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Let's say I was moving to Portland.
superhappypanda
Zug Island Sport FishingSeattleRegistered User regular
Zug Island Sport FishingSeattleRegistered User regular
For the sake of hypothesis, let's say I was moving to Portland. It's one of the potential cities I'd consider living in and am actively applying to jobs there.
Being a single, mid 30's guy, relatively active, gym goer, etc. What neighborhoods in Portland would be awesome to live in? Is there anywhere I should actively avoid? I currently reside in Ballard in Seattle and love it. Ideally, I'd like to try and keep rent somewhere in the 1-1.2K/mo range for a one bedroom/one bath. Cheaper would be awesome, but having lived in Seattle, I'm used to the range mentioned. Anything else I should generally know about Portland vs. Seattle?
Being a single, mid 30's guy, relatively active, gym goer, etc. What neighborhoods in Portland would be awesome to live in? Is there anywhere I should actively avoid? I currently reside in Ballard in Seattle and love it. Ideally, I'd like to try and keep rent somewhere in the 1-1.2K/mo range for a one bedroom/one bath. Cheaper would be awesome, but having lived in Seattle, I'm used to the range mentioned. Anything else I should generally know about Portland vs. Seattle?
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That price range will get you a pretty nice place anywhere in town (minus, say, the Pearl)
Inner northeast is a similar vibe but the population is older, so it's a little more buttoned down. Irvington/Alameda are the higher income areas, sullivan's/lloyd/elliot the lower (relatively speaking.)
North portland (as distinct from northeast) gets a bad rap for being a bad area, but it really isn't any longer. Gentrification is rapidly moving northward with Mississippi/Alberta being the current mack of the minute new/trendy area.
The west side of the river is comparatively more expensive especially close to downtown, but there are apparently deals to be had on the SW waterfront (a lot of development happened there recently which hasn't really reached capacity.)
82nd is another area that has a rap worse than it actually is, but it's closer to it's reputation than north portland is. And the farther east you go, the less "portland"-y it really feels.
For 1-1.2 a month I would imagine you could do pretty well anywhere on the east side, and probably a lot of places on the inner west side of the river if you shopped around. I don't really know seattle that well so it's hard to recommend an area based on Ballard.
that's why we call it the struggle, you're supposed to sweat
Also superhappypanda are you me? I'm being transferred down to Portland sometime this spring and have been poking around looking for similar areas because I love Ballard
Sadly, I'm getting laid off from my current job in May as they're outsourcing our department to save cash, so am looking for work right now. I have some friends in Portland that have been trying to get me to move there for a while now (same with Chicago) but I'm applying for a position down there that looks to be a spot on match. It might be premature to start looking at neighborhoods right now, but figured it wouldn't hurt to get a better idea of the lay of the land considering it's an easy move should I find work quickly.
@Esh, my style is typically dive bars. Working class kind of stiffs with a somewhat liberal attitude. I can handle hipsters, I did the Capitol Hill scene for a while but as long as it's not a constant thing everywhere and I can have a normal conversation with someone about hockey I'm good. Not a fan of the frat boy/hey bro scene, I'm well out of college and get annoyed with it now. I tend to avoid corporate strip mall type stuff.
@Thanatos, Seattle's been pricey. Granted it's leaps and bounds above what I'd be paying back in Detroit, but even compared to Chicago it's up there and it's been a pretty steady uptick in rent around Ballard and it seems places are getting tougher to find unless you're willing to start dropping around $1500/mo for a 1bd/ba, mileage may vary round Greenlake - I think you guys still get some cheaper places due to the uni overflow. I generally like my place now for what I'm paying. If Portland is 10-20% less I'd be happy.
For those unfamiliar with Ballard, it's a blue collar fishing neighborhood that's gotten really gentrified lately (i.e. condos). I moved in before the bulk of the condos went up and chose it because it reminded me of the East Detroit. (i.e. people that worked the line). It's a slightly older crowd for those that hit the bar scenes (30's generally) and you still get a pretty good mix of blue and white collar types but it's getting tougher to find the blues as the price of rent goes up and they move north for cheaper digs.
