r/Eugene Sep 29 '24

If you felt like moving, What cities/States would you move to and why? Moving

Let me preference this by saying that I love Eugene and what we have to offer. I'm just curious though where YOU as an individual would move to if you felt it was time to settle elsewhere? And why that place?

40 Upvotes

120

u/Aggressive-Ad-3143 Sep 29 '24

If I had to leave Eugene, I'd probably start my search in Springfield, OR.

54

u/happytiger33 Sep 29 '24

Somewhere not in the U.S

4

u/m3937 Sep 29 '24

This! Wish I had dual-citizenship somewhere.

56

u/[deleted] Sep 29 '24

[deleted]

18

u/Joca_King_7234 Sep 29 '24

Interesting prospective. I lived in Vegas for 4.5 years. It was the worst place I’ve ever lived/visited and anytime I even think about Vegas I get a pit in my stomach.

Contrary to other comments, everyone is so freaking MEAN all the damn time! Even people working at the call centers or front desks at hospitals, everyone spoke with such a nasty attitude & as if they hated their lives. Living there put me into such a deep depression because it was impossible to make friends (unless you’re the type of person who likes hanging with their coworkers after work, you’re part of a cult, or you frequent bars and clubs). The constant hot weather got exhausting, and I just wanted some damn rain. The sinus infections really freaking sucked. My skin also looked terrible from the lack of humidity. The water is super unhealthy to consume & the sediment leaves hard water stains on everything/ruins clothing, even with a water softener built in.

Good jobs are not easy to come by and the minimum wage is less than $12/hr.

Vegas is currently ranked 43rd in education, and the locals really show that to be true.

The news was filled with death every single day. Just look at “8 news now”, within the first 5 articles I bet more than half have to do with someone being murdered, being held hostage, or some senseless crime that took the lives of many innocent people. Majority of the murderers get away with a slap on the hand. Tina Tintor’s death will always haunt me (Fck Henry Ruggs, and Fck the Raiders)

Your one and only option for natural bodies of water is Lake Mead…the one where they keep finding a bunch of dead bodies….everywhere else is at least an hour drive out of Vegas and is jam packed with screaming kids and drunk adults with half a brain. I felt like a caged animal while in LV. All hiking areas tend to be extremely dangerous since it’s so freaking hot & barely any shade.

I find that people who enjoy living in Vegas are 1 of 2 things: Very simple minded and lack in the critical thinking department and/or have addiction issues & enjoy the money chasing/yet forever broke mentality.

I would not recommend living in Vegas to ANYBODY hahaha

9

u/WhicheverHepburn Sep 29 '24

THANK YOU lmao I was like Vegas is awful who are you people???

3

u/Peter_Panarchy Sep 29 '24

Hate to break it to you but Lake Mead isn't a natural body of water.

5

u/Joca_King_7234 Sep 29 '24

Don’t care. It’s as natural as anything is in that disgusting cesspool of a city.

11

u/sillygreenfaery Sep 29 '24

When i was homeless, I visited Vegas. Everybody was SO NICE. Some folks i met on freeside saw i was lost and said i could stay with them for a couple days but then i woke up confused and alone with no pants. Never going back to the damn desert.

It took a while but vague memories of being pimped out to a british guy at his bachelor party. I remember he gave me what he said was "some extra money" to help me get away from those people. I remember they put me back in the car and grabbed the money he gave me and said, "uh-uh, girl! That aint your money" i remember her cackling but i dont remember anything after that. They must have dosed me again.

17

u/knowone23 Sep 29 '24

That doesn’t sound nice at all.

2

u/TheoBoy007 Sep 29 '24

That was awesome! 😂😂

4

u/Ent_Trip_Newer Sep 29 '24

I lived in Vegas for 5 years before moving here. The first apartment had daytime shootings. The second apartment had scorpions and more. When we were there, it was impossible to make friends. Nepotism and materialism ran rampant. I was a driver and bartender, so I got around a good bit. The night of the massacre was the final straw for us. I feel much safer here. Different strokes for different folks.

