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Top 25 Cities for Firefighters
Tania Khadder, Anna Hennings, Adam Starr, Alice Handley | FireLink
May 13, 2011
#8. Portland, OR
Population: 550,396
Average Salary: $43,370
Firefighter Salary: $48,000
Cost of Living Rank (in a 1-100 list): 58
Average Commute Time: 22.4 minutes
Job Growth Rank (in a list of 372 Highest Growth Cities): 55
Unemployment Rate: 10.7
In a tree-filled northwestern gem of a city, Portland’s Fire Department is progressively focusing on bringing women firefighters into the brotherhood. Historically, Portland has had a long-standing association with high-tech industries. According to City-Data.com, more than 1,200 tech companies currently operate in Portland, and, in 2004, microcomputer components manufacturer Intel was the city’s largest employer. The city has also seen consistent growth in the education and health-services sectors, helping the area maintain its high growth ratings despite significant decreases in employment in the natural resources, mining and construction sectors. A bonus for firefighters- the steady rainfall should help keep the fires under control. Bonus fun fact: Portland has the largest independent book store in the world.
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