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Thought this was an interesting comparison as both a PNW small cities with large universities. Has anyone spent a lot of time in both cities? How do they compare for a person who does not need to rely on the local job market? Beauty, outdoor activities, cost of housing, crime, culture, airports, weather, overall vibe, etc...
We haven't spent a ton of time in Eugene, but when we pondered a move from CO a few years ago, both were on our short list (along with Bend, Olympia, and to a much lesser degree- Portland Metro and Seattle Metro) and we made several trips to check all the cities out.
For us, it was an easy choice and we picked Bellingham, especially since I work from home and the lack of income tax was appealing. We liked it better the first time around and a second trip confirmed it.
Eugene's airport is bigger, though there are some interesting options from Bham (Hawaii, more discount destinations) and Vancouver is actually an option that people around here sometimes use. Both cities are about the same distance from the nearest domestic "big" airports in PDX and SEA.
Eugene may be viewed as more centrally located, but the Bellingham region feels more scenic, and we find Canada to be a nice option and we visit more than we thought we would. Outdoor rec, you can't go wrong with either cities, but due to location alone (mountains and sea) I'd give the edge to Bellingham.
Real estate- I couldn't really tell you. When we were looking at rentals, Eugene had more options and was slightly less expensive. But we really didn't start looking to buy until we settled in, so I can only give my perspective on Bellingham, where prices are high and inventory is low- especially the closer you get to the center of town. We paid significantly more for a small house near downtown vs. what we would have for a house in the hills. There are deals out there, but it's a pretty tight market and people move quickly.
But overall, People that like one will probably like the other. Bellingham to some degree it kind of like a mini-Eugene, or actually more like a quiet mini-Portland. Anyway, we joke that it's a little smaller, prettier version of Eugene with a little less dominance by the university, and a little less grit.
We haven't spent a ton of time in Eugene, but when we pondered a move from CO a few years ago, both were on our short list (along with Bend, Olympia, and to a much lesser degree- Portland Metro and Seattle Metro) and we made several trips to check all the cities out.
For us, it was an easy choice and we picked Bellingham, especially since I work from home and the lack of income tax was appealing. We liked it better the first time around and a second trip confirmed it.
Eugene's airport is bigger, though there are some interesting options from Bham (Hawaii, more discount destinations) and Vancouver is actually an option that people around here sometimes use. Both cities are about the same distance from the nearest domestic "big" airports in PDX and SEA.
Eugene may be viewed as more centrally located, but the Bellingham region feels more scenic, and we find Canada to be a nice option and we visit more than we thought we would. Outdoor rec, you can't go wrong with either cities, but due to location alone (mountains and sea) I'd give the edge to Bellingham.
Real estate- I couldn't really tell you. When we were looking at rentals, Eugene had more options and was slightly less expensive. But we really didn't start looking to buy until we settled in, so I can only give my perspective on Bellingham, where prices are high and inventory is low- especially the closer you get to the center of town. We paid significantly more for a small house near downtown vs. what we would have for a house in the hills. There are deals out there, but it's a pretty tight market and people move quickly.
But overall, People that like one will probably like the other. Bellingham to some degree it kind of like a mini-Eugene, or actually more like a quiet mini-Portland. Anyway, we joke that it's a little smaller, prettier version of Eugene with a little less dominance by the university, and a little less grit.
Thanks that is good info. So obviously Bham came on top for you over Olympia and Bend since you now live there. What did you think of Olympia? I've been to all four places you looked at, but have only been to Eugene twice and not for a few years. I like Bend too, but it seems a little isolated and I generally like the look and feel of west of the cascades better than east of them. Bend also feels like a resort town, where Eugene, Olympia, and Bham feel more like "real cities". Are there any shuttles from Bham that go to the Vancouver BC airport? I would think that is closer than Seatac.
And yes the state income tax is definitely a major downside to OR. Are property taxes higher in WA or OR? The OR state income tax is a far bigger hit to the wallet than the WA sales tax.
bartonizer's comment about Bham being a mini-Eugene is pretty good.
I don't know anything about housing prices in the two areas. We are planted in Wenatchee.
Some more comments.....Eugene is much farther south. You can actually drive to sunshine in California and Medford fairly easily. Eugene weather is still pretty bad, but much, much better than Bham. For us sunshine is critical.