1

u/MeowNugget Sep 29 '24

Agree, I was in Vegas for a couple weeks for a music festival on my way moving to Eugene. Was fun, but too loud and too many people for my taste. I know the main city doesn't represent the whole of it but still. Mountainy woods are much more my pace and comfort zone

1

u/Ent_Trip_Newer Sep 29 '24

I enjoyed the outlying areas outside of town like Red Rocks and Mt Charleston. The Knights coming to town seemed to help a bit with the city culture as well. But yeah the PNW for me

1

u/cappz3 Sep 29 '24

Did the same thing. I still can't stomach paying $15 for a tiny box of blackberries tho

1

u/elementalbee Sep 30 '24

I honestly don’t know how y’all deal with the heat.

48

u/HarryDeBauld Sep 29 '24

If money were no object? San Diego.

4

u/Echolalia_Uniform Sep 29 '24

Moved to SD from Eugene/springfield. Worth it.

40

u/Zealousideal_Owl9621 Sep 29 '24

Bellingham, WA area.

Mendocino County, CA

Western Montana (Missoula or Flathead Valley)

Coastal Maine or upper New England

Southern Utah or Flagstaff, AZ

Santa Fe, NM area

7

u/skzlr86 Sep 29 '24

I was thinking the same area in Montana as well! I use to live near Missoula in the Bitterroot valley.

7

u/Zealousideal_Owl9621 Sep 29 '24

I used to live in Missoula too, and would move back in a flash if there was work there that paid my wife and I close to what we make here.

4

u/Pacifically_Waving Sep 29 '24

Down for Mendo!

5

u/seabeyond4101 Sep 29 '24

Almost all those would be on my list

37

u/BarbequedYeti Sep 29 '24

South of France or Portugal. Hell, depending on November, i might be headed that way myself.  

25

u/ChrisInBliss Sep 29 '24

I often wish I could move back to Northern California. But wayyyyyyyyy too expensive.

20

u/SuperFamousComedian Sep 29 '24

I went to Seattle once and it was really cool, I could fit the vibe there. Or was that a vacation high?

10

u/BarbequedYeti Sep 29 '24

Or was that a vacation high

What month and how long?  I spent a couple of years in Seattle. The darkest, wettest place i have ever lived. Way more sunless days than here. Having said that, damn the food is about as good as it gets. 

4

u/SuperFamousComedian Sep 29 '24

It was October, and only for a week, in 2019 I think.

3

u/BarbequedYeti Sep 29 '24

Then definitely vacation high. 

2

u/h4ppygoon Sep 30 '24

I just got home from weekend staying in tacoma on the water first time to Seattle it was beyond rad!

9

u/Zealousideal_Owl9621 Sep 29 '24

Lived in Seattle twice and left. I just can't do the winters there and the traffic is horrific. Love to visit, though.

7

u/Moarbrains Sep 29 '24

Seattle is a perfect example of Oregon would look like without the urban growth boundaries.

7

u/SuperFamousComedian Sep 29 '24

So it would be different if it was different?

6

u/Moarbrains Sep 29 '24 edited Sep 30 '24

It is a warning and a lesson about unplanned growth and the futility of trying to build enough single family housing to satisfy demand.

2

u/simplecat1 Sep 29 '24

Washington has urban growth boundaries?

3

u/Moarbrains Sep 29 '24 edited Sep 30 '24

No. They just build snd build. The urban zone starts at Olympia and ends north of Seattle.

18

u/Karmageddon3333 Sep 29 '24

In the US, Oregon coast, or maybe a small city outside Boulder CO. But I’d really prefer to get out of the US altogether.

5

u/RecreationalSprdshts Sep 29 '24

When my dad (been in CO since the 90s) visited Eugene for the first time, he described it as Boulder 20 years ago. One of the best endorsements Eugene has gotten, IMO.

2

u/seabeyond4101 Sep 29 '24

I think Boulder and Eugene a lot alike

16

u/Bowsandtricks Sep 29 '24

Olympia, WA or Vancouver, BC. I love both places. Olympia feels like Eugene and Vancouver is so big and has so much to offer with amenities and different cultures.

4

u/Cthicks331 Sep 29 '24

I grew up in Olympia and loved it there

2

u/PineappleNo6064 Sep 29 '24

I was also thinking Vancouver, BC. It's such an amazing city, friendly people and so much happening.

1

u/seabeyond4101 Sep 29 '24

I have thought about Olympia. When moving NW was a toss up between the two.

