Portland or Salem??

[marlakay]

I have a friend who is looking to retire and checking out cities across the states. She lives now in wine country northern CA but wants to leave not because she doesn't like it but because she is single now and wants a new start. The town she is in is very liberal, she is Jewish.

I know Portland and love it, I live in Leavenworth, WA. If it was up to me that is what I would choose. I don't know Salem at all. What is it like??

In fact I am on my way to Portland today to pick up my mom and take her to the coast for her birthday. You guys have the best coastline!!!

[swag]

1. I don't like Salem too much, myself.

Not to insult anybody. I know some good, very fun people there, but I find the town a little bit boring, backwater, and conservative.

Portland I like very much, of course. I chose to live here. Lots of variety in terms of people, activities, neighborhoods, cultural activities, recreational opportunities, and so on. Very relaxed, manageable city. Good food. Great music.

I love Leavenworth, WA. Such a strange, even exotic town. I hope you don't get pummeled by fires again this year.

[Buck Rabbit]

2. Kind of an odd choice.

Again no offense to Salem but it is usually not one of cities in Oregon you hear of a lot when people talk about where they want to retire to unless they have other ties to the area.

Portland has the most things going on due to its size and location, and I will probably stay here when I retire. But other places in Oregon I have personally considered retiring to if not Portland would be Ashland, Astoria, Bend, Brookings, Cannon Beach or Newport. If those places were too small and Portland too big I would take Eugene over Salem. But these preferences are based on what I like to do with my leisure time which is probably much different than your friend.

[stubtoe]

3. She wouldn't be happy at all in Salem.

Notorious as a nowheres-ville for singles. We lived there for years, but still continue to commute there and do business.

It really is pretty dull and conservative, especially when you compare it to Portland or Eugene. Kind of surprising for a city of its size, but the central Willamette Valley is a very red place. Pretty Christian too and not much else in the way of diversity of faiths.

Do you friend a favor and send her to Portland!

-s

[0rganism]

4. speaking of coastline, maybe she should try the coast instead?

If I were going to move to one of a short list of random locations in Oregon, I wouldn't be putting Salem on the list. Unless she has some exceptionally good reason you haven't mentioned so far for moving to Salem, there's no reason to think about it; she's moving to Portland.

If she has to make a choice, at least consider some of the nicer spots like Lincoln City or Cannon Beach. They can't be any lamer than Salem.

[grasswire]

5. I lived in Salem for a few years

Someone who appreciates a very liberal community will probably not be happy in Salem. Salem has its own particular charms -- most of it is quiet and safe, and the downtown is like stepping back to the 1950s. Definitely middle America with few of the "hip" aspects that small town Northern California communities offer.

The new start that she wants -- what kind of life is she seeking? And how old is she? I could better answer her question with a little more information.

[marlakay]

6. Thanks for the help

I just came back from the coast and was without my computer. She is 55 and works fulltime for girlscouts one of a few paid people she heads up cookie sales for the whole northern CA...big job!! Looking forward to retiring...she likes to garden. Involved in book clubs. And is always in charge of organizing some big event in the committees she belongs too. Busy person and has tons of friends and makes them easy. Reminds me of the perfect southern hospitality woman but from CA!! She thought about moving to North Carolina but checked out a few towns and didn't want to move that far from her kids in CA. They are in their 20's.

She is a democrat and votes but not active like me. She laughs at how involved I have been.

She keeps a house that could be in a magazine she decorates so cute.

So what she says she wants is a medium sized town so if it was Portland it would be in the suburbs. I think somewhere she feels safe being single and a town with art, a college and a jewish community.

She is my friend who is proper and into manners and old fashioned. Kind of cute actually...

[oregonjen]

7. When she does retire...

She needs to make sure that her medical needs will be okay. What insurance she has will determine which hospitals she can use. If she retires on the coast, will there be adequate medical care? As one gets older, it would be harder to drive the 1-2 hours to a bigger city for medical care.

What about Eugene? It's a good liberal arts town.

[oneold1-4u]

14. Late but needed advise

There ire really no cities on the OR coast that have adequate medical for anyone! Until that changes, the I-5 line from Ashland to Portland is the best bet, with Medford, Eugene, and Portland all being for all medical care. Bend, in Central OR is right up there too, and offers great emergency transport from outlying areas.
For near family being in CA, the Rogue Valley,(Medford) with numerous smaller communities might be great. Ashland has a small Jewish community.

