What is Medford like? (Grants Pass, Ashland: appointed, sales, real estate)

[ladybuggk]

Hi there all,

I'd like to get some information for the feel of Medford...

*what kind of opportunities are there for trout fishing in or near medford?
*would you consider medford a good, safe place to raise a family?
*how crunchy, progressive, environmentally conscious is the general feel of medford?
*how hot does it get in summer and how cold in winter? how often would we be having to be in the house because of too hot/too cold weather? (i've looked at the data on this but i'd like to hear firsthand from people who've experienced it). i'm coming from so. cal where it's warm and sunny most of the time if that helps you know my frame of reference!

[Fiddlehead]

Originally Posted by ladybuggk

Hi there all,

I'd like to get some information for the feel of Medford...

*what kind of opportunities are there for trout fishing in or near medford?
*would you consider medford a good, safe place to raise a family?
*how crunchy, progressive, environmentally conscious is the general feel of medford?
*how hot does it get in summer and how cold in winter? how often would we be having to be in the house because of too hot/too cold weather? (i've looked at the data on this but i'd like to hear firsthand from people who've experienced it). i'm coming from so. cal where it's warm and sunny most of the time if that helps you know my frame of reference!

Hi Ladybugg,

I live in Ashland (10 miles awayn) so I am only partially qualified to speak for Medford..Inside joke..hehe. However, I can answer several of your questions.

Trout fishing. Yes, it's great ,and not just for trout, salmon, bass, and perch too. This area has fabulous rivers,streams, and lakes.

Good place to raise a family. Yes, I think so. Great outdoor amenities, a nice safe, downtown. Big Boy Scout and Girl Scout camps nearby. Pumpkin patches and hayride in the fall. Good schools historically, but impacted by major budget cuts, so kids are getting furloughed every few days, a shame. I think the schools vary in Medford too. I'll let someone else field that.

Medford is not crunchy, though there are hippies about. The environment is on everyone's mind, but as many or more like to fish, hunt, and 4wheel as hike, trail run, and bird watch. But organic farms abound in the area.

Summers will be hot and winters cold and grey coming from SoCal. Temps can top out at 110 in summer, and drop into the teens in winter. The most disagreeable thing, in my mind, is the winter fog, which can grip the valley for days or weeks in midwinter. Not pleasant. However, one can drive up into the foothills or Mt. Ashland ski area for some sun.

All in all, a nice area, but with some positives and negatives. I should add that the economy is the biggest negative right now, except, of course for poison oak. Unemployment is about 15%, so I would not move here without lining up a job first. Good luck with your research.

[Steve97415]

Originally Posted by ladybuggk

Hi there all,

I'd like to get some information for the feel of Medford...

*what kind of opportunities are there for trout fishing in or near medford? In Medford? None. Within 50 miles? Very good.
*would you consider medford a good, safe place to raise a family? On a scale of 1-5 with 5 being the best, I'd say Medford is a "3"
*how crunchy, progressive, environmentally conscious is the general feel of medford? On a scale of 1-5 with 5 being the greenest, I'd say that Medford is about a "2". Ashland would be a "5"."
*how hot does it get in summer and how cold in winter? For someone wanting to entirely avoid very hot or very cold temperatures, Medford would not be a good place to go. Many people will sing the praises of Medford's "well-balanced, four-season Mediterranean climate," but it does have all four seasons, including winter. Expect afternoon highs that go over 100 in July and August, and January days that don't make it to 45F for a high. Still, there are lots and lots of hours of temps in the 70's and 80's through most of the year. The comfortable part of the day starts in midafternoon in April and then shifts to morning and evening in summer and back to morning and evening in early fall.
The main thing to remember is that the climatic profile isn't as mild as what you're accustomed to. Both the diurnal and annual range of variation is substantial. In the same day, a morning that starts out uncomfortably cool can end up to be quite hot by 5:00 or 6:00 p.m. A lot of people enjoy the variety and the colorful march of seasons. But if you're one of those who thinks a good climate is one where everyday is a sunny one where the temperature ranges from 63 in the morning to 78 at mid-afternoon, you might be in for a surprise. The climate in Medford is anything but flat.
how often would we be having to be in the house because of too hot/too cold weather? (i've looked at the data on this but i'd like to hear firsthand from people who've experienced it). i'm coming from so. cal where it's warm and sunny most of the time if that helps you know my frame of reference! If you're a dyed-in-the-wool weather sissy who won't come out of the house unless the temperature is between 72F and 76F and whose wardrobe only includes T-shirts and shorts, you'll lead a largely indoor lifestyle. With appropriate dress and mental outlook, you'll never find that the weather in the RRV keeps you holed-up in a building.

.

[backdrifter]

Originally Posted by ladybuggk

Hi there all,

I'd like to get some information for the feel of Medford...

*what kind of opportunities are there for trout fishing in or near medford?
*would you consider medford a good, safe place to raise a family?
*how crunchy, progressive, environmentally conscious is the general feel of medford?
*how hot does it get in summer and how cold in winter? how often would we be having to be in the house because of too hot/too cold weather? (i've looked at the data on this but i'd like to hear firsthand from people who've experienced it). i'm coming from so. cal where it's warm and sunny most of the time if that helps you know my frame of reference!

I'm guessing if you're asking about the progressiveness and environmental consciousness of Medford, and using words like "crunchy", then you'll probably be very disappointed with Meddy.

Just saying...

