10 REASONS TO MOVE TO PORTLAND

by | May 26, 2021 | Living in Portland, Moving to Portland Oregon, Portland Lifestyle, Relocating to Portland, Things to do in Portland | 0 comments

Portland Oregon city with a colorful sunset sky, Buyers Agent Portland

10 REASONS TO MOVE TO PORTLAND

Planning a Move to Portland?

In the 2001 I began helping Buyers with their relocation moves, and assisted in their plans to move to Portland

Since then all my client who were planning to move to Portland, and did so, tell me one thing:  We LOVE IT!

Downtown Portland My Favorite

The Downtown Portland area is one of my favorites — so quaint and reminds me of the wonderful ways my move to Portland has benefited me.

BREAKING NEWS — June 2015  Study: Oregon No. 2 Fastest Growing Economy Oregon is one of the fastest growing economies

  • GDP growth: 4.7 percent
  • Real 2012 GDP: $186.228 billion (25th highest)
  • Population change: +0.87 percent (16th highest)
  • Pct. increase in employment: 1.0 percent (tied-21st highest)

Oregon’s GDP growth between 2010 and 2014 was nearly three times that of the U.S. economy. The state’s durable goods manufacturing industry was the second-fastest growing sector in the nation in 2014 at a rate of 3.94 percent, almost 20 percent of Oregon’s economic growth. High-tech companies such as Intel Corp. which employs about 16,300 in Portland, dominate the durable goods manufacturing industry. This can be attributed to a reverse off-shoring trend that is occurring partially as a result of defects, delays and theft in overseas supply chain locations. Study: Oregon No. 2 Fasest Growing Economy

Here are my top 10 reasons to move to Portland in no particular order:

  1. Silicon Forest Surrounding Portland are many major high-tech employers. Many employees move to Portland due to job relocation. With over 25 major high-tech companies including Intel, Tektronics, IBM, Mentor Graphics, Nike (world headquarters and several campuses within Washington County) and the countless smaller and/or independent companies that thrive in the Silicon Forest. There is no doubt that the drawing card to many folks considering a move to Portland is the lush, green Silicon Forest.Intel Corporation, the world’s leading manufacturer of semiconductors (an essential component of most consumer electronics), is Oregon’s top private employer with a work force of approximately 18,500 in 2011.
  2. Mt. Hood year round skiing The mountain has six ski areas: Timberline, Mount Hood Meadows, Ski Bowl, Cooper Spur, Snow Bunny, and Summit.
  3. Downtown Portland the charm of the city is apparent.
    • Old Town Chinatown
    • Pearl District
    • RiverPlace
    • South Waterfront
  4. Suburbs Many people moving to Portland want to live in the ‘burbs. No problem there. Suburbane Portland neighborhoods includes Eastside Portland| Clackamas and Happy Valley| Westside Suburbs | Beaverton | Orenco Station | Hillsboro | Lake Oswego | Northwest Portland | Southwest Suburbs | Sherwood | Tigard | Tualatin | West Linn | Wilsonville|
  5. Schools — great public and private educational institutions throughout Portland Metro. From early education with Montessori Schools for the darling pre-kindergarten group all the way up to post doctoral and advanced degrees at OHSU (Oregon Health and Sciences University).
  6. Weather Want to know what the weather in Portland is like here you go. YES it rains here and as everyone says, “It keeps us lush and green.” But we have the four seasons: Summers in Portland are warm, sunny and rather dry, with August, the warmest month, averaging 79.7 °F and much larger day-night variation than in winter. Many people moving to Portland are amazed that A/C units aren’t found in every home. Winters in Portland are normally mild, and very moist, with January averaging 39.9 °F. Cold snaps are short-lived, and snowfall occurs no more than a few times per year, although the city has been known to see major snow and ice storms because of the cold air outflow from the Columbia River Gorge, and Arctic blasts from Alaska. Springs in Portland can bring rather unpredictable weather, resulting from warm spells, to thunderstorms rolling off the Cascade Range. The rainfall averages an equivalent 37.5 inch per year in downtown Portland spread over 155 days a year. Fall in Portland is Spring in reverse. October being a month of Indian Summers, then heading into November, the weather cools.
  7. Urban Trends – Micro Brews, Farmer’s Markets, Free Flicks at the parks, Portlandia, saying “SPENDY” when we mean it might cost a little more than normal.
  8. No Sales Tax yes that’s correct. The State of Oregon does not have a sales tax. If you purchase something for $4.95 and hand a $5.00 bill to the clerk, you will get a Nickelback! 
  9. Affordable Real Estate ~ the Portland Metro area has some very affordable prices on housing. Compared to our West Coast neighbors of San Diego, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle and parts in between, for a metropolitan real estate market we’re very reasonable.
  10. Green Living ~ Oregon is also nurturing more clean tech green construction, ocean energy and nanotechnology. The Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute has helped 22 nanotech start-ups raise $96 million. The Oregon Wave Energy Trust aims to make the state a clean energy leader, eventually generating 500 megawatts of electricity and thousands of jobs with technology to harness the ocean’s wave power. ~ The Kiplinger Washington Letter

The Major Employers in Portland

Most people who are moving to Portland relocate here due to job transfers or other employment opportunities. Here is a few of the major employers in the area, in no particular order:

The region added 88,000 jobs between 2002 and 2007, and is projected to add an additional 76,000 between 2009-2013.

Map of Portland

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