14

u/synthect1 Sep 29 '24

I lived in Alaska for many years, the culture is great, i love and miss it. Though: it is expensive, it is isolated, it takes too fucking long to go anywhere. Want to leave the state? Plane, boat, or passport. I lived there pre-pandemic and it was still like $4.50 for a gallon of milk for example. A beautiful but difficult place, truly Alaska.

7

u/Olelander Sep 29 '24

I grew up there… Juneau, specifically. Amazing place to grow up, but also a great place to leave. I wouldn’t have been able to put my finger on it then, but my options for personal growth as a human being were limited had I stayed there and made a life in town… it might be the same way for everyone with their hometown. All I know is, I didn’t know I was being walled in by those mountains and that isolation until I left and got to explore so many things I didn’t know I was even missing.

Culturally, Juneau and Eugene have similarities (liberal islands, wet and grey, old and new hippies, love for the outdoors, etc). Eugene is a perfect happy medium and surrogate home for me, been here since 2009 and not likely to leave except perhaps to move to the coast when I retire.

5

u/NotBeforeMyCovfefe Sep 29 '24

I did a winter in Ketchikan. What always struck me was how much people loved Ketchikan but they also loved leaving Ketchikan and threatened to never ever come back because they HATED Ketchikan.

Man, that one day of sunshine every month was pure bliss.

3

u/Olelander Sep 29 '24

That’s relatable… I have strong love/hate feelings for Juneau. Truly, the key to living in Southeast Alaska is having the means to regularly get out and travel, like multiple times a year.

1

u/Odd-Position6128 Sep 29 '24

I grew up on the Kenai Peninsula, and I miss it every day. Sigh. 

11

u/Key_Bank_3904 Sep 29 '24

Oregon of Washington coast, I always feel so happy and at home whenever I visit.

11

u/sunnyboy1819 Sep 29 '24

Probably back to SF if I was rich enough to afford it on my own. I miss my family but living in Eugene has been awesome for me. Everyone here is much nicer except LED headlight trucks that are lifted beyond human comprehension

8

u/El_Bistro Sep 29 '24

Yachats or Newport.

3

u/ponkins2 Sep 29 '24

I recently visited yachats and loved it. So quaint.

5

u/Underscore_Weasel Sep 29 '24

Yachats is my favorite small town in the state! Love it! 

9

u/stinkyfootjr Sep 29 '24

Well, up until a couple of days ago I would have said the Asheville North Carolina area.

1

u/seabeyond4101 Sep 29 '24

What happened a couple days ago....

2

u/Coastal_sealife Sep 29 '24

Hurricane Helene and ensuing storms and river surges wiped it out.

1

u/seabeyond4101 Sep 29 '24

Ya, I read this before going into my news, so I hear you. Devastating for so many. Thanks.

9

u/sunburned_albino Sep 29 '24

Chicago. Always wanted to live in Chicago.

11

u/mangofarmer Sep 29 '24

Portland 

Same amazing outdoor access, much better food, better job opportunities, more cosmopolitan, and a ton of walkable and interesting neighborhoods with beautiful craftsman homes. 

1

u/seabeyond4101 Sep 29 '24

I am looking at going to Portland... I think it would be a fun place to live. I like moving around. But I do love Eugene so havent decided yet.

2

u/mangofarmer Sep 29 '24

The neighborhood you live in will determine how much you enjoy the city. There’s some great spots, and some real crummy spots up there. 

1

u/seabeyond4101 Sep 29 '24

I know this is the challenging part. My son is moving there and should get there tomorrow. I figure I will spend time up there a bit, but yes.... I am very particular about my environment.

8

u/hugglenuts Sep 29 '24

Placed I'd look:

Bend

Boise

Duluth, MN

Minneapolis

Madison, WI

3

u/Underscore_Weasel Sep 29 '24

I live in Bend 👎🏻 I LOVE Madison 👍🏻

3

u/Sane-Philosopher Sep 29 '24

Why thumbs down on Bend?

