Salem, Oregon

[maxmorgan]

My wife and I are considering retirement in Salem, OR. We currently live in Los Angeles. If any readers live in or are familiar with Salem, your comments would be appreciated! Max

 

[Brat]

I lived for many years in Portland and have family in Eugene, don't know Salem well.  It has a reputation for being very quiet, perhaps because of the number of State employees.  Willamette University is highly regarded, particularly its School of Law.  Outside the town, to the east, are the foothills of the Cascade Range.  Because of uplift this area will get more rain.  To the west, on the other side of the Willamette River, the land is pastural (or at least it used to be) and you may see Mennonite farmers. 

Why did you choose Salem?

 

[TromboneAl]

We escaped the city (SF Bay Area) 6 years ago. Based on our experience, you might consider even smaller cities. There's a lot to be said for never ever being in a traffic jam, and always being able to find parking.

 

[CyclingInvestor]

I grew up in Corvallis (35m south of Salem) and have relatives living in
Salem (I now also live in Los Angeles).

Salem is a nice 100K population city with warm, dry summers, cool
wet winters, and seemingly perpetual construction on I5 running thru the
city. It is 50m from a real airport (Portland). There is plenty of hiking /
biking close to Salem, and the beaches are 50m to the west.

Personally, I prefer Corvallis (50K people), or Eugene (100K), both
with the same weather but existing primarily as university towns
(Corvallis more so than Eugene). Although housing prices have gone
up in all three recently, they are better deals than Portland. Los Angeles
transplants can get all the house and land they want, especially a few miles
outside of town.

 

[Cal]

My sister moved to Salem five years ago. She likes that it has all the conveniences of a city with a "large town" feel to it. The only drawback for her: she has to go to Portland for "decent" nightlife....but she isn't married and still looking for Mr. Right. There are a lot of communty events and things to do year round. Cost of living is WAY cheaper than CA.

Anything specific you want to know about it?

 

[Nords]

Personally, I prefer Corvallis (50K people), or Eugene (100K), both
with the same weather but existing primarily as university towns
(Corvallis more so than Eugene).

One of my shipmates was interviewing with an electrical engineering firm (he'd just finished his MSEE) when they told him that they'd need him to (1) go back to night school for his PhD & PE, and (2) live in Corvallis.

His wife grew up in that area. He thought he'd died and gone to heaven. Four years later he's sure of it.