Please help - may be relocating to Oregon (Portland, Salem: sales, for rent)

[Jam7204425]

Hello, My husband is considering a job that would relocate us to Oregon and I'm at a loss when it comes to finding a town that would suit our family. Here is what we are looking for:

1. On the I-5 Corridor, not too far South as he would be a sales rep covering both Oregon and WA
2. Affordable rent
3. Safe!! We have two small children, so this is a huge concern for me. We are used to taking daily walks to the park and around the neighborhood and I'd like to be able to continue this.
4. I'm thinking I'd prefer more of a medium - small town. I'd love one with a cute/safe/clean downtown with restaurants and other stores. This is what we have now and I'll be so sad to leave it.

A couple other things: we home school, so school districts don't really matter. We do have small children, so I'd also really like something family friendly.

Does such a place exist in Oregon? Any suggestions where to begin looking?

[Squidlo]

Cheap rent rarely means "nice area".

Salem, Oregon came to mind because I am familiar with it. It's about an hour south of Portland.

Why not Vancouver, Washington?

Portland has some great neighborhoods its just expensive.

[Jam7204425]

I guess I didn't mean cheap rent, just more affordable than some of the places I was seeing for rent right around Portland. To be perfectly honest though, I'd really prefer not to be in Portland at all. It's just not my cup of tea.

I did look into Salem,and the surrounding areas, but then read some conflicting stuff about the crime there, so I wasn't sure. It's so difficult to try to get a grasp on areas when you've never been there before. Can you suggest some neighborhoods?

I am totally open to Vancouver, as well. Just again, I am completely unfamiliar with the areas and what neighborhoods to look at.

[PNW-type-gal]

Washington state has no income tax, Oregon has no sales tax. If your husband's paycheck is not issued out of Oregon, then it makes sense to live on the Washington side of the Oregon/Washington border. If your husband's paycheck IS issued out of Oregon, then you will pay Oregon income tax even if you live in Washington state.

[Nell Plotts]

The OP could look at Canby. My BIL lives there, his wife is a retired teacher. Take Highway 99 E north to catch I-205, take local roads to I-5 - 17 minutes to Wilsonville for example.

At a higher price point consider West Linn but from what I have seen it isn't particularly pedestrian friendly.

Wilsonville has gotten to be big box central, Woodburn think discount mall.

Silverton is a cute little town.

[Yankeemama]

Tigard, Tualatin, or Wilsonville. Easy drive to Bridgeport Village which draws families and ghecarea is very pretty yet easy drive to Portland.

[jjpop]

Focusing on the medium-small town angle, here are a few options to consider: Newberg, McMinnville, Silverton (as Nell noted), Corvallis (although kind of pricey), parts of Albany.

All of those are about 50k population or less, have nice, walkable, intact downtowns, and are close to I-5.

[Yankeemama]

Originally Posted by jjpop

Focusing on the medium-small town angle, here are a few options to consider: Newberg, McMinnville, Silverton (as Nell noted), Corvallis (although kind of pricey), parts of Albany.

All of those are about 50k population or less, have nice, walkable, intact downtowns, and are close to I-5.

Her husband will be working in WA so can't be that far from the border.

[PNW-type-gal]

Depends on what his territory is and where he'd actually be spending the most time. OP said "Washington and Oregon" - does that mean both of the entire states? Would his business mainly be in large cities or spread out a little more? Otherwise, he'd probably be going between Portland and Seattle and it makes sense to live in Vancouver, Wa or Olympia, Wa to split the difference, rather than somewhere south of Portland.

[Squidlo]

Originally Posted by PNW-type-gal

Depends on what his territory is and where he'd actually be spending the most time. OP said "Washington and Oregon" - does that mean both of the entire states? Would his business mainly be in large cities or spread out a little more? Otherwise, he'd probably be going between Portland and Seattle and it makes sense to live in Vancouver, Wa or Olympia, Wa to split the difference, rather than somewhere south of Portland.

I was thinking servicing the I-5 corridor only.

There are people better qualified than myself to point out the best "more affordable" neighborhoods in Salem. I have family there but have never lived there. I like the downtown area. Its close to what the OP was (in my mind) looking for. I will be in Portland/Salem next week. If I run across anything I will post.

Canby/Mollala area is nice. Has been years since I have spent anytime there. Again others have better experience.

Vancouver ( I like downtown there) and north of there, a few bright spots. I liked an area called Salmon Creek. Its probably expensive by now. Worth a look.

Caveat: I have no children, so my idea of "safe" may not equal the safe of a watchful parent. = )