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A recent import to Portland from the Bay Area, my husband and I came for the music scene, good food, funky progressive politics, DIY culture, friendly vibe, slower pace, proximity to mountains and parks, and significantly lower cost of living than California.

That said, we'd never have here if we had not been able to bring our jobs with us. We were "warned" in our visits prior to moving that we shouldn't expect to find work since the job situation is so tough. After being here a year, I agree that jobs are extremely scarce despite all the youth and talent here. 

Not only is Portland a city where "the young come to retire" as they say on Portlandia, the other big wave of imports are old retirees, who don't need to worry about the high income tax rate, and benefit from the low cost of living, no sales tax and low property taxes. I see this as a looming problem for OR as these folks will consume a lot of services but contribute very little economically.

posted 2 years, 3 months ago
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