Aye, Vancouver housing prices are more reasonable, and you may escape the Multnomah county tax, but if you live in WA and work in Oregon, you still have to pay Oregon income tax and you get no access to the service (ie social svcs, voting rights in Oregon, etc.). Just moving across the river won't shield you from all of the Portland metro area's problems, but it will save you some moolah in housing costs.

If you want to work in the Portland area, and don't mind 30-45 minute drives, Wilsonville is right off the 1-5 corridor, about 30ish minutes south of Portland (depending on how heavy your foot is.... ) It's a beautiful area in my opinion. A little further down I-5 is Woodburn, but that's pushing the 45 minute mark.

I live in Coos Bay now, but I spent the first 28 years in the Portland area, from as far east as Troutdale, to as far west as Hillsboro. If you have any specific questions/concerns/just wanna chat, feel free to shoot me an email or pm.

Tony