Distance/Drive Time Between Salem and Portland (houses, neighborhoods)

[bluevelo]

There is an opening in our office in Salem; I'm mulling over applying. Its a lateral, but with the supply of affordable (if there ever were any) houses in decent neighborhoods drying up down here, from what I see online it sure looks like they're a bunch of houses in Salem.

However, as a divorced 50something male, who is an intellectual, musician, likes to run, I worry that there will be a zero dating scene in Salem. I'm not really enamored with a long driving commute; I don't see where it would make sense to live in the exurbs of Portland and commute to Salem everyday, but I don't want to commit living somewhere that is going to be totally socially and culturally dead. I've been told Portland "isn't that far" from Salem and "How Far Is It" has the distance between the two cities as 46 miles, which is driveable for a social life...

[Leisesturm]

I'm not understanding... you live somewhere now don't you? Ok maybe you don't own... but... do you really want to after all that's happened to homeowners in the last couple years?? I wound up single in Salem and I can't say it was a dating hotspot... I did, however find women to date. There aren't many places where there aren't any women (or men) to date and the places where there are gobs of them have gobs of them for a reason. I don't think commuting from the ex-urbs of Portland to Salem is doable. As a 60 something your dating prospects are about equal in either city... well that's not quite true but true enough. Take the job in Salem, live in Salem and call it good OR stay put, and call it good. Unless your office has a branch in Portland... ...

H

[Steve Pickering]

If you have a job you will find no shortage of females (and even a few males) of all ages who are interested in you. The old Hunk who looks good but never works, is getting out of fashion.

[pdxMIKEpdx]

And I am wearing a blue shirt today.

So what exactly is the question?

(Or is it just a rambling thought?)

[bluevelo]

Originally Posted by Steve Pickering

If you have a job you will find no shortage of females (and even a few males) of all ages who are interested in you. The old Hunk who looks good but never works, is getting out of fashion.

Oh, I'd have a job alright. I'm just thinking that the music scene and dating scene isn't going to be much because Salem is small and has a reputation of being very conservative.

[Nell Plotts]

I haven't observed Salem resident's political leanings but my gut is that it is middle of the road. Lots of State employees, I doubt that as a group they lean conservative.

[bluevelo]

Originally Posted by Nell Plotts

I haven't observed Salem resident's political leanings but my gut is that it is middle of the road. Lots of State employees, I doubt that as a group they lean conservative.

As long as Bible thumpers aren't pounding on my door I really don't care if they're conservative or not.

As a jazz musician, though, I'm thinking they're not going to be many gigs or jam sessions available in Salem LOL... so I'm somewhat curious as to what would be available in Portland and that's one reason for the drive time inquiry; the other as noted, is dating - I highly doubt a place as small as Salem is going to have a decent supply of single women over 40 to date that like music, are physically active (I run half marathons) and that have college degrees.

[hamellr]

Seems like there are quite a few professional Jazz performers in Salem: Events > jazz > Salem, OR > Statesman Journal

[bluevelo]

Originally Posted by hamellr

Seems like there are quite a few professional Jazz performers in Salem: Events > jazz > Salem, OR > Statesman Journal

Thanks for the link!

[Jumauslo]

As a relative newcomer to Salem, I think it is underrated by a lot of Oregonian's. It's certainly not as conservative as where we came from in northern Cali, the climate is great for getting out, and I think its big enough to find a lot of people with a wide variety of interests. I would at least give it a visit and do some research into the local scene before I would would commit to driving down from Portland every day.