Trying to decide between living in Seattle vs. Portland?
As such, those contemplating moving to Seattle or Portland will have a few things to strongly consider.
The right cityfor youis dependent entirelyon you.
Living in Seattle vs Portland
Im not one for small talk, so lets get to the good stuff.
Thankfully, both cities are a stones throw from green spaces and jaw-dropping landscapes.
Seattle is graced bythree breathtaking national parks(all less than a 3-hour drive from the city).
Living in Seattle vs Portland
And lets be honest, that iconic view of Mt.
Rainier looming over Seattle is a hard sight to beat.
As if Seattles access to incredible nature wasnt enough, theres 485 parks within city limits alone.
Living in Seattle vs Portland
Portland is no stranger to spry locals either!
Sitting a mere two hour drive from the desert, the Columbia Gorge, Oregon coast, Mt.
Hood and too many forests to count like Seattle, Portlands nature is a breath of fresh air.
Hard not to love that.
Further Reading:15 EPIC hikes at Mt.
Rainier National Park
Q: Does it Rain More in Seattle or Portland?
Living in Portland vs Seattle
Everyone knows that gray skies and rainy days are inevitable while living in Seattle or Portland.
Yet few folks realize thatit actually rains more in Portland than Seattle.
Yep, Seattle averages 38 inches of rainfall annually compared to Portlands 43 inches.
Living in Portland vs Seattle
But honestly, rain itself isnt an issue while living in Portland vs. Seattle.
Ugh, I swear both places are shrouded in darkness from November to April.
Whatever you do, dont end up moving to Portland or Seattle withoutgetting this bad boy first.
Living in Seattle vs Portland
I discovered it on my therapists recommendation and swear by it.
Its a life-saver for both Portlanders and Seattleites alike, cant imagine winter without it.
Portlandsummers are more pleasant than Seattles and feel longer.
Seattles summers are slightly cooler, but the winters are milder.
In fact, Portland has the8th highest breweries per capitain the nation.
Seattle doesnt even make the list.If interested, heres a roundup of the best breweries in Portland.
But itd be a mistake to think youd go thirsty while living in either Seattle or Portland.
Far from it.Seattle has more than 170 breweries within city limits, compared to Portlands 84.
Still, both cities offer thirst-quenching beers, which seems to be the drink of choice for most locals.
In terms of food culture, moving to either Portland or Seattle is a safe bet.
Both cities are firmly rooted on the culinary map but the culinary scene gives off different vibes.
Portlands food scene needs no introduction.
Hell, theCity of Roses recently outranked NYC as the best pizza cityin the US.
(If interested, heres aquick roundup of the 15 best pizza joints in Portland).
Much like Seattle, Portland is all about seasonal quality produce from local farmers.
Unlike Seattle though, Portland doesnt care about the white tablecloths and finds mismatched cutlery charming.
Granted, theres a few upscale restaruatns in Portland, but theyre the exception rather than the rule.
In Portland the food speaks for itself, no pretentiousness needed.
To break it down a step further, Portlands top industries are healthcare, government, tech and retail.
Seattles top industries are science and tech, healthcare and retail.
Both cities are tourist hots-pots, so theres a decent amount of gig in the tourism industry as well.
Seattles job market has shown5.8% growth in 2021and was on pace to continue growing.
At 6.2%, Portlands job growth exceeded Seattles in 2021.
Did you know?Portlands tech-industry boom has earned it the nicknameSilicon Forest.
Both cities areveryliberal and take great pride in passing progressive legislation.
Conversations around free health care?
Not off the table in this part of the world.
Homelessness
This goes hand-in-hand with high housing costs, in my opinion.
If you move to Portland or Seattle, you will be exposed to homelessness on a daily basis.
Seattle has thethird highest homelesspopulation of any US city.
I would be remiss to exclude this fact because it impacts daily life in Seattle.
Likewise, homelessness is a contentious issue in Portland.