Yeah, anything in California gives me a headache. I was originally looking to move to SF from Detroit and I'm still not totally over the sticker shock. Any thought of living in the city proper out there and I've come to terms with multiple roommates for what my pay is. East of the bay I might be able to find something I could afford on my own.
It's cute but kinda out of the way. Nothing really special there...food/drink/culture wise.
I'm going to say that the area of SE I mentioned is probably right up your alley. Lots of working class dive/sports bars mixed in with some of the best eats and drinks you've ever had. Easy transportation, lots of shopping, great gaming store if you're into that (Guardian).
You might like the neighborhoods along powell around mount tabor and east of there; that area has a similar kind of blue collar / un-gentrified vibe going. The impression that people living on the inner east side have about the 82nd ave area is increasingly difficult to actually justify; PPD is enforcing against stuff prostitution and other visible minor crime pretty heavily over there now (at least, between the NE freeway and powell) and a lot of the streets out there are starting to go through the buy/level/build cycle that was going on in inner SE and north portland 10-15 years ago. I guess long term potential property value is somewhat irrelevant if you're just trying to rent but the point is, it's not some kind of bad scene over there.
Inner SE is kinda/sorta working class in the sense that lower income folks live there, but it's a much younger crowd than typically thus defined and lots of the bars (even the sports bars :rotate: ) are getting toward the 'unfortunately trendy' end of things. It's hard to really get a feel on it without taking a day or two to come down and wander around, though
Brooklyn/sellwood might be up your alley too
that's why we call it the struggle, you're supposed to sweat
Like you said about living in the suburbs though, there's absolutely no reason to live as far out as 82nd if your price range is around 1k. There's nothing out there besides strip malls and fast food joints.
This is what I'm trying to avoid. I spent 15 years in the burbs back in Detroit and hated it. I didn't realize how much I did until I moved to Seattle and lived in a functioning neighborhood where you can walk to awesome restaurants, bars and shops and that has actual events that go on during the year. Farmer's markets are also a plus.
I've been to Guardian Games as well, love that place. Matter of fact, I love that whole area that they're located in. Anything gritty and industrial tends to appeal to me. My father owned an industrial painting company growing up so, I spent a fair amount of my childhood getting dragged to various factories and warehouses while he checked on jobs he was doing so I get a little nostalgic when I'm in the industrial districts of various cities.
SW is lots of trendy new condos, but gets into neighborhoods the further north you go (Montgomery Park area, called the Northwest District).
North Portland has been crime-ridden for a long time, but areas of it are being gentrified as we speak. I'm thinking of the Alberta-Mississippi area.
SE Portland is the type of stuff you see on Portlandia. Weird little shops and eateries, lots of cool movie theaters and bars. I like visiting but wouldn't want to live there. Laurelhurst and the Mt. Tabor areas are very cool. I would avoid living near lower Powell, I used to live just north of Reed College and it's a pain to get anywhere except downtown.
NE is very diverse, but the advice in this thread is pretty apt: 82nd has great restaurants but don't live near there. For SE and NE I would recommend staying west of 60th. NE is full of very cool areas like Irvington, Alameda, Hollywood, Concord, Rose City, etc. Very old neighborhoods with hulking oaks along the streets, stuff like that.
My general advice is this: All four quadrants (five if you count No-Po) have good spots and bad spots, so I'll give you a boundary box that I find acceptable in terms of crime, travel, quality of life, etc. The best thing to do would be find someone who knows the city really well and use them as a tour guide. Drive around, see the sights, see what you like. As they say, there is no substitute for boots on the ground.
West boundary: the West Hills. West of the hills is fine, but it's suburbia.
North boundary: Ainsworth St. Be educated on MLK Blvd though.
East boundary: 60th Ave.
South Boundary: Hawthorne St.
Exceptions: South Waterfront, Sellwood, Eastmoreland, Macadam, Woodstock areas.
I am moving to Portland later this year, with my wife. I will be working at Intel in Hillsboro, but I want to live in Portland. When I did my interview out there, I really like the Southeast kind of area, but I would really like to avoid spending my whole life communiting. Is there any kind of neighborhood where I could get the walking neighborhood with cool bars/etc. of southeast portland without having to commute more than say, 30-35 mins each way on average? My budget is not astronomical, but pretty flexible.
