Any quaint towns in OR? (Portland, Eugene: employment, housing, colleges)

[Amberyl]

I have two small children (5+6) who will both be starting school this year, so I want to move before school starts so they will not have to switch schools later on. I need to move somewhere that has great education either in the town, or very nearby, so we could commute.

I live in Mesa, Arizona and I am considering moving to Oregon because I have been without the four seasons for too long. I really want to live somewhere where each season gets equal time share.

I am looking for a quaint town, much like the town of Stars Hollow in Gilmore Girls. I want to live somewhere where everyone knows everyone else.

I would like to be close enough to at least one larger city. And close enough to a decent college.

I am planning for this to be my last move. I want to settle down and raise my family. Can anyone please suggest a town that sounds like what I am looking for?

[tulegirl]

Klamath Falls, Oregon

Home of the Oregon Institute of Technology & Klamath Community College.

I don't know anything about the Gilmore Girls.....

We are 2 hours from Medford. 3 hours from Eugene/Springfield. 5 hours from Portland (or Reno, NV).

You cannot go into town and not bump into someone you know. If you want smaller.... We have Bonanza, Merrill, Malin, Fort Klamath, Chiloquin, Tulelake (CA), & Dorris (CA) surrounding us.

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Originally Posted by Amberyl

I have two small children (5+6) who will both be starting school this year, so I want to move before school starts so they will not have to switch schools later on. I need to move somewhere that has great education either in the town, or very nearby, so we could commute.

I live in Mesa, Arizona and I am considering moving to Oregon because I have been without the four seasons for too long. I really want to live somewhere where each season gets equal time share.

I am looking for a quaint town, much like the town of Stars Hollow in Gilmore Girls. I want to live somewhere where everyone knows everyone else.

I would like to be close enough to at least one larger city. And close enough to a decent college.

I am planning for this to be my last move. I want to settle down and raise my family. Can anyone please suggest a town that sounds like what I am looking for?

I don't know your definition of "quaint" or "decent college". However, if you're raising kids and want quaint I'd recommend souther or eastern Oregon as the rest has so much rain... To that end I might suggest Sisters, Oregon.

[Nell Plotts]

Hard to beat Ashland. College town, performing arts, not far from Medford for shopping.

[Kiwi]

I'd agree, check out Ashland (pop. 20,000) and Sisters (pop.1,800). Different size towns, but quaint in their own ways. Sisters is 20 minutes to Bend. Has a great school system with lots of community support. Ashland has a great school system, but you'll want to live within the school system's boundaries. The schools in the outlying areas are not as good.

[EnricoV]

Ashland is a great town. From what I hear, though it's housing is pretty expensive.

You might want to look at a small town somewhere around Corvallis. Seems like Philomath was a picturesque, and it's near there. It'd put you fairly near to Eugene, too, which would give you some pretty good "bigger city" resources.

Somewhere like Sisters would give you more of the dryer weather you're used to, though. And is a nice little town. I'm not sure what housing costs are like there, though as it's more of a resort town.

[Silverfall]

I would not call Philomath quaint. No offense to Philomath.

In the valley I would look at Silverton, Sublimity, Independence, Yamhill, and Aurora.

I haven't watched the Gilmore Girls so I can't use that as a reference.

[EnricoV]

Silverton's and Aurora are both really nice - but it's not what I would consider close to a college. I haven't been in Independence in a while, but I don't remember it as quaint. I guess it's each to its own.

[onlyonejudy]

Originally Posted by Amberyl

I have two small children (5+6) who will both be starting school this year, so I want to move before school starts so they will not have to switch schools later on. I need to move somewhere that has great education either in the town, or very nearby, so we could commute.

I live in Mesa, Arizona and I am considering moving to Oregon because I have been without the four seasons for too long. I really want to live somewhere where each season gets equal time share.

I am looking for a quaint town, much like the town of Stars Hollow in Gilmore Girls. I want to live somewhere where everyone knows everyone else.

I would like to be close enough to at least one larger city. And close enough to a decent college.

I am planning for this to be my last move. I want to settle down and raise my family. Can anyone please suggest a town that sounds like what I am looking for?

Finding a small town that has employment opportunities and education for children isn't easy. Many small towns in Oregon are filled with retired people. Charter schools are usually the way to go in a small town. I live in Brookings which is a beautiful small community on the coast with great people but employment is hard to find.

[Silverfall]

Originally Posted by EnricoV

Silverton's and Aurora are both really nice - but it's not what I would consider close to a college. I haven't been in Independence in a while, but I don't remember it as quaint. I guess it's each to its own.

Independence has spent massive money in the past few years on it's downtown area. It is really cute now. They have a fabulous park on the river as well.

Silverton and Aurora are about 30 minutes from Salem which has colleges.