3

u/theforestwalker Sep 29 '24

Lived there before moving here. It's a strangely surreal place, like the EPCOT center version of a real town. A lot of retired people and young people on their rumspringa trying to escape whatever was going on in their lives back east or in California, so you see a lot of Eat Pray Love energy, a lot of smiles 3 feet wide, it's unsettling. I don't know how a city can economically sustain 45 breweries and 107 yoga studios and someone paying the rent on a downtown storefront selling dog pedicures or 300$ beer coozies made from mushroom polymers. That being said, it's beautiful and a lot of fun.

2

u/SproketRocket Sep 29 '24

Yup, upper midwest for 4 seasons, High desert for sun and fun. those are the 2 options.

1

u/seabeyond4101 Sep 29 '24

Just moved back from Minneapolis, lived there two yrs. Was in Uptown, by a big lake, grocery across street, library a block away and a good 20 restaurant three block radius. Was a blast. Missed NW feel though. And the people though nice, not very expressive or fun. Had a blast with blacks, especially young blacks. They were a blast and would always play.... lol

1

u/Coastal_sealife Sep 29 '24

Lake and Lyndale, my old stomping grounds. Sounds like you were closer to Hennepin (library). Spent 28 years loving the uptown Mpls life until grad school sent me to the PNW. Miss it but love the Oregon beauty

1

u/seabeyond4101 Sep 29 '24

Yes yes... four blocks from lake (Can't say hte name let alone spell it out) Apt 6th floor facing lake, beautiful, on Lake str across from Lunds. And yes Hennepin Library. That is so cool. I had so much fun, why I am looking in Portland to buy. I loved never driving, but I love the laid back of Eugene too. A very comfortable easy city to live in.

8

u/_Fu_Inle_ Sep 29 '24

Were money no object, Canmore, Alberta. Maybe I just want to live in the Canadian Rockies

8

u/Real-Energy-6634 Sep 29 '24

Monterey, Ca

4

u/Hot-Initiative-4083 Sep 29 '24

I lived in the Salinas Valley for many years. Hope you have deep pockets for Monterey. Or that whole area anymore. It’s so expensive. But it’s a beautiful county. And it’s where I grew up. It’ll always have my ❤️

2

u/Real-Energy-6634 Sep 29 '24

I lived in monterey as well prior. Beautiful area and it's actually cheaper than the bay area.

2

u/seabeyond4101 Sep 29 '24

Lived there (Carmel Valley) for a couple yrs. That place is a fav.

8

u/CurseofLono88 Sep 29 '24

The only other states I’d move to are Washington or Maine, since Maine is like our sister state on the east coast except with Stephen King. You’re never going to find me living more than hour or two from an ocean and forest, I’d fucking lose my mind.

6

u/sk8rcruz Sep 29 '24

Bay Area CA all day long. Public transit is amazing. I’d be there now if I could afford it.

1

u/JesusMakesMeLaugh Sep 29 '24

Which public transit is amazing? Bart which is grimy as hell?

3

u/sk8rcruz Sep 29 '24

I have a sitting disability. Driving is a painful activity. The bus system in Eugene does not have enough routes or run very late. I think “grimy BART’ is wonderful.

7

u/coffeeandspliff Sep 29 '24

Santa Cruz,Ca or Portland Maine or Spain…

6

u/Able_Sun4318 Sep 29 '24

I hope to move within 5 years, top places for me are San Diego, Phoenix or Vegas. For me it's weather and opportunities to do things

5

u/Nonyabeez420 Sep 29 '24

Keystone or Breckinridge Colorado

3

u/Low-Slide4516 Sep 29 '24

Outrageous costs and way to many Maga tourists from the south

1

u/Nonyabeez420 Sep 29 '24

I lived there for awhile already. It’s definitely expensive as any ski town is. Didn’t notice any maga tourists but wasn’t really looking.

5

u/sillygreenfaery Sep 29 '24

HOOD RIVER looks like a lovely place I hope to move to someday.

I moved here from Alabama when I was 15. My parents mived back to the south and i didnt wanna go so, I was homeless here for a couple years after high school. It used to be a loving, silly hippie culture. Im 34 now and I really aim to move away from the homeless population that has begun to spiral out of control. Its terrifying. When I was a hobo, the drugs we used to do were all weed, booze, mushrooms, LSD and Molly. Of course some of the older hippies were on hard drugs like cocaine and heroin, but those drugs are too expensive now and folks got into cheap fentanyl and meth.

