In a recent Youtube video, the creator World According To Briggs broke down why he believed that more people were leaving Portland than ever before. This isn’t just some out of town influencer either, as Briggs has actually lived in the city for many years.

During his 15 minute video, he broke down 10 core reasons why the population of Portland is shrinking. Aside from the obvious issues such as living costs, crime, and the mass of easily accessible drugs in the city, he also gave some subtle reasons as to why people have begun leaving en masse. In short, Briggs theorized that there was a huge socioeconomic shift that started in 2017. Since then, everything has changed (mostly for the worse) in Portland which has created an exodus of people.

The video is below and it’s very informative without being sensationalist or over exaggerated. Often, its points are backed up with stats and local opinions. However, if you can’t be bothered to give it a watch then fear not, as we’ve outlined his core 10 reasons below.

10. Call centers have closed down rapidly over the past 5 years in Portland. These included Netflix, Yahoo, and others. Automation has killed them. Similarly, Walmart has left which has changed the local job market.

9. The political climate has become more polarized. This has led people to feel less welcome than before. For communities to thrive, there needs to be a sense of togetherness that is now lacking.

8. Mostly young people have left. This could be to do with the reasons listed above and due to a lack of future prospects. A PSU study says this has increased 50% over the past 5 years.

7. Lack of lower paid jobs, such as side-hustles. These just aren’t as easy to get anymore due to businesses leaving and closing. This means Portland locals now struggle financially more than they did before.

6. The weather is too volatile. Obviously, everyone knows the weather in Portland is crazy. Honestly, this one point seemed a bit lazy compared to his other reasons.

5. Public transportation isn’t as commonly used anymore. The MAX has a lot of drama associated with riding on it regarding safety. As a result, traffic congestion is up more than ever.

4. Increase in violent crime. This is above the national average which has spiked recently. As a result, people feel less safe, especially downtown. Why would you live in Portland when you could live elsewhere safely?

3. High cost of living. Again, this may be why youngsters have left as everything is just too expensive. Even retirees are going due to a rise in bills, taxes, food, and luxury items.

2. Housing costs. Similarly, housing costs have spiralled which makes it very difficult to settle down in Portland compared to before. House prices are above the national average.

1. Homeless crisis. Obviously, living amongst the homeless can be challenging and has a lot of social and economic problems that go along with this.