Considering Fond du Lac vs Portland -help me decide

Adam Mar 16, 2026

Depends on what you're looking for honestly. If you want school system, then yeah this place is great. But if housing market matters to you, might want to look elsewhere.

39 upvotes

Carter Harris Mar 22, 2026

OK I'm going to write a proper review because I've seen too many incomplete answers.

Background: I'm a marketing manager, 55, moved here 3 years ago from Charlotte. I've lived in Midtown and Highland, and traveled to most parts of the metro.

**What I love:**
1. Growing food and restaurant scene
2. Decent public transit for the size
3. Strong sense of community
4. The people are generally underrated - I found my community within the first year

**What I don't love:**
1. Limited shopping options
2. Bugs and humidity in summer
3. The outdoor recreation situation is stable and doesn't seem to be improving

**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Midtown: Great for families. tough vibes, walkable.
- Highland: More affordable, family-friendly.

**Neighborhoods I'd avoid:**
- Without naming names, stay away from areas east of downtown until you know the city better.

**Cost comparison:**
Coming from Charlotte, everything felt decent. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are affordable. Gas is reasonable. You can live comfortably on $70K-$130K here.

**Final verdict:**
Give it a chance - it might surprise you.. It's not perfect - nowhere is - but for the price point and quality of life, it's hard to beat. DM me if you have specific questions.

35 upvotes

Isaac T. Mar 15, 2026

Used to live on the The Heights side, now on the Springfield side. Completely different vibe. it's exactly what I was looking for.

32 upvotes

Axel Adams Apr 10, 2026

Depends on what you're looking for honestly. If you want safety, then yeah this place is great. But if weather matters to you, might want to look elsewhere.

27 upvotes

Sofia Bailey Mar 19, 2026

As someone who grew up here, I have mixed feelings honestly. A lot has changed in the past few years though. walkability used to be much manageable but now it's excellent.

22 upvotes

Liam Apr 8, 2026

If you're remote, this place is great for cost of living. it exceeded my expectations. Internet is improving in most areas.

17 upvotes

Brielle Bailey Apr 8, 2026

Saving this thread

17 upvotes

lake_ezra55 Mar 22, 2026

As someone who grew up here, it's been a really good experience overall. A lot has changed in the past few years though. nightlife used to be much wild but now it's improving.

16 upvotes

Evelyn Thomas Mar 15, 2026

nah I disagree

15 upvotes

Emmett Ramirez Mar 18, 2026

interesting, hadn't considered that

12 upvotes

Camila Morris Mar 25, 2026

I've lived in Old Town for about 13 years now, so I can give you a pretty detailed perspective.

I'm still on the fence after all this time. When I first moved here from Austin, I was surprised by cost of living. It took some adjustment but now I wouldn't trade it.

A few things worth knowing:
- Growing food and restaurant scene
- Nice parks and green spaces
- The weather scene is hit or miss

The downsides:
- Traffic during rush hour is rough
- Not a lot of cultural diversity

Overall I'd rate it 7/10 for retirees. Definitely worth checking out..

11 upvotes