I hope you all enjoyed this video! As always, I would love to hear from you, if you have something to add. Please keep interactions respectful. If you have any suggestions on other cities I should compare let me know! Also, I have a series that goes over different states you may consider moving to. Check it out: ua-cam.com/play/PLcdIsUoipiRrdPCQ05MHM5Cx5BNLs4ohC.html
It's so wierd I'm about to go through some career changes and my options are these 3 cities. My wife and I couldn't believe there was a video going over all 3 lol.
Portland……Rampant theft, property crimes, homelessness, and drug use. Take your family to Denver….i grew up in Portland and now live just north in Vancouver Wa…hurts my heart to say, but Portland just sucks now😔
@@chickenmama5051 Denver has a lot of homeless people to almost on every street and highway to be honest all 3 of these cities suck because of high cost living and homelessness…..
Wow, at first this made me laugh till I cried, and now here I am, looking for apartments in Vancouver on Zillow. Thank you for the best advice in the week!
that seems like more trouble than its worth, unless you make it a point to pick a certain day out of the week to go into Portland and get all your shopping done, including groceries. it should definitely be on the weekend cause crossing the 1-5 bridge during the week is pure HELL with all that traffic!!!
@@quevidafilms I was going to really do it....but I have a big family and they're all here in the Bay Area....after weeks of contemplating....I realized I wouldn't be happy being that far away from them.....did you end up finding a place ?
Originally from the Midwest, I lived in Seattle and the area for 29 years. I've been in Portland now 31 years. I like both cities, but Seattle has become so corporate and expensive, I'm glad I don't live there anymore. Although income tax is at 9% in Oregon, overall Portland is much less expensive than any city on the West Coast and even Denver, when you figure in property taxes, car registration fees, sales tax, etc. I just spent last week in Denver (have been there many times in the past, too), and although it is similar in many ways to both Portland and Seattle, the dry, arid environment and climate just aren't for me. But I completely understand its appeal. I'm just a true Northwesterner at this point and I love the rainy season. Yes, Portland and Seattle are very 'liberal', politically engaged cities, and that can sometimes result in a small group of radical lefties acting out, and also the right wing nut jobs like Proud Boys and Patriot Prayer invading the city just to be provocative and harass Portlanders. But, in all seriousness, even last summer's protests and demonstrations were not as violent as the anti-Portland and anti-Seattle propaganda in the news media made it out to be. I live near downtown Portland, and as a 71 year old war veteran, sure, I didn't like some of the antics of a few people who started little bonfires, broke windows, etc. But that wasn't nearly as upsetting as the right-wing 'boy' groups like Patriot Prayer and Proud Boys and their violent antics. I love Portland's urban culture--food, beer, wine, spirits, coffee, etc., as well as its excellent theater scene (much better in my opinion than Seattle's), music venues, etc. I also love the city for its rational, green, urban development policies and extensive public rail transportation system (as a senior citizen, I can go anywhere in the metro area on street cars and MAX light rail for $2.50 a day). I don't need a car living in Portland. The other thing I like about Portland is its 'urban village' concept, where each district has a commercial center with grocery stores, cafes, bars, breweries, coffee houses, drug stores, shopping, etc. I have everything I need within walking distance of my house. In Seattle, I pretty much had to drive everywhere and traffic has been a nightmare there for decades. And then, if you like wine, there are hundreds of excellent wineries within an hour drive outside of the city in the Willamette Valley. Something neither Seattle nor Denver has. I will be staying in Portland probably until the end of my life. I can't think of a better city to live in with its cultural amenities, environmental consciousness, public transportation, and intelligent, rational urban development policies, etc.
This was a thoughtful response. However, I wanted to ask: What’s your race? What are your thoughts on diversity in Portland? I believe your race does play apart in your experience living somewhere. I’m African-American and I will be completing my undergrad in a year and I’m really considering moving to Portland, but it would be nice to be around at least SOME black people.
@@ericnwachukwu Born and raised Portlander here. Despite of what you heard, there are black people there. People there overall are pretty chill, laid back, and open-minded. There is racism, but on a systemic level. Not very many racist attitudes on an individual level. Oregonians are a different breed of American. There’s nothing like the Pacific Northwest. The vibe is untouchable.
I’m a native Portlander who moved to Seattle 5 months ago and I already want to move back. Seattle feels too busy and fast paced for me, and I prefer more of a midsized city feel.
As a kid i find portland's transit system (Tri-Met)excellent. I can ride the bus,take light rail,commuter rail (WES) quickly to any part of the city and also to the neighboring city of salem oregon(Cherriots) all for under 4 dollars. Tri-met also connects with other transits around the area like SMART,Cart,Cherriots,c-tran and WES. I Can go all the way to the north to the city of Battle Ground from portland cheap using C-tran in vancouver
It's so interesting seeing people debate in the comments about the pros and cons of these cities as someone who's lived in Arizona for the last 25 years so I'm just used to dry heat, needing a car to go anywhere, and the color beige.
needing a car to go almost literally anywhere is the biggest thing keeping me from moving to Arizona. I swear the state colluded with the auto + oil/gas industries to make the least walkable metros in the entire US
This was fairly accurate (and I've lived in Portland, Seattle, and north and south of Denver). The set up of the cities is fairly different, with Denver being much more suburban sprawl (Seattle has boundaries with water that help with this a bit, and Portland actually has an urban growth boundary that limits the suburbs). Portland is still probably the most affordable of the 3 (though housing costs have gone up a lot there in the last 10 years). One important factor is utilities, the PNW has some of the cheapest utility costs in the US. One final thought. If you like water, I would steer clear of Denver, it's high desert, and there are a few rivers and small reservoirs, but nothing compared to Seattle (or to a smaller degree Portland with access to the Pacific).
@@BrothaontheGo That's tough to answer. They all have their plusses and minuses, and I was at different phases of my life. I would actually probably put Denver below the PNW cities, just because it's so sprawled. IF you're comparing to Ft Collins, Boulder, or smaller, Denver-adjacent cities, I think I would rate those higher. Traffic on I-70 has apparently gotten horrendous and Denver is just very big to get across.
Excellent video! Been really curious about moving out west, and this was super helpful. I’m glad you mentioned diversity and live entertainment. I love concerts and prefer to live in a city that tours don’t skip over.
I live in Denver at the moment and I couldn't think of a better city to live in. It has it all, great sports venues, non-stop world class concerts, modernity, diversity, great weather, beautiful snowy winters, excellent public transportation and best of all, people are laid back and authentic. I found Portland a bit pretentious and Seattle sort of depressing. Also the metro Denver is over 3 million making it even more diverse (go to the south, Aurora, DTC, etc, you will find restaurants and people from absolutely every single continent). Great video!
Hey, thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed it! Living in a place that fits you is so important. I live in Washington, but I am not a big fan of some of the bigger cities either. I do think the small towns and more rural areas in the northwest are pretty nice! Have you lived in Seattle and Portland as well? Also, I really want to visit Denver soon. Do you have any favorite spots to check out?
@@BrothaontheGo I have only visied Seattle, never been to Portland but both cities look amazing on the pictures! In Denver I like the Rino art district and also Lohi to walk around. The botanical gardens are also really cool and of course I recommend visiting Red Rocks, either to see a concert or just have a pic nic overlooking the valley. Also love having a city lifestyle without the city pain so I think either one of these 3 cities are the right size for me!
Hey, I really appreciate the tips on Denver! I am hoping within the next couple of years to really do some more extensive travelling. I have been to Colorado a couple of times, but haven't made it too far east yet. I didn't know you could visit red rocks if there wasn't a concert. So, I definitely want to do that. Thanks again for sharing and take care!
I always see people from Denver zealously listing the reasons why they live there (usually the same stuff that all "tier 2" cities have) as if to convince themselves more than anyone else. They kinda seem to have a chip on their shoulders for some reason. BTW, are the "natives" still grumpy and nasty to newcomers? That was always hilarious to me when I lived there. As if you own a town because you were born there. Hilarious.
@@robbetts not sure what your experience has been. I'm not trying to convince anyone to move here and no, not all Tier 2 cities have the mix of sunny days, snow sports, infrastructure, diversity, landscape, cost of living, etc. Also, native coloradans are close to 50% of the state's population. They are used to having people from other places moving or visiting. I think you should stay were you are. You and your attitude.
One thing that wasn't mentioned is Gridlock/Traffic. Compared to Seattle, Denver traffic basically doesn't exist. I'm not sure how things are in Portland. But Seattle might have the second worst traffic in the country behind Los Angeles. This is a huge factor for a lot of people!
