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[quote=lrmsd;12798963]Eugene felt like a METH CITY. seriously. I did not even read this whole thread,but the whole vibe of that place is now a small city,not a college town. And it's a small city with a meth vibe,at that. Degenerating city,like,I don't know what to compare it to-maybe a former industrial city who's economy has deteriorated and drugs have taken it's place.
Responding: Your comments on Eugene are absolutely correct. I just saw a whole bunch of places for the 1st time in Oregon, Northern CA, Southern CA, and Nevada, including Eugene, and agree w/ all your comments.
You are correct, Eugene cannot be expected to be a college town. It's a medium sized market - perhaps 250,000 - 300,000 (?) when counting Springfield and other communities. There's a diversity of blue and white collar employers, including a large blue collar base of wood products workers and agriculture, and tens of thousands of Lane Co. Government workers...
As for college towns, Boulder (you also mention) isn't one either, with 100,000 total, with lots of high-tech & IT workers. Ashland and Flagstaff are, however, genuine college towns w/ rich retired people that are similar to each other. Ashland and Boulder are much safer than Flagstaff and Eugene w/ lower city data crime stats.
I'm not sure why people are talking about the crime and drugs in Eugene, since any city of several hundred thousand will inevitably have these issues. Boulder is small enough that it's less of an issue.
Air quality in Eugene is not good due to pollen, mills, industrial activities, lack of wind due to hills south of town, high humidity, and relatively cool overnight temps resulting in higher morning humidifies. The winds are either south or north, and rarely from the west. If they were west or east, the place would get cleaned out. Seattle and Portland are different, with SW-NW winds. However, one CAN live well south of town and be in the country w/ better air quality.
You say that the biking is overrated, however, I think it's better in Eugene compared to Boulder since Boulder has horrible traffic. And, the Willamette Valley is flat, so one can bike for miles and miles. Flagstaff AZ and Durango, I think, have the best biking of all the college towns that I've been through, and definitely Ashland, too.
Then you say, "My assessment is that Eugene once was a college town with vibrancy,and there are precious few remnants of that time-but Eugenians still think they are living in a town in it's prime,which they are not. The meth problem and crime are real issues."
I think meth is an issue in any place with 250K + persons. I don't think the police can keep up w/ a place this big, and Eugene has very low density, anyway. I couldn't say if it's passed its prime or not, as I've never been there before.
You write:
"But if people are looking to move to a quaint college town with all the amenities that vibe offers,do not choose Eugene. It may have it's benefits,and be right for some,but not for the aforementioned reasons."
If I was making a decision, I'd choose Eugene over Boulder, because of traffic congestion and density - Eugene is more spread out w/ more park space within the City Limits.
I would also choose Eugene over Boulder because Eugene and the entire Willamette Valley are more Progressive on organic agriculture. And, I prefer towns with activism and debate / controversy and Eugene has this, just like Santa Cruz, San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle. I don't know how Eugene would compare to Corvallis in this respect.
You wrote: "Sorry;I did not feel safe in eugene. Boulder has crime and the college area can be iffy,but the city is CLEAN,and not grungy,and I did not feel unsafe there,as I did in Eugene."
Perhaps because Boulder is smaller ??? The University of Washington area in Seattle is "grungy" just as it is around UO, and they both have higher crime and drug rates compared to Boulder. The City Data crime index will climb once you get over 100,000 persons.
You write:
"Boulder does not have a meth problem and is far more affluent,for the same size city."
Boulder is more affluent, however, this means less political activism. That is, in part, because about 60% have a bachelors, 30% a masters, due to the Information Technology workers, etc. Crime would also be less because of this.
As for friendliness, Oregon and also Colorado are definitely very friendly, however, Reno and parts south are a mix.
Eugene is a great place for some, and not for others, and there are many considerations, as you've pointed out in numerous posts. You're correct - Eugene cannot be expected to be a "quaint college town." Corvallis, Boulder, Durango, Flagstaff, Bend, Ashland, are all other alternatives as is Seattle, Portland, Arcata, etc. and they are all unique. I think readers should visit any of these places, because they are all controversial.
1. NO, there SHOULD NOT be a connection between an Artsy Funky neighborhood and whether or not it has Crime and/or Meth. If that's the case in Eugene, then that's not a place I would want to live! Cave Creek, and Carefree, Arizona are artsy horse communities, where the average income is twice that of Eugene according to City-Data (80 grand). Sedona, likewise, and all places have LESS meth than other areas in Arizona. The Plaza area in Santa Fe city limits is artsy, very rich, and has LESS meth than the rest of Santa Fe, both the City and County.
