Roseburg Oregon, for retirement? (Portland, Grants Pass: real estate, rental, buyers)

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by GeorgiaTransplant

Eugene, possibly. The outskirts are farm-y and red, but the city itself is still as granola as it comes. I had to take a short trip to the valley recently and immediately remembered why I left.

Yeah, for some reason I edited my post last night to say "Portland metro" rather than just metro areas. I lived in Eugene and agree.

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by texasdiver

I would disagree. There are plenty of smaller communities around Oregon that are not right-wing. They may not be uber-liberal like Eugene or central SE Portland. But are not conservative either. Just off the top of my head:

Hood River
Silverton
McMinnville
Astoria
Newport (and most of the town on the north coast frankly)
Ashland
Corvallis
Monmouth
Newberg (despite the recent fiasco with their school board)
Oregon City
Canby
Wilsonville
Woodburn
Salem

I believe if you drilled down you would find that all of those communities voted for Biden over Trump.

What you won't find is any sort of liberal blue community in small farm towns like Dallas or Yamhill that are not much more than wide spots in the road.

If it were me and I was looking for a smaller middle-of-the-road all-American sort of town with a reasonably vibrant local community in which to settle in for retirement, I'd look at Silverton or McMinnville rather than Roseburg. But that's just me.

Those would be my choices over Roseburg as well. And I'm aware that many Oregon towns voted for Biden over Trump, but I was talking about places that are known for a strong liberal narrative rather than middle-of-the-roadish communities.

By the way, Dallas has a population of over 16,000, which in Oregon terms, qualifies it for a designation a step or two up from a wide spot in the road. It's certainly larger than some of the towns on your list. Yamhill only has 1,300 people, so I'm not getting the comparison. It's blood-red, though, and I say that as someone with six generations into Polk County.

I would strongly advise those making relocation decisions based on the results of national electoral maps, thinking that any community that went for Biden over Trump is going to have the same vibe as Ashland or other known liberal communities, to take a more in-depth look.

Florence "went for Biden," but you'd never know it. Those who voted for Trump are simply louder, more visible, and more active in the community than other groups. There were few Biden signs here during the months leading up to the election because people figured why the hell bother; they'd just get vandalized. People who live in Newport and Newberg tell me that the same dynamic exists in those places. Looks good on paper, but when you have a hometown crowd that's pretty visible in the community and pretty hostile to "others" not of their kind, it makes a difference in places that skew slightly blue.

On the flip side, the liberal communities, at least the one in Florences, seems mostly comprised of fringe types who pride themselves on Facebook "activism," wear tie-dyed T-shirts, are pretty out of touch with local issues, and still haven't scraped the Bernie stickers off the bumpers of their hybrid vehicles.

Not sure exactly what the OP is looking for, but the common threads seem to be weather like California and being able to connect with others of the liberal persuasion. She doesn't want a city, so the metros are out, and the only place that seems like it might be a good fit is Ashland, but the winter weather is too cold. So Idk. Depends on what she's ready to compromise on.

[texasdiver]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

Those would be my choices over Roseburg as well.

By the way, Dallas has a population of over 16,000, which in Oregon terms, qualifies it for a designation a step or two up from a wide spot in the road. It's certainly larger than some of the towns on your list. Yamhill only has 1,300 people, so I'm not getting the comparison. It's blood-red, though, and I say that as someone with six generations into Polk County.

I would strongly advise those making relocation decisions based on the results of national electoral maps, thinking that any community that went for Biden over Trump is going to have the same vibe as Ashland or other known liberal communities, to take a more in-depth look.

Florence "went for Biden," but you'd never know it. Those who voted for Trump are simply louder, more visible, and more active in the community than other groups. There were few Biden signs here during the months leading up to the election because people figured why the hell bother; they'd just get vandalized. People who live in Newport and Newberg tell me that the same dynamic exists in those places. Looks good on paper, but when you have a hometown crowd that's pretty visible in the community and pretty hostile to "others" not of their kind, it makes a difference in places that skew slightly blue.

On the flip side, the liberal communities, at least the one in Florences, seems mostly comprised of fringe types who pride themselves on Facebook "activism," wear tie-dyed T-shirts, and still haven't scraped the Bernie stickers off the bumpers of their hybrid vehicles.

Not sure exactly what the OP is looking for, but the common threads seem to be weather like California and being able to connect with others of the liberal persuasion. She doesn't want a city, so the metros are out, and the only place that seems like it might be a good fit is Ashland, but the winter weather is too cold. So Idk. Depends on what she's ready to compromise on.

I'm mixing Dallas up with smaller valley towns like Amity I guess. I'm not sure I have ever actually been through Dallas, at least not in many years. It isn't actually on the road to anyplace else. But yes, most of western Oregon is pretty middle of the road and somewhat diverse politically. Douglas County is sort of the exception to that rule as it is by far the most conservative part of western Oregon.

