What Are The Most Affordable Areas Of Oregon? (Portland, Eugene: best cities, renters)

[Yankeemama]

Originally Posted by pystachio

Thanks for the latest replies. There does seem to be a majority count here on Salem. Is that where I should go then? I need to know soon. Prineville seems a bit out of the way and I'd have to base myself in Bend. I also don't see a lot of listings for private rooms there on craigslist.

Let's not forget Springfield. Someone else said Springfield and Salem are "best bang for buck." Which one wins, though? With Springfield I'd have access to Eugene. Which is a better overall area to live in? I'd mostly be spending my time self-studying, but it would be nice to get out here and there.

Salem is an easy drive to Portland and is not that far from Corvallis. I would prefer to be in Salem because the drive to PDX isn't bad when you desire travel, not far from wine country, and I hear good things about Salem's downtown and neighborhoods.

[Bees46]

Originally Posted by pystachio

Thanks for the latest replies. There does seem to be a majority count here on Salem. Is that where I should go then? I need to know soon. Prineville seems a bit out of the way and I'd have to base myself in Bend. I also don't see a lot of listings for private rooms there on craigslist.

Let's not forget Springfield. Someone else said Springfield and Salem are "best bang for buck." Which one wins, though? With Springfield I'd have access to Eugene. Which is a better overall area to live in? I'd mostly be spending my time self-studying, but it would be nice to get out here and there.

I think both Salem and Springfield have some good places to live. I'd pick Springfield. It's close to Eugene and between those 2 cities there should be plenty to do when you want to get out.

[therese marie]

Between Salem and Springfield, who has more wooded areas to live in??

[jjpop]

Originally Posted by therese marie

Between Salem and Springfield, who has more wooded areas to live in??

Probably a toss up.

[Larry Caldwell]

Salem is the state capital. It is full of boring bureaucrats. There's not much for culture or entertainment, thought the did turn a century old theater into a performing arts center. At least it has a stage. Salem has nothing like the Hult Center in Eugene. Instead they built a convention center. Salem is conventional and boring. If you are looking for excitement, you won't find it in Salem.

[pystachio]

Originally Posted by Silverfall

It depends on what kind of culture you like. Eugene is more granola, bohemian-esque. Salem is more traditional city, slow pace although we are having a Cannabis festival this weekend here.

What do you like to do when you aren't working?

I like to go for walks, photograph people (when I'm involved in community theater like I once was). I love movies and wanted to get involved in classes in LA, but I'm leaving there and headed up to Oregon because I honestly can't find anywhere in CA where the rent is really low except in the desert area. The idea is to spend so little on rent, to work less on what I do now and gain newer skills in web development so that I can return to LA with a secondary income source. In LA, it does seem like you need two income sources to survive there. Not unless you want to hustle it and wait tables, and other odd jobs. That's not good for the long term, though.

So honestly, I'll take cheaper rent over things to do. Springfield does look like the best of both worlds. But then as others pointed out in Salem you get easy access to Portland. So it's a bit of a toss-up. Salem would be easier to find a place since the room listings on craigslist far outnumber Springfield giving me more options. I do see listings in the Portland section that are reasonable, too, but they are't in the center area. They are outside the city.

[pystachio]

Originally Posted by Bees46

I think both Salem and Springfield have some good places to live. I'd pick Springfield. It's close to Eugene and between those 2 cities there should be plenty to do when you want to get out.

Thanks. I do like the idea of Springfield, but it's tough finding the rooms on craigslist mixed in with the Eugene section. There's very little ads. Maybe if I just go there and ask around.

[redguard57]

The key difference is whether you want to be close to Portland or not, which would be Salem's advantage.

Springfield has the U of O next door in Eugene, which I think brings several advantages. There are always "things to do" when you've got a big university nearby. It's also got relatively easy access to the coast about an hour away.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by pystachio

Thanks. I do like the idea of Springfield, but it's tough finding the rooms on craigslist mixed in with the Eugene section. There's very little ads. Maybe if I just go there and ask around.

you need to "network' to find rooms for rent in homes, very risk to advertise on CL.

look to churches, senior centers, community clubs...and of course... ask around.

If you are willing to take care of lawn / plants / or do cleaning, you are likely to find a senior couple who will trade room for help.

Look into house-/ pet / plant / farm-sitting, I have a few friends doing that (especially ez to find during PNW winter. )

[PNW-type-gal]

From either Eugene or Salem you can take a commuter train to Portland - the station is on the north end of the Pearl District, with easy light rail/street car transit around the central part of the city of Portland.

Just be sure you are taking the commuter train (The Cascades train, which is Eugene to Vancouver BC) and NOT the Coast Starlight, because that train is on an LA/Seattle route and is frequently very late.