17 Pros and Cons of Living in Oregon

Let’s get this straight: it is one thing to visit a place as an enthusiastic tourist and enjoy your workfree time sightseeing. It is a completely different thing to live, work and raise a family there.

We bring you 17 different pros and cons of moving to and living in Oregon.

The interesting thing about living in Oregon is that it feels like living in four different states at once. There is something for everyone!

Oregon, within its borders, offers you every kind of terrain on the planet.
From the beautiful Ocean coast to the canyons, mountains, and lakes, living in Oregon could be an infinite weekend getaway.
For hedonists, there is a big number of breweries, which makes Portland, Oregon craft beer capital of the world!

Before all that let’s talk about ‘grown-up’ stuff.

Quick State Facts

• Oregon is located in the Pacific Northwest, between Washington State and California. It has a humid and cool climate on the coast, rough snowy winters in the Cascade Range, and calm summers in the East.
• For urban lovers, Oregon has big cities such as Portland, Salem, Hillsboro, and Eugene.
• Medium household income is $60,212 a year, ranking Oregon 18th in the US.
• Strongly politically divided, liberal big cities and conservative towns and villages could easily belong to different planets. They’ve been a blue state since 1988.
• Nearly half of Oregon’s area is forested! It is in the top 10 greenest states in the US, and with 254 state parks, it comes second, losing only to California.

PROS of living in Oregon

1. The price you see is the price you pay

Exactly, there is no sales tax.

Costs of living are also lower in Oregon than in its neighboring state of California, so many people move from Los Angeles to Portland because it is 11% cheaper to live there.

Every penny means a lot these days and it sure as hell saves you money for the other pricey things…

2. Farmers markets heaven

Do you want to eat fresh food that was picked up that same morning?

What about trying the one-of-a-kind Marionberry, Oregon born and raised, sweeter and juicier than an average blackberry?

Oregon has the third-best soil for gardening in the US and one out of twelve Oregonians is employed in agriculture.  Affordable local food is a good thing to have while an economic and food crisis creeps in.

This fact alone promises to upper your life quality.

3. Say goodbye to urban sprawl and say hello to untouched nature!

It is common knowledge that if you are a nature lover, Oregon is the place to be.

How about clearing your head from stress by visiting some of the most beautiful natural wonders in the world?

Home to Crater Lake, the deepest lake in the States, and Hells Canyon, North America’s deepest river gorge, Oregon has a lot to be proud of.

You can get your feet wet on Cannon beach one day and make a snowman in the mountains the next. You can clear your head and strengthen your immune system in one of the 16 hot springs the day after that.  The list is infinite.

4. Job opportunities

As with everything else, job opportunities in Oregon are varied and contrasted. There is agriculture on the one side and the big tech industry on the other.

Portland is a national leader in specialized areas of manufacturing. Products are often high-tech electronics.

Nike headquarters is located in Beaverton, Oregon. Big industries such as Columbia Sportswear and Fred Meyer also call Oregon their home.

5. You can vote from the comfort of your home

Imagine not having to wait in long lines to vote, but instead receiving a ballot by mail 14 days before an election. It gives you time to explore and learn about the candidates. It also affects voter turnout rate.

Side by side with Virginia, New Jersey, and Washington, Oregon was the state that voted the most in the 2020 presidential election.

6. Your quality of life will go over the moon with these outdoor activities.

Oregon is home to a vast number of adventurous people, seeking adrenaline and fresh air.

Have you ever tried windsurfing? What about kayaking and rock climbing? Would you like to go skiing? Enjoy scenic bike rides? Why not everything?

For example:

• Oregon has THE ONLY Scenic Bikeway program in the nation.
• There are more than 5,900 registered campsites.
• Smith Rock is the birthplace of sports rock climbing in the states.
• Columbia river gorge is one of the best places for windsurfing in the world.

7. Renting prices are better compared to other states

Renting prices have gone through the roof in 2022. and the situation is not promising for the future either.

The monthly rent for a 480 sq. ft. furnished studio in Oregon is on average $1,134. That is $318 less than the States average. This could save you up to $3,800 a year.

8. Let’s talk about Portland

Portland is not at all like the rest of the state. It is the total opposite.

While no one was watching Portland made its authentic micro cosmos. In Portland, you can meet a lot of friendly people from all over the place, drink craft beer in one of 70 breweries or enjoy experimental street food. From Vietnamese vegan food to traditional BBQ, Portland makes its variation of everything.

We can also say that this city belongs to the young and their small businesses!

9. You better be obsessed with hazelnuts and salmon

We are finishing the pros the same way we started – the food!

Hazelnut spread, hazelnut cakes, hazelnut cookies, hazelnut biscuits… With the state growing 99% of the nation’s hazelnut, you better love ‘em!

On the coast you can eat fresh and affordable seafood, salmon being the most popular and crab being the traditional Thanksgiving main course.

CONS of living in Oregon

1. Living standard could be better

Oregon is the 5th most expensive state to live in and 18th by its average income rate. The difference between these two affects the living standard, which can honestly be a lot better.

With this being one of the most important things that can affect one’s decision to move, be sure to research the details!

2. Let’s talk about Portland again…

Like all big cities, Portland has its issues too. With 640,000 citizens (and growing), there are a lot of accumulated problems.

Homelessness is on the rise and drug use is among the top in the US.

Trash and crime rates are the problems citizens are the most worried about.

3. Income tax rate is high

With its income tax that ranges from 4.75 percent to 9.9 percent, Oregon is near the top.

Also, if you are planning on transporting your car to Oregon when moving, be prepared for a vehicle tax too.

Unfortunately, what is saved in the no sales tax can be lost in the income tax.

4. Rainy days

Yes, it is true, it does rain a lot. Especially during the fall and winter times.

It is beautiful once summertime comes, but the question for you is ‘is it worth the wait?’

5. A lot of tourists

Oregon attracts a lot of tourists, especially in the summer. It can make cities very crowded and the traffic slow. On the flip side, there is always someone new you can meet!

6. If you want to buy a house in 2023. keep yourself out of Oregon

As well as renting prices, home prices went up in 2022. as well.

Compared to last year, home prices are up 8.7% now.

The medium house price in Oregon is $520,000 and in the US $348,079. 

7. Oregon University has a pebble in its shoe

Nobody knows the exact reason why Oregon’s bachelor’s degree rate is low.

If you have kids, don’t worry about elementary schools, but as for college be prepared to look outside the state as well. Also, there are always private school options that have their own arranged system in Oregon.

Moving to Oregon

Everybody is different and has their ways of organizing one’s life. A thing somebody would love, another one would hate, and vice versa.

If you find the pros irresistible and the cons negligible you can start packing!

Moving is the third most stressful life event a person can go through but we are here to relieve some stress and help you move to Oregon in a nicer way, with Roadway.

All that is left is to pack the bags!