That's interesting... we've been truly reeling in Denver at how bad our traffic has gotten (suddenly 25 to the airport from downtown is an hour 15, a 2 hour drive to Breck has become 4-5hours), but that could mostly be because there used to be virtually no traffic. My best friend went to Seattle Pacific and we visited her a few times, the city feels much bigger, much more modern, much more cultured. Just navigating the city seemed like quite the task. But, as an uber driver, I had folks from Omaha or Kansas City freaking out about our downtown layout and I chuckled. Denver's homelessness has about gotten to what I saw in Seattle in 2019, but hard to say where that will go, seems to come and go with the years, and for better or worse, the cold literally drives them away. It's actually quite sad as they come from New Mexico, Cali, Texas, and your way, and simply don't understand what negative temperatures mean...
Best thing i did was get rid of my car. Zooming past traffic is hilarious 😂 people get so offended then blast their little engines to be at yet another red light. Silly cars
In my opinion from living in Denver 10 years, I want to get out. The city is pretty boring, homelessness rampant, traffic has gotten 10x worse lately especially in mountains (good luck getting to the mountains before anyone else). And also a lot of spots in mountains are trashed by people who don’t respect it. And also we get so much smoke and bad air quality recently from all the fires it all just comes over
Nice video. Very good assessment. P.S. The waterfalls outside of Portland are only 20 mins away if you live on the east side of the metropolitan. Also the elevation gain is actually more drastic from Seattle/Portland to the peaks of the Cascade Mountains than Denver is to the peaks of the Rockies. If anyone wants to get into mountain climbing etc the cascades are where it’s at.
Hey Jeremy, thanks for watching! That is an excellent point. If you are outdoorsy in Portland, living in the east gives you more convenient access to the Columbia River Gorge. Have you lived in one of these cities?
Estacada is also about 29 miles Southeast of Portland & there are hot springs there. Mt. Hood is about an hour from Portland for mountain climbing. Portland also has the Columbia River Gorge nearby. Hood River, Oregon is a beautiful town about an hour away with all kinds of activities on the Columbia.
Hi Sammie, I currently living in Virginia ( near DC) and might have to move to either Colorado or Seattle in 3 months. How is it like living in Colorado you might if I ask ? And the weather too esp in summer ? Thank you Sammie
@@yuringuyen856 I live in Colorado Springs. Its lots of Sunshine here. Close to 300 days on average. I think the thing people have to get used to most is the altitude and the dryness. There is no humidity here. Summers are nice with lots of things to do if you're "outdoorsy". But we do get a lot of wildfires and hail storms even in summer. The winters are about average for a winter state. Weather can fluctuate during the winter. You may have a week of 60 degree weather and then a few days of 10 degree weather and vice versa. I'd say just research the city and neighborhoods you want to move to. Good luck!
@@yuringuyen856 yeah in Denver the hardest part I think was the climate for me. It’s also very polluted in the summer, think it’s something to do with the ozone then add the smoke from wildfires. If you enjoy water of any form, including rain, I’d avoid CO. They also aren’t very good about plowing when it snows compared to other snowy places I’ve lived. I knew it was sunny and dry but no one warned me about the air quality so thought I’d give ya a heads up.
These housing costs in Denver have changed dramatically. Be prepared to spend an average of 750k for a single family home now. Denver's growth has been way too much, way to fast and our infrastructure and cost of living are suffering because of it. Homelessness, traffic, property crimes are all rising. I think Denver is among the worst in the nation in car thefts; something like 700 a week. If you are wealthy, you will love Denver, but for the majority of the people that have lived and worked here long term, it is getting harder and harder to maintain a good quality of life.
A huge consideration that I don’t see covered here is a more in depth discussion of climate. Just rain days versus sun days is not enough. Denver is drier and a mile high and the air is thinner which may impact certain health conditions. Seattle and Portland are at sea level and have countless water sports opportunities whereas Denver is again dry with not more than reservoirs and some rivers. I lived in both the Seattle are and Denver for more than a decade each, so the weather differences are definitely a huge consideration as well as the lack of water in general in Denver. The fire season is also getting worse there.
Hey Lisa, I think you are correct the climates can very between the PNW cities and Denver. This video was already almost 13 minutes long. I think I had to try to cover differences that I perceived to be a bit more pertinent for comparison purposes. I think your analysis of the situation is pretty spot on though. Since you have live in two of these cities. Do you have a preference between Denver and Seattle? And if so, why? Thanks for sharing some great info! Take Care!
Good points on the climate. My sinuses are better in the Pacific Northwest with more moisture vs the dry air in Colorado. I have considered all of these cities and lean toward the Pacific Northwest for a few reasons. The big one for me is being on the Pacific Coast. Living in Texas all my life, I always loved the ocean. The Pacific Northwest has the best of both worlds - the coast and the mountains. Whereas Denver is land locked. The other thing nobody mentioned was the dense forests and greenery of the Pacific Northwest and the huge trees, which I love. Colorado has some beautiful, forested mountains, but not the huge trees. The main drawback of the Pacific Northwest is the long, gloomy winters and less sunshine. If you really need the sun, then Colorado is the winner. It's a tough call, but any of these beat Dallas/Ft. Worth by a long shot, which is where I live.
I was born and raised in washington. Spent 49 yrs there but moved away 2 yrs ago. If you make bank, and can afford a 800k house to get your kids in a decent school district it's great.
I live in Seattle for 18 years. It got so EXPENSIVE. Had to move to the suburbs. THEN that also got expensive. So sometimes in the future, I may not even afford the Greater Metro Seattle suburbs. That's how expensive Seattle is.
Hey M C, thanks for watching the video. I totally believe that. It has become less and less affordable for middle class to make it when the prices have gone up so much. Take care!
Honestly that was a great breakdown. I am very familiar with all of them, and live just outside of PDX on the WA side ;) and although I would love a bit more diversity, we are moving the right direction.
Hey Garrett, thanks for watching and I am glad you enjoyed the video! I am from the Northwest myself. I gotta say I went to the Vancouver Waterfront a couple months ago. It is super nice! What do you think of the Washington side versus the Oregon side for those who may be interested in moving there?
i grew up in bellevue, and have lived in portland area since around 2000, and i confirm all of this, except i only see denver from the sky and in conference rooms, so i don't know about that. most of family and friends are in seattle. so i lived 30+ years in seattle, go there regularly, and have spent the last 20'ish around portland.
I live close to seattle, issaquah area. It's extremely beautiful here but also really expensive. I could afford it, but it blew my mind when I compared cost of living here vs other places in US. I actually didn't believe it at all, just seemed too good to be true. However, a bit more research and I was persuaded. If you had to put it in percentage form, what would you say cost of living is in denver vs seattle? I've been contemplating moving to denver.
LONG WINDED ANSWER WARNING: Sorry Hey, Thanks for watching the video! Seattle is typically going to be more expensive than Denver in most scenarios, but a percentage is really tough to give because there are so many variables in an equation that even if you know the rough percentages, you can easily have additional elements that you need to consider. Now, I do not know your specific circumstances, but rather than a giving you a generality I would approach finding YOUR cost of living like this: 1. Income: How would your income change between the two cities. Determine what your salary/wages/profits would approximately be. In Seattle most people will earn a bit more. Denver also has an income tax too. Here is a great tool to do determine the general post tax income you can expect after taxes. Income tax calculator: smartasset.com/taxes/income-taxes 2. Housing: The biggest chunk of the cost of living is housing. When you use on online calculator they will use median costs. If you are good to rough it or need certain accommodations you can be in for a rude awakening when it is time to move. You know how much it costs where you are and you know the types of accommodations you need in Denver. Whether you are renting or buying you can get a rough idea on Zillow to see what the market roughly looks like. www.zillow.com/ 3. Boots on the ground: You did not say if you had been to Denver or not, but if you have, you may know the exact areas you would want to live and can apply for jobs with the knowledge of your desired home base. If you have not been there, I would definitely go if you can find the time. 4. If you can't get boots on the ground: If you can't find the time here are some unorthodox things you can do to figure out what the specific cost of living may be for more detailed items. - Find listings that you like and ask for Tax statements and utility information from a realtor that is in the same areas you are looking to buy. This will help you determine what you can expect to pay. Don't be afraid to ask how many people lived there too. Utilities can fluctuate a lot with additional people. You can ask questions about the local gas, water, electric, and trash expenses to actually get tangible information to run your simulation. - Look online at local businesses to see the types of price they charge for items you commonly buy. You can look at sales ads or do this on Instacart for groceries, or other similar services. - Gas Buddy lists gas prices for local areas, so you can get a sense of how much you may need to budget for Transportation. - You can get insurance quotes online. - Find out about loan pre-qualifications and interest rates, if you are buying. - Estimate moving expenses as well. If you do all of these things, I think you will have a much more concrete idea about what you are really getting yourself into. It sounds like you have been crunching the numbers and researching already, but you may need to get boots on the ground if you can't decide after running the numbers. One underrated idea is to move somewhere in a temporary rental rather than buying or signing a lease immediately. This allows you to make sure you actually like where you moved before purchasing or getting involved in a long term lease. The downside is, you may have to move your stuff twice. My Aunt and Uncle moved across the country and they visited the area many times before. They scoured the internet and knew where they wanted to move. Once they moved there, they stayed with friends for a bit while they were searching and learned more about the area that turned them off. They ended up moving 60 miles on the other side of town. Don't underestimate the power of living in the area. Sorry for the long winded answer, but I really hope this helps. Don't be afraid to take your time and run the scenarios. If you have another question hit me up. Take Care!
