds like it would provide quite a bit of choice. Plus, there's probably fewer people looking for those jobs in Portland. Not to mention the fact that the salary is 20% higher in SF, but rent is 60% higher in SF [1]. I'd say that's a pretty big win for Portland. [1] http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_cities.jsp?country1=United+States&city1=San+Francisco%2C+CA&country2=United+States&city2=Portland%2C+OR http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_cities.jsp?coun...