If it were me, I'd be looking for communities that are more vibrant economically and culturally as destinations for relocation. Those places are also probably more expensive, but they will have more energy and interesting things happening. Also places that aren't so isolated. My parents are retired and live in Canby which they like. It's still a small town but Portland and lots of other locations are nearby. The airport is close. And everything is convenient.

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by texasdiver

I'm mixing Dallas up with smaller valley towns like Amity I guess. I'm not sure I have ever actually been through Dallas, at least not in many years. It isn't actually on the road to anyplace else. But yes, most of western Oregon is pretty middle of the road and somewhat diverse politically. Douglas County is sort of the exception to that rule as it is by far the most conservative part of western Oregon.

If it were me, I'd be looking for communities that are more vibrant economically and culturally as destinations for relocation. Those places are also probably more expensive, but they will have more energy and interesting things happening. Also places that aren't so isolated. My parents are retired and live in Canby which they like. It's still a small town but Portland and lots of other locations are nearby. The airport is close. And everything is convenient.

Dallas is the county seat of Polk County. You won't really pass through it on the way to anywhere; it's on the left a few miles in off Highway 20 between Salem and Lincoln City. It's a nice-ish town with fabulous old brick buildings in the city center and a real town square. It's worth a stop for Oregon history enthusiasts, but I can't see it as an option for a liberal retiree.

[E-Twist]

This has been fun reading. My favorite uncle lives in Canby. I didn't know Dallas was conservative. I go there several times a year. Politics have never come up, tho. I have friends in Monmouth and Independence and Salem. Also I know people in Coquille, lincoln city, philomath, Mill city, Lyons, Turner, Stayton, Silverton, Aumsville, Scio, and Beaver Creek. Until this thread I never realized how many friends and acquaintances I have living in small towns. I live on a farm. It's nice not having neighbors I can see. I can't imagine why politics would keep someone from living in an area they like. In my experience most people have plenty to discuss and politics do not have to be brought into everything.

Why can't a person own guns and be concerned about global warming?


I think the OP should be thinking more about what amenities are available for an aging person that's already having driving issues than whether or not everyone is going to share her political views.

[OldOzarkLady]

Originally Posted by E-Twist

I haven't checked recently, but Oregon used to lead the nation in being unchurched. I have one friend that goes to church.

I would suggest you take a driving trip around the Willamette valley and maybe even the coast towns before just picking a place to relocate.

I suppose you have heard that Oregonians aren't welcoming to people relocating from other states?

I know people in Oregon are not happy about Californians moving there. I would not assume many would ask me where I'm from unless i brought it up. My accent is a bit more southern than most in Oregon, surly not like someone from CA.

Originally Posted by pnwguy2

Oregon residents are not not unwelcoming from other States. They are not welcoming to Californians trying create a new State of California. This is a big difference.

I agree and see why. I think there was a saying about that as far back as the early seventies?

[OldOzarkLady]

Originally Posted by NW4me

Ozark Lady,


I don't live in Oregon yet, but I've learned a bit about it from visits and online.
Roseburg is in a historical lumbering area... and dominance by extractive industries
often seems to go together with conservative politics.

The Willamette Valley is more agricultural... that doesn't make it deep-blue,
but it's less conservative than southern or eastern Oregon.

Maybe consider something like this:
move to a small city in the orbit of Salem, like Dallas, Monmouth/Independence or Silverton.
While you're there, decide if it would be possible to live there w/o driving.
If not, then plan on living in Salem itself when the time arrives that you stop driving.

I can look into it and other towns mentioned, but one thing I have to contend with is there being an independent living environment there. I looked in Grants Pass and Roseburg, now favoring GP.

I think the living environment is going to be the greatest factor as to how well I'll get along, moreso than the town. As to the social environment, it is more the religion factor than who voted democratic. I can manage alright with someone with conservative political views than I can with someone who insists on I be affiliated with a chruch and hear about how god is doing this and that in their lives all the time. This is how it is here, and if you're an outsider on that to any degree it can be a problem. Keep in mind people who live in senior spaces are going to be old school, if nothing else.

I do think even political conservatives are less stuck on god talk as a must, then in the South?
I'll try to search Eugene and Salem just to be sure of my options.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

If OP needs good public transportation, it doesn't exist in Oregon. Portland has OK public transportation, as long as you live near the route and you are going where it is going, but it won't get you anywhere and everywhere.


Eugene has slightly less good public transportation, but they do have some. Any other town might have a few buses that hardly anyone uses because they don't seem to go to anywhere where people need to go or start anywhere that anyone needs to catch a bus, or have useful hours. If you go to Bend, you will see a few empty buses driving around or simply parked at the side of the road, empty.

[NW4me]

Salem has a transit system:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherriots

I don't know if it's highly-regarded or not.

[OldOzarkLady]

Originally Posted by oregonwoodsmoke

If OP needs good public transportation, it doesn't exist in Oregon. Portland has OK public transportation, as long as you live near the route and you are going where it is going, but it won't get you anywhere and everywhere.

...............

No need for public transportation. the senior living I'm considering has transportation as part of the service fee for all that need it.