@@BrothaontheGo I used to live in Seattle not too long ago and miss it dearly. I have also been a couple of times to both Colorado and Oregon. I also love Coffee and Seattle has so many coffee shop! My love for coffee inspired my name 😁
Btw, Seattle is much bigger than Portland or Denver. Geographically it is much smaller than both Denver or Portland. Seattle metro is almost twice as big as both Portland and Denver metro areas. Don’t forget about the North Cascades National Park. Only mountain range that has numerous Glaciers and is gorgeous. Seattle beats out both cities in way of beauty. But, it is way expensive and has a homeless problem!
@@tb5124 you act as if Seattle is a tropical paradise. Even in the mid-summer Seattle waters are cold AF! Not exactly my idea of a beach vacation if I’m being honest 🤓
People complain about how dry Denver is, but that's great for for me, as the humid temperatures in the PNW feel way more extreme, and the humidity also makes everything grimy, damp, moldy, etc., and irritates my skin. 🤷
Dude your channel is absolutely great! I had no idea from the name that you were the exact relocation channel I was looking for! Great content, really well done and super informative! I'm about to binge watch!
Hey Shelton, Thanks for watching the video! When you say I should make a video on moving across the country do you mean the best driving routes and like where to stop? A series like this could actually be interesting. But, I would be a bit hesitant to do this just because depending on the time of year some routes can be more dangerous than others in the winter. I wouldn't want to feel responsible for this. Is this what you meant or did I misunderstand your suggestion? Have a great day!
@@BrothaontheGo It would be an amazing series. I would say you can give route options (seasonal routes, so the viewers know when it is best to travel for their location) and places to stop and see. Cost of travel, gas, hotels, car/truck rental. Compare regions/state they are coming from. For example if I was coming from North Carolina I would use Raleigh as the starting location; for many Capitals are near the center of their state. Different ideas such as packing up a small car and driving alone to move (maybe rent that car if you dont need one in Seattle), or packing up a whole house and family. As well as tips for Definitely add your own ideas as well as feel free to ask me for more.
Love this channel, great job Brotha I'm looking at Seattle and Denver I want to choose Denver but I refuse to deal with snow and cold I did enough of that in NY lol, Seattle rent is expensive but I'm getting alot of job offers so that's where I'm leaning towards
nice vid - thx. Spent time in all three, Seattle is the nicest overall, but the value proposition is poor and is crowded. Both Portland and Denver make excellent options with much better bang for your buck and honestly seem to be run better than Seattle. And don't fall for the "NW Arkansas is great!" advertisements - it's not.
NW Arkansas is beautiful but it’s for suburbanites and families who are afraid of real cities. It’s not urban or cultured like the other three in this video.
I lived in all three of the cities, if it were me I would choose Portland because it’s close to California it has the beach an hour to the west and mountains 2 hours away and I can go to Seattle in 3 hours the jobs are plentiful and they pay the weather is good but Denver is nice too some of the most beautiful friendly women live in Denver but housing is expensive didn’t like Seattle too much people are not friendly
I live in Portland & visited both Seattle & Denver & I prefer Portland. Seattle has very congested traffic, is very hilly & crowded,which I didn’t like (but that’s my own opinion) . I like how Seattle has many things to do tho. Denver is very spread out, with somewhat crazy drivers lol. But I enjoyed the mountains in the background. ☺️ Ig, I complained less in Denver. Portland for me is very gorgeous (I love the greenery), it’s very laid back & has less traffic than Seattle & the drivers aren’t crazy like in Denver. But I don’t like the weather half the time in Portland, it can get pretty depressing & the city is trashy.
I was very interested in moving to the PNW until I learned about the Cascadia Subduction Zone. Now I’m nervous just to visit. No one ever mentions this when talking about the PNW and it makes me wonder how much do people that live there know and do they just not care? There’s a great piece in the New Yorker about it for any one that wants to be horrified.
It's an under-appreciated risk for sure. But not one that other countries (and states, namely Alaska) haven't faced successfully. At the end of the day, the risk of dying the mega-quake is small compared to a car wreck, cancer or heart disease. It's scary, but there's lots of other scary things to worry about.
Seattle has four major sports - hockey, baseball, football, and soccer. The next NBA team is slated to go to Seattle (per NBA commissioner) - I would pick Denver or Seattle. Portlands downtown is horrible now - 2022. It has more problems that are in no way being solved. Bad for small businesses because of the lack of criminal prosecution
Hey Adoraim! I appreciate your kind words and the subscription! Those rapids are in Denver and they are located in the waterfront area. I believe the specific body of water is the South Platte River. I see pictures of it by searching South Platte River Denver Colorado. I also found a video a REALLY old video of people trying the rapids. ua-cam.com/video/quv7bnCnIXw/v-deo.html Have a great day!
It's called Confluence Park... you can rent kayaks and the flagship Denver REI store is right there as well: www.uncovercolorado.com/public-parks/confluence-park-denver/
It’s a tossup for me between Seattle and Denver. Seattle no state income tax higher cost of living and property tax has a bigger and more dense downtown. Denver cost of living is lower more sunshine
Hey Shawn, Thanks for watching my video. I think it's a difficult decision for so many people, but I think visiting most cities, talking to locals, and looking at jobs/housing opportunities helps to narrow down most decisions. Have a great day and thanks for leaving your input!
@@obijuankenobi420 I'm still in Denver and haven't been to Seattle so I don't know...can't personally compare it. I do know the drug use seems worse downtown anymore. It's a regular thing to see multiple folks passed out/slumped over/looking in a stupor on sidewalks/public places. Whether it's drugs or booze or a combo it's just sad to me. Saw a kid lying on the sidewalk near the backside of the library with a needle right next to him not too long ago. I regularly see needles on the ground when out and about too.
@@BrothaontheGo yeah, I’m from Bellevue but currently living in Seattle. Recently, it’s been pretty tough living in the city due to the mass homelessness, expensive housing, and protests. Personally, I would recommend living in the outskirts of Seattle in places like Kirkland, Bellevue, Renton, and other places that are more affordable and still close to the city
I agree! For the money, it is worth it to live in one of those areas you mentioned and avoid some of the difficulties that come with Seattle. I am not a big city guy to begin with. So, maybe I am not the best barometer, but I always enjoy getting the perspective from locals. I appreciate you taking the time to answer that question! Take care!
Hey John, I get that. They are all acquires tastes. I still live in the pacific northwest, but I definitely feel that it has changed a lot of the years. Thanks for watching and take care!
Hey Friday Ray, It is really weird that they decriminalized hard drugs in Portland. I'm not holding my breath for a good result on that law. What areas of the country do you like?
The views in Seattle are astonishing, and I mean 360. East and west you have bodies of water and mountain ranges, and north and south you have snow-capped volcanoes.
seattle by far is a better city to be. just came from there to visit. I never knew why people talk so bad about seattle weather......in truth I love it. cozy and makes you stay active.
It is a beautiful area. You don't have to venture far outside the city to feel totally away from it all either. Good luck getting over to PDX and take care!
Seattle has a lot beautiful scenery but the downtown has a lot of homeless people. Hopefully that changes. I was there for one week so just take my words with grain of salt
@@DialloMoore503 haha moved to Seattle and left after one semester lol now I live in Milwaukee and am 10 times happier, that overcast is no joke totally messed up my energy levels
@@BrothaontheGo I live in Boise, Idaho - I have family in all of those cities and I love each of them for different reasons. Seattle is my fave for fun, but I love Portland, Denver, and Boise too. :)
Oh, all right, I'll play. How about "NONE OF THE ABOVE?' The big difficulty with Denver is that that mountains are, for the most part, fully fifty miles away. The big difficulty with Portland is that, apart from the lack of a sales tax, that city has nothing to offer that Seattle doesn't do better. And the big problem with Seattle? The rain, rain, rain. Of course. In King County, the rain falls mainly in Seattle. Better choice would be (1) Spokane; (2) Colorado Springs; or (3) Eugene.
lol Eugene Oregon is a meth filled shithole! Only thing good in Eugene is the abundance of really hot college girls! Id say Salem or Bend Oregon would be a better choice
Denver quickly changed Cost of living up gentrification poor infrastructure aggressive behavior increasing homelessness traffic I’ve been here since 1978 past 2-5 years transformed
Too many bums in Seattle and Portland. Lots of crime in Seattle compared to PDX. Portland downtown is smaller and nicer. Seattle has more cultures and nicer restaueants. Both have access to great nature! People are more friendly in PDX. Hard to say which is better!
