what you MUST KNOW before moving to Portland, Oregon! people, weather, getting a job, and more... 

My wife and I love the grey weather. The rain is usually not a downpour, and the weather is changing throughout the day, clouds coming and going.. We came from a hot state with little to no rain, and when it did rain it was pouring. I like nothing more than stepping out of our place, on our way to the park with our son, and having the light rain kick up the aroma of earth.

I realllyyyyy wish every city overview video was exactly like this 😭 So informative, overlooked details that, as a trans woman myself, are so essential to day to day life and don’t get talked about/discussed. Thank you ❤️❤️

Timestamps: 2:30 WEATHER (how it really is) 6:03 JOB MARKET (be prepared!) 9:00 NO SALES TAX 10:14 NATURAL BEAUTY IN OREGON 11:52 ALCOHOL CULTURE 12:38 WEED (lol) 13:00 SMALL BUSINESS + ENTREPRENEURSHIP 14:12 THE PEOPLE (stereotypes, the truth, etc.) 17:27 DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, RACIST HISTORY, and more 20:20 THE LBGTQ+ SCENE IN PORTLAND 21:53 THE FOOD SCENE (yum) 23:23 POPULATION GROWTH, OREGONIAN ATTITUDE TOWARD PEOPLE MOVING HERE (especially to Portland) 26:32 OUTRO thanks for watching and please like and subscribe if this was helpful for you :)

From Florida. Never been to the west coast. Oregon speaks to me for some reason.

Really enjoyed this video, very informative and comprehensive. I always wanted to move to Portland, but at this point I am older and not particularly interested. I will have to settle for a trip to the PNW. If I ever move there, I'd probably skip Oregon and just move to Seattle. Diversity is very important to me so I really appreciated the care you took in describing the scene in Portland.

It was quite nice to hear your opinion in a conversation type of manner. Thank you for spending your time to share with us your experiences in the area :)

Kenzie, I am liberal/progressive as well so it was nice to hear someone address that aspect of Portland. Also, thumbs up to you for mentioning some of the racial makeup and history of Portland! Thx!!

Thank you so much for posting this video. This was extremely eye opening for me and my boyfriend from CA and we have realized a lot about Portland from you that we may have not before. We really appreciate it and good luck on your next endeavors. Looking forward to your next video!!!

This is a realllly well thought out video and thank you for the list with timing. I live on the Bay Area right now and was tempted to move to Portland and after seeing this I feel like it’s probably not the best idea.

This was very helpful!!! Visiting Portland next month and maybe moving there... but... coming from San Diego, the lack of diversity will be VERY hard to adjust to. I value California's diversity more than anything else this state has to offer, and it has A LOT to offer. But I do love gloomy weather and a beautiful green landscape. Ahhh, can't wait to check it out!

Thank u so much for sharing! I’d heard some of this stuff before but having someone like me explain it is really helpful!

This has been the best video I’ve watched about moving to Portland!!

I love how detailed this is, Thank you!!

Helpful. I'm in a much different situation and still the intelligence and honesty ring true. Thank you.

The sweetest way to dive on my possible move from Wisconsin to Oregon,... thank you.

Helpful video, thanks for all the info! Looking into moving to Portland!

I appreciate this video. Thank you for the insight and honesty!

I'm a senior living in Eugene rn, and looking to move to portland for cc when I graduate. Thank you sooo much for this video. It definitely is a very scary step but I'm looking forward to doing it. This video was so helpful and helped with a lot of my worries. Thank you! ❤️

such an interesting perspective!! thanks for this! im moving to Portland next weekend for about 3 months :)

Great video and thoroughly enjoyed your genuine honesty. Great job young lady! Please don't change who you are! I've considered moving to pacific NW because of the beautiful landscape and what i thought were an abundance of job opportunities. as a moderate progressive/moderate conservative AA male and wanted to get away from the toxic and poorly run Philly area when finished school; your video was a breath of fresh air. its really sad that we are going through racial strife in america. i will settle for a few days visit to Portland and other parts of PNW- Arlington Va seems like a great place or a place within the DC metro area that is very diverse which is highly important to me. really disappointing hearing about Portland.

