Interesting to see this effort. There's no way to quantify quality of life via pure economic measures, and for companies moving to Cornell Oaks (Beaverton) from downtown, they may see lower rent but the indirect costs of all their employees' travel and time may haunt them in subtle ways. See http://www.northwestwatch.org/scorecard/ for a brilliant effort to "measure what matters".

Another commenter pointed out that Portland's success needs to be measured independently of the region's -- its challenges and opportunities are far different than Beaverton or Forest Grove. I agree, and believe Portland can compete on what makes it special vs. suburbia. Quantifying those elusive indirect costs of suburban vs. urban business may help to position Portland's offering as more desirable. At a personal level, business is lifestyle, and the urban picture is very different. The rising cost of gas is on our side. Don't let the moment slip away!