Reply to Leaving DC for a lower COL area

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]All-- My spouse and I considered moving from the DC area for Portland, Oregon, which we had recently visited for the first time. [b]If you can stomach the rain for a few months in the winter,[/b] I literally can't think of a better city as an alternative to DC in terms of COL, job opportunities, outdoor activities, public schools, and of course, most folks there are staunchly anti-Trump :)

I can't sing Portland's tune loud enough and it's really attractive in terms of COL - for $700k in DC, you're getting a 2 bedroom condo in a bad school district. For the same price in NW or SW Portland, you're getting a 3.500 square foot northwest modern home in a public school that's rated a 9 or 10. A large fancy daycare center for infants is literally a thousand dollars less than it is in DC. Unlike Seattle, Portland is still affordable. A lot of the retail giants headquarters are based in Portland (i.e., Nike), a lot of tech companies and startups (Portland isn't called Silicon Forest for nothing), and some consulting firms.

OP--you mentioned that both of your careers are tied to government so it may be difficult for you to find work outside of the DC area. I'd encourage you to think more broadly about your skill sets in your current roles, as opposed to the industry you're in, when thinking about what you have to offer a new employer. Research, accounting, consulting, advocacy, policy analysis, etc. are all useful skills in multiple industries. Just be prepared to talk about your contributions in terms of your competencies as opposed to what agency/non-profit/elected official you currently work for. People successfully make this kind of career move all the time.

Good luck to all of you - I hope that your journeys to find a balanced lifestyle take you to new and cool places!
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Haha, no. I am from there, grew up there. The rain begins in mid to late October and DOES NOT STOP until June. Sure, you will get a clear day here and there, but the ground is soaked. I had friends who moved to Oregon from California and almost lost their minds in the non-stop rain and gray. Also, once the clocks move back in November it will be pitch dark by 4:30 in the afternoon every day and the sun does not fully rise until 8 a.m. because of the latitude. I'm not saying to avoid Portland. I'm just saying "a few months" is not accurate.[/quote]

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