New research defines the Portland personality

(NOVEMBER 17, 2023) Ten years ago, a psychologist named Jason Rentfrow studied how people in different parts of the United States have different personalities. Recently, he looked closely at the personalities of 53 major cities. He focused on things like being open, responsible, outgoing, friendly, and calm. 

Rentfrow says Portland has the least amount of outgoing people. That means they prefer being alone or with only a few others rather than in big groups. “There are considerably fewer sociable, outgoing, and enthusiastic people in Portland than in other major metropolitan areas,” he says.

Still, Rentfrow says Portlanders are friendly, responsible, and emotionally stable. Surprisingly, they are very open. They show a lot of creativity. They are curious.  In some ways, they are also diverse. This unique mix makes them good at solving tough problems. However, the challenge is balancing their preference for being alone with the need to work together for positive change.