Considering Eugene or Boulder CO

[docwatson]

I've lived in Boulder and visited Eugene on several occasions. All in all, I'd say some differences are:

Eugene is surrounded by more rural land and culture. Its 2 hrs from Portland. Boulder has mountains to the west and Denver to the east. Boulder county maintains a rural feel based on public open space policy, not economics. That said, you may find mor affordable land in the Platte river valley, or Latimer County,?? but these areas are also growing/suburbanizing along with Denver. My guess is Oregon has more affordable options for land and a more vibrant farm economy.

Eugene is less economically prosperous, but also more affordable. Boulder has much more of a high tech economy, is close to the big city (it's a suburb of Denver) and is quite innovative, but that comes with a higher cost of living. That said there are still some housing options in nearby communities (Longmont, Erie). Eugene probably is more attractive for those looking for a more quiet, settled community, Boulder for those looking for an innovative community.

Of course the weather is different, although both clmates are mild in their way.

[texasdiver]

I grew up in Eugene and spent time in Boulder.

Boulder is about twice as rich and twice as expensive as Eugene. A lot of independently wealthy millionaire types have settled around Boulder driving up the prices and supporting more high-end restaurants and shops and such than one would find in Eugene. It is also basically a suburb of Denver and part of the greater Denver metro area so absorbs a lot of Denver money. There is a lot of money in Boulder, the bigger issue is affordable housing.

Eugene is a more sleepy and middle class college town with a sleepier economy. It isn't within commuting distance of anyplace and not really on any major transportation hubs so not a major tech or business hub and unlikely to ever be one. The growth of the U of O in recent years has driven up housing prices, at least around the campus, but it is nowhere near Boulder. And there are plenty of depressed and fading farm and logging towns around Eugene that are bleeding population so there is a lot more rural land available.

If you ignore the college town aspect, then Bend is really the more comparable city to Boulder. It's sort of become a mini-Boulder in recent years.

[JukieF]

I lived in Fort Collins for many years, and my sister lives in Boulder. You aren't going to find any acreage at all inside the city limits of Boulder, even if you could afford it. There are growth limits within the city; there simply isn't any land like that available anymore. And Boulder is a very expensive place to live. (Eugene is much, MUCH less expensive.) You can get acreage if you go well outside Boulder, but even in the bedroom communities, like Longmont, Louisville, etc., prices are high, too.

[dinkytea]

I've lived in Louisiana previously. With your job and goals in mind, Oregon might be better. Check out highway 58 (pleasant hill, westfir, oakridge, etc). There are some farms that are extremely secluded and national forest is nearby on hwy 58. I would go for super secluded land near Pleasant Hill and still be close to school (University of Oregon or community college) and work (national forest rangers and fire dept?). Consider school online. If you want culture, you can always visit Eugene downtown or take a day trip to Portland or the beach.

I don't know about the Boulder opportunities, though. Seems a tad congested to me. It just seems like you want peace and quiet and raise a family. Do you hunt and fish? You may have a lot of money right now, but consider the debt and sustainability long-term!