Considering moving to Corvallis or Bend (Portland, Eugene: low income, apartments, rentals)

[hardestyjessica]

So, I am an eighteen year old girl currently living in Southern California with my twenty one year old boyfriend. We aren't party animals and although we would enjoy getting out now and again, but for the most part we enjoy a quite life alone together, and doing things like exploring the wilderness etc. Anyway, recently we have become interested in moving north, and I've been looking into different places. My top two picks at this point are Bend and Corvallis. I've been a little bit off put by bend because of the economy, and I've read that jobs are not abundant, nor secure. I don't know very much about either place, and any input would really help.

A few questions I have:

How hard is it to find and keep a job?
Is it easy to meet people?
What kinds of things are there to do for people our age?

Like I said, any information will help. Thanks!

[Copsgirl73]

Bend. Absolutely Bend over Corvallis. I dont know (and correct me if I am wrong here) if one economy is worse than the other but I would still choose Bend. More restaurants, more shopping, better weather (in my opinion its drier and sunnier there), and a lot to do (bike, hike, ski, etc. etc). I dont know about jobs in either city.

[hamellr]

At your age I'd go Corvallis. It has a large 4 year school, so more people your age, more places geared towards low income students. Crovallis' economy is more stable due to it's reliance on the school, but finding a place to rent is much harder towards the end of summer as College students are starting to look for the school year.

Bend tends towards ski tourists and retirees from California. It's more isolated and got hit by the economy much harder.

Keep in mind the climates are totally different too. Bend will be closer to what you're used to, but with longer winters. Corvallis is going to be milder winters and summers, but more rain and clouds.

Jobs of any sort are going to be a pain to find in either city, Bend with it's larger population maybe slightly better that way.

But if you're looking at Corvallis, you should look at Eugene or Portland too. Both are larger cities and will have more jobs, both cities will be rebounding from the Economy faster then Bend will. Eugene is a college town so you have some of those businesses and such geared towards your age.

[Nell Plotts]

I hear that apartments are tough to find in Corvallis. With so many students 2 to a bedroom they may be expensive as well.

[delta07]

Bend's economy has been hit hard, and jobs can be difficult to come by, especially if you need a full-time, benefited position. If you are willing to work the service industry though, and can afford to live off minimum wage (currently $8.80/hr), possibly part-time, without benefits, you might fare a little better. Summer tourism brings service job openings, as does winter tourism. I would definitely bring a hefty savings with you though, as finding work quickly can be very difficult.

In terms of things to do for people your age, Bend is great. While we don't have a 4 year university yet, there are plans to bring one here. We do have COCC and OSU-Cascades campus, which actually attract many students. In fact, I think our community college brings in more out of area students than most community colleges across the country. It's the location. If you like the outdoors, Bend is amazing for that. The only thing we don't have super close is the ocean or a big city, but we are still within a few hours drive of both.

I've found Bend to be one of the easiest places to meet people in all of the places I've lived. My husband and I are in our mid-30s and have made more friends here in Bend than any other place, besides college. Yes, there are a lot of retirees, but there are also plenty of young people. I wouldn't worry about that.

Truly, the job issue is going to be the hardest, but it's not as bad as it was a year ago. Rentals are probably easier to find than Corvallis too, because you aren't competing with so many students. If at all possible, I'd try to secure a job for at least one of you before you move, regardless of which destination you choose. If that's not possible though, and you are dead set on moving, then bring at least 6 months worth of savings with you. Good luck with your decision. Also, do a search function on the Bend sub-forum as there are answers to many of your questions there.

[tacompton253]

I really don't know much about Corvallis, except that the OSU campus is there, been voted one of the better places to live and launch a business and has a lot more grey/damp weather than Bend. I would think it would be easier to grab a job, especially with a close proximity to Salem and you are not too far from the Portland metro area. With that said, i would pick Bend over Corvallis any day. Bend has more "year-round" outdoor activities that are all within 20 min of your doorstep (too many to list). The weather (IMO) is a lot better with colder, sunnier and sometimes snowy winters and the hot dry summer sun in the summers. 3 of the 4 seasons are great (Spring blows). Jobs are harder to come by, but if you are are flexible and dont think you are too good for a certain job, then you can easily get one. Like other have posed before me, the economy took a hit and if you are lucky enough to have a good job and money to buy, its the best time to do so. Bend relies a lot on tourism, so its only a matter of time when bend will explode again like it did in the late 90's to mid 2000's.

For a younger 20's couple, its a good spot. Many kids your age going to the local community college and OSU Extension. Bend is big enough now to have an amazing beer and food scene but still small enough to have the small town community feel and raise children. There is an Airport near by in Redmond that does services to Seattle, Portland, Boise, SLC, Denver, SF, etc and a trip to a metro like portland is only a short drive nw.

[Copsgirl73]

Originally Posted by Nell Plotts

I hear that apartments are tough to find in Corvallis. With so many students 2 to a bedroom they may be expensive as well.

This is exactly the issue in Eugene. Landlords jack up rents because its a college town.

[skinem]

One issue to settle as it can be a determining factor to many...Do you like rain?

If rain for long periods makes you want to cut your wrists, move to Bend.

Corvallis is okay, but it's small, expensive, and there aren't many decent jobs.

Rent is absurdly high (you can rent a comparable place in Portland for about the same, and maybe even less, money) and apartments can be difficult to find. Low wage service jobs shouldn't be too hard to find, and will be fairly stable. However, the pay will make it very difficult to get by in town. The town's permanent population is shrinking. HP has been shedding jobs like crazy for years and there's really nowhere else for those people to go, so they leave town, which gives the illusion that Corvallis has a good economy, when in reality it's dwindling and people flee as soon as they get laid off.

[jjpop]

Originally Posted by JasonF

Corvallis is okay, but it's small, expensive, and there aren't many decent jobs.

Rent is absurdly high (you can rent a comparable place in Portland for about the same, and maybe even less, money) and apartments can be difficult to find. Low wage service jobs shouldn't be too hard to find, and will be fairly stable. However, the pay will make it very difficult to get by in town. The town's permanent population is shrinking. HP has been shedding jobs like crazy for years and there's really nowhere else for those people to go, so they leave town, which gives the illusion that Corvallis has a good economy, when in reality it's dwindling and people flee as soon as they get laid off.

Couldn't agree more. OSU continues to have rising enrollment, which, in my mind, is the only reason that explains why the population of Corvallis hasn't actually decreased.

In addition to the service jobs, both HP and OSU hire a lot of temporary contract 1-year employees that keep their fingers crossed that their contracts will be renewed each year. Many of the OSU research contracts are basically 15-buck-an-hour jobs, but they want candidates with graduate degrees.

However, great place to live, outdoor opportunities, close to the coast, blah blah blah. There's dozens of threads on why Corvallis is a great place to live. Same with Bend. Toss a coin.