Thank you for the comparison. Did you forget Austin TX.? I mean, I'm from the portland area and we are used to Austin being referred to as our sister city. P.S. I'll take grey days and rain over snow every time, but I'm PNW born and raised.
Hey, thanks for watching! I think a lot people compare Seattle to Denver and Portland. I am from the pnw too and Denver was always a place people moved to. So I thought the three cities were a better comparison. Portland and Austin do get compared a lot though. What do you think of the Portland area?
@@devildad1620 Portland uses the motto "Keep Austin Weird"? Huh. That is strange. The point is that I don't get out more: I've lived in the Northwest my entire life, bitch. And this puts me in a position to know about the Northwest. I used to take the train to Portland to hit up Powell's Books. I can't count the number of times I've been to Portland. My sister lives in Hillsboro. If Portland is regarded as Austin's sister city, then that is a VERY new thing. Anyway, quit trying to be cool by association--it's pathetic.
- "Oregon's income tax rate is REALLY high, any income made after $8900 is taxed at 9%..." - Me watching it from London paying nearly 25% tax and national insurance number: 🤯
I can definitely relate to that! I do live in the Northwest and it is different. But, there are some fantastic places to visit! I have family in So Cal and I feel the same way. It is nice to visit, but too crowded to live there. Take care!
Oh nice! I am one of those coastal people who hasn't traveled to the midwest, outside of the Chicago area. I really want to visit more places in the area. What are your favorite spots in the midwest?
@@BrothaontheGo I am from Wisconsin so I am a bit biased when I say Wisconsin Dells and Door County. I also like SE Ohio and the Missouri Ozarks being the only places in the midwest with mountains.
Nice, Wisconsin bias is ok with me. I have family in Kenosha. Everyone swears by the Branson area. I really wanna check it out at some point. There are so many places I wanna go and not enough time! Thanks for sharing and take care!
Seattle. The location, the vibe and the culture. Seattle is next to Puget Sound, has great public transportation and a great lifestyle. Portland is hella grungy and Denver is too far inland.
Thanks for the upload. My lady and I had been looking into Portland however protest, riots, and homelessness issues have giving us pause. Denver really appeals to us. We’re a interracial executive couple who want to start our family very soon. So Denver’s diversity really appeals to us.
@@rhuephus Hi I’m a forensic accountant and disabled army veteran. My lady is a corporate lawyer. I think Portland needs many more people like us. Seems like you may have some deep seeded issues. I’ll pray for you buddy.
I have worked in all 3 Metro Areas...Denver has a very poor job market, even for white collar high end pros, its a very limited job market...everyone I knew was chaining jobs around every 12 months...Seattle has the best job market, Portland is second and has the best food of the 3. Seattle is good for working, but the food sucks.....
Seattle might be nice in 2025 when the delayed light rail and waterfront construction wraps up. Pandemic and cement strike screwed the original timeline.
It’s truly sad to see what has happened in some areas in the Northwest. I’m from the Portland metro area and it got really bad in the last few years. When I go back I definitely avoid Portland when I can. Are you from the PNW too?
I hope you all enjoyed this video! As always, I would love to hear from you, if you have something to add. Please keep interactions respectful. If you have any suggestions on other cities I should compare let me know! Also, I have a series that goes over different states you may consider moving to. Check it out: ua-cam.com/play/PLcdIsUoipiRrdPCQ05MHM5Cx5BNLs4ohC.html
It's so wierd I'm about to go through some career changes and my options are these 3 cities. My wife and I couldn't believe there was a video going over all 3 lol.
SAME!!! Totally surprised me that there is content for EXACTLY what i’m looking for lol
Good luck guys!
Portland……Rampant theft, property crimes, homelessness, and drug use. Take your family to Denver….i grew up in Portland and now live just north in Vancouver Wa…hurts my heart to say, but Portland just sucks now😔
@@chickenmama5051 Denver has a lot of homeless people to almost on every street and highway to be honest all 3 of these cities suck because of high cost living and homelessness…..
Same here! Been considering all 3 cities. I'll let the universe decided with whichever job I land lol.
If you really want to get crazy....you can live and work in Vancouver WA to avoid income tax......and shop in Portland OR to avoid sales tax.
This is the way lol
Wow, at first this made me laugh till I cried, and now here I am, looking for apartments in Vancouver on Zillow. Thank you for the best advice in the week!
that seems like more trouble than its worth, unless you make it a point to pick a certain day out of the week to go into Portland and get all your shopping done, including groceries. it should definitely be on the weekend cause crossing the 1-5 bridge during the week is pure HELL with all that traffic!!!
@@quevidafilms I was going to really do it....but I have a big family and they're all here in the Bay Area....after weeks of contemplating....I realized I wouldn't be happy being that far away from them.....did you end up finding a place ?
@@danoles2k Well....whoever goes shopping during rush hour isn't that bright.
Originally from the Midwest, I lived in Seattle and the area for 29 years. I've been in Portland now 31 years. I like both cities, but Seattle has become so corporate and expensive, I'm glad I don't live there anymore. Although income tax is at 9% in Oregon, overall Portland is much less expensive than any city on the West Coast and even Denver, when you figure in property taxes, car registration fees, sales tax, etc. I just spent last week in Denver (have been there many times in the past, too), and although it is similar in many ways to both Portland and Seattle, the dry, arid environment and climate just aren't for me. But I completely understand its appeal. I'm just a true Northwesterner at this point and I love the rainy season.
Yes, Portland and Seattle are very 'liberal', politically engaged cities, and that can sometimes result in a small group of radical lefties acting out, and also the right wing nut jobs like Proud Boys and Patriot Prayer invading the city just to be provocative and harass Portlanders. But, in all seriousness, even last summer's protests and demonstrations were not as violent as the anti-Portland and anti-Seattle propaganda in the news media made it out to be. I live near downtown Portland, and as a 71 year old war veteran, sure, I didn't like some of the antics of a few people who started little bonfires, broke windows, etc. But that wasn't nearly as upsetting as the right-wing 'boy' groups like Patriot Prayer and Proud Boys and their violent antics.
I love Portland's urban culture--food, beer, wine, spirits, coffee, etc., as well as its excellent theater scene (much better in my opinion than Seattle's), music venues, etc. I also love the city for its rational, green, urban development policies and extensive public rail transportation system (as a senior citizen, I can go anywhere in the metro area on street cars and MAX light rail for $2.50 a day). I don't need a car living in Portland. The other thing I like about Portland is its 'urban village' concept, where each district has a commercial center with grocery stores, cafes, bars, breweries, coffee houses, drug stores, shopping, etc. I have everything I need within walking distance of my house. In Seattle, I pretty much had to drive everywhere and traffic has been a nightmare there for decades. And then, if you like wine, there are hundreds of excellent wineries within an hour drive outside of the city in the Willamette Valley. Something neither Seattle nor Denver has. I will be staying in Portland probably until the end of my life. I can't think of a better city to live in with its cultural amenities, environmental consciousness, public transportation, and intelligent, rational urban development policies, etc.
Very well said and I agree! Portland is my favorite mid-size city with so much to offer.
This was a thoughtful response. However, I wanted to ask: What’s your race? What are your thoughts on diversity in Portland? I believe your race does play apart in your experience living somewhere. I’m African-American and I will be completing my undergrad in a year and I’m really considering moving to Portland, but it would be nice to be around at least SOME black people.
@@ericnwachukwu
Born and raised Portlander here.
Despite of what you heard, there are black people there. People there overall are pretty chill, laid back, and open-minded.
There is racism, but on a systemic level. Not very many racist attitudes on an individual level. Oregonians are a different breed of American.
There’s nothing like the Pacific Northwest. The vibe is untouchable.
I’m a native Portlander who moved to Seattle 5 months ago and I already want to move back. Seattle feels too busy and fast paced for me, and I prefer more of a midsized city feel.
Seattle is better than Portland . Portland is too far inland and the Portland Timbers are trash.
I like all 3 cities and I think anyone would be lucky to live in any of them. I appreciate a video that doesn't just trash these cities.
