Best Family Towns??? (Portland, Eugene, Salem: relocate, housing, crime)

[SunnyRoses]

Hi All,
My husband, new baby boy and I are planning to relocate to Oregon. What are the best family towns (pop at least 60,000)? Would love to hear your opinions!!! What about Eugene? Bend?
Thank you!

[Nea1]

Originally Posted by SunnyRoses

Hi All,
My husband, new baby boy and I are planning to relocate to Oregon. What are the best family towns (pop at least 60,000)? Would love to hear your opinions!!! What about Eugene? Bend?
Thank you!

Eugene has a crime issue, bend is great but can be expensive, try Redmond.

[Waterlily]

Oregon doesn't have a large population like some states do. There are only a few towns with a 60,000 or more population. Medford, Eugene, Salem, Bend, Portland and a couple of Portland suburbs.
I don't know as I'd pick any of them as a good family place. Perhaps a smaller city outside of one of these might be best. Cottage Grove is outside of Eugene. Bend has a few places outside of it and Salem does as well. Also if you pick a place out of the big city it'll cost less to buy a house if that is a concern.

[TeaLeaf]

We like Oregon so much, we've moved here twice! Collectively we've lived in/near the NW Portland area for 10 years. During our 1st relocate, we hardly met native Oregonians, so we jokingly say we re-relocated in order to breed some of our own (Oregonians, that is)
Cedar Hills/Beaverton is a great place to raise a family -- other young families, tons of parks & rec options, a fabulous farmers' market, plus a library system that is simply amazing. Being a mom of small ones myself (ages 9-2yo), I believe this area to be tops for meeting & staying in touch with kindred hearts.
We're minutes (<20) from the children's' museum, zoo & downtown Portland (east), as well as minutes (<20) from wide open farm land --seasonal berry picking, apples,etc- & vineyards (west). Care to drive a little further (say 45min - 1.5 hrs) & bam! you've got snow-capped Mt. Hood or the breathtaking Pacific coast's highway 101.
Best in your search-
T.
...as a side-bar, OR is an extremely homeschool-friendly state; again, with tons of support...

[Dragondog]

I like Corvallis- nice liberal atmosphere, OSU is in town, charming downtown, not far from the coastal ranges and ocean.

Eugene is a pretty city, very bohemian, some 'seedy areas' but most pleasant.
I also enjoyed Grants Pass and Ashland (both $$$$ for housing)

Newberg and McMinnville near Portland are also great towns. Hillsboro and Forest Grove NW of Portland are nice as well

[oregon bound]

Is Corvallis a pretty town? Earlier in the year, I scouted out Eugene as a possible place to live. It has alot of nice amenities, shopping etc, and its close to nature, but the city itself reminded me of the San Fernando Valley (near L.A.) Its flat and spread out and lots of traffic and mini-malls. Not what I had expected at all. Is Corvallis more picturesque or quaint? Thank you!

[Dragondog]

Corvallis is in a very pretty setting along the Willamette River, north Of Eugene.
Popupation around 50,000. Oregon State University is in town, giving the town a great flavor as well. The downtown was laid out well, with some historical buildings, nice shops, coffee houses and sidewalk cafes.

Newberg and MCMinnville also have pleasant downtowns with historical buildings.

[AeroAngel]

Whatever you do DON'T move to Irrigon!! What an awfull place! The main population is uneducated poor white trash, most of them drug addicts. So far the people I've met are conniving, low life theives. I've been here a year and I hate it with a passion!! As soon as my husband and I can sell our house in another year we'll be out of here so fast we'll be a blur and we'll NEVER come back!!!!!

[Deserter]

Just curious as to why you've got such a negative opinion. The places I've seen are mostly lovely.

[Lootmeister]

Corvallis and Euguen are "quaint" but it rains way too much down there and clouds/rain undoubtedly play a role in people's lives more than you may think.

Sunshine equals good moods

rain equals grouches!

And the person that noted irrigon aint kidding. Huge crank/meth problem there.