Being close to Vancouver is a plus, but Eugene is not that far from Portland. Portland is a cool city. Sort of..... like a mini-Vancouver!!
For outdoor activities. If you boat or sea kayak definitely Bham. Otherwise, I think you get more variety and access to more places than Bellingham. If I lived in Bellingham, I would spend lots of time in Canada and their backwoods.
Eugene is one of the few functioning liberal cities that I would consider living within. We had some "urban" friends that moved to Eugene years ago and they love it. For them, it met all their needs. They even managed to tolerate and work around the weather.
Oregon land use planning makes for a much more attractive place to live. In Washington, state we use our growth management laws to site Industrial Wind Areas over the objections of local residents!! Use a "environmental" law to thrash the environment?
Taxes are high in Eugene, but I don't mind paying taxes as long as I have a quality government services. They do a pretty good job in Eugene.
I think they are both decent choices. I would chose Eugene. However, you probably should find a Airbnb rental in both places and spend a couple of weeks in November! But it sounds like you do have the option to travel at anytime.
In either location, plan on spending lots of time elsewhere from November through April.
ps. Olympia is a nice town. Spent lots of time there when working. But it really is part of a huge metro area. Bend would be our first choice due to much better weather and access to the eastern Oregon desert. However, we remember Bend when it was a nice small town. It is painful for us to visit these days.
Thanks that is good info. So obviously Bham came on top for you over Olympia and Bend since you now live there. What did you think of Olympia? I've been to all four places you looked at, but have only been to Eugene twice and not for a few years. I like Bend too, but it seems a little isolated and I generally like the look and feel of west of the cascades better than east of them. Bend also feels like a resort town, where Eugene, Olympia, and Bham feel more like "real cities". Are there any shuttles from Bham that go to the Vancouver BC airport? I would think that is closer than Seatac.
As 509 mentioned, Olympia is nice, but it's definitely part of a big metro area so less of an individual feel or flavor to us. Plus, Bellingham just feels a little more happening- I like the setup of the city more, as well.
We love Bend and almost impulsively made the move, but it was too much like where we came from (Glenwood Springs/Carbondale CO) and had a similar separation/challenges to getting to a major city. Plus, like you, we wanted a little more greenery and a real town. I love the Ponderosa forests around Bend but we decided that we wanted to be surrounded by green with access every once in a while to an arid climate, rather than vice versa. IMHO, Bend feels a little like a bigger CO mountain town overrun with Californians and less like it's "own city."
Regarding transportation, The Airporter Shuttle runs many daily trips from Bellingham to Sea-Tac, and the Quick Shuttle runs a number of daily trips to Vancouver Int'l. Vancouver is substantially closer to Bellingham, but you do have to go through the border, which obviously adds some time. And then back through customs when flying in and out of the US, which can be a pain. That said, my wife's co-workers do it regularly. And I must say- we've been able to find reasonable flights out of Bham- sometimes connecting through Seattle or Portland, and personally I think it's worth $50-$100 more per flight for the sake of convenience. In addition to flights, it's a simple train ride or Bolt Bus to Vancouver, Seattle or Portland from town.
I can see why 509 prefers Eugene, as access to more sunshine is important to some people. It was our #1 concern moving from CO. BUT in the two years we've been here, it hasn't been the concern we thought it would be. At all. Maybe it's a byproduct of climate change, but there's been more variability than we imagined. And, though anecdotal, we've experienced more socked in weather in the Willamette Valley than we have here on the side of the Salish Sea. The Olympics often act as a rain shadow, and even many days that go down in the books as cloudy have amazing sunsets. The more noticeable thing to us is how much further north it is here, so we're more affected by the longer days in summer and shorter days in winter than we are by the weather. Again, it was our main concern when selecting this location, but it is generally not an issue to us.