As a kid i find portland's transit system (Tri-Met)excellent. I can ride the bus,take light rail,commuter rail (WES) quickly to any part of the city and also to the neighboring city of salem oregon(Cherriots) all for under 4 dollars. Tri-met also connects with other transits around the area like SMART,Cart,Cherriots,c-tran and WES. I Can go all the way to the north to the city of Battle Ground from portland cheap using C-tran in vancouver
Thank you, I was wondering if I could connect to Vancouver, WA
Hell yeah that's why I wanna move there!
It's so interesting seeing people debate in the comments about the pros and cons of these cities as someone who's lived in Arizona for the last 25 years so I'm just used to dry heat, needing a car to go anywhere, and the color beige.
needing a car to go almost literally anywhere is the biggest thing keeping me from moving to Arizona. I swear the state colluded with the auto + oil/gas industries to make the least walkable metros in the entire US
Me stuck in Atlanta for an indefinite amount of time:
Ah yes, what a helpful video
This was fairly accurate (and I've lived in Portland, Seattle, and north and south of Denver). The set up of the cities is fairly different, with Denver being much more suburban sprawl (Seattle has boundaries with water that help with this a bit, and Portland actually has an urban growth boundary that limits the suburbs). Portland is still probably the most affordable of the 3 (though housing costs have gone up a lot there in the last 10 years). One important factor is utilities, the PNW has some of the cheapest utility costs in the US.
One final thought. If you like water, I would steer clear of Denver, it's high desert, and there are a few rivers and small reservoirs, but nothing compared to Seattle (or to a smaller degree Portland with access to the Pacific).
Well said, Dave! Since you have lived in all three places, do you have a favorite? And if so, why?
@@BrothaontheGo That's tough to answer. They all have their plusses and minuses, and I was at different phases of my life. I would actually probably put Denver below the PNW cities, just because it's so sprawled. IF you're comparing to Ft Collins, Boulder, or smaller, Denver-adjacent cities, I think I would rate those higher. Traffic on I-70 has apparently gotten horrendous and Denver is just very big to get across.
That makes sense. Thanks for sharing and take care!
Seattle’s got the biggest suburbs and city
Any idea why utility cost is cheap in PNW?
This was one of those videos where I came in with lower expectations and ended up with a very well-made, informative video. Well done!
Excellent video! Been really curious about moving out west, and this was super helpful. I’m glad you mentioned diversity and live entertainment. I love concerts and prefer to live in a city that tours don’t skip over.
I live in Denver at the moment and I couldn't think of a better city to live in. It has it all, great sports venues, non-stop world class concerts, modernity, diversity, great weather, beautiful snowy winters, excellent public transportation and best of all, people are laid back and authentic. I found Portland a bit pretentious and Seattle sort of depressing. Also the metro Denver is over 3 million making it even more diverse (go to the south, Aurora, DTC, etc, you will find restaurants and people from absolutely every single continent). Great video!
Hey, thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed it! Living in a place that fits you is so important. I live in Washington, but I am not a big fan of some of the bigger cities either. I do think the small towns and more rural areas in the northwest are pretty nice! Have you lived in Seattle and Portland as well? Also, I really want to visit Denver soon. Do you have any favorite spots to check out?
@@BrothaontheGo I have only visied Seattle, never been to Portland but both cities look amazing on the pictures!
In Denver I like the Rino art district and also Lohi to walk around. The botanical gardens are also really cool and of course I recommend visiting Red Rocks, either to see a concert or just have a pic nic overlooking the valley. Also love having a city lifestyle without the city pain so I think either one of these 3 cities are the right size for me!
Hey, I really appreciate the tips on Denver! I am hoping within the next couple of years to really do some more extensive travelling. I have been to Colorado a couple of times, but haven't made it too far east yet. I didn't know you could visit red rocks if there wasn't a concert. So, I definitely want to do that. Thanks again for sharing and take care!
I always see people from Denver zealously listing the reasons why they live there (usually the same stuff that all "tier 2" cities have) as if to convince themselves more than anyone else. They kinda seem to have a chip on their shoulders for some reason. BTW, are the "natives" still grumpy and nasty to newcomers? That was always hilarious to me when I lived there. As if you own a town because you were born there. Hilarious.
@@robbetts not sure what your experience has been. I'm not trying to convince anyone to move here and no, not all Tier 2 cities have the mix of sunny days, snow sports, infrastructure, diversity, landscape, cost of living, etc. Also, native coloradans are close to 50% of the state's population. They are used to having people from other places moving or visiting. I think you should stay were you are. You and your attitude.
One thing that wasn't mentioned is Gridlock/Traffic. Compared to Seattle, Denver traffic basically doesn't exist. I'm not sure how things are in Portland. But Seattle might have the second worst traffic in the country behind Los Angeles. This is a huge factor for a lot of people!
NYC is the worst and then San Francisco and La
That's interesting... we've been truly reeling in Denver at how bad our traffic has gotten (suddenly 25 to the airport from downtown is an hour 15, a 2 hour drive to Breck has become 4-5hours), but that could mostly be because there used to be virtually no traffic. My best friend went to Seattle Pacific and we visited her a few times, the city feels much bigger, much more modern, much more cultured. Just navigating the city seemed like quite the task. But, as an uber driver, I had folks from Omaha or Kansas City freaking out about our downtown layout and I chuckled. Denver's homelessness has about gotten to what I saw in Seattle in 2019, but hard to say where that will go, seems to come and go with the years, and for better or worse, the cold literally drives them away. It's actually quite sad as they come from New Mexico, Cali, Texas, and your way, and simply don't understand what negative temperatures mean...
Best thing i did was get rid of my car. Zooming past traffic is hilarious 😂 people get so offended then blast their little engines to be at yet another red light. Silly cars
Very well done video ! This was one of the best informative videos hitting all the hot topics of moving to a major city. Thanks !
In my opinion from living in Denver 10 years, I want to get out. The city is pretty boring, homelessness rampant, traffic has gotten 10x worse lately especially in mountains (good luck getting to the mountains before anyone else). And also a lot of spots in mountains are trashed by people who don’t respect it. And also we get so much smoke and bad air quality recently from all the fires it all just comes over
Having an idea about moving Portland from Denver area😁 perfect timing for this video. Thanks very much
Nice video. Very good assessment. P.S. The waterfalls outside of Portland are only 20 mins away if you live on the east side of the metropolitan. Also the elevation gain is actually more drastic from Seattle/Portland to the peaks of the Cascade Mountains than Denver is to the peaks of the Rockies. If anyone wants to get into mountain climbing etc the cascades are where it’s at.
Hey Jeremy, thanks for watching! That is an excellent point. If you are outdoorsy in Portland, living in the east gives you more convenient access to the Columbia River Gorge. Have you lived in one of these cities?
Also, I am not into climbing, but where are a couple of spots you would recommend for those who are?
Estacada is also about 29 miles Southeast of Portland & there are hot springs there. Mt. Hood is about an hour from Portland for mountain climbing. Portland also has the Columbia River Gorge nearby. Hood River, Oregon is a beautiful town about an hour away with all kinds of activities on the Columbia.
At 10:11, it needs to be updated as Seattle has teams in 4 out of 5 sports leagues with the Seattle Kraken entering the NHL.
I currently live in Colorado I love it here. I am moving to Seattle this summer, so this is very helpful.
Hi Sammie, I currently living in Virginia ( near DC) and might have to move to either Colorado or Seattle in 3 months. How is it like living in Colorado you might if I ask ? And the weather too esp in summer ? Thank you Sammie
@@yuringuyen856 I live in Colorado Springs. Its lots of Sunshine here. Close to 300 days on average. I think the thing people have to get used to most is the altitude and the dryness. There is no humidity here. Summers are nice with lots of things to do if you're "outdoorsy". But we do get a lot of wildfires and hail storms even in summer. The winters are about average for a winter state. Weather can fluctuate during the winter. You may have a week of 60 degree weather and then a few days of 10 degree weather and vice versa. I'd say just research the city and neighborhoods you want to move to. Good luck!
@@sammiesosa1608 Thank you Sammie
@@yuringuyen856 yeah in Denver the hardest part I think was the climate for me. It’s also very polluted in the summer, think it’s something to do with the ozone then add the smoke from wildfires. If you enjoy water of any form, including rain, I’d avoid CO. They also aren’t very good about plowing when it snows compared to other snowy places I’ve lived. I knew it was sunny and dry but no one warned me about the air quality so thought I’d give ya a heads up.
@@tb5124 so where do you live now?
