What Are The Most Affordable Areas Of Oregon? (Portland, Eugene: apartment, to rent)

[pystachio]

Where could you live cheaply but also comfortably? I would only need a private room, and hopefully my own private bath in a home or someone's apartment. Oregon doesn't have any cities listed on U.S. News and World Report's list of the Top 20 Affordable Cities in the country which you can find here. I've heard contrary, though. That there are areas that are really cheap. I like the looks of Eugene, but don't like the idea of living with college students (I'm in my 30s). I've read Freedom Street is the best area for non-college students, but that limits you greatly when room hunting.

[Bees46]

Do you mean Friendly Street? I've never heard of Freedom St.

Eugene isn't cheap. It's more affordable than Portland, but still not cheap. What are you looking for besides affordability?

[PNW-type-gal]

The reason that Oregon doesn't show up on that list of "most affordable" cities is because Oregon cities aren't cheap, particularly when you compare average income and average housing costs. (Also, Oregon only has one city in the size range of the rest of the cities on that list - Portland - and Portland is not cheap.) You can find inexpensive housing in very small towns and rural areas, but then employment is problematic.

There really aren't any cheap cities (ie: population over, say, 50,000) on the entire west coast.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

If all you need is a room and no other requirements, try Baker City, Christmas Valley, Vale, Madras, or one of the small towns between Salem and Detroit Lake.

You must have heard those rumors about 40 years ago because that was the last time that anything in Oregon was really cheap.

[redguard57]

Springfield or Salem area. Best bang for the buck when it comes to housing prices vs. jobs.

[pystachio]

Originally Posted by oregonwoodsmoke

If all you need is a room and no other requirements, try Baker City, Christmas Valley, Vale, Madras, or one of the small towns between Salem and Detroit Lake.

You must have heard those rumors about 40 years ago because that was the last time that anything in Oregon was really cheap.

Yes, room price is all I'm looking at. To the poster above you, I meant Friendly Street, yes.

I work remotely, so the job situation isn't as important. The person posting below you said to try Springfield or Salem. So that's quite a few to choose from now. I still haven't decided where to go. I'm currently in LA, but finding it nearly impossible to find something within reason with good living conditions. I wanted to stay here, but I may have to leave. Las Vegas is only 4 hours east, but god damn I don't want to live in the sweltering desert.

Thank you, everyone. If any other input feel free to add now that you know it's mainly the rent I'm looking at.

[Metlakatla]

Baker City. You can get decent small apartment for what it would cost to rent a room in these other places.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Then you need good internet as well as cheap rent.

None of the Oregon cities are cheap, most of the midsized towns are not cheap.

I recomended that you look at Prineville to see if you can afford it. It's about a 40 minute drive from Bend where there is a lot to do. Prineville has enough every day shopping for a normal life and they have Prinetime wireless internet, which is excellent.

There is also a brand new branch hospital which is a division of St Charles, which is a highly rated hospital. There are 2 lakes for boating and fishing.

[pystachio]

Originally Posted by oregonwoodsmoke

Then you need good internet as well as cheap rent.

I recomended that you look at Prineville to see if you can afford it. It's about a 40 minute drive from Bend where there is a lot to do. Prineville has enough every day shopping for a normal life and they have Prinetime wireless internet, which is excellent.

There is also a brand new branch hospital which is a division of St Charles, which is a highly rated hospital. There are 2 lakes for boating and fishing.

Thank you. Yes, I overlooked that. I guess I just assume everywhere has good internet these days. I just searched on craigslist (private rooms section) and there isn't a whole lot listed for Prineville. That is the difficulty in finding rent for the smaller towns vs larger. Here, take a look:
https://bend.craigslist.org/search/r...labilityMode=0

I'm willing to pay $500-$600. But it would be nice to be able to save and stay in something cheaper while I self study by day and work in evenings.

[redguard57]

Prineville is rapidly becoming a commute center to Bend/Redmond. The traffic coming in on 126 from the west is intense in the afternoons.

I searched zillow the other day and saw only 3 properties over 1000sf in Prineville under 100k. A few years ago they had quite a few.

Also no jobs there. The OP would be commuting to Bend, Redmond or somewhere around.