Everything You Need to Know Before Moving to Portland, Oregon

The beautiful and culturally-diverse city of Portland is Oregon’s largest city and sits majestically on the Columbia and Willamette rivers, in the shadow of the snow-capped Mount Hood. Portland city flaunts its fascinating parks, bridges, and bicycle paths, known for its eco-friendliness, cozy coffeehouses, and microbreweries.

The residents of Portland love to host a great variety of cultural and art festivals, music concerts, and races of all kinds. The fun that the city has to offer is enticing enough to draw you to it. But you have to be very cautious in planning a move into the city as there's so much to learn about the city of Portland. For instance, you could mistake the reserved nature of the Portlanders for not being friendly, but that's entirely wrong. They love to interact and mingle when the situation necessitates that.

Here are some things you need to know about Portland, Oregon:

Job Opportunity

The plethora and diversity of job opportunities in Portland make it easy to live in the city. You can get the opportunity to work with the leading brands in the athletic industry like Adidas, Nike, Keen, Under Armor, and Columbia.

If you are an engineer, there's still hope for a job for you. Portland is also home to tech-savvy companies like Daimler and Intel. Portland is home to so many companies, too numerous to name. Its boom in the tech industry has earned it the name Silicon Forest.

Job Hunting is Highly Competitive

Portland's unemployment rate continues to fall as job growth remains steady. There are excellent opportunities available, but your ability to obtain one is heavily dependent on your actions. According to our non-scientific, anecdotal research with Portland job seekers, the job market is heavily influenced by who you know: personal relationships and connections are more important in Portland than in other cities. More information can be found in our step-by-step guide to finding work in Portland.

Portland is a Millennial city

Even though the city of Portland has a decent mix of generations, it still feels like a millennial city. It ranks as one of the top 10 most conducive cities for millennials in the United States.

This makes Portland an excellent city for millennials both within and outside of Oregon to meet like-minded people who are facing similar challenges.

There are lots of retail outlets within the city that cater to things that millennials enjoy, like plants, in different varieties, handmade crafts, and vintage clothes. This is a common misunderstanding.

Proximity to Nature

Among the several amazing things about living in Portland city is the beauty, and mind-blowing landscapes of the Pacific Northwest.

Portland is only a short road trip away from so many cool places, like the very popular and mind-blowing 7 Wonders of Oregon. You can visit the Columbia Gorge, known as the world's windsurfing capital, the Oregon Coast, Bend, the fascinating Alvord desert, and Crater Lake National Park.

There's so much for you to explore, irrespective of what your preference might be, be it beaches, waterfalls, mountains, or deserts. There's never a shortage of fun places to be.

What makes it even more amazing is that while living in Portland, you do not need to get into a car to explore the incredible scenery; you can do that with your bike.

Portland is Green

Portland is green. This can be visualized in two different ways. Portland has a lot of green space. The city is graced with over 279 beautiful parks. The other reason Portland is green is that its residents are very environmentally conscientious, treating their environment with the utmost respect possible.

You'd be surprised to learn that Oregon was the first state in the United States to accept bottle deposits to reduce litter.

Portlanders take respect for the environment very seriously. It is so serious that grocery stores are not allowed to offer plastic bags to customers to hold their stuff. In Portland, recycling and composting are considered sports, and littering is not welcomed in any part of the city.

Just recently, the city passed a green tax policy that requires big companies to pay taxes that would be used to fund energy efficiency initiatives in communities that are under-served.

Portland’s Summer Weather

The summer weather in Portland is nothing but a daydream, one you experience with both eyes open. Temperatures rarely exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit, and sunshine is guaranteed from mid-May to mid-September.

Portland is such an amazing city to be in during the summer holidays because it's way better than most other cities in the country. Summer weather is simply divine, and it would be a shame if you had never experienced it.

The summer weather in Portland is never humid nor muggy, which allows you to enjoy the fresh air and loving kisses of the sun. You are free to linger outside for as long as you want, enjoying the great outdoors.

Additionally, if you have any allergies, you don't have to be scared of coming to Portland because the city is ranked as one of the least challenging cities for folks with allergies in the country.

Housing Costs

As desirous as it might be to live in the city of Portland, the cost of housing can be a major drawback to achieving your desire. Housing costs have skyrocketed over the last decade, making it not as affordable as it once was.

Well, the hike in the price might not be a big deal for those who are planning to relocate to Portland from big cities who are already used to paying high housing prices. But for those that are just experiencing a financial setback, the present state of housing costs in the city makes it difficult to get a decent apartment. Buying a home is not very realistic for most folks especially millennials.

Nightmare Traffic

One of the challenges of living in Portland is the constant traffic, and the most shocking aspect is that the rush hours seem to be extending by an hour with each passing week.

You can ask a Portlander about the traffic. You will be disappointed at how bad it is, and funny enough, its traffic is getting worse. As more people move here, there are more cars, cyclists, and pedestrians on the road, making congestion throughout the city pretty bad. The city's streets and highways can no longer cater to the demands of road commuters. Traffic in the city of Portland has suddenly become a total nightmare. It's terrifying.

With an estimated 89 hours spent in traffic in a year, Portland's traffic has officially been enlisted as the 6th worst traffic in the country.

Homelessness

The problem of homelessness in Portland is very severe and has become a contentious issue in the city, with many folks immensely frustrated by the failed housing system in the city.

This is gradually becoming a menace in the city, with the crime rate on a steady rise. Many homeless folks may be in that situation due to financial issues and the high cost of housing, but a vast majority of them are out on the street for very dicey reasons. Some are ex-convicts, drug addicts, criminals, and a host of other social vices.

When planning a move to Portland, Oregon, you must find a great neighborhood where you can live with your family in peace, without having to worry about raising your kids.

Portland, Oregon's Best Neighborhood

If the advantages outweigh the disadvantages and you are convinced of relocating to Portland, Oregon, you should be aware of some of the best areas in the city to look for housing:

• Cedar Mill
• Cedar Hills
• Bethany
• Oak Hills
• West Linn
• Raleigh Hills
• West Slope
• Lake Oswego

You should consider any of these areas if you are looking for a great neighborhood to live in with your family. They offer the best kind of housing you might desire. If you want to live in a safe and secure neighborhood in the city, Bethany could be your best choice. Because of Bethany's proximity to several schools, you can easily get access to education for your kids.

Final Thoughts

If you are considering a residential move into the beautiful and fascinating city of Portland in the state of Oregon, then you have to find the right moving company that assists you in relocating. A residential move is not an easy task, there's no aspect of a move that doesn't require a comprehensive plan. Employing an incompetent moving company can be very frustrating. The safety of your household belonging is at risk of getting damaged.

As challenging and strenuous as a residential move can be, the entire burden can be taken off your shoulders by the right moving company. The puzzling question in your head right now would be "Where can I find a reliable, reputable, and experienced moving company?"

Don't fret over that. The simple answer to your puzzling question is "Three Movers." Our multiple years of experience in the moving industry have made us the solution to all of your moving problems. We have the expertise to handle whatever kind of move you may require.