[pdxbecca]

8. I agree, Eugene would be a better choice

Or if she wants a smaller town what about Corvallis? I lived in Corvallis for a short time and it was a a very nice town. A bit too small for me though. It is a college town, very liberal, and there is a very small Jewish community. There also seem to be a fair number of retired folks living there. The crime rate is low and there is a major hospital. There is a really nice waterfront where they hold the nicest farmer's market. Corvallis is also not too far from Salem or Eugene.

[grasswire]

12. well....

....Salem has a college (Willamette University) and an art festival and feels pretty safe and quiet except for a few areas. Here's what I'm thinking, though. What about Newberg or McMinnville? She ought to check them out. Or Silverton? All of those are beautiful smaller towns.

But the Jewish community is something she'll definitely find in Portland. And Southeast Portland is a very welcoming, wonderful area.

[Arugula Latte]

13. There is a vibrant Jewish community in Southwest Portland, as well.

In the Multnomah Village/Hillsdale area, the Mittelman Jewish Community Center and its associated schools are the hub of the Jewish community. Multnomah Village has a similar vibe to Southeast Portland. I like them both (although I'm not Jewish .. not Christian either).

[exlrrp]

16. Try Eugene or Corvallis

I enjoy both of them, medium sized college towns close to great scenery and not far from other fun places like the beach. Both of them remind me of Napa, before that place got overrun and overdeveloped. They both have Jewish communitiies (so, believe it ir not, does Salem)
Salem is well known as being more conservaitive than the rest of the Willamette Valley but there's other great places here to look at too. The nice thing is all these places named here are not far apart so one can get the benefit of all of them. This is what I do, living in Brownsville, which is pretty much in the center between these places. Brownsville is a terrific plcae to live (they made the movie Stand By me here) but there's no Jews here. She could be the first.
Good Luck

[sandnsea]

18. Ashland or Eugene

I don't know the cost of living in Ashland now, but I lived there for a short time and really loved it. Eugene is good too and only 2 hours to Portland shopping if she likes really upscale and trendy which Eugene doesn't have quite as much of. Salem - ewww, I don't like it either and I tend to go for more "back to the 50's" towns, but there's something about Salem that's just icky.

[Morereason]

20. Salem is growing and changing

It is not a bad place and not nearly as conservative as spoken about here. If she can afford it Portland is a very nice and very pedestrian city. But Salem has most everything you want, is not too far from "the big city", has some very nice countryside and is less expensive to buy a house.

[Quantess]

9. No offense to the people of Salem, but,

Salem is probably my least favorite place in Oregon. There is an almost palpable aura of uptightness. For its size and density, it is remarkably right-wing. People don't visit Salem for fun.
Portland has a Jewish community at least, and a lot of recreation, both night and day, indoor and outdoor. And Portland is pretty darn blue.
Washington has some very liveable places.

[Arugula Latte]

10. Not Salem!

It's :boring:

[Ken Burch]

15. Having been raised in Salem, I have mixed feelings

It was much more whitebread and conservative when I was growing up there(early 1960's to late 1970's). On my visits back, the place has struck me as slowly getting more open-minded and multicultural. It's way behind Portland and will probably always be to some extent, but it has progressive and interesting aspects if you know where to look.

[exlrrp]

17. Well I like it!

Its really kind of cool for a state capital, laid back , the whole state capital fits on one regular city block.
Its pretty and got an "Old Town" part thats excellent. I was just up there yesterday riding my bike around. Great Used bookstores. 2 weeks ago I was in Carson City, another state capital--that REALLY sucks compared to Salem.
I used to live right across the street from a freeway in California and thought it was a good place. Appreciate what you have.

[sandnsea]

19. Well gee, Carson - extra ick

Yeah I lived outside of Carson City for a year, yuk yuk yuk. I don't see how anybody can live anywhere in the state of Nevada, it's a bigger hole than Alabama, ugh. Salem is definitely better than Carson City but that still doesn't make it a great retirement choice in my mind.

[oldgrowth]

11. Ashland or Eugene and Newport on the coast

Less rain in Ashland and its cool blue(it has alittle hippy feel),Eugene is bigger and like it better than Salem ,Newport is nice but always cool and a lot of wind and rain.
http://www.el.com/to/ashland/

[Tyo]

21. Salem?

I live in Portland and like it, although I'd prefer someplace larger. If your friend wants a small farily liberal city and can handle the long depressing winters Portland would probably be ideal. If she wants something smaller she might check out Eugene or Corvallis or Ashland or possibly Bend. But Salem? I don't know. I get a weird vibe from Salem. And really, what's there?