Job offer in Roseburg..should I take it? (Portland, Eugene: spring break, low crime)

[hoody]

I want to move my wife and 9 year old daughter to a smaller town, Currently in Reno which is booooming. I have a good paying job offer and want to know the pro's and con's of the area. I have done a lot of research on the internet but it is somewhat limited since I have never been to Roseburg. It sounds like a nice place. Please Locals soound off on my request.

[Waterlily]

Hi hoody! There are some old threads about Roseburg here on the forum. I'd recommend you use the search feature at the top to find out more about Roseburg.
I don't live there but I've been there. It's a pretty nice town but not so Big as Reno.

[Ben J]

I went through Roseburg a couple weeks ago. Stopped for gas and the two guys looked like they were straight out of Deliverance. Stopped in at a live music bar and saw a bunch of obese smokers with a lot of missing teeth. The topography in the area is really nice if you don't mind living in a very small town which probably hasn't changed much in the last 20 or so years. Just my impression from being there for 3-4 hours...for what little it's worth.

[kander63]

I am a liberal Portlander, just so you know my bias.

If you are religiously and politically conservative, are not interested in bigger-city cultural opportunities, don't mind living in an area with limited economic opportunities and enjoy the outdoors, you might like Roseburg. Otherwise, I would not recommend it. I've only passed through it so can't give you any more specific advice.

[Norsk]

Pros: wine, great summer climate, great outdoor oppportunities, wonderful Presbyterian church
Cons: the county burns 10,000 of pastures every year so you'd better like smoke, temperature inversions trap the woodstove smoke and lumber mill emmissions in the winter (Roseburg lies in a valley bowl), it's a windy 90 minutes to the coast with log trucks on your butt, customer service stinks, and a lot of business owners/ contractors would rather lie than tell you the honest truth (seemed worse here than elsewhere), locals like to shoot weapons in their backyards. We moved out of there!

[Marko3]

Wow, I've lived in Roseburg for a number of years. I grew up in Roseburg, and graduated from highschool in Roseburg, and I've never ran into obese rednecks with missing teeth shooting at things in their backyards. Either I'm missing something, or blind I suppose. I was in Reno last year for spring break, lots of fun, didn't care for the drive though.

Well, what can I say about Roseburg? It has changed in the last 20 years, and continues to change. It's a small town, roughly 25,000 people, but if you include surrounding areas, it's probably closer to about 45,000. Roseburg is one hour by car south of Eugene on I-5, 3 hours by car from Portland. About 1 hour from the coast, and 1 hour to the mountains. Roseburg is situated in the Umpqua valley, surrounded by hills, there are several wine vinyards around Roseburg. I can't remember ever being effected by burning pastures, as most of them are well out of town, and I don't remember ever seeing a plume of black smoke. The potential for forest fires exists I suppose, but typically those more on the eastern side of the cascades where more thunderstorms develop.

Roseburg has one community hospital (level 1) and a Veteran's Hospital surrounded by golf courses. One highschool, and two Jr. Highschools. There are several elementary schools throughout the city. The shopping in Roseburg isn't the greatest, but it has improved slighly over the years. There is the typical Wal-Mart, Macy's, Home Depot, etc. Eugene has always been where alot of Roseburg citizens go for shopping, due to much larger variety, especially when shopping for cars. There are many new subdivisions and houses going up in Roseburg right now. Roseburg is slowly turning into a retirement community with higher priced houses, and numerous retirement homes. The biggest complaint I've heard is that Roseburg lacks a variety when it comes to dining out. I agree with Kander that Roseburg lacks cultural diversity, the population here is probably close to 95% white. Roseburg is known as being the timber capital of the world, forestry and lumber are big here. Other appeals are climate (summer) outdoor activities, and relatively low crime rate. Emergency services are extremely prompt and professional (Fire, EMS). Unemployment is also slightly higher in Roseburg than the state average.

After several years of living in Roseburg, I'd have to say the following are my main pro's and con's with the community.

Pro: Location, between the coast and the mountains. Very scenic and beautiful. Lots of outdoor activities. "Safe feeling" city.

Con: Lack of shopping, dining establishments. Other than outdoor activities in the summer, not alot to do. Economy dependant on timber "safety net". Lack of cultural diversity.

I hope this helps you out Hoody. I'm happy to answer any other questions that come to mind.

[snb3]

Originally Posted by kander63

I am a liberal Portlander, just so you know my bias.

If you are religiously and politically conservative, are not interested in bigger-city cultural opportunities, don't mind living in an area with limited economic opportunities and enjoy the outdoors, you might like Roseburg. Otherwise, I would not recommend it. I've only passed through it so can't give you any more specific advice.

Hey kander,

That is very similar on how I saw it when I was there 2 months ago. For better or worse, there isn't much in terms of cultural activities or job opportunities. I am somewhat moderate and wholeheartedly recommend Roseburg only if you consider what Roseburg can and cannot offer. Then again, I live in Hollywood, CA.

Edit: did not see any toothless persons when I was there, just a city full of very friendly people

[freedom]

Roseburg is a nice small town, it is a great place to raise kids, especially if you get on some acreage just out of town.

Very friendly people, and beautiful surroundings. It is on the I-5 so you get tourists, and growth. It is growing at a reasonable rate compared to other southern cities that have grown much more.

freedom