Grants Pass vs. Bend (Redmond) (Portland, Salem: to rent, crime rate, how much)

[kyleroth123]

Hello, my fiancé and I are both from Washington and lived in the Kitsap county, for those familiar. Two years ago we moved to the California on the central coast (Paso Robles) in search of better weather. We are looking to move closer to family in Washington but don't want to give away the sunshine that we are so fond of down here. We like the idea of Grants Pass for weather and closer proximity to the coast. However I am not sure of the job market and crime rate (Medford). As for Bend I like that it seems to be a up and coming city with lots of culture. Both areas seem to have the mountains in your backyard for recreation. For work we are both currently bartenders, but I am looking for a more stable field possibly HVAC Tech or Electrician. We would like to buy a house in the near future and start a little family. So schools and being in a family friendly city are our concerns . As for hobbies we both enjoy hiking, fishing, kayaking, as well as seeing shows (art, theatre, music). Just curious of your opinions of the two areas for a young family to get started.
Thank you for your thoughts.

[PNW-type-gal]

Medford and Paso will be somewhat similar in weather.

Medford has a winter that is cloudier, wetter and cooler than Paso's. Bend's winter is longer, colder and cloudier than Medford's, with more snow.

Medford's summer is similar to Paso's, although Paso is slightly hotter. Bend's summer is much cooler than either.

You will be giving up sunshine - Paso has 260 days of sun/part sun, Medford has about 200, Bend has about 160.

[Thom52]

Job situation is really sparse in Bend, although as a bartender, you might have a chance.

[BLAZER PROPHET]

I think either place will be good for you. Good jobs, good culture, good weather.

[gray horse]

I would chose Grants Pass over Bend for the weather. I hear Bend's winters can be brutal.

[Thom52]

If "snow tires" are not in your vocabulary, Bend may not be the right choice. You certainly have to embrace a Real Winter to enjoy it there. Keep in mind that since it is High Desert, the nights will drop below freezing almost throughout the year.

I think Blazer is trying to be funny with the good jobs statement. Maybe checking to see if you are doing your homework. I can't speak for Grant's Pass currently, but you really need to have a job locked down before moving to Bend. No matter how much you have always been able to get a job, Bend can be a humbling experience for finding employment. Can you live on saving for 6 months to a year, while you try to find a creative approach to employment in Bend?

[kyleroth123]

I was concerned about work in both locations. Although I may be able to find work as a bartender I was hoping to find a more stable career/work opportunities. I did live north of Spokane for 10 years as a child and my fiance grew up in Minnesota, so winter doesn't really scare us but it would be a big adjustment to make again. Some places in the Willamette valley sound interesting like Corvallis/Albany. It would be nice to be able to commute to a larger city like Salem or Portland. I do fear that greater Portland area has the classic PNW all grey sky winters we had in the Puget Sound. But a more stable work environment might be worth it. Thank you all for the feed back. Please keep any opinions coming.

[redguard57]

Winter weather is not that big of a deal. I've lived in central Oregon since 2012. The worst winter so far had 3 big snows. By "big" I mean snows where you actually have to shovel your driveway/sidewalk. This past winter only had 1 big snow.

Snow tires are not absolutely necessary but they help. I recommend snow tires though for 2 reasons - 1) if you need to travel outside the area during winter you need them for the mountain passes or else you need chains and I hate chains. 2) City of Bend in particular does a **** poor job of dealing with snow and ice....they will plow once, usually too late. The rest of the time you're on your own. They plow once, the snow gets packed down, turns to ice until it gets warm enough to burn off which might take 7-10 days. I know people who survive with all-seasons only, but winter tires are nice to have in those scenarios. Again, they are 1-3X a year occurrences, they last for a week or two. The old-timers tell me of awful winters past but I have yet to experience one. With climate change I have to wonder if we'll have winters like those they remember again...

There are 80,000 people in Bend, 25,000 more in Redmond, and the area is rapidly growing - the fastest in the state in fact. Some of those people must have jobs, because somehow they afford 400K houses -- that is how much it will cost you to buy a decent 3/2 in Bend. There do exist properties under $250 but be prepared to make an offer the same day because it will be sold by the end of the week. Redmond is cheaper - about 75K cheaper generally speaking but rapidly rising; there's this weird lot-by-lot gentrification going on there.

If you plan to rent, a 3/2 is about 1150-1200 minimum, probably in Redmond if it's that low, Bend more like 1400.

As for jobs, Central Oregon is a very have/have not economy. It feels like the whole place is either people barely scraping by or California equity refugees who made a million off their SF Bay house, bought a $400K one here and have gone on a spending spree with the rest. Think Aspen.

Bartending is probably one of the easy to get jobs of those that exist here. Since the economy's improved and there's more tourism, I've actually heard restaurants are having trouble keeping good service people. Last I heard, Sunriver resort was having job fairs, they need people that badly. There are plenty of service jobs here. That's what we do. Not sure about electricians. I don't think we have a shortage of electricians. I have never had to wait too long for one to come out when needed. Then again I don't really know much about the job market for them.

The economy in southern Oregon is not much better. Actually, it's probably worse since they have not transitioned as quickly away from timber as the main economic activity. People down there still blame the spotted owl for their troubles.

I would actually avoid Oregon completely if jobs are what you care about. Everyone from Portland to Astoria to Pendleton complains about the job situation. In my opinion, Oregon has one the worst economies of all 50 states. It doesn't look that bad in it's topline numbers, but under the surface it is bad. Mississippi is worse. Detroit is worse. Puerto Rico is worse. That's about it.

If you want easy(ish) job availability and cheap housing, - the south is where you want to go. Oklahoma, Texas, Georgia, Florida, Arkansas, etc... lots of jobs and cheap tract houses down there.

[Terryj]

If you have your journeyman electrical license you shouldn't have a problem getting a job in the Rogue Valley, there is a huge shortage of skilled labor in the construction field here. There are a number of new business coming into the valley and new construction is almost every where you look.

[Thom52]

Originally Posted by Terryj

If you have your journeyman electrical license you shouldn't have a problem getting a job in the Rogue Valley, there is a huge shortage of skilled labor in the construction field here. There are a number of new business coming into the valley and new construction is almost every where you look.

Just a guess on my part, based on recently having a house built in Bend, but I am guessing skilled and licensed construction professionals should have an easy time finding a job with construction booming.

The catch could be if there is a housing bubble burst like the last bit of last decade. When construction stopped in Bend and suddenly the major source of employment dried up. I think anyone in construction knows there is always that danger, much like as a high tech engineer, my job is at the whim of tech booms and crashes. Caveat emptor.