Ashland or Eugene? (Portland, Medford, Springfield: transplants, unemployment, neighborhoods)

[Aylalou]

I have a few questions and maybe you can help me decide.

I am planning to move to Oregon within the next few years. I need a comparison between Eugene and Ashland.

1. Which of the two is more humid? What would be the different in climate?

2. Which of the two is greater in beauty? From pictures I've seen I would think Ashland because it seems there are mountains surrounding the area.

3. Which is more expensive as far as housing? (including Springfield as an option. Is living in Springfield as decent as living in Eugene?

4. Is the surrounding area of both cities equally attractive?

5. Any advantages you can think of one over the other or personal preferences?

6. Are the people equally friendly? Which city has more transplants?

7. Which city is more diverse? (Eugene, because of the Univ. of Oregon)?

I am open to both. I don't like humidity. I don't need much, and I realize if I needed more in the way of shopping or medical care, Medford is available if I chose Ashland.

8. Would I need a car in Eugene and Ashland?

Thank you in advance for any information you can give me.

[BUBBA1994]

Ashland is more humid. It's kind of chilly in the winter, but temperatures get into the 80's in the summer. I lived in Medford for seven years and went to school in Ashland. Southern Oregon is a great place to live.

[backdrifter]

1. Which of the two is more humid? What would be the different in climate?
Neither area is humid, whatsoever. There is nothing in Oregon like the summer humidity back east. It does rain more and have more overcast days in Eugene than in Southern Oregon. Ashland is considered a true Mediterranean climate which means most of their rain comes in the late fall, winter, and early spring months--about 19 inches per year on average. It also gets HOT in the summer, but again with no humidity. Eugene also gets most of its rain in the winter, late fall, but it continues a little further into spring usually. It gets about 40 inches of rain per year, on average. Due to Ashland's elevation, they also get snow on occasion in the winter time, but not too much and it melts off pretty quickly most of the time. Again, nothing like back east.

2. Which of the two is greater in beauty? From pictures I've seen I would think Ashland because it seems there are mountains surrounding the area.
Ashland sits immediately in the Siskiyou Mountains which surround the area. It is also drier and more scrublike than you'll find in Eugene, due to the climate. The mountains around Eugene are farther away from the city, as Eugene sits at the south end of the large Willamette Valley. Both are beautiful, in my opinion. A trip out here would be a great way to see which one you prefer as it's hard to describe without pictures or without being there. I'd share some pictures, but I don't have any unfortunately.

3. Which is more expensive as far as housing? (including Springfield as an option. Is living in Springfield as decent as living in Eugene?Can't exactly say myself, as I'm not too familiar with Ashland's housing, except that it's expensive compared to other Southern Oregon cities. Some people do not like Springfield, and there definitely are areas that are not very nice. However, you can find really great neighborhoods in Springfield if you look for them.

4. Is the surrounding area of both cities equally attractive?
As far as cities? I'm not familiar with the towns around Eugene, but I've heard good things about Cottage Grove. Talent, right by Ashland, is a very nice little town and generally much more affordable than Ashland, and a little more blue collar. Phoenix is also an option a little further north of Talent, but it is more of a Medford suburb and not quite as nice.

5. Any advantages you can think of one over the other or personal preferences?
Personally? I love Southern Oregon for its beauty, but I'd take Eugene anyday for its laid back and more open attitudes, and it's no slouch in natural beauty either. And it has extensive public transit for a city of its size. Ashland is just a little too small for me and has a little too much attitude being a liberal, yuppified college town. Some might say the same thing about Eugene, but Eugene feels more "real" to me than Ashland. Ashland is kind of in its own little world. Also Eugene is closer to the coast and Portland for weekend getaways. A huge plus in my opinion.

6. Are the people equally friendly? Which city has more transplants?
People in Eugene have been friendlier in my experience. Sometimes when I'm there literally everyone I see or walk by on the street smiles and says hi to me or says a quick "How are you?" Not to say people in Ashland aren't friendly, because they usually are, but it is more of an exclusive town where people tend to have more of an attitude about living there. A very large chunk of the residents of Ashland are retirees from the Bay Area or Los Angeles and sometimes can have a "holier-than-thou" attitude towards natives and people in the surrounding areas. I hear people from Ashland who visit my town of Grants Pass and say "I'm so surprised... It's not as bad as I thought it was going to be..." There are many more transplants than natives in Ashland and more transplants in Ashland than in Eugene for sure.

7. Which city is more diverse? (Eugene, because of the Univ. of Oregon)?
Probably Eugene. Neither is very diverse as far as race, color, or political ideology, but race and color are definitely a non-issue in either despite the generally homogenous population. But Eugene is more diverse socioeconomically I'd say.

8. Would I need a car in Eugene and Ashland?
Depends. You don't need a car in either, depending on how close in you live, but a car can be nice, especially to explore the natural beauty surrounding the areas. If you live close to the center of Eugene, it is possible to take advantage of their public transit--buses and "bus rapid transit" known as EmX (Emerald Express). EmX is free and buses aren't terribly expensive. I have friends going to school there who live carless just fine. Ashland does not have good public transit, but if you live close in you can get by with walking most places because the city is so small. If you bike, either community would be great for that. If you need to get to Medford for a shopping trip from Ashland, or to go to a doctor's visit there, you'd be at the mercy of the RVTD buses which don't run frequently or to too many places.
RVTD.org
Lane Transit District

I also should note that, as you probably know, unemployment is really bad right now in both areas. But hopefully that'll turn around in the next few years before you get here. So that is definitely something to watch if that's an issue for you at all.
Best of luck!!