Most people don't move to Portland for the usual reason—employment. The City of Roses attracts talent with a focus on urban amenities and regional planning. But that strategy is easy to replicate elsewhere.
For many, population is the only metric that matters. But what does it mean when a city's population is declining while its workforce is growing—in both size and smarts?
Entire regional economies depend on the influx of talent. Without immigration, even the home to the world's largest technology companies would be suffering.