Super informational video, thanks! I have been kind of e-browsing cities to check out after graduation and Portland is maybe on my list. I appreciate you and send hearts to you!!

I’m leaving Chicago next year and I do have plans moving to Portland or any area in Oregon that’s affordable to move too. I’m happy to hear you mention all the information I need to hear about Portland. About the job topic you just point out, if I’m already working at a company here in Chicago, they can always relocate me to the one out there in Portland. I love Chicago (been born and raised) but the fact the taxes are high, getting depressed and anxiety, haven’t ready achieve any of my goals here and the crime is just bad everyday during daylight to midnight. I realize this, if it doesn’t feel like home than move to a place that does and that’s what my heart been showing me for the longest. If any of you who live in Portland, hope we meet and become friends soon when I do move out there.😊

Thanks for your candid review!

This helps with my research for creative writing. Thanks for making!

Also thank you for such a detailed review

I really enjoyed watching this as I am originally from Portland, and was considering a move back home after 30 years. It is a lot to think about...I am curious to know where you are headed....

Fair evaluation, I moved away over 2 years ago. BTW Portlandia is like 10 years old, so the city isn't the same as then.

Kenzie, thank you so much for taking the time to share this informative video. I too, am liberal and progressive and love diversity. I appreciate all the points you highlighted. I'm a California native and love the stunning beauty of the PNW. As you said, do your research and perhaps.. most definitely just visit if some things as you mentioned - aren't going to suit your lifestyle Hope you're doing well wherever you moved to! ❤✌🏽

I was born and raised here in Portland and I think you summed it up nicely for only being here a year! Gentrification is a huge issue, largely due to affluent white people moving into historically black communities. Most of our diversity is in Southeast Portland because of this. That is one thing I would research prior to moving here.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts! Pretty spot on I would have to say on all points. I’ve lived here a long time and have traveled quite a bit. I honestly would not want to live anywhere else...well maybe NZ. I have to admit, the property taxes within the city limits, are insane.

Thank you, for helping me make a decision..I may only visit

Valuable info here. Thank you so much.

lmao “please don’t come for me” 😂 you’re amazing.

How is walking/public transportation in Portland? I know you mentioned you had a car, but I was wondering if you spoke to someone or observed public transportation at some point in your year of living in Portland...? Asking because I’m seriously considering moving to Portland next year and selling my car beforehand (I’m from Florida, but reside in Richmond atm). Great vid and thank you so much for the information. It’s incredibly helpful 💜

Thank you so much for this video. I really appreciate it.

Kenzie, I love your video and think you made some really honest points, that said I think I'd love to hear how you think that any of the things you disliked about Portland (mostly social political issues) can be addressed, if people aren't willing to stay and change?

👍Now this is a quality pros & cons video. DETAILS on variety of important things. 🙏 Thank you Kenzie!

This was a very great video. Very informative and you have a great personality. I was thinking about moving to Portland but I’m not sure anymore. Thank you for your perspective.

Honestly I live here and my only horror story as a small business owner is that learning how to drive became totally necessary to get what I was trying to do done and as an autistic person its taking longer than even my biggest supporters really anticipated and it's been frustrating for me because I don't really want to disappoint anyone but it's taking a lot more from me than it does other people. "Responsible driving " effectively means if I'm in a mood or my thoughts are wandering in one direction I have to just sit here and wait for my head to stop spinning etc... the commitment to getting behind the wheel requires quite a bit of actually stilling my mind to actually do it and not be torn in like 5 or 6 directions simultaneously with tends to be what the noise inside my head actually looks like... but of the market itself I don't do artisanry I actually work in the Arbitrage space and Oregon is unique in that other states will have a Garage sale Culture but it's nothing like Oregon's we've lived here now as a family for multiple decades and elsewhere and I can tell you from what we can tell Oregon is the Garage Sale capital and king of the whole world- I don't know anywhere else the trend is more established and while it has been shaken up by Craiglist whereas it used to use the papers it remains a huge part of the Oregon economy and since my operations just depend on buying peoples shit at a low price and reselling them online at a higher one: Buy local sell nationally. And Rely on Amazon since they're one of the only providers that will bus some of my goods into rural America which I never really expected to cater to given my dislike of their politics but I mean I will dispense with my partisan loyalites if you pay me well enough to do it.