5

u/lonegiraffemunching Sep 29 '24

Grew up in Eugene, left when my dad died and the rest of my family went to either Colorado or Florida. I ended up in Colorado as well, and briefly lived in Arizona and New Mexico. Loved each place for its own reasons, but Colorado has become home to me.

5

u/Halloween2022 Sep 29 '24

In the US, Salem, Massachusetts.

Out of the country: the UK somewhere like Dibley... Lol

2

u/RockinTacos Sep 29 '24

I love Salem! So quaint but beautiful

5

u/terpsnob Sep 29 '24

Park city Utah

5

u/cubicle_farmer_ Sep 29 '24

If I could afford Vancouver BC…..

4

u/GingerMcBeardface Sep 29 '24

Moved to Michigan, love the weather, lots of state parks, closer to major airports for international travel, great food, and a much lower cost of living.

2

u/oldswirlo Sep 29 '24

Upper Peninsula is definitely on my relocation list

2

u/GingerMcBeardface Sep 29 '24

Currently a troll, spouse unit doesn't want to deal with Yuppie winters. Lower peninsula gas a lot going on, very much recommend.

2

u/EmeraldEmpire541 Sep 29 '24

It’s “Yooper” … my grandparents were born and raised in the northern part of the UP.

2

u/GingerMcBeardface Sep 29 '24

Gon learn today, thanks

4

u/Proud_Cauliflower400 Sep 29 '24

Probably the coast, but I'd need to be rich.

5

u/jawid72 Pisgah Poster Sep 29 '24

Portugal

4

u/tgrady28 Sep 29 '24

Kansas, Tennessee or wisconsin

2

u/Loaatao Sep 29 '24

Kansas City is very cool.

4

u/BatSniper Sep 29 '24

Went to Denver recently, I think that’s the only spot I can see my self living outside Eugene

4

u/Pacifically_Waving Sep 29 '24

Trinidad, Humboldt County, CA. Gorgeous coastline, redwoods, mild weather and unsurpassed beauty. I think the population is around 30O. If you are an introvert and love the beach, it is paradise.

I am from Humboldt county, CA and have been in Eugene/Springfield since 2004. I often say what has kept me here is the beauty, the Ducks, and (most) laws that make sense.

Moved here to raised my kids, and that was a good decision.

Either that, or any secluded beach w/ nearby hiking trails and beauty.

3

u/_madar_ Sep 29 '24

I lived in Eugene in the 80s until 2000, then moved to Seattle for work. I did enjoy a lot about Seattle but it was hard to build much of a friend group there. In March 2020 I moved north to Bellingham (because I'd heard it had a similar vibe to Eugene) - then Covid lockdown hit. It was a pretty miserable time, but I can't blame Bellingham for that. I will say though that the winter there was the darkest, windiest and rainiest I've ever experienced.

At the end of 2021 I decided to move back to Eugene. It has its share of problems, but I've had zero regrets and it still feels like home - love it here.

3

u/[deleted] Sep 29 '24

Spokane Washington

2

u/oldswirlo Sep 29 '24

I lived in Spokane…well, Cheney Washington. It was cool. Loved the proximity to the mountains and had a nice, lovely 2 bedroom apartment for $1k…felt very livable

3

u/Lopsided-Example3779 Sep 29 '24

Probably Boise, ID. From there originally and is where my parents still live. They have so much inventory as far as real estate goes so I feel like buying a home would be a lot more feasible there. That being said, I love Eugene and we have no plans to leave anytime soon 😂 my fiancé was born & raised here and his family is here. Couple that with how much I’ve grown to love it here. I would be devastated to have to move elsewhere.

3

u/seabeyond4101 Sep 29 '24

I moved to Minneapolis for two yrs lots of fun. Very cool city but missed mountains and jsut the NW feel. Looking at POrtland now or Seattle area would be cool. But gonna try Portland. Lived Reno, Ca, Tx, Az also. Hate the heat so will never do that and no red states ever again.

3

u/theforestwalker Sep 29 '24

Considering the climate trends, anywhere south of around 42⁰N is out of the question. Maybe Traverse City or Duluth?