These housing costs in Denver have changed dramatically. Be prepared to spend an average of 750k for a single family home now. Denver's growth has been way too much, way to fast and our infrastructure and cost of living are suffering because of it. Homelessness, traffic, property crimes are all rising. I think Denver is among the worst in the nation in car thefts; something like 700 a week. If you are wealthy, you will love Denver, but for the majority of the people that have lived and worked here long term, it is getting harder and harder to maintain a good quality of life.
Don't worry the Clinton's will soon return to Washington D.C. and all our problems will go away :)
Excellent video! Just about all the information I need about these cities
A huge consideration that I don’t see covered here is a more in depth discussion of climate. Just rain days versus sun days is not enough. Denver is drier and a mile high and the air is thinner which may impact certain health conditions. Seattle and Portland are at sea level and have countless water sports opportunities whereas Denver is again dry with not more than reservoirs and some rivers. I lived in both the Seattle are and Denver for more than a decade each, so the weather differences are definitely a huge consideration as well as the lack of water in general in Denver. The fire season is also getting worse there.
Hey Lisa, I think you are correct the climates can very between the PNW cities and Denver. This video was already almost 13 minutes long. I think I had to try to cover differences that I perceived to be a bit more pertinent for comparison purposes. I think your analysis of the situation is pretty spot on though. Since you have live in two of these cities. Do you have a preference between Denver and Seattle? And if so, why? Thanks for sharing some great info! Take Care!
Hey Lisa, where do you prefer between Denver and Seattle?
Good points on the climate. My sinuses are better in the Pacific Northwest with more moisture vs the dry air in Colorado. I have considered all of these cities and lean toward the Pacific Northwest for a few reasons. The big one for me is being on the Pacific Coast. Living in Texas all my life, I always loved the ocean. The Pacific Northwest has the best of both worlds - the coast and the mountains. Whereas Denver is land locked. The other thing nobody mentioned was the dense forests and greenery of the Pacific Northwest and the huge trees, which I love. Colorado has some beautiful, forested mountains, but not the huge trees. The main drawback of the Pacific Northwest is the long, gloomy winters and less sunshine. If you really need the sun, then Colorado is the winner. It's a tough call, but any of these beat Dallas/Ft. Worth by a long shot, which is where I live.
I was born and raised in washington. Spent 49 yrs there but moved away 2 yrs ago. If you make bank, and can afford a 800k house to get your kids in a decent school district it's great.
I live in Seattle for 18 years. It got so EXPENSIVE. Had to move to the suburbs. THEN that also got expensive. So sometimes in the future, I may not even afford the Greater Metro Seattle suburbs. That's how expensive Seattle is.
Hey M C, thanks for watching the video. I totally believe that. It has become less and less affordable for middle class to make it when the prices have gone up so much. Take care!
Vancouver: That is CUTE
Yeah I live in Seattle and my house is worth 1.8 million and it’s not even that big
@@halfvolley11 Seattle is more expensive then Vancouver lol I’ve been to both
@@DKMetcaIf really! I would not have guessed.
Honestly that was a great breakdown. I am very familiar with all of them, and live just outside of PDX on the WA side ;) and although I would love a bit more diversity, we are moving the right direction.
Hey Garrett, thanks for watching and I am glad you enjoyed the video! I am from the Northwest myself. I gotta say I went to the Vancouver Waterfront a couple months ago. It is super nice! What do you think of the Washington side versus the Oregon side for those who may be interested in moving there?
i grew up in bellevue, and have lived in portland area since around 2000, and i confirm all of this, except i only see denver from the sky and in conference rooms, so i don't know about that. most of family and friends are in seattle. so i lived 30+ years in seattle, go there regularly, and have spent the last 20'ish around portland.
I appreciate this! Thanks for sharing!
Great vid, though I'm still undecided lol. I appreciate the graphs! Easy to take screenshots for reference.
I live close to seattle, issaquah area. It's extremely beautiful here but also really expensive. I could afford it, but it blew my mind when I compared cost of living here vs other places in US. I actually didn't believe it at all, just seemed too good to be true. However, a bit more research and I was persuaded. If you had to put it in percentage form, what would you say cost of living is in denver vs seattle? I've been contemplating moving to denver.
LONG WINDED ANSWER WARNING: Sorry
Hey, Thanks for watching the video! Seattle is typically going to be more expensive than Denver in most scenarios, but a percentage is really tough to give because there are so many variables in an equation that even if you know the rough percentages, you can easily have additional elements that you need to consider. Now, I do not know your specific circumstances, but rather than a giving you a generality I would approach finding YOUR cost of living like this:
1. Income:
How would your income change between the two cities.
Determine what your salary/wages/profits would approximately be. In Seattle most people will earn a bit more. Denver also has an income tax too. Here is a great tool to do determine the general post tax income you can expect after taxes.
Income tax calculator: smartasset.com/taxes/income-taxes
2. Housing:
The biggest chunk of the cost of living is housing. When you use on online calculator they will use median costs. If you are good to rough it or need certain accommodations you can be in for a rude awakening when it is time to move. You know how much it costs where you are and you know the types of accommodations you need in Denver. Whether you are renting or buying you can get a rough idea on Zillow to see what the market roughly looks like.
www.zillow.com/
3. Boots on the ground:
You did not say if you had been to Denver or not, but if you have, you may know the exact areas you would want to live and can apply for jobs with the knowledge of your desired home base. If you have not been there, I would definitely go if you can find the time.
4. If you can't get boots on the ground:
If you can't find the time here are some unorthodox things you can do to figure out what the specific cost of living may be for more detailed items.
- Find listings that you like and ask for Tax statements and utility information from a realtor that is in the same areas you are looking to buy. This will help you determine what you can expect to pay. Don't be afraid to ask how many people lived there too. Utilities can fluctuate a lot with additional people. You can ask questions about the local gas, water, electric, and trash expenses to actually get tangible information to run your simulation.
- Look online at local businesses to see the types of price they charge for items you commonly buy. You can look at sales ads or do this on Instacart for groceries, or other similar services.
- Gas Buddy lists gas prices for local areas, so you can get a sense of how much you may need to budget for Transportation.
- You can get insurance quotes online.
- Find out about loan pre-qualifications and interest rates, if you are buying.
- Estimate moving expenses as well.
If you do all of these things, I think you will have a much more concrete idea about what you are really getting yourself into.
It sounds like you have been crunching the numbers and researching already, but you may need to get boots on the ground if you can't decide after running the numbers. One underrated idea is to move somewhere in a temporary rental rather than buying or signing a lease immediately. This allows you to make sure you actually like where you moved before purchasing or getting involved in a long term lease. The downside is, you may have to move your stuff twice.
My Aunt and Uncle moved across the country and they visited the area many times before. They scoured the internet and knew where they wanted to move. Once they moved there, they stayed with friends for a bit while they were searching and learned more about the area that turned them off. They ended up moving 60 miles on the other side of town. Don't underestimate the power of living in the area.
Sorry for the long winded answer, but I really hope this helps. Don't be afraid to take your time and run the scenarios. If you have another question hit me up. Take Care!
@@BrothaontheGo fantastic information, I really appreciate it!! And great video btw 👍
Hey, no problem, at all! Thanks for the compliment too. Take Care!
Ayye Issaquah
Hey Eric! What do you love about Issaquah?
This cities are definitely beautiful and some of the best in the US
They are some of the most beautiful! I see Coffee in your name. Are you from the PNW?
@@BrothaontheGo I used to live in Seattle not too long ago and miss it dearly. I have also been a couple of times to both Colorado and Oregon. I also love Coffee and Seattle has so many coffee shop! My love for coffee inspired my name 😁
Nice, as a PNW native I can appreciate your love for coffee... Don't hate me, but I am not really a coffee drinker.
@@BrothaontheGo I don't hate you hehe 💗 Not every one likes coffee :) This cities also have some great breweries and good food! 😄
I know all too well on the food part. I need to put down the fork and exercise more 😂😂😂
Btw, Seattle is much bigger than Portland or Denver. Geographically it is much smaller than both Denver or Portland. Seattle metro is almost twice as big as both Portland and Denver metro areas. Don’t forget about the North Cascades National Park. Only mountain range that has numerous Glaciers and is gorgeous. Seattle beats out both cities in way of beauty. But, it is way expensive and has a homeless problem!
How tf Seattle went from in my opinion the most beautiful city in America to a total dump? Same with San Francisco
Lol that’s all opinion. I’m my opinion Denver is more beautiful that both Seattle and Portland. I’m from Texas btw
portland also has glaciers and is the only place in the country where you can ski year round
@@boxinggoat3766 ew I guess if you hate water lol. I’ve yet to go to any part of Denver and was like, oh this is pretty.