Regarding outdoor activities, again I'd say that 509 just likes desert more, in which case Eugene has closer access to the south and west. The ruggedness of the Cascades to the east of Bellingham makes desert access in winter a longer drive, but we love summer access to the Methow Valley and Okanogan region, which give us a (somewhat) similar feeling to the Oregon Desert... Overall, though, it just depends on your preference for more green or more brown, though it's tough to imagine a place having more recreational activities- mountains, sea, lakes, and trails all are within city limits. And really big mountains for hiking or snow sports are easily accessible through a quick drive on 20 to North Cascades National Park or on Baker/Shuksan via 542/Mount Baker Scenic Highway. And- I've got to say- when we do go away, we find ourselves taking the ferries out to the islands (or even on to BC) more than we ever imagined. An overnight to San Juan or Orcas is a great little getaway.
One more thing- we actually prefer the feel of Portland to Seattle or Vancouver, but they are definitely more "world-class" cities than PDX. But again, I feel that Bham has more of a Eugene/Portland feel (and many Seattleites say that it reminds them of the old vibe of Seattle) so we find ourselves sticking around town more than we expected.
And yes the state income tax is definitely a major downside to OR. Are property taxes higher in WA or OR? The OR state income tax is a far bigger hit to the wallet than the WA sales tax.
Property taxes are higher in WA, to make up for the lack of state income tax. I dealt with the property tax issue by having a rental unit at all times.
Interesting thread and comments from 509 and bartonizer.
My take: Eugene=mini-Portland (it says so on the sign outside of Sizzle Pie). Bellingham=mini-Seattle.
Beauty: Go with Bellingham. The Salish Sea is spectacular, as are Mount Baker, the Cascades, the Islands, the Chuckanuts, etc. The downtown is definitely better organized, with better preservation of heritage architecture. Eugene has its own kind of sublime beauty, like the green rolling hills in the city's southern section, but it doesn't really stack up to Bellingham's vintage Pacific Northwest scenery. Eugene's downtown is fun but aesthetically a mess.
Outdoor activities: It's a tie. Bellingham is close to Baker, the Vancouver ski hills, Whistler, Stevens Pass. Eugene has Mt. Bachelor. Bellingham has all of the ocean sports. If you are into fly fishing, however, Eugene is surrounded by mountain-fed streams with trout. More importantly, Eugene is Track Town USA. It has lots of trails for running and cycling in and around town.
Cost of housing. Eugene for sure. Bellingham's housing market is VERY competitive.
Crime. It's hard to tell, and I don't have the statistics. But Eugene's criminal class strikes me as generally friendly.
Culture. Eugene has its own culture due to being relatively isolated. Bellingham does to a lesser degree; however it does have relatively quick access to Vancouver. Neither city is particularly "diverse" or multicultural, but the university-town environments do bring cultural energy to the cities.
Airports. Eugene has the edge. Eugene flies direct to Portland, Seattle, Denver, SFO, LA, San Jose, and Salt Lake City. That's pretty impressive. Bellingham's key flights are to holiday destinations plus Seattle. There used to be a BLI-Portland flight as well. But Bellingham's restaurant inside the gates is way better than Eugene's.
Overall vibe. Tie. You need about six months to -get- the Eugene vibe. It's really a different world from the rest of the Pacific Northwest. You're closer psychologically to California than you are to Washington State, which explains all of the Californians pouring into the University of Oregon. Eugene is absolutely gorgeous in the fall, and there's nothing like a Ducks game in October at Autzen Stadium. But Bellingham has that true Pacific Northwest feel, especially downtown and in Fairhaven.
A few variables that haven't been mentioned: Eugene's air quality is really bad due to grass seed farms and, ironically, pollen from the sheer amount and variety of trees in what is essentially a bowl-like valley. Bellingham's air quality is very good. Eugene is a sports town - you have Ducks football and basketball, world track events like the Olympic Trials and Prefontaine Classic, and Emeralds single-A baseball. As far as the people go, Eugene is definitely friendlier than any other city I know of in the Pacific Northwest. However, Portland is a long and boring drive from Eugene. It's a better weekend trip than daytrip, in my opinion.
My recommendation: If you have allergies -or- need to be close to the ocean -or- like the idea of access to Vancouver/Seattle, go with Bellingham. If you absolutely dread the rain but can tolerate fog and clouds, go with Eugene. If you haven't lived in the Northwest before, be very careful about diving into either city, or at least have an open mind about the unique cultures that exist there.
Last edited by JackLonsdale; 06-16-2016 at 10:41 PM..
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