2

u/Distinct-Horrors Sep 29 '24

Other places closer to home in Oregon... Toledo, Blachly, Cheshire, Harrisburg, Deadwood, Noti, Elmira....

Washington or Vermont if I chose another state. If Idaho wasn't so dangerous for me I would LOVE to go back to living in St. Marie's or CDL areas.

1

u/Distinct-Horrors Sep 29 '24

If I could really choose? B.C., Canada, Nova Scotia, Scotland, or Ireland. But I don't have the money or means to do that. I want to be further north, somewhere colder. Less crowded. Slower paced.

2

u/Adventurous_Buy_1616 Sep 29 '24

Of all the places I've visited. I'd move to Utah. People are nice. A huge amount of outdoor stuff to do.

4

u/Low-Slide4516 Sep 29 '24

Be prepared for Mormon beliefs and no separation of church/state

2

u/TOASTBOMB Sep 29 '24

My partner wants to live on the east coast to be closer to her parents, but we love Eugene, so we are choosing to move to Asheville NC which is basically the Eugene of the East. I visited there last summer, and it shocked me to see how similar it feels to Eugene. Culturally it's very similar (hippy and artys), and it's visually similar too. If I saw a photo of some of the neighborhoods, I would have assumed it was a picture of a Eugene neighborhood.

6

u/Low-Slide4516 Sep 29 '24

Have you seen the devastation??

3

u/djmoonbooties Sep 29 '24

I have. Brutal right now.

1

u/sparkleweedthewizard Sep 29 '24

Hattiesburg MS. I was born in the south and I miss it desperately.

Unfortunately, as a trans dude, I truly do not feel safe moving back there until my testosterone treatments are guaranteed to move with me & it's guaranteed that I can acquire housing & employment with no large fear of discrimination.

I also want to have children and A) Don’t trust doctors down there to know the first thing about trans healthcare and B) Don’t like how poorly the schools test. I'd have to have em up here and then once I was done, move & homeschool.

2

u/Yoghurt-Stunning Sep 29 '24

TBH back to Buffalo. The winters are brutal but there's just something about it

2

u/tS_kStin Sep 29 '24

I'm from Montana so going back there is part of the general life goal however the specific part pays worse than Eugene and cost way more so something crazy has to happen before I can afford to go back. Either to me or there, or both.

2

u/pinktacos34 Sep 29 '24

Duluth, MN or Superior, WI. Affordability, college towns, on Lake Superior.

2

u/moosemike33 Sep 29 '24

Flagstaff, Missoula, Boise

2

u/Odd-Position6128 Sep 29 '24

If money were no object, I'd go back home to Alaska. Beautiful nature right out the front door, friendly people, peaceful, and I really don't mind the mild temperatures and the rain in the summer, and the snow and the darkness in the winter. 

Since money is an objection, I'd probably move east, since there's still some beautiful areas over there that are affordable. 

2

u/Sortanotperfect Sep 29 '24

Joseph Oregon. That area is beautiful, and Joseph is such a cool, arty town.

Madison, Wisconsin. Friendly, clean, lots to do, a really vibrant art scene, and lots of great restaurants and local beer. Great cheese too. The way the city is surrounded by lakes with the University of Wisconsin campus EMU right on the lake front and offered up as a full community gathering place is very cool. UW feels integrated into the city and part of the community as opposed to just "being" in the city.

London. Because...well everything.

Isle D'Saint. For my money one of the nicest a prettier islands in the Caribbean. It's small so it doesn't get a lot of the cruise ships invading. (At least it didn't when I was there, but it's been a long time.)

20 years ago, I would have said Depoe Bay, but it's become overly developed and more of a tourist trap.

2

u/Original-Climate-372 Sep 30 '24

i moved from eugene to boston recently and have never been happier

1

u/Far-Basil-3737 Sep 29 '24

I feel you, happy tiger (=

1

u/whogivesajack Sep 29 '24

Honest Answer In this order most likely because of work considerations - San Francisco Bay Area - Taipei, Taiwan - Lisbon, Portugal - Seattle

1

u/Gryffindork-_- Sep 29 '24

Seattle/Tacoma area to be closer to close friends. We went to Boston this summer and really liked it. Honestly could see us moving out there if we wanted a big change.