That's a little premature. Division and Clinton are chock full of great places to go and see.
Hosford Abernathy is where I live (SE 21st and Hawthorne). Great area.
I would say the biggest thing would be: Do Not Move There Unless You Have A Job Already!!!
Tons of great areas to live, I will let others answer that. But seriously, do not pull a "Portland is a cool place, I will move there then find a job" that simply does not work. Jobs are very scarce there, and there are tons of very qualified people who are unemployed there.
GIS is evil
Also, with no slight intended toward my home state's brewing ability, I hope to god you like beer since you are basically moving to Mecca.
Also, beer is good. Only thing is that I've sworn off it for a while as I get into CrossFit and a primal lifestyle while I focus on getting back in shape.
I agree, but I prefaced it by saying that anything near Powell is a pain for traveling. No quick access to I-5, 205, 84 or 405.
NE or SE? There are a ton so I thought I'd get that out of the way before continuing. The border between north and south is Burnside St, by the way.
Clinton and Division are fairly far from Reed are within easy driving of anywhere.
I'm going to be working downtown on the east side of the river, does it behoove me to look mostly in NE for housing? How bad are the bridge crossings commute-wise?
Downtown is on the west side of the river.
The bridges are fine. There are so many of them that unless the one you want is up for a boat to go under, there'll be no delay.
Thanks @Usagi for bringing this up. I had forgotten to ask as it was something that I had worries about as well. Bridge traffic in Seattle can get bad if they raise the Ballard or Fremont ones during rush hour.
As far as public transit across the bridges, it's just buses correct? Or do they have light rail that crosses too? Odds are I'd bus/walk/bike to work. I have a car, but usually only use it on weekends if I'm leaving the city or running errands.
Buses and MAX both cross the bridges. I believe the buses hit all of them and the MAX just goes across the Broadway. I know the streetcar will be crossing one at some point and they're currently building another bridge for a new MAX line.
Yeah, while it's just a couple blocks away across the bridge, nothing on the east side is considered downtown.
(Normally when someone asks about moving to Portland, I post my list of reasons one might not want to. Since you're already surviving Seattle, I'm omitting them. For anyone thinking of coming here from California or New England -- Don't do it without researching the weather. SAD is a bitch.)
In retrospect I would not have moved out here had I known just how bad the SAD thing could be. I spent the first 2.5 years out here absolutely hating it. Since then it's grown on me.
This week has been abnormally sunny though, which has been nice.
e: I'd also like to add my completely subjective love for Portland. I've lived in both Seattle and Portland, and while Seattle would still be high on my cities to live in list, Portland is my favorite. It's a smaller, slightly weirder, Seattle. Take that for what you will.
It also doesn't seem as claustrophobic in Portland as Seattle does. I love Ballard but it can be a righteous pain in the ass to get out of the city and find some open road to clear my head on. I felt that in Portland that's not 'as' difficult, but I also haven't dealt with day to day life there.
Having grown up in Ohio (and having lived in Seattle as well for three years) I can tell you that this is pretty spot on.
I'm still figuring out if public transportation will work for me (not sure if Swan Island is serviced and/or if the schedule will meet mine) so is street parking the norm for most residential areas?
I've been in Missouri the last few years, but easily the worst thing to happen to Portland recently is the killing of the Fareless Square. For the longest time it was free to ride the buses, MAX or Streetcar in most of downtown and as far east as Lloyd Center. It's gonna be hard to go back and adjust to that.
And we all migrated to Portland because it's where the young go to retire.
Wait, what? Dude, I grew up off of Grand River and the Southfield Fwy. Are you in Ballard too? And yeah, there's tons of Midwesterners out here. There's two other people from Michigan that live in my building and my best friend who I met out here is from Warren, MI.
@Zenitram, they got rid of Seattle's ride free zone too. Everything is pay to ride now.
That's what I did :P
public transportation is kind of spotty- basically, the closer you are to downtown, the better it is. If you go farther out, you can still basically get anywhere on the bus system but it might take a long time and involve several transfers.