Washington and Oregon are great places to live, and they have a very similar climate, but it's up to you to decide where you want to live. Washington has a better public school system, but Oregon has a lower crime rate overall. Washington State is a better retirement destination if you want to spend your golden years in a fast-paced city. The beautiful mountain scenery is a plus.
Oregon might be better for you if you want to explore multiple outdoor activities, such as cycling, skiing, golfing, and fishing. Have you ever wondered what it's like to live in Vancouver, Washington across from Portland, Oregon? Is Oregon better than Washington or the other way around? Well, we've done the work for you and we've looked up some pros and cons of living in Vancouver, Washington compared to Portland, Oregon. Perhaps high income tax, high property taxes, or regulations are making producers prefer to do business in Washington, resulting in a higher equilibrium price in Portland. Washington might be for you if you prefer the fast-paced life of big cities, but you still want some space for physical activities.
Oregon is also the most economically dependent on craft beer and produces almost three times more than Washington. Washington doesn't have income taxes and Oregon does, so it looks like living in Washington would save you money. If you move to the border between Oregon and Washington states, you can save all kinds of money on taxes because Washington has no income and housing prices are lower. Oregon has more craft breweries per capita than any other state (6.3 per 100,000), and far more than 4 per 100,000 in Washington.
Washington residents, on the other hand, while paying sales taxes, do not pay income taxes and house prices are much lower than their Oregon neighbors. Washington is totally against any plan to extend the light rail system north across the Columbia River. According to the Tax and Economic Policy Institute, the poorest 20% of Washington residents pay the huge amount of taxes of 16.8% of their income (8.1% in Oregon), while the richest 1% pay only 2.4% (6.5% in Oregon). While Oregon has 0.3% fewer women than the national average, it has 0.5% more than the sausage party that is Washington state.
As you drive to Vancouver, Washington, the only thing you'll notice is that it's more of a small-town feel than Portland. Until then, Oregon is the state with an NBA team and Washington is the state with a hole in his chest from which his heart was ripped out. The average Washington resident would spend about 55 hours in their vehicles a year and is therefore ranked as the state with the ninth worst traffic situation.
