Alternative Milwaukie? Tell me about Milwaukie, please. (Portland, Beaverton: house, neighborhoods)

[SarahToo]

*imported over from the general Oregon forum on the advice of a responder...silly me, I didn't even think of that!*

Hi! I live in Beaverton, work in downtown Portland. I've been working hard to save up money to buy a small house, and I'm really interested in Milwaukie. I've been visiting (Farmer's Market, library, etc) whenever I can for about a month, and am starting to look at neighborhoods (I would prefer to be close to historic downtown, so western Lake Road and southern Ardenwald are appealing. Would consider Island Station, but probably out of my price range. Oak Grove is nice, further than I'd like, but would consider).

Anyway, I really like Milwaukie, the commute would be fine, it's a great town. Am wondering if alternative lifestyle people could write back and let me know how life is in Milwaukie. I'm low key and pretty vanilla looking, but have a kind of ***** and poly lifestyle. Would this be a hassle? FWIW, I'm middle-aged, generic white, mostly liberal politically, non-religious, and no kids.

Non-alternative folks welcome to chime in, too. How is life in Milwaukie?

Edit: Wow. City-data edited out my word that starts with "q" and rhymes with "beer". OK. Well, you get the picture.

[crisw]

I live in Jennings Lodge, just the other side of Oak Grove, and love it. You can definitely get more house for your money in Clackamas Co. than in Multnomah.

Milwaukie politics are defintely more liberal than most of the rest of the county. I don't think most people care what you do in your bedroom.

There are some really nice neighborhoods off Lake Rd. Ardenwald will probably be cheaper. Don't leave out Hector Campbell; we lived there a while and it was convenient to everything.

[SarahToo]

Thanks, CrisW! The Lake Rd neighborhood and the SW parts of Ardenwald look really appealing...was thinking that Hector Campbell might be a little far from historic Downtown (which I really like), but will keep taking a look at it. I'm hoping to get close enough to the river so that when the Orange Line goes live, it will be a quick bike ride to the stop, even in the winter rain.....yeah, I'm green like that.... Not green enough to do the entire Springwater Trail to work, at least not in winter, but don't mind MAX'ing it into downtown. Until then, I can do the bus. I haven't looked as far as Jennings Lodge, though....hmmmmm.....:-D

[urbanlife78]

Milwaukie is sort of an extended Portland neighborhood is a sense. You can definitely get more bang for your buck with housing in Milwaukie, and still get to enjoy being close to the city.

[crisw]

I did the Springwater Trail in the winter from Hector Campbell to downtown, and I am neither young nor svelte

There will be an Orange Line stop in Oak Grove (though just on the edge of it) very close to the Trolley Trail.