2. The description of this woman DOES NOT meet the description of a meth head (i.e. tweaker). A tweaker would typically be male in all black clothing w/ white and red elements, messed up hair, a hooded sweatshirt, long shorts below the knees, perhaps riding a bike or w/ a baseball cap on backwards. Now that stereotypes a lot of people. Nevertheless, places like Flagstaff, Phoenix, Albuquerque, are full of meth and lots of people like this. Female tweakers are difficult to stereotype; look for the missing teeth from the meth. Heavy meth addicts may appear paranoid and also underweight.
Except for you and Haggardhousehelf, most participants have not had a favorable experience in Eugene.
Meth is a serious issue, meth heads are dangerous and carry guns, my car was almost stolen by a meth head, and I lived next to some in Phoenix and Washington State, and it was very scary.
So far, Eugene stands out on City-Data Forums as a place with serious property crimes and meth, along w/ Albuquerque, Tucson, Flagstaff, and Phoenix. What's going on w/ Eugene's City Management, City of Eugene and Lane County Economic Development, and City / County Police Force? Seriously, something is very wrong there, and requires political reform.
I have to agree with Mr. Eugenified about the meth issue. It is SO overblown on this forum. Eugene is a great place. Crime and meth use everywhere in Eugene? I don't think so! It definitely seems like the people dissatisfied with the town are the ones most vocal and having an axe to grind...
I have to agree with Mr. Eugenified about the meth issue. It is SO overblown on this forum. Eugene is a great place. Crime and meth use everywhere in Eugene? I don't think so! It definitely seems like the people dissatisfied with the town are the ones most vocal and having an axe to grind...
Well I don't know about that. I've observed a meth problem in Eugene just like in many other Western US cities. Ashland, Oregon doesn't have as much of a meth problem; neither does Seattle (in the city limits), or Boulder, CO.
Eugene, Santa Cruz, San Luis Obispo, Flagstaff, Albuquerque, Durango, Phoenix, Tucson, Reno, 29 Palms, Joshua Tree, Palm Springs, and Vegas are all places that I've visited w/ meth problems well above what you would expect. On the other hand, Boulder has a pot problem.
Can you imagine getting asked at 130am in the morning for meth in San Luis Obispo while getting gas? That is completely unacceptable; getting gas should be safe at any time of day. Unfortunately, just about every college town in the Western US has a significant meth problem. This means that potential residents of Eugene and everywhere else either have to accept and ignore the problem, or be constantly ultra-concerned about security, or don't move to such places.
The fact that people are coming on this Eugene forum to proclaim that the meth problem is overblown on the forums can't be a good sign!
Eugene needs help in reducing obstacles and taxes to new businesses and decrease unemployment. Strange that in Ashland, everyone gets along, and the place is clean and safeR, yet both Eugene and Ashland have a socialistic rather than libertarian framework when it comes to economic development.
If people want to move to the Northwest, want lower unemployment, no meth, and more of a Libertarian / Capitalistic economic system yet still socially liberal, then go to the Seattle city limits. Oregon is a socialist state w/ very high unemployment and very few exceptions.
Well I don't know about that. I've observed a meth problem in Eugene just like in many other Western US cities. Ashland, Oregon doesn't have as much of a meth problem; neither does Seattle (in the city limits), or Boulder, CO.
Eugene, Santa Cruz, San Luis Obispo, Flagstaff, Albuquerque, Durango, Phoenix, Tucson, Reno, 29 Palms, Joshua Tree, Palm Springs, and Vegas are all places that I've visited w/ meth problems well above what you would expect. On the other hand, Boulder has a pot problem.
Can you imagine getting asked at 130am in the morning for meth in San Luis Obispo while getting gas? That is completely unacceptable; getting gas should be safe at any time of day. Unfortunately, just about every college town in the Western US has a significant meth problem. This means that potential residents of Eugene and everywhere else either have to accept and ignore the problem, or be constantly ultra-concerned about security, or don't move to such places.
The fact that people are coming on this Eugene forum to proclaim that the meth problem is overblown on the forums can't be a good sign!
Eugene needs help in reducing obstacles and taxes to new businesses and decrease unemployment. Strange that in Ashland, everyone gets along, and the place is clean and safeR, yet both Eugene and Ashland have a socialistic rather than libertarian framework when it comes to economic development.