If you don’t mind sharing: 1. How long before you secured employment once you were in Portland? 2. How much savings do recommend one have when moving to Portland without a job?

LOVE this!!! Thank you!

I have lived in Portland or near by town all my life and was just wondering what someone else thought of it and I would like to say I think pretty much everything you said is very true. There is a ton of great things to see and do but jobs aren’t great like you said aren’t much. Lots of small businesses but a lot had to close due to COVID. Rent can be pretty high. If you see cheap rent then it may not be a very good area. Very true some people don’t like people moving here from other states because rent has gone up as well as house prices. Crime has gone up a lot in the last 2 years. Police officers have been quitting in the last year so it’s common for you to have to make a police report online or over the phone in Portland. Since January 2021 a lot more shootings. Good video though!

I moved here 3 years ago from cali and will move to Seattle when I'm rich!

Wow thank you love the video very informative. I always wanted to move there since a teen. I was thinking about it this week. But living is expensive an now I’m really thing bout it. An do more research for sure. Thank you. GREAT JOB 🎉🎊🙌🏾🎊🎉

You seem so genuinely wholesome, thanks for that video :)

I love your conversational style! I am a fan. Subscribing!

I just moved here. And I have been stressing... I bought my first home. It seems like I'll be alone here. I like the ladies but some really don't care about anything.

It has been my dream to live in Oregon for a long time... and this video just really made me scared of it...

Thank you Kenzie! Where are you planning on moving Now?

Hey! I hope this isn't an intrusive question - you actually remind me a lot of me, I was sort of wondering what job you've been working + what career you're going into? You strike me as a gentler more introverted person who loves peace and calm, just a guess. I'm in a bit of a wild place right now and have literally just been looking for people who seem to match my own personality and just asking them what they do lol! Hope to hear back and have a great 4th!

I love rain, so I’m already on board

thanks this really helped!

This was a really informative video, thank you! I'm sad to hear that Portland is not the liberal haven it is portrayed to be. You also have an interesting take on DC. I'm from Northern Virginia and I've always viewed DC as super white, preppy, conservative and stiff. I've always lived in different cities without thinking about DC, but that is a new perspective to think about.

Your video is very informative and really organized. Thank for you for all the information!

thanks for the informative vido, Kenzie! i am looking at going to a college in portland and am from WA... i really like the school but am concerned about PDX these days with regard to safety and stability. any advice?? thx:)

Subscribed! 🤟 great video! Super informative. Portland is pretty sweet!

Thank you for this video . It really informative

Would you say that New Mexico or Colorado is a better place to live? I've done some research but they seem to have crazy weathers buts is not as gloomy as seattle or portland

This is a great video & really helped me actually! 🤗

It actually doesnt rain as much as you would think here but we do get a good amount

Just curious if anyone will answer what type of good hiking boots should I take over there plus if they are for walking in. I'm between Timberlake and Lugz. Moving soon in Or for work sooo yah in my end plus never been in a new state before since Cali born and raised.

I'm just curious what you meant by Vancouver is not the nicest place? I know it's cheaper there than Portland but if you could be more specific that would help for myself and others considering it as an option to move to.

You are so SWEET AND HELPFUL

I get it honestly because I've found myself suffering from seasonal effective and live here, the winters are particularly acute.