@@tb5124 you act as if Seattle is a tropical paradise. Even in the mid-summer Seattle waters are cold AF! Not exactly my idea of a beach vacation if I’m being honest 🤓
People complain about how dry Denver is, but that's great for for me, as the humid temperatures in the PNW feel way more extreme, and the humidity also makes everything grimy, damp, moldy, etc., and irritates my skin. 🤷
Dude your channel is absolutely great! I had no idea from the name that you were the exact relocation channel I was looking for! Great content, really well done and super informative! I'm about to binge watch!
I was deciding between Portland & Seattle. Glad I found this video
Same. I may be aiming towards Seattle. I’m still not sure. I haven’t been to either city.
@@wturner777 Let’s go visit lol
Hey! You should definitely make a video on moving cross country to the Seattle area! East coast to West Coast! Driving and flying options.
Hey Shelton, Thanks for watching the video! When you say I should make a video on moving across the country do you mean the best driving routes and like where to stop? A series like this could actually be interesting. But, I would be a bit hesitant to do this just because depending on the time of year some routes can be more dangerous than others in the winter. I wouldn't want to feel responsible for this. Is this what you meant or did I misunderstand your suggestion? Have a great day!
@@BrothaontheGo It would be an amazing series. I would say you can give route options (seasonal routes, so the viewers know when it is best to travel for their location) and places to stop and see. Cost of travel, gas, hotels, car/truck rental. Compare regions/state they are coming from. For example if I was coming from North Carolina I would use Raleigh as the starting location; for many Capitals are near the center of their state. Different ideas such as packing up a small car and driving alone to move (maybe rent that car if you dont need one in Seattle), or packing up a whole house and family. As well as tips for
Definitely add your own ideas as well as feel free to ask me for more.
Super helpful video. Thanks man!
Love this channel, great job Brotha I'm looking at Seattle and Denver I want to choose Denver but I refuse to deal with snow and cold I did enough of that in NY lol, Seattle rent is expensive but I'm getting alot of job offers so that's where I'm leaning towards
What’s your job field?
@@honeyvoss1477 Logistics
nice vid - thx. Spent time in all three, Seattle is the nicest overall, but the value proposition is poor and is crowded. Both Portland and Denver make excellent options with much better bang for your buck and honestly seem to be run better than Seattle. And don't fall for the "NW Arkansas is great!" advertisements - it's not.
NW Arkansas is beautiful but it’s for suburbanites and families who are afraid of real cities. It’s not urban or cultured like the other three in this video.
Thank you for the vid brotha! Thinking of finally doing the PNW move. Where did you get your stock footage?
Thanks for watching! Storyblocks is the name of the service I use. They are inexpensive for the value. Have a great day!
I lived in all three of the cities, if it were me I would choose Portland because it’s close to California it has the beach an hour to the west and mountains 2 hours away and I can go to Seattle in 3 hours the jobs are plentiful and they pay the weather is good but Denver is nice too some of the most beautiful friendly women live in Denver but housing is expensive didn’t like Seattle too much people are not friendly
Coast not beach
Lol, not wrong though. The coast is cold Sep-May too.
Idiotic comment.
Haha, they call Denver, “ MENVER”
I'm from Portland and I definitely agree that people in Seattle are not friendly and kinda stuck up
I live in Portland & visited both Seattle & Denver & I prefer Portland. Seattle has very congested traffic, is very hilly & crowded,which I didn’t like (but that’s my own opinion) . I like how Seattle has many things to do tho. Denver is very spread out, with somewhat crazy drivers lol. But I enjoyed the mountains in the background. ☺️ Ig, I complained less in Denver. Portland for me is very gorgeous (I love the greenery), it’s very laid back & has less traffic than Seattle & the drivers aren’t crazy like in Denver. But I don’t like the weather half the time in Portland, it can get pretty depressing & the city is trashy.
Haha I lived in Denver and Portland. Spent a lot of time in Seattle. 3 great cities. Love all 3 of them ❤❤❤
Nice! I grew up in the Portland area. It can be crazy sometimes, but that area will always be home. Thanks for watching!
I have been checking out houses in Seattle, Denver, and Portland on Zillow, then this video popped up on my recommended list. Lol.
Good analysis. Thank you for sharing
I was very interested in moving to the PNW until I learned about the Cascadia Subduction Zone. Now I’m nervous just to visit. No one ever mentions this when talking about the PNW and it makes me wonder how much do people that live there know and do they just not care? There’s a great piece in the New Yorker about it for any one that wants to be horrified.
It's an under-appreciated risk for sure. But not one that other countries (and states, namely Alaska) haven't faced successfully.
At the end of the day, the risk of dying the mega-quake is small compared to a car wreck, cancer or heart disease. It's scary, but there's lots of other scary things to worry about.
Seattle is for me Modern downtown, Waterfront. The Seattle center area. Pike Place Market.
Portland has the best food of the 3....Seattle is horrible...
i appreciate you guys acknowledging race issues
thank you for sharing this video
Might be moving to Portland for work soon, somewhat nervous about it as I'm coming from Denver.
Same, I don’t know how to feel about Portland lol
You'll love it my man, don't worry too much.
More jobs....Denver is horrible......
Seattle has four major sports - hockey, baseball, football, and soccer. The next NBA team is slated to go to Seattle (per NBA commissioner) - I would pick Denver or Seattle. Portlands downtown is horrible now - 2022. It has more problems that are in no way being solved. Bad for small businesses because of the lack of criminal prosecution
Great video! Will be subscribing. Where are the kayak rapids located at 7:55 and 10:55 ??
Hey Adoraim! I appreciate your kind words and the subscription! Those rapids are in Denver and they are located in the waterfront area. I believe the specific body of water is the South Platte River. I see pictures of it by searching South Platte River Denver Colorado. I also found a video a REALLY old video of people trying the rapids. ua-cam.com/video/quv7bnCnIXw/v-deo.html
Have a great day!
It's called Confluence Park... you can rent kayaks and the flagship Denver REI store is right there as well: www.uncovercolorado.com/public-parks/confluence-park-denver/
Why’d you stop this series? It was excellent. You should do Miami vs Orlando or Chicago vs NYC or San Diego vs Tampa
It’s a tossup for me between Seattle and Denver.
Seattle no state income tax higher cost of living and property tax has a bigger and more dense downtown.
Denver cost of living is lower more sunshine
Hey Shawn, Thanks for watching my video. I think it's a difficult decision for so many people, but I think visiting most cities, talking to locals, and looking at jobs/housing opportunities helps to narrow down most decisions. Have a great day and thanks for leaving your input!
Denver COL is lower than Seattle but it's still not low (currently live there).
True, Seattle is super spendy!
I think the tweaker population is higher in Denver.
@@obijuankenobi420 I'm still in Denver and haven't been to Seattle so I don't know...can't personally compare it. I do know the drug use seems worse downtown anymore. It's a regular thing to see multiple folks passed out/slumped over/looking in a stupor on sidewalks/public places. Whether it's drugs or booze or a combo it's just sad to me. Saw a kid lying on the sidewalk near the backside of the library with a needle right next to him not too long ago. I regularly see needles on the ground when out and about too.
I already knew he was going to say Bellevue when he was talking about education
Haha, yeah they got that reputation. Are you a Seattle area local? If so, what do you think of the area? Thanks!
@@BrothaontheGo yeah, I’m from Bellevue but currently living in Seattle. Recently, it’s been pretty tough living in the city due to the mass homelessness, expensive housing, and protests. Personally, I would recommend living in the outskirts of Seattle in places like Kirkland, Bellevue, Renton, and other places that are more affordable and still close to the city
I agree! For the money, it is worth it to live in one of those areas you mentioned and avoid some of the difficulties that come with Seattle. I am not a big city guy to begin with. So, maybe I am not the best barometer, but I always enjoy getting the perspective from locals. I appreciate you taking the time to answer that question! Take care!
Grew up in Portland, lived in Seattle and dated a girl from Denver. I would not live in any of them now.
Hey John, I get that. They are all acquires tastes. I still live in the pacific northwest, but I definitely feel that it has changed a lot of the years. Thanks for watching and take care!
Now that they have made The Hardest drugs basically legal....Don't Raise children in Portland/ Seattle....
Hey Friday Ray, It is really weird that they decriminalized hard drugs in Portland. I'm not holding my breath for a good result on that law. What areas of the country do you like?
If you enjoy the sun and outgoing people don't move to Seattle. It was voted the most depressing city for a reason.
The views in Seattle are astonishing, and I mean 360. East and west you have bodies of water and mountain ranges, and north and south you have snow-capped volcanoes.
seattle by far is a better city to be. just came from there to visit. I never knew why people talk so bad about seattle weather......in truth I love it. cozy and makes you stay active.
no mention of public transportation options? i would think something like that would be of interest to people.
loved this vid
Umm yea bro I agree with you fully I live in the eastside seattle
Can you please do another video like this but for Portland OR and Salt Lake City??