If people want to move to the Northwest, want lower unemployment, no meth, and more of a Libertarian / Capitalistic economic system yet still socially liberal, then go to the Seattle city limits. Oregon is a socialist state w/ very high unemployment and very few exceptions.
Take it from an OREGONIAN. You visit and you can't get even half the picture. We've heard your drivel before.
I'm not going to get into a discussion of Ashland versus Eugene here. I know a lot personally about meth and the roots of what causes it to be a problem, but I'm not going to get into a discussion of that here either. The basic fact is that meth is everywhere in the U.S. There is nowhere that it is not a problem, especially in the Western U.S. where the drug essentially originated.
At any rate, I didn't come to this forum to proclaim that meth wasn't an issue to be concerned about in Eugene. I came to this forum to give potential relocaters an accurate and realistic picture of life in a place they may wish to relocate to. In this case, it meant feeding a troll.
Take it from an OREGONIAN. You visit and you can't get even half the picture. We've heard your drivel before.
I'm not going to get into a discussion of Ashland versus Eugene here. I know a lot personally about meth and the roots of what causes it to be a problem, but I'm not going to get into a discussion of that here either. The basic fact is that meth is everywhere in the U.S. There is nowhere that it is not a problem, especially in the Western U.S. where the drug essentially originated.
At any rate, I didn't come to this forum to proclaim that meth wasn't an issue to be concerned about in Eugene. I came to this forum to give potential relocaters an accurate and realistic picture of life in a place they may wish to relocate to. In this case, it meant feeding a troll.
Seattle has no meth problem in its city limits.
Boulder has no meth problem in its city limits.
All areas of the Pacific NW do not have a meth problem.
Clean up Eugene, and perhaps some of us will consider moving there. Right now, you have too many government regulations, resulting in drugs, homelessness, and unemployment.
Ashland is a much cleaner city and one must ask why.
And you know what? I've lived in Oregon before, in a city that did not have a meth problem - at that time.
Did it really look that bad? Where in town did you go?
Mostly south of the Willamette - downtown and University area, and West Eugene. As I've said, all the western US college towns that I've traveled through have a nearly identical grunginess and meth problem *EXCEPT* for Boulder and Seattle's City Limits, and I don't know about Ashland (OR). This includes Eugene, Santa Cruz, Reno, Vegas, Phoenix, Tucson, Albuquerque, Durango, Flagstaff.
Boulder and Seattle have low unemployment due to business friendly policies, so that is obviously part of the answer. One has to either put up with the high unemployment, property crime, and meth in a place like Eugene, or, choose a place like Boulder or Seattle's City Limits.
Mostly south of the Willamette - downtown and University area, and West Eugene. As I've said, all the western US college towns that I've traveled through have a nearly identical grunginess and meth problem *EXCEPT* for Boulder and Seattle's City Limits, and I don't know about Ashland (OR). This includes Eugene, Santa Cruz, Reno, Vegas, Phoenix, Tucson, Albuquerque, Durango, Flagstaff.
Boulder and Seattle have low unemployment due to business friendly policies, so that is obviously part of the answer. One has to either put up with the high unemployment, property crime, and meth in a place like Eugene, or, choose a place like Boulder or Seattle's City Limits.
Ashland, believe it or not, has a meth problem. Seattle, believe it or not, has a meth problem. It doesn't have borders.
Eugene looks grungy, yes, because that's the character of the city. Look under the surface and you will not find day-to-day problems with meth.
Ashland, believe it or not, has a meth problem. Seattle, believe it or not, has a meth problem. It doesn't have borders.
Eugene looks grungy, yes, because that's the character of the city. Look under the surface and you will not find day-to-day problems with meth.
Yes you're right there is a meth "problem" everywhere. However, in some towns, it can approach a certain levels that indicates high unemployment and high property crime. Personally, I would not live in a neighborhood in Eugene or anywhere else with meth and crime above my own level of tolerance, which will be lower than most because I've been a victim of meth attempted auto theft, and have lived in at least one former meth lab.
If Ashland has a meth problem, it's not reflected in the City-Data Total Crime Index and the property crime indices, as these scores are low for Ashland compared to Eugene. But then again, as I've said before, one can't expect Eugene-Springfield to have a total index score below 200 on city-data, because the region is very large, low density, with a population of about 250,000 in the metro. Once you get south of downtown into the older homes of downtown Eugene, I think Mr. Eugenified suggested looking south of 20th???
What did you and your family decide? Did you move to eugene or the surrounding area?
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