10.  West Coast Cool - Portland gets good bands, has some great local bands (affordable, small venues to boot!) and the occasional movie shoot, and you can wear shorts & flip flops pretty much anywhere, without the So. Cal ego, and most of the time it’s only a 2 hour flight to L.A. for about the same cost as gas.

9.  Diverse Population - I have met and made friends with more people from abroad in the last 5 years in Portland, than in my entire life in So. Cal.

8.  Progressive - Portland is ahead of most of the nation in regards to urban planning and green building practices.  City planners from all over the nation come here to study our communities and phenomenal public transportation.  Not to mention the number of colleges and universities, to include OHSU.

7.  Parks - More parks per capita than any other major metropolitan area.  Hiking parks, dog parks, kid parks, big & small parks, community parks and neighborhood parks, waterfront parks, strolling parks, parks with fountains, parks with statues, parks with monuments, and even formal parks with gardens, parks near museums, parks near nothing at all. 

6.  From the Mountains to the Sea - Just like So. Cal, drive about an hour either direction and you will hit one or the other, Oregon is one big outdoor playground, and a photographer’s dream come true!

5.  Open Air & Farmer’s Markets - No shortage of fresh fruits, veggies, meats, cheeses, wines, breads, plants and just about anything else you could want.  Art fairs and events are not uncommon, either.

4.  Family Friendly - Lots of activities, camps, and specialized schools available to kids year ’round, not to mention just about any organized sport you could want for both kids and adults.

3.  Thriving Local Businesses - Powell’s Books, McMenamin’s Pubs, Music Millenium and numerous other unique shops, industries and businesses are all over the Portland area.  Portland offers world-class beers, wines, cheeses and other products that can be found no where else.  Where else can  you get a bacon-maple bar at midnight?

2.  Community  - Folks are friendly, they volunteer, they talk to you in line at the grocery store, they pump your gas (well, that’s a law).  Each district and town has it’s own personality; there’s a smaller community for just about anyone of any lifestyle.

1.  Affordability - Our housing prices as well as other costs of living are still low enough, and jobs pay well enough, that most folks and families can have a better quality of life.  And while we haven’t been immune to recent economic events, we have proven to be more stable.

And one last bonus reason….

History - Portland has a rich and important history on the left coast, which is well preserved.  There are many museums, forts and historical societies for the most avid history buffs.  From the end of the Oregon Trail, traveled by Lewis & Clark, to the mouth of the mighty Columbia, the gateway to the fur trade of our state’s early history.

Opinions expressed in this article are the opinions of author, and not to necessarily the opinions of Meadows Group Inc.
All rights reserved on all original content, non-original content is given credit | Michelle Berry | 2009