Is Portland, Oregon a good place to live?

Portland is one of this writer's absolute favorite cities in the United States. While it does not offer the variety of attractions afforded by a megalopolis such as New York City, it is still large enough to offer a lot, but small enough to be relatively easy to navigate, as far as major cities go. Although Portland does not rank as one of the twenty-five most liberal cities in the nation (http://alt.coxnewsweb.com/statesman/metro/081205libs.pdf), FOX junkies will no doubt feel much more at home in places like Provo, Utah or cities in Texas such as Lubbock or Abilene. If you like the great outdoors, Portland is one of the best locations in the country. Like to ski? Oregon offers some of the longest ski seasons in the United States, particularly at Mt. Hood and Mt. Bachelor. For details: http://www.onthesnow.com/oregon/profile.html Are you a wind surfer? Take a short trip east along the scenic Columbia River Gorge to Hood River, which is billed as the Wind Surfing Capital of the World -- http://www.byways.org/stories/74472 Like the coast? Mile for mile, the Oregon Coast is perhaps the most beautiful in the lower 48. In addition, it is arguably the most accessible to the public of any coastline in the country. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon_Coast Portland's public transit system is one of the best in the country. http://www.helium.com/items/2171225-portland-oregon-max-rail Do you like books? Portland-based Powell Book is billed as the largest independent new and used bookseller in the world. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powell%27s_Books Portland regularly appears at or near the top of lists detailing the greenist cities in the country and the world, for that matter -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland,_Oregon Portland does have some great neighborhoods, each with their own charms and distinct character. The winters can be a bit gray and rainy, however, lack of sunshine may seem like a small price to pay, particularly when one views news clips of hapless souls digging themselves out of eyeball-deep snowdrifts. Yes, some areas of the country have pleasant weather during the winter-time, however, unless you like scorching or suffocating heat, the summers can be a tad unpleasant. Some people adapt well -- others don't. This site makes reference to both pluses and minuses about Portland -- http://www.budgettravel.com/bt-dyn/content/article/2005/06/10/AR2005061001402.html The state of Oregon and the city of Portland have not escaped the ravages of the economic downturn that most recently began in 2007. Some may attribute it to the state's liberal leanings, however, the decidedly red state of Texas has a current budget shortfall of $27 billion. You may wish to consider the following article from the conservative magazine, The Economist, from March 24, 2011, when judging the economy in the Beaver State: http://www.economist.com/node/18442083?story_id=18442083 Lastly, here is a great overall source of information regarding Portland: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland,_Oregon

Yes. For more information, you might try "Places Rated" or "Best Places" - I think they both have websites.

Well there are a lot of organs over there, so you hear a lot of organ music.

I suppose it's alright----if you like the rain!