Springfield vs Eugene? (Portland, Salem, Albany: low income, apartment, credit)

[treeclimber]

I am going to be relocating to Eugene in January. I have a job and will be working downtown around 7th and Pearl. I haven't decided on an area of town where I want to live, or even what town I want to live in. Is there any benefit to Springfield over Eugene, or vice versa? Also what kind of commute would I be looking at if I came into downtown from Springfield? I know it's a small town, but it's also a college town, so I don't know if that would impact the commute or not. I'd prefer a commute that is 20 minutes or less.

[Sizzle-Chest]

We love Springfield and commuting is much easier than it was while living in South Eugene. For example, our house in Springfield is the same distance from downtown Eugene as our old house in Eugene, but it only takes 5-10 minutes to get there now rather than the 15-20 it used to take while living in Eugene, largely because Springfield has well planned throughways, like Main Street, Pioneer Parkway, Hwy 126, and Centennial etc. whereas commuters in Eugene often must rely on narrow neighborhood surface streets to get across town. Another benefit is the cost of living is much cheaper in Springfield, from housing to food and utilities.

[Steve Pickering]

Springfield is much more conservative and has more low income housing. The commute is good these days. You will have about a four block walk.

[haggardhouseelf]

We sometimes wish we had settled in one of the nicer areas of Springfield rather than a nicer area of Eugene like we did when we moved here. We feel stuck here while our kids finish school. Eugenians like to give Springfield a really hard time ("Springtucky"), and we fell for that sort of invalidating talk when we first arrived, but honestly after living in the area for many years now and having friends in both Eugene and Springfield as well as working in both school districts as well as doing community service in both towns... honestly it seems like Springfield has its head situated more firmly on its shoulders than Eugene does.

Lately especially it seems Eugene is trying too hard to be Portland, or something more showy or trendy. We are disgusted, too, with how those in charge of decision-making in Eugene seem to discredit those who live here and seem out of touch with what hard-working tax-paying Eugenians really want for their town. Eugene's politics are bizarre, and we (our family, friends, neighbors) don't seem to understand why Eugene has been making the choices that it has been making the last few years (renaming stretches of road when there was a bridge that actually needed a name, enabling homeless campers who mess up city parks, supporting the Occupy mess, the EmX crap... ugly new hyped-up $$$ developments for trendy hipster types...). We were always told that 4J schools were great - but now we know otherwise. Springfield, on the other hand, seems to have its priorities more in order. Springfield public schools also have a lot to offer their students and families, a lot more than 4J has to offer.

Both towns have positives and negatives, no place is perfect, but I'd say - if you lean liberal and supported occupy, live in Eugene. Or, if you lean trendy/hipster/materialistic go with Eugene. If you're more "normal" or middle-ground or conservative, check out Springfield.

[Steve Pickering]

Excellent report on how it really is. And yes. Springfield has some great communities.

[treeclimber]

Sounds like Springfield would be an option for me commute wise, so thank you for the info. I'm sure I'll have more questions to ask you all down the road.

[nardoman]

Springfield has more of a simple working class all-American town feel to it, in many ways. Of course it has it's different neighborhoods with different income statistics, etc.

I lived in Springfield for a few years, and I have lived in Eugene for a few years. These two towns both have their own feeling. Eugene is a college town and a working class town. But it has a conflicted political atmosphere, and if you pay any attention to that aspect of Eugene, you start to see that Eugene is a city that argues with itself. It has a much more undecided future than Springfield. Springfield, on the other hand, seems to know what it wants, what it is (which is a "what you see is what you get" type of attitude), and where it's going.

I still live in Eugene and probably will continue to, because I like the culture and people here. But I would consider living in Springfield, as well. The, "Springtucky" slur that is common these days seems unfounded. Springfield is just a town, and actually more like the rest of the towns in Oregon that I've seen.

It seems that Eugene will continue to flounder around for some time still. This creates a somewhat unsettled feeling overall, though I suppose for many here that is exciting, challenging and invigorating. Eugene does seem to be the more creative town of the two. And of course, it is where the people let their freak flag fly!

But you can still have your groceries bagged in plastic at no charge in all Springfield grocery stores, unlike Eugene which banned plastic bags and charges a nickel for a paper bag. In this one analogy, a lot can be said about the inherit differences between Springfield and Eugene.

[Steve Pickering]

You can blame the bags on Eugene's plethora of Eco Terrorist.

[jjpop]

Originally Posted by nardoman

Eugene is a college town and a working class town. But it has a conflicted political atmosphere, and if you pay any attention to that aspect of Eugene, you start to see that Eugene is a city that argues with itself. It has a much more undecided future than Springfield. Springfield, on the other hand, seems to know what it wants, what it is (which is a "what you see is what you get" type of attitude), and where it's going....

It seems that Eugene will continue to flounder around for some time still. This creates a somewhat unsettled feeling overall, though I suppose for many here that is exciting, challenging and invigorating. Eugene does seem to be the more creative town of the two. And of course, it is where the people let their freak flag fly!

When I lived in Eugene for several years in the mid-90s, I had the same feeling about Eugene that you eloquently stated in your few paragraphs, nardoman. Eugene seemed to be very self-conscious and really trying to make a name for itself or separate itself from other somewhat non-descript mid-sized cities.

Eugene has a good university, a good community college, and is set in a beautiful part of the world. Maybe that should be enough? Aside from these things, the city is what it is--seemingly to the chagrin of many of its citizens who want it to be "special." Hence the annual Eugene Celebration, which basically is held every year to celebrate the city's Eugene-ness, I suppose. I don't really get that type of event--it's not billed as a music celebration or a summer celebration even though its actually both of these things. It's not billed as a "Founders Day" celebration. What exactly is the reason for the celebration? I guess to get people to downtown after Valley River Center had turned downtown into a ghost town?

Contrast Eugene with a number of Valley cities like Springfield, Albany, Salem, McMinnville. As you said, Springfield has much more of a "what you see is what you get" attitude. These other cities just seem to be content to be what they are, and really don't try to be something more. Eugene just doesn't seem very comfortable with itself.

[sillywhispers]

I had a friend who lived in an apartment overlooking the Springfield police department. He watched more people hitting their heads getting in and out of squad cars. Another Springfield friend defended such practices saying you want a police force that gets things done! He carried a concealed hand gun around with him. One night his wife accidentally shot off her own finger in a struggle over the gun. Besides heavy beer swillers, there are also more Bible thumpers, neo-nazis, and Faux News watchers. Yes, housing is cheaper, what with fewer desirable neighborhoods.

I'd rather live amongst smoking hippies, know it all college grads and utopian seeking political activists. BTW, Unless you live in upscale south Eugene, you shouldn't have any problem with driving time.