I'm seeing your video a a year after it was posted. I'm from away and I'm thinking seriously about moving to Bend because my nineteen year old son just left home and I miss him and he would like for me to come join him which I'm most likely going to do because he's my boy and could use his old dad's continuing help- even though he's with a good, old friend from school and his family and doing what he loves with them, namely fishing, shooting, hunting... AND... I lived in the high desert of Northern New Mexico before moving here, and though I've made a life in Portland over the past 25 years, I've always missed the desert and I'm totally happy to move to Bend which is still in Oregon so even though it ain't the desert southwest it's still beautiful and a direct three hour drive over the pass passing Mt. Hood. I arrived in 1997 when Portland still had the kind of grittiness and real, city with a seedy underbelly, vibe that was somehow more obvious than Seattle and other cities around the Pacific Northwest. I'm from New Jersey. I'm glad I came then. After everything- all the changes especially over the past couple of years when I've been actually spooked by the screaming and loud voices especially around my kid's and museum's front floor window- in the Pearl which was the warehouse district ( though not officially ). I lived in a big PSU housing apt just up from there and visited a friend who was a dispatcher at a trucking company there and which has been torn down and is now a big condo building. Gus Van Zant bought an apartment in the big, actually very nice, building across the street. The LGBTQ neighborhood - "Vaseline Alley" downtown where our I think only - gay strip club here, at least at the time, I don't know. ...until what ? around 2000. I agree with you- with a lot of your opinions which are yours and obviously valid especially if you've been hurt or threatened. Your feelings are always valid and I'm sure you know they won't kill you. The history of racism in Oregon is appalling. I arrived during the time of the Tom Metzger trial - Berhanu vs. Metzger at which the Southern Poverty Law Center with Morris Dees successfully sued Tom Metzger in a civil lawsuit for being the instigator in the murder of an innocent man- an immigrant from Ethiopia- on behalf of Mr. Berhanu's young son. Mr. Harangue was mudered by in Portland by skinheads who had thrived in Portland but we're on their way out. You are so right: racism in Portland and Oregon especially was written into the state constitution. It's absolutely heartbreaking and disgusting.

You said so many beautiful things you fell in love with your words

After watching this video, I think I’m going to visit for a month; not to live. Do tourist things and leave. It’s disappointing that it isn’t very diverse or liberal. As a New Yorker, I’m attracted to the grey weather, but I’ll just visit

It's such a trip to hear you drop the f-bomb so casually. I had to keep hitting the rewind on my screen to make sure I was hearing you right. F-ing hilarious. 😂

Thanks for your very diverse and objective pov… it was very helpful…

I came to PDX by myself in October for a week & HOLY FUCKING SHIT THE FOOD is absolutely accurate. I live in Brooklyn,NY and have been in Brooklyn my entire life. I love Portland and the food. I was look forward to moving in February 2022 but now I’m reconsidering.

How is it going now. And where did you settle? Hope you are well and safe with a good job!

Thanks for the video! All I can find are videos about the riots when I search for what Portland is like! It’s ridiculous! I was wondering, do you know if there is a Filipino community in Portland??

How would you compare portland to dc? Which one do you prefer and why? Just curious. Thanks

Very helpful. Thank you

all you said were so truth. i study in troutdale orego from 2014-2017 and i witnessed all the worst facts about portland. i leff the US when i felt very desvastated. when i have my son, i let him move to develop state like california or Minesota. tax might be high but my son will be surrounded by successed and educated people

Growing up in Florida, I think it’s just a Difference in what geography you were raised in, and what you like, and dislike. Since all i’ve ever known is heat, sunlight, cold to medium temp waters, beaches, and tropics. Then moving to Texas, Southeast Texas, A dirty gulf, Even hotter, Kind of boring geography, but, It has it’s ups, decent economy, Real estates booming, A lot of Laws That are both helpful and not. It’s just a matter of opinion i suppose, growing up in the south sucked for me, And when i traveled to states like California, Los Angeles, I felt close to home, but with a completely different change of pace, when i traveled to Denver, Colorado, Completely snow covered, Change of pace, mountains, Many Healthy, and unique folks. I much more enjoy, The west coast, then i ever will the south, But again yk it’s just a matter of outlook, perspective, we’ve all got our reasons. So, if things turn out right, I’ll be out there for sure, hell i love the rain, and i love that gloomy look 🤷🏽‍♂️

Thanks, you’re really pretty too,much love

I know I’m commenting like a year later but if you by any chance see this. I’m a Hispanic woman from Texas thinking about moving to Portland, is there anything I should be worried about?

