Plumber

Hazelwood was my landing neighborhood when I moved to Portland a few years ago. It's a great place to get started - very affordable, near grocery stores, Powell's Butte Nature Park (where you can hike in foresty areas, meadows, and see many mountains from the top). Did I mention affordable? Oh yeah, I did: but it bears repeating. Fair prices for rent around here; if I were buying I'd consider it, too, because I bet this area will go up in value as PDX continues to expand.

While it is not by any means the coveted "close in" of Portland, Hazelwood is near both the train and the expressway, so it is just short hop and you can be downtown or anywhere else you want to be in Portland.

The neighborhood is quiet and appears to be mixed income. It seems racially diverse - which for me, is a bonus, I am not fond of a neighborhood that is all one race, no matter which race it is. Mixed is best. For example, there's an Asian grocery store here in the neighborhood, a Mexican nightclub, and a small tavern that seems to cater to white folks.

For shopping, it is not far to got to Mall 205, where all the big stores are (Target, Home Depot, etc). There's plenty of fast food, but the area seems to lack nice restaurants - and a Starbucks nearby would be nice, too, or even better a good independent cafe.

It's a quiet area, with more homes than apartment complexes, so it doesn't feel too crowded (although there are apartment complexes available, so newcomers can find a place here.) Overall I'd recommend Hazelwood as a great place to move in Portland. It may not be high on local flavor, but it has a lot of amenities for the cost.