The City of Roses has a very high rate of homelessness that seems to be rising year by year.
Its not uncommon to see Nextdoor forums filled with numerous posts about encounters with homeless folks.
Cost of Living in Seattle vs. Portland
Which city is more expensive?
Seattle, WA or Portland, OR?
But lets turn to the stats to compare the cost of living in Portland vs Seattle.
According to Payscale, the cost of living in Portlands is27% higherthan the national average.
However, the cost of living in Seattle is a whopping54% higherthan the national average.
The main culprit for the cost of living differences between Portland and Seattle boils down to housing.
Everyday expenses like groceries, healthcare, utilities, etc.
are pretty similar between the two cities.
The biggest difference is housing (whether you own or rent).
Clocking in at an impressive$800,000, Seattles median housing prices are almost laughable.
Were talking starter homes here, people!
Now its Portlands time to shine.
All told, Seattles home prices are a staggering 52% higher than Portlands.
Most millennials have come to terms with the fact that they wont own homes in this lifetime.
Blame it on the epic housing prices or overpriced avocado toast, but the fact stands.
The cost of living in Seattle is higher than the cost of living in Portland.
City Population
Seattle is amuchbigger city than Portland, both in terms of size and population.
According the US Census Bureau, as of July 2021,Seattles population is 734k.
WhereasPortlands population in 2021 clocked in at 641k.
In fact, of all US states, Oregon is losing residents at the sixth fastest rate.
Know which state didnt make the top 10 list?
Oregon is clearly going through growing pains, especially as it recovers from COVID and the George Floyd protests.
Portlands skyline isnt marred by skyscraper intentionally.
Home to a population of 734,000 Seattle is more populous than Portland, Oregon (population 641,000).
Additionally, Washingtons population growth is on the rise while Oregons saw a decline in 2021.
The residents are modest and move at a slower pace than their northern neighbors.
Portlanders are seldom in a rush, unless beer is involved.
Seattle has some fierce competition in terms of job opportunities and obviously attracts more ambitious folks.
This makes Seattle a great city for anyone looking to make connections and strides in their careers.
Portland vegans eat oreos.
(You cant make this up).
According to him, Portland vegans are fake because some of them are not vegan for the health benefits.
He moved to Texas.
Fingers crossed Texas has moral vegans!
But, for every one fake Portland vegan, theres a cold Seattle local to thaw out.
If youre unfamiliar with the term Seattle Freezeallow me to share some insight.
By and large (isnt this how most generalizations start?
), Seattleites are serious people.
Theywant toneed to change the world.
And you know what you dont have time for when youre changing the world?
Which is why Seattle locals get a bad rap for being unfriendly.
A lot of people that end up moving to Seattle complain about the difficulty around befriending locals.
But hey, if Im being honest, Portland locals are very reserved as well.
However, theyre known to be friendlier than Seattleites and exude a more laid-back vibe.
Im still waiting for the man to thaw out and stop treating social interactions like a calculation.
But he studied physics, so maybe its not a Seattle thing in his case.
Eh, who the heck?
Why does it matter?
Because youll bring 10% more of your salary home if you live in Washington.
Which is one of thetop 5 highest sales taxesin the country.
Hence, some Washingtonians head south to Oregon for large purchases like electronics and jewelry.
Funny how that works!
Nightmarish Traffic
Traffic is bad in Portland, but Seattle traffic is something else.
Seattle is built around Puget Sound and leaving or entering the city during rush hour is a nightmare.
Deciding Between Living in Seattle or Portland (Final Thoughts)
And there you have it.
This is a quick list of the similarities and differences of living in Portland and Seattle.
Im happy in Portland, I love it here.
The only reason Im open to living somewhere else is because I grew up here.
She cant imagine leaving Seattle.
Shes very career-focused and loves all the city has to offer.
She spends most weekends brunching and attending museums and events.
At the end of the day, were both happy where we are.