1

u/itsnotleeanna Sep 29 '24

Washington around Seattle/Tacoma or Bellingham areas. Close to the water (Eugene is too far for me), MUCH better pay in my field, and so much more diversity.

1

u/OculusOmnividens Sep 29 '24

Let me preference this

You mean preface.

1

u/Tiasmo-Bertjayd Sep 29 '24

Curious question for me, because I moved to Eugene from West Hollywood a few years ago for many reasons: I was tired of the noise, crowds, traffic, heat, droughts; and just couldn’t afford to buy a house anywhere close. I had a number of criteria to look for when choosing where to move to:

  • Affordable homes
  • Bike-friendly
  • Reasonably close to friends and family (nearly all of whom are in the western half of the US)
  • LGBT+-friendly
  • Mild climate
  • Politically moderate or left-leaning
  • Good running trails
  • Low automobile traffic

Initially I looked into a few cities on the west coast from Seattle to the San Francisco area, then narrowed it down to Portland or Eugene. I went out to those cities to scout the neighborhoods; Portland felt too urban for my tastes, but I immediately fell in love with Eugene because it reminded me of the small college town where my grandparents lived, only greener.

1

u/giantstrider Sep 29 '24

Austin for the food and people but holy crap it's expensive

1

u/[deleted] Sep 29 '24

I really want to move someplace with more sun. It's amazing how much of a difference just going east of I-5 most days can literally illuminate, but east of the Cascades or more SE to even AZ or NM is even more alluring to me. (But fuck having to deal with driving Hwy 97 on a regular basis!)

1

u/[deleted] Sep 29 '24

As a retired veteran, Sierra Vista, AZ is looking pretty sweet these days for weather and cost of living. (And no watershed issues there vs. further north in Tucson and Phoenix areas.)

1

u/elementalbee Sep 30 '24

My dad is retired and lives a little north of Sierra Vista in Benson. I personally couldn’t handle living there (I hate the heat/desert) but he loves it. He likes being a close enough drive to Tucson to go there for the day, it’s just still a trek.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 01 '24

For me, it's about escaping the depression of winter and rain here. I love a dry heat, but I love Phoenix grade monsoons too! ;)

https://weatherspark.com/compare/s/1/2837~402/Comparison-of-the-Average-Summer-Weather-in-Sierra-Vista-and-Eugene#Figures-Rainfall

1

u/BabyYoduhh Sep 29 '24

Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, basically other Oregons.

1

u/wiserecluse75 Sep 29 '24

Honestly, I'd probably move out of country and go somewhere like Brisbane or Perth, AU or New Zealand. I love the scenery there, diving and fishing are amazing and people are friendly there.

1

u/elementalbee Sep 30 '24

I honestly love Eugene. Like where else will I find mountains, ocean, desert, highlands, rivers, lakes, etc. within a 2hr drive? I love hiking/backpacking, kayaking, skiing, snowshoeing, etc. and I can’t think of a better place to live for it. I also like that Portland is less than a 2hr drive away; I regularly drive up just to spend the day.

I also love football season in Oregon. Going to Autzen on Saturdays in the fall is the best and I look forward to it every year.

I also generally like the weather in Oregon and the fact we have true seasons. The only thing I hate is the lack of daylight. It’s rough with it being dark when I leave for work and being dark when I get home.

If I had to look elsewhere, my first choice would be Portland, but I really don’t want to live there lol. I love Portland as a city and I love visiting, I just wouldn’t want to deal with the traffic/work there. I also don’t love the “suburbs” of Portland like Beaverton, Gresham, Tualatin, etc. so I’d want to be more central, which is expensive.

If I had to look at another state, I’d pick Washington. Unsure where, but it’s the closest to Oregon I could get. I’d also consider California, but it’s way too expensive.

1

u/AppropriatePirate702 Sep 30 '24

Wyoming. It's the least populated state.

1

u/Exotic_Dot2739 Sep 30 '24

Baltimore. Charm City was affordable, friendly, and sneakily pretty. Like Portland but better.

1

u/SubstantialDemand9 Sep 29 '24

Texas or tennessee, some where more conservitive and fits my belief system more. Growing up here was nice but Oregon isn’t what it used to be.

0

u/Prestigious-Packrat Sep 29 '24

Somewhere in Maine. I don't mind cold and snow.