Requesting Info on Detroit (Salem, Stayton: vacation home, school rankings, subdivisions)

[crazyme4878]

There is a job opening in Detroit, OR for my husband. Is there anyone that can give me some info on what it is like?

We have two young boys, enjoy the outdoors, and are vegetarians. My boys and husband love to golf, and my oldest son really wants to move back to where they have a hockey program. We make about $40,000/year. Are housing prices affordable? Are the schools good? Is the town community-centered? Is there a decent grocery store? If not, how close to a decent one? (I guess I'm not too picky on a grocery store, but we have lived/are looking at places that either do not have a grocery store or have a very limited produce section). Where is the closest coop/natural foods store?

Thanks for any help you can give!

[bobmulk]

I'm not sure if you've done any research on Detroit. It has 250 people and is an hour east of Salem, in the Cascades. It's a big tourist draw because it's on Detroit Reservoir. That's all it has. It's gorgeous there, but that's it. You'll have to drive an hour to Salem for a natural foods store. A decent grocery will be forty-five minutes west in Stayton. I believe the school is in Mill City, half an hour west.

Housing prices would be affordable, I would think. There's a lot of vacation homes which, of course, are owned by out-of-towners. The rest of the housing stock is okay to cruddy. I'm assuming your husband would be working with the Forestry Department or Department of Fish and Wildlife? That's about all there is there.

[crazyme4878]

I have done a little researching, but couldn't find much. I don't mind about the grocery store as much as the distance to school. What is Mill City like? Are there towns inbetween? I will start looking at Mill City online, as well.

Yes, my husband works for the Forest Service. Its merely a posting as of yet, and no telling how many people will apply for it, but we are trying to find our "forever" town (as much as one can in the FS), so we are looking into anything remotely interesting.

Thank you for the info.

[bobmulk]

Mill City has 1600 people, right on the Santiam River. It also is in a beautiful area. One of my favorite hamburger joints, Poppa Al's, is there. I alwasy stop there on the way to Central Oregon. Housing stock ranges from very good with newer subdivisions going in to downright crummy. Something like 400 homes are planned for Mill City so there's going to be a population jump in the next few years. Might be a good place to invest. Also, I can see baby boomer retirees going there because it's a gateway to a huge recreational area.

There's no entertainment, not sure of a grocery store. Sorry, don't have any idea about the schools there.

[Silverfall]

Mill City is an old logging town. Still has a plant there, so you'll want to watch for smell. You can check out the school rankings with the Oregon Department of Education. It is a very small town and pretty far out there.

You aren't going to find a lot of hockey out there. The closest ice rink is in Clackamas County. Mill City is very affordable by valley standards, but it is pretty isolated.

The closest golf course, I think, is the one in Stayton. There may be one farther out, but not sure about that.

I live in South Salem and it takes me about 45 minutes to get to Mill City.

[RogueWolf]

Mill City does have a Circle K along Hwy. 22, but I can't think of any other grocery-type facilities in the area.

[yng]

There is av grocery store in Mill City. Wich is bigger and better than Circle K.