I moved to south east asia and I work remote. I have monkeys and parrots outside my window. I still return to NYC a few times a year to visit family and friends. BTW, I hear NYC rents are dropping and businesses are leaving. As a life long New Yorker I am hoping this change will mean more families returning to Manhattan and less traffic. good luck

Well done! Nuanced and accurate picture - I've been here much longer than I ever anticipated (15 years - left twice and ended up coming back both times) and the things I struggle with most are the weather and lack of diversity.

@Kenzie what areas are you looking to relocate to?

thank you for diving into the politics and lack of diversity in portland...it's the main thing keeping me from ever considering it as a place to live in :/ which sucks because as a cyclist thats THE place to bike

Rain is like a song

Yeah, I love Oregon and want to move back someday, but the salaries are much lower compared to the east coast while cost of living is through the roof. I feel like the only way you can live there is if you have a remote job that is based in a higher-salary area or you bought a house before the prices became insane. State income tax rate is between 9 and 11%. May be worth living just across state lines in WA to avoid state tax. OTOH, the high sales tax helps make OR the wonderful state that it is from the revenue.

I live and hour away so that's cool😄

As a poc wanting to move to Portland, I’ve definitely considered not going bc of how white it is. And the racism. But right now I’m living in the absolute middle of nowhere in Kansas so it’s a predominantly white area. I’m also considering the fact that it’s still America so I’m not really going to find an anti racist place to live (as far as I know) because racism is deep in America’s roots. I’m really just looking to move somewhere bigger, I love the rain, and the scenery, has legal 🍃, and has more punk scenes, I can feel safer being out as trans and queer. At the very least not be terrified to leave my house some days. And a place that I can easily learn to drive in if I needed to because I’m from a town of 2,500. I have a lot of driving anxiety especially in bigger places. I didn’t even know what a turning lane was until last year lmao. Anyway, thank you for this video, if you have any suggestions of other places please lmk. I’m also trying to be mindful of specifically where to go because I don’t want to contribute to gentrification. But I just don’t feel safe in Kansas and never have and I need to get out asap

Thank you. Its nice to get someone elses point of view. I currently live In Texas but am looking to move to a more progressive state. I wish more state reviews were like this.

I’m sad to learn about their racism, I’m tired of having to look up every state that I’m interested in to see how racist they are 😢

What about the other regions in Portland like Eugene? Also I am Mexican american so I was wondering if people care about that stuff over there or not cause I don’t want to have to deal with any unnecessary BS

Where are you moving to?

It's so funny my Russian family from WA has me buy them expensive things to bring back to them if I'm already visiting like liquor and stuff lol very good point. The car thing I didn't know but think you need a license yes.

Hi Kenzie, where did you move next? Thanks for this video soooo helpful 🙏🙏🙏

Hi Kenzie! Nice video :)... Thanks for that comprehensive data about the city, it's helpful. I'm deciding between Toronto, Canada & Portland Oregon for my studies. I'm 36 and single from India. You mentioned Racism and all... I have never been to the US, I have been to Canada though... How's American white women's mindset, about Indian guys... Do you think Portland is easy to adjust in general as far as we're talking Indians and Americans :) I have a lot of caucasian friends all over the world but specifically in the US, I don't have much idea about it. Would love your feedback on this :D Keep it going and have a great day! Cheers

How is it during the pandemic?

Damn, that's how I feel about Nevada. i moved here in September and was ready to move out as quickly as I moved in. Now I have no idea where to go to, but I am out of here!

where did you move to?

You look beautiful in this makeup!

awesome thank you

Perfomative wokeness is the definition of Portland. It’s really strange out there

so, where are you going to move ?