[ladybuggk]

backdrifter,
i'm the type of girl who likes to grow my own garden ( a gigantic one) and shop at farmer's market rather than grocery stores and costco. i buy most of our family's things from garage sales not just because they're cheaper, but because it's better for our world. i recycle and repurpose. i could go on and on but i think all you need is the general idea.

are you saying there aren't many people with this general lifestyle in medford?

and regarding the responses to my weather questions: am i to assume that medford is one of the overall more sunny areas of western oregon but has more extreme temperatures than the other parts (i.e. portland, eugene)? it has less rain than these mentioned places, yes?

[Fiddlehead]

Yes Ladybugg,

Medford is one of the sunniest places west of the Cascades, if not THE sunniest.

I think given your interests, you might want to consider Talent. Talent is a small town near Ashland that has received most of the young hippy people and families since Ashland launched into the real estate stratosphere a few years back. It used to be pretty dumpy, but the new folks have really done a lot to improve the downtown area, and the Wagner Creek Valley behind town is very beautiful and agrarian. Plenty of organic, vegetarian types there, and much more affordable than Ashland. Beautiful views too-it sits under some nice wooded mountains,which get snow in winter and look very beautiful. Generally, in Southern Oregon, outside of Ashland, which is very left-leaning and status-conscious, you do not want to wear your SoCal ecocredentials on your sleeve. There are plenty of people who share your ideals, but most will not want to hear it, if it comes over as moralistic, or "more eco than thou." It's an old story here. If I sound sensitive, it is because I remember the self-righteous zeal of the students at Humboldt State in Arcata,CA who were doing the super eco thing 20 years ago, then went into selling real estate. Just do it and don't talk too much about it, and you'll do fine.

[mdvaden]

Originally Posted by ladybuggk

Hi there all,

I'd like to get some information for the feel of Medford...

*what kind of opportunities are there for trout fishing in or near medford?
*would you consider medford a good, safe place to raise a family?
*how crunchy, progressive, environmentally conscious is the general feel of medford?
*how hot does it get in summer and how cold in winter? how often would we be having to be in the house because of too hot/too cold weather? (i've looked at the data on this but i'd like to hear firsthand from people who've experienced it). i'm coming from so. cal where it's warm and sunny most of the time if that helps you know my frame of reference!

Do you need to become employed there?

Do you like countryside?

Are you familiar with Applegate Valley, about 15 minutes from the west edge of Medford? It's just over the hill from Jacksonville, and has a better climate than Medford. Maybe even better than Grants Pass. It's a rural community area, along Hy. 238.

Here is a view from the mountaintop looking over Ruch.

[ladybuggk]

Thanks Fiddlehead. I'll check out Talent. Thanks for the advice, too. You won't get the "more eco than thou" attitude from me though I just like to be near people who I can have fun dumpster diving with.

How is the weather different in Talent than in Medford and Ashland?

Mdvaden, yes, employment is necessary. We are teachers. We are putting our feelers out at all the places that would suit us so that we can hope for employment in ONE of them and then go from there. No rush, when it happens it happens. So at this point in the game, we're just looking for multiple places that would suit us. Looking into the grass valley area of california right now as well. Also yreka. Would welcome any thoughts on those places as well if you know anything about them....

[ladybuggk]

mdvaden,
thanks for the picture. it looks absolutely beautiful. i do love the countryside but we have 3 kids and i'd like to find a community with neighbors, although we ARE looking for a decent sized lot (1/2 acre or so). thanks again!!

[backdrifter]

Originally Posted by ladybuggk

Thanks Fiddlehead. I'll check out Talent. Thanks for the advice, too. You won't get the "more eco than thou" attitude from me though I just like to be near people who I can have fun dumpster diving with.

How is the weather different in Talent than in Medford and Ashland?

Mdvaden, yes, employment is necessary. We are teachers. We are putting our feelers out at all the places that would suit us so that we can hope for employment in ONE of them and then go from there. No rush, when it happens it happens. So at this point in the game, we're just looking for multiple places that would suit us. Looking into the grass valley area of california right now as well. Also yreka. Would welcome any thoughts on those places as well if you know anything about them....

The weather in Talent is very similar to Medford, as far as I know. In Ashland they tend to get a bit more snow in the winter and it stays slightly cooler in the summer due to their slightly higher elevation. Fiddlehead could elaborate more on that for you I'm sure.

Medford definitely doesn't have a lot of people living living a planet-friendly lifestyle. There are some of course, but I'd also recommend Talent as a much better place for that. Medford is populated by the "really SoCal" kind of people. Mostly the kind of people that drive to their big box stores and then drive across the street to McDonald's to pick up dinner and then drive back to their McMansion.

The Applegate Valley is also a good place to be! I'd even recommend being just outside of Grants Pass on a little land. There definitely is an eco-conscious community in Southern Oregon, but we're small in numbers. It does rain a bit more in the Applegate Valley and Grants Pass than it does in the Rogue Valley proper.

Really, after a year or two you will adjust to the climate I would think. There are only a few weeks on either extreme where you wouldn't really want to go outside. Of course, it is a shock coming from Southern California. My parents, for instance, were fine with the cold and snow when they first moved here to Eastern Oregon, but when they moved to Western Oregon it took a year or two to adjust to the long, grey winters. So do keep that in mind. Not everyone can do it, but most people can.

But the area is an outdoors paradise! And so, so, so beautiful.