Most influential metro areas of Oregon? (Portland, Eugene: live in, cottage, cities)

[tablemtn]

I notice that after a certain point headed east, the 'dominant' metro area switches from Portland to Boise, ID. It's hard to say exactly where this happens - probably somewhere between Pendleton and La Grande on I-84, and between Bend and Burns on Hwy. 20.

But those are not the only metro areas with influence in Oregon. Eugene has a small sphere of influence around its area, but it doesn't extend that far. Portland prevails over Corvallis and Albany, while Eugene prevails over Cottage Grove and other towns to its south.

At some point after Roseburg, Medford takes over as the dominant metro area. But some would argue that Medford itself is influenced by the much larger San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose area about 360 miles south. Portland is about 90 miles closer, but it isn't as large. Certainly Brookings feels like it is under the Bay Area's sphere of influence rather than Portland's.

Beyond that, there is a part of Oregon centered around Hermiston which is dominated by Washington's Tri-Cities metro area, and in areas like Enterprise and Joseph, Spokane seems to have the most sway.

Where would you put these boundaries when it comes to the metro areas with the most influence over Oregon's various regions?

[bobmulk]

You will need to be more specific when you talk about a "dominant" metro area. Do you mean politically? Economically?

I live in Salem and I think we have more influence over Albany than Portland. Corvallis is a metropolitan area. We need more info on what you're talking about.