Where is the Best Place to live in Oregon (Portland: safe neighborhoods, schools)

[crperrier]

how is Lane, Oregon?

[Dean Trails]

Originally Posted by missykel3

I may be a little biased since I was born and raised in Oregon. I think as far as schools go, smaller towns seem to have better school environments. I grew up in the Beaverton/Hillsboro area just west of Portland, and it has become quite the modernized way of living in the past 10 years. It is a very convenient place to live as it is close to lots of great restaurants (P.F. Changs, Newport Bay, Red Lobster, Thai Orchard, etc.) shopping (Tanasbourne, Washington Square), and an easy commute to Portland, yet it is also neighbored to the rural rolling hills that surround, and only an hour and a half to the beautiful Oregon Coast. However, if rural is your style, I would recommend something a little further west of Hillsboro/Beaverton like Banks, Forest Grove, and even St. Helens. There is a neat website where you can fill out a forum to narrow down your criteria, Best Places to Live: Compare the Best Cities & Small Towns for You! and you can compare cities at Moderator cut: link not allowed

The school system in Beaverton/Hillsboro is what I would consider "Average" for the U.S. I currently live in Deltona, Florida (just north of Orlando) and I think the schools are horrible in comparison to Oregon. Crime rate is higher as well in comparison to Oregon. I never experienced any violent crime where I grew up in Oregon. Just scout out the communities...each neighborhood is quite different. Stay out of downtown Hillsboro. Beaverton is considered average for housing costs as well. I think the current average cost a normal 1500+ sq. ft. home, that is in good condition and on a lot larger than 0.15 acres, would probably run anywhere from $250,000 to $300,000+. It all depends on what you want.

For those who enjoy more distinct seasons, and less rain, I would recommend La Pine, OR. It has a decent school system, it is close to Bend, Or and there are lots of fun recreational activities (skiing, biking, hiking, water-rafting, etc.) It also has four distinct seasons, with snow in the winter (unlike Beaverton where it rarely ever snows) For an even smaller town feel and more high desert, La Grande and Joseph are beautiful and great alternatives. The housing costs are about the same as Beaverton...La Pine is a little cheaper than Bend. La Grande and Joseph have definitely cheaper housing costs...but are farther away from big cities, etc.

I am a true Northwesterner and love all things about it. People frown upon the "gray" days, but the moisture is what keeps Oregon's natural beauty green and lush all year round. It is much better than Seattle, WA in my opinion because it does have a lot more variation, rains a little less, and gets warmer on average in the summer than Seattle as well. In the summer, it hardly ever rains, and is very sunny, dry, and warm. No humidity! From May through October, you can expect beautiful, sunny weather. And yes, there are long stretches of cloudy weather in the winter, but there are many days that are sunny during the winter as well. Even for a week straight. I consider it to be mild in temperature as a whole. There are so many things to do in Oregon!!! Mt. Hood is close-by if you love skiing or hiking. The beach is a great place to go to see the huge Oregon Coastline which is entirely open to the public--a neat little fact. The quaint little shops make the coast a fun place to escape and enjoy. The Willamette Valley has tons of wonderful vineyards, and recreational activites. If you like the desert, go East to La Grande, and Joseph. Crater Lake is a beautiful place to visit, as is Klamath Falls. We can't forget the huge forests either! Oregon and Northern California have some of the largest trees and forests in the U.S. Oregon is very bike-friendly, and is big on conserving the environment. The only reason I moved away from Oregon is for a job my husband got down here in Florida. I have lived here 2 years, and cannot take it! I am actually moving back in 6 months. I am spoiled living in Oregon, and once you see all that it has to offer, you will agree! Another website you can check out to see the various regions of Oregon and what they have to offer is at Travel Oregon Good Luck!

You prepare very nice detailed posts. Do you have any experience with the Jacksonville/ Medford area? It seems everyone want to live in Ashland but I believe that the Medford area may have the better weather? Ot is Jacksonville the way to go? And, how is the health care in the area? Any malls?
I do like the greenness of Oregon. I want to build a solar home and live off the land if possible.
Thaks for any info you may have.

[kimhamblin]

My vote is for McMinnville and more broadly Yamhill County. We LOVE it here- it has the best of all worlds- opportunity, good schools, nice people, charm, industry, beauty, proximity to the beach, culture. What more do you need?

[nanannie]

Originally Posted by kimhamblin

My vote is for McMinnville and more broadly Yamhill County. We LOVE it here- it has the best of all worlds- opportunity, good schools, nice people, charm, industry, beauty, proximity to the beach, culture. What more do you need?

A little more sun.

[seven of nine]

But you will lose the moss between your toes

[nanannie]

So true, sorry forgot about that. It looks so nice when one wears flip flops.

[RogueRiverRat]

Originally Posted by Dean Trails

You prepare very nice detailed posts. Do you have any experience with the Jacksonville/ Medford area? It seems everyone want to live in Ashland but I believe that the Medford area may have the better weather? Ot is Jacksonville the way to go? And, how is the health care in the area? Any malls?
I do like the greenness of Oregon. I want to build a solar home and live off the land if possible.
Thaks for any info you may have.

If you can afford it, both Ashland and Jacksonville are very nice. I chose Rogue River -- just up the road off I-5 -- and don't regret a thing. I don't believe Ashland or Jacksonville carry the natural beauty of the Rogue River/Grants Pass area and am as giddy as a school girl getting ready for her first car date every time I walk out on my deck and look at my surroundings.

I grew up in the Centralia/Chehalis area and have lived in L.A., Seattle, Spokane, Portland, Pendleton, McMinnville and the Midwest.

I settled here to raise my children. I've been here for 15 months and still would choose here 365 days a year.

[WA state]

So what if I want a pretty mild alpine or desert environment, i love snow but am afraid of the cold! and also want a town where kids can hike and bike around with lots to do. I also do not want to be around a lot of rattle snakes or pesticides(orchards) or weird nuclear testing.
We were from Grants Pass when I was little but I can't remember much. And I don't think that is the place for me now. Something like Co feel, but Oregon type with not so cold!

Thanks so much!
I can't make it in WA much longer, it is so dreary and cold and wet here. even in June.

[WA state]

I heard McMinnville has a scarry amount of rattlesnakes, is that true?

[PNW-type-gal]

Originally Posted by WA state

So what if I want a pretty mild alpine or desert environment, i love snow but am afraid of the cold! and also want a town where kids can hike and bike around with lots to do. I also do not want to be around a lot of rattle snakes or pesticides(orchards) or weird nuclear testing.
We were from Grants Pass when I was little but I can't remember much. And I don't think that is the place for me now. Something like Co feel, but Oregon type with not so cold!

Thanks so much!
I can't make it in WA much longer, it is so dreary and cold and wet here. even in June.

Define "cold" - the east side of the Cascades, from say Redmond to Klamath Falls, has a Dec and Jan average low of around 20 and an average high of around 40. It can, of course, get colder than that. This was a cool December, and the average low was around 18, with a three day dip into the single digits and one day below zero, which was definitely cold. It definitely snows here.