Retiring in Eugene? (Portland, Corvallis: sales, condos, townhomes)

[cherchar2]

My husband and I are considering retiring in Eugene after years of living in hot, dusty, conservative Kansas! We are particularly interested in low maintenance (i.e., yardwork) condos or townhomes as well as any activities or part-time jobs for the active retiree. Any advice would be appreciated.

P.S. I'm not overly concerned about the seemingly gloomy winter months in Eugene ... I survived years of extremely bleak winters in northern North Dakota as well as howling spring winds in Wyoming....

[knut88]

Well right now is not a good time there is no work and the town seems to be emploding. it is a great place but expensive to live and really there is not work. but if you do decide good luck to you it has a lot to offer if you are retired and do not have to work.

[FmrEugene]

I lived in Eugene from 2000-2004. Unemployment is high. The Hynix semiconductor factory recently closed. Pollen count is high. State taxes are high. Is represented in the House of Representatives by De Fazio, a socialist. Has a high tolerance for illegal drugs. Lane county has one of the largest needle-trade-in programs anywhere in the US. Is a magnet for hippie wanna-bes. As a result, there is alot of drug-related crime. Academically-speaking, the U of O is a second-to-third rate university - the best universities contribute R&D to the local community, but relatively speaking, the U of O is unable to do so - no engineering school (liberal arts do not meaningfully participate in real economies). The city government is run by anti-growth liberals who chase away real employment - they turned down Hewlett Packard years ago who subsequently went to Corvallis (can you imagine?!) The Peace Health outfit that runs the major hospital in Eugene (Riverbend) is corrupt and tolerates incompetant physicians. The local media never talks about any of this. One Peace Health flunky, a Dr Gary LeClair, sits on the Oregon Medical Board, and blocks or stymies investigations into his incompetant buddy docs in Eugene. The local airport is tiny with few flights, causing long layovers at connecting airports. Eugenians think of themselves as tolerant, progressive and free-thinking individuals. In reality most of them are astonishingly closed-minded and intolerant, unable to countenance other points of view. Eugene is a small, claustrophobic place, and unless you like to dress up in green and yellow on game day and act like a boor, wear hemp clothing, smoke pot, and turn your nose up at anyone who doesn't have read Kesey, Marx, and the Daily Kos, I give the place two big thumbs down.

Rather, why don't you consider SW Washington, across from Portland, no state taxes in WA, no sales taxes in Portland, less pollen, normal people who bathe regularly, not claustrophobic, decent airport across the river in Portland, get decent medical care in the Portland metropolitan area, much more to do, etc, etc.