Please help me choose the best small/medium sized Oregon town! (Dallas: school, restaurants)

[PNW-type-gal]

Originally Posted by bler144

There are a number of smaller airports around the state, but most of them only do short-hops, and the challenge of connecting flights with cross-country routes (times, routes) is a PITA. Medford (Ashland), AFAIK you can only go to SFO, PDX, SEA, or EUG and try to connect to wherever you're actually going from there.

Medford has multiple daily flights to PDX and SFO. It also has direct flights (but it may only be once or twice a day) to SEA, SLC, DEN. There are weekly to a couple of times a week flights to LAX, LAS and PHX.

But, as you say, a flight further east than Denver would have to be a connection.

[jjpop]

Originally Posted by paulajean71

We are interested in Ashland as a possibility, and Bend. The only thing holding me back about Bend is the long winters. I was also thinking about McMinnville, Sisters, or West Linn (but that has a very high cost of living from what I understand), but I know there must be towns out there we don't know about yet. We are planning a trip to check places out but we obviously want to narrow them down before we head out there. (We live in North Carolina.) So any suggestions you have, we will look at them!

Give up your #8 and I would think many Valley cities would be a good fit for you. I really like McMinnville. If you don't like the winters in Bend, Sisters is even worse. And West Linn is quite expensive, but you might find something in neighboring Tualatin or Wilsonville.

Also, don't discount parts of Salem/Keizer and Eugene. I agree with Silverfall about Corvallis, but you might find it a bit expensive.

[Metlakatla]

What about Silverton?

[Nightdiver13]

Originally Posted by paulajean71

We live in New Bern, near the small, but quaint, downtown area. I wouldn't say it has an outdoorsy culture though. There are some people who are outdoorsy, but it isn't like when we lived out in San Diego. I like Asheville, NC, but NC overall is a bit too conservative for us. BTW, we don't really have to worry about finding employment; we have jobs where we travel (so an airport fairly close would be nice). Thanks!

I think Eugene or Ashland would fit your criteria well. Generally, I equate Eugene to Chapel Hill, but mostly because of the Universities. I find that the feel of Ashland matches up with the feel of Asheville, but it's considerably smaller. Eugene is much closer to the size of Asheville. Any of the major Oregon cities will feel liberal compared to NC.

Since you're moving from New Bern, I'm guessing that access to an international airport isn't a huge deal and regional ones would be okay? If not, that might be the deciding factor.

[PNW-type-gal]

Originally Posted by paulajean71

(1) A quaint, walkable downtown area with shops, restaurants and things going on
(2) Great schools (middle and high)
(3) Bike paths (if possible)
(4) Outdoors activities, hiking, lake, kayak, etc.
(5) Not too high of an average household income, but pretty well-educated
(6) Nearby wineries
(7) Diverse restaurants (Thai, Vietnamese, etc.)
(8) More sunny days than average in Oregon (if possible)

Ashland hits #1, 3, 4, 6, 7 and #8. As far as #2, schools, as someone upthread mentioned, Oregon's better schools are more "good" than great.

As far as #5, Ashland is more expensive than much of Oregon, but not Portland, and the presence of a small university (Southern Oregon University) and a large % of well-educated, relatively wealthy, retirees bumps up the average education level.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by PNW-type-gal

Ashland hits #1, 3, 4, 6, 7 and #8. As far as #2, schools, as someone upthread mentioned, Oregon's better schools are more "good" than great.

As far as #5, Ashland is more expensive than much of Oregon, but not Portland, and the presence of a small university (Southern Oregon University) and a large % of well-educated, relatively wealthy, retirees bumps up the average education level.

This gets my vote too. If you can afford it, this sounds like a good match for you.

[kapetrich]

Ashland and Bend are your only real options when you add in your weather concerns. Like others have said, Bend doesn't have many wineries and it is colder than Ashland. Ashland really is the better option, but it's extremely expensive (not just housing), really pretty small and I believe Bend beats out Ashland in most of the other categories (But I might be bias ). Oh...and Bend does NOT have the 'high end' culture that Ashland has. Not in ANYWAY way shape or form. I do believe it beats Ashland out culturally in most other ways though....

Originally Posted by Nightdiver13

I think Eugene or Ashland would fit your criteria well. Generally, I equate Eugene to Chapel Hill, but mostly because of the Universities. I find that the feel of Ashland matches up with the feel of Asheville, but it's considerably smaller. Eugene is much closer to the size of Asheville. Any of the major Oregon cities will feel liberal compared to NC.

If the OP can get over the weather criteria Eugenes a good option and so is Corvallis, but those are both extremely college-town-y so know what you're getting into.

I do think the mountains surrounding Ashland feel VERY similar to the mountains around Asheville. Asheville was on my short list with Bend when I moved west and the first thing I said to myself when I went to Ashland the first time is how the topography reminded me of the NC mountains.

[jmgloss]

We are in Grants Pass and would be happy to give you info on So Oregon if you wish. Not sure I can recommend this town if you need WORK. Pretty scarce around here, but less rain than the Willamette Valley. Portland area is quite expensive as is the entire West Coast actually. We are from CA originally and this isn't much better really. We get a LOT of FOG here and no one mentioned that to us before we came here. Something to consider.

[paulajean71]

Thank you all for your help! It is difficult to know what would work best for us living clear across the country, but this will help us develop a "short list" of places to visit. I hadn't thought of Eugene as an option but I will check it out. And I am thinking Ashland may be right up our alley.

Any additional feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again!
Paula

[jmgloss]

Eugene gets a LOT of rain and the job market isn't good there either. We have made 3 cross country moves in the past 5 years so I know how HARD it is to get information and you just can't throw a dart at a map. Realtors are NO help at all, even offering to pay them to take pictures, and you can't trust their advice since they want to sell the house. A house that looks good on the net can be in a TERRIBLE neighborhood we have found. We live in MI for a year and loved it but found we missed our kids too much to leave the West Coast and now that we are back here, they moved to TN. Go figure, so we are on the hunt to move again as well. Hard to find an affordable place unless you know someone there to help you.