Thanks 👍
Thanks for watching!
I'm really wanting to move to portland
Hey Sope1544, thanks for watching the video! What make Portland the place you want to move to so badly?
@@BrothaontheGo jobs and the scenery
It is a beautiful area. You don't have to venture far outside the city to feel totally away from it all either. Good luck getting over to PDX and take care!
@@BrothaontheGo thanks still deciding if I should or not lol
I've been there. Any questions about the area that I can help you with?
Great video!
If you pick Portland you are plum crazy🤔😳 Denver by far at least the surrounding area
Yeah, I moved from that area last year . It’s beautiful and it will always be where I am from. But, it has changed quite a bit. Where are you from?
Sold my 800sq foot house in LA for 10 million dollars. Moving to Denver next month. Going to get a mansion.
Portland vs Denver, which has better party and clubbing scene?
Moving to downtown Seattle for college next month can’t wait
Seattle has a lot beautiful scenery but the downtown has a lot of homeless people. Hopefully that changes. I was there for one week so just take my words with grain of salt
I hope it’s going well for you.
@@DialloMoore503 haha moved to Seattle and left after one semester lol now I live in Milwaukee and am 10 times happier, that overcast is no joke totally messed up my energy levels
You might consider Metro Area vs city population for a better comparison.
Hey Randall, in the videos I have been making recently I have included both metro and city population.
@@BrothaontheGo Thanks man - I just saw this video and will watch more of yours. Great job!
Thanks, I really appreciate the support! What area of the country are you from?
@@BrothaontheGo I live in Boise, Idaho - I have family in all of those cities and I love each of them for different reasons. Seattle is my fave for fun, but I love Portland, Denver, and Boise too. :)
Oh wow, Boise is a growing market rn. I hear it's crazy out there. What do you think of the area? I see your hat there. Were you in the service?
This 3 places are my top 3 but i Couldn't decide which one to move on to and couldnt move due to some problem but i think ill end up in denver
Nice! Good luck making your decision! Take care!
Have you moved to denver? How is it?
Oh, all right, I'll play. How about "NONE OF THE ABOVE?' The big difficulty with Denver is that that mountains are, for the most part, fully fifty miles away. The big difficulty with Portland is that, apart from the lack of a sales tax, that city has nothing to offer that Seattle doesn't do better. And the big problem with Seattle? The rain, rain, rain. Of course. In King County, the rain falls mainly in Seattle. Better choice would be (1) Spokane; (2) Colorado Springs; or (3) Eugene.
Spokane? SPOKANE??? you're hilarious
lol Eugene Oregon is a meth filled shithole! Only thing good in Eugene is the abundance of really hot college girls! Id say Salem or Bend Oregon would be a better choice
Denver quickly changed Cost of living up gentrification poor infrastructure aggressive behavior increasing homelessness traffic I’ve been here since 1978 past 2-5 years transformed
Thanks
Too many bums in Seattle and Portland. Lots of crime in Seattle compared to PDX. Portland downtown is smaller and nicer. Seattle has more cultures and nicer restaueants. Both have access to great nature! People are more friendly in PDX. Hard to say which is better!
Downtown PDX is bigger.
Seattle has a more impressive skyline, but the actual downtown is small.
I would love to live in Portland but the career opportunities are lacking there
yea...Denver is worse....by a large margin that is for sure....
Thank you for the comparison. Did you forget Austin TX.? I mean, I'm from the portland area and we are used to Austin being referred to as our sister city.
P.S. I'll take grey days and rain over snow every time, but I'm PNW born and raised.
Hey, thanks for watching! I think a lot people compare Seattle to Denver and Portland. I am from the pnw too and Denver was always a place people moved to. So I thought the three cities were a better comparison. Portland and Austin do get compared a lot though. What do you think of the Portland area?
I've never once heard Austin called Portland's sister city, and I've lived in the northwest my entire life.
@@profd65 For real? They even use the same motto "Keep Austin Weird." Maybe you should get out more? IDK
@@devildad1620 Portland uses the motto "Keep Austin Weird"? Huh. That is strange.
The point is that I don't get out more: I've lived in the Northwest my entire life, bitch. And this puts me in a position to know about the Northwest. I used to take the train to Portland to hit up Powell's Books. I can't count the number of times I've been to Portland. My sister lives in Hillsboro. If Portland is regarded as Austin's sister city, then that is a VERY new thing.
Anyway, quit trying to be cool by association--it's pathetic.
@@profd65 Jesus Christ relax. He's saying that Austin adopted the "Keep ____ Weird" saying..That started in Portland. Reading is key.
Everyone says it wrong. It's not (Colo-raw-do), it's (Colo-rad-o)
- "Oregon's income tax rate is REALLY high, any income made after $8900 is taxed at 9%..."
- Me watching it from London paying nearly 25% tax and national insurance number: 🤯
😂😂😂 Well, keep in mind that doesn’t include Federal taxes, but point taken. Have a good day.
Portland Oregon is absolutely the best!
Russel Wilson
Seattle all day!
Who needs the constant gloom and rain, I'm moving to Fort Collins.
YeH, it’s honestly one of the biggest reasons I left the Northwest myself. What do you think of Fort Collins
@@BrothaontheGo where do you live now ?
Boulder is like 30 minutes away from Denver...
I wish you would have included San Diego to this video.
I have family in all 3 and I love to visit all 3 however to live no thanks none of them are for me.
I can definitely relate to that! I do live in the Northwest and it is different. But, there are some fantastic places to visit! I have family in So Cal and I feel the same way. It is nice to visit, but too crowded to live there. Take care!
@@BrothaontheGo For me I am more of a midwest guy. Not saying these cities are bad places though.
Oh nice! I am one of those coastal people who hasn't traveled to the midwest, outside of the Chicago area. I really want to visit more places in the area. What are your favorite spots in the midwest?
@@BrothaontheGo I am from Wisconsin so I am a bit biased when I say Wisconsin Dells and Door County. I also like SE Ohio and the Missouri Ozarks being the only places in the midwest with mountains.
Nice, Wisconsin bias is ok with me. I have family in Kenosha. Everyone swears by the Branson area. I really wanna check it out at some point. There are so many places I wanna go and not enough time! Thanks for sharing and take care!
We get sunshine here in Colorado! That is huge. The winters are not bad here anymore either. The snow melts pretty quickly.
Seattle. The location, the vibe and the culture. Seattle is next to Puget Sound, has great public transportation and a great lifestyle. Portland is hella grungy and Denver is too far inland.
Thanks for sharing!
All great cities but I think Denver is my favorite
Thanks for the upload. My lady and I had been looking into Portland however protest, riots, and homelessness issues have giving us pause.
Denver really appeals to us. We’re a interracial executive couple who want to start our family very soon. So Denver’s diversity really appeals to us.
stay away .. we don't need any more pollution and crime
@@rhuephus Hi I’m a forensic accountant and disabled army veteran. My lady is a corporate lawyer. I think Portland needs many more people like us. Seems like you may have some deep seeded issues. I’ll pray for you buddy.
none of them but if i had to pick would be Denver
Hey, I am with you myself. I’m from the Portland area, so it will always be home, but it’s not a place I would have moved to. What areas do you like?
That’s true when it comes to diversity. Sadly racism still exists, mainly in the conservative south where more black people and people of color live.
Seattle is even more expensive than the other two, way too rainy, & in a major earthquake zone.
SEATTLE ABOVE THESE TWO CITIES...........HANDS DOWN.
OMgoodness, Portland is a NIGHTMARE.
I have worked in all 3 Metro Areas...Denver has a very poor job market, even for white collar high end pros, its a very limited job market...everyone I knew was chaining jobs around every 12 months...Seattle has the best job market, Portland is second and has the best food of the 3. Seattle is good for working, but the food sucks.....
.. ha ha ... yeah .. but having to dodge and step over the drunks and homeless (and their poop) is not exactly a favorite thing . In all 3 cities.
Stay away from Portland if you know what's good for ya.
Why?
Portland or denver ?? I am a vegan and study chinese medicine 32 coming from Israel and have a dog
Honestly, everything you just mentioned both cities accommodate well. What else matters to you?
Seattle might be nice in 2025 when the delayed light rail and waterfront construction wraps up. Pandemic and cement strike screwed the original timeline.
Seattle is a much better city.
3:12 pnw and sea have no more cops, no more prosecutions, but a lot lot more drugs and homeless.
It’s truly sad to see what has happened in some areas in the Northwest. I’m from the Portland metro area and it got really bad in the last few years. When I go back I definitely avoid Portland when I can. Are you from the PNW too?