A strong job market, livable wages and plenty of great outdoor activities makes Portland Oregon one of the best places to live.   According to recent studies conducted the U.S. News and World Report , the city of Portland as the number 6 best place to live in the nation.

Every year U.S. News ranks the best places to live in the United States.  This year Portland edged out Washington DC , Nashville  Dallas-Fort Worth and Salt Lake,  All have been included in the top 20 cities in the nation.

To determine the best places to live, the report compiles data from the 125 largest metro areas around the country.  Data includes the cost of living , job market, crime rates and quality of education.  The city of Austin already boasts about 2.35 million residents within their city.  Moreover, Austin continues to attract new residents with median home prices of $349675 and annual salaries of about $53960 according to the report.

A strong job market and a strong healthcare system continue to place Portland on the best places to live list.  The city of Portland also has a low unemployment rate of 3.8% for the year so far this is 0.6% below the national average.  Jobs in the healthcare sector, specifically nursing aides are expected to grow about 11 percent according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This will be an increase of about 164000 positions.  

New residents are also attracted to the close by wilderness outdoor sports and the iconic food scene according to the U.S. News.