Moving to Medford (Grants Pass, Ashland, Central Point: real estate, crime rate, house prices)

[okeon]

We will be moving to Medford in a couple of months, relocating from WA. We would really appreciate any comments on the city itself, like crime, and quality of schools. Thanks!

[icreate]

I currently live in Cave Junction. I lived in Grants Pas for about 10 years. I was a substitute teacher for the Illinois Valley (Three Rivers) School District. I was also a Deputy Sheriff in training for this are in the 80s.
I have watched to crime rate accelerate at an amazing pace, lots of drugs and really stupid people committing really stupid crimes. This is not unique to this area. Our population has exploded and there are not enough services or qualified personnel to deal with the type of people moving in. This is happening everywhere.
If you want to live in a city close to work and all the amenities, there has to be a trede off.
If you want to avoid the crowds and crime, you will have to locate in a smaller town. Burns or Jordan Valley would be good choices (for now).
The best thing to do is keep your children close and stay involved in their lives.

[oldhippie]

Originally Posted by okeon

We will be moving to Medford in a couple of months, relocating from WA. We would really appreciate any comments on the city itself, like crime, and quality of schools. Thanks!

I don't live in Medford but I have family there and have been researching the area for awhile as a possible place to relocate to. The best schools (in my opinion) are in Central Point, which is just a few miles from Medford. Central point is a great community for families. Two of my cousins live there and they are extremely happy with the overall quality of life. They said that parents really get involved with the schools and the community in general.

One thing is that real estate has gotten to be pretty expensive. I read an article recently that said (in this person's opinion anyway) that the Medford market was overvalued by 60%! Of course, this might not mean much and if you are moving from the Seattle/Eastside area (I used to live in Woodinville), Medford will seem more reasonably priced.

It is a beautiful area. I lived in Grants Pass in the early 70's and although the region has grown a lot since then, it still retains a small town feel. It gets REALLY hot in the summer but then you can swim in the Rogue River or do a float trip. If you are an outdoorsy type family, you will love the area.

Hope this helps.

[ErinM]

I live in Ashland, about 15 miles south of Medford. From what I understand from friends, the schools are average. Ashland has excellent schools...among the best in the state, but is extremely expensive to live here. The biggest drawback for the entire area of Southern Oregon, from what I have read in the papers, is there are a lot of drugs in the area like icreate mentioned. Other then that I believe it is a great place to live. It has gotten much more expensive over the last 3 years, but not as expensive as Seattle. There are lots of cultural and outdoor activities to take advantage of and overall it is beautiful. Good luck with your choice!

[Steve97415]

The southern boundary of Lane County is a kind of cultural Mason-Dixon line in Oregon. To the north, where agriculture predominates, people seem better-educated and there are fewer "redneck issues" to contend with. To the south, resource extraction industries prevail and there is a different sort of culture. Distrust of government runs much higher, city planning is poorer, meth use is common, and schools are not as good. Ashland is a conspicuous exception. As a college town, it is a haven of "blue Oregon" in an area otherwise repressed by political and social conservatism. The proximity of Ashland is probably the best thing about living in Medford.

[okeon]

Thanks Guys, I appreciate all your opinions!

[dragonite]

Originally Posted by Steve97415

The southern boundary of Lane County is a kind of cultural Mason-Dixon line in Oregon. To the north, where agriculture predominates, people seem better-educated and there are fewer "redneck issues" to contend with. To the south, resource extraction industries prevail and there is a different sort of culture. Distrust of government runs much higher, city planning is poorer, meth use is common, and schools are not as good. Ashland is a conspicuous exception. As a college town, it is a haven of "blue Oregon" in an area otherwise repressed by political and social conservatism. The proximity of Ashland is probably the best thing about living in Medford.

Looking at a map of OR, where is this boundary? Thanks.

[freedom]

Dragonite
The boundary line is only in one's mind. If you are speaking of what another poster was writing (the broken record) he lives in the area that he debases, and tends to amplify darkness rather than light regarding different places to live in Oregon.
The broad brush of red and blue is not accurate for southern Oregon, It is a little over 50% towards the red, and recently could be less than that. Which to me is sad. Red is far from perfect, but in my opinion and experience it sure offers a better opportunity to succeed in life, not just monetarily.

[readymade]

Could someone give me an idea of house prices in Ashland? 3 or 4 bedroom, decent size (2000+ sq ft) in a safe area.

Thanks!

[snb3]

Just came back. All of Ashland is pretty safe (Ashland is small). Figure about $400k for what your looking for.