Affordable places you would actually want to live

after age relocating from the Oregon coast to the Bend area, we spent the last few years repeating trips throughout WA, from where our daughter lives in Spokane to Blaine down to Olympia, up to Port Angleles, etc. and after a dozen such exploratory trips and lots of nights in lodging while looking around and checking out real estate, the Bend area is where we decided to remain.
Reasons are excellent physicians/availability, the seasons (other than when smoke hits), lights out fishing, lots of wide open space, multiple roads in and out, and enjoy town's food and entertainment center. From our home in Surniver we can be in Bend in just over 15 mins.
Affordability - can still find a nice home for under 600K in town. Less in Redmond just north.
Congestion - there is nowhere in Bend that cannot be reached from opposite ends of Bend in 15 mins
Schools - Bend has invested in schools, has plenty of them including a brand new high school in the SE area, which is where we'll likely end up when we eventually age out of Sunriver and move into Bend. We rarely read/hear of any serious social issues in the schools, mostly we hear about how well their teams are doing. And they are finishing up an amazing new library in the SE area. The colleges in town include Oregon Community College, OSU-Cascades university, and OHSU School of Nursing. Students from those do shifts as lifeguards at our SR pools, and speak highly of them.
Raising kids - a very safe community with a whole lot of things to do year around.
 
@SurfnFish Bend is an absolutely beautiful place. Been going there for years. Checks so many boxes too. The climate is the main reason for not moving there. Why I prefer milder Western WA. and OR.
 
There is a "security blanket" effect that compels me to not leave the USA. Otherwise I would choose Belize, The Philippines or Ecuador in that order. Belize..Caribbean, 1/1 money exchange, they speak English and like Americans, short drive to Walmart in Mexico, you can drive a car and buy a house. The Philippines ...best beaches in the world, beautiful women and you can live comfortably as opposed to struggling in the U.S...... And then Ecuador... Beaches, mountains, jungles of the Amazon, super cheap and super adventurous.
 
I prefer to live in America where I feel much more secure. Honestly, I think if I were in your position, I would look at property in the Ozark Mountains. Land is ridiculously cheap, fishing is great, the people are warm and kind, kids are "free range" and schools teach the three r's. After living in Seattle... this will be like breathing in a lung full of fresh air....American fresh air.
 
jaredoconnor said:
Imagine you were forced into early retirement, you have two young kids, and you don’t quite have enough money to retire (comfortably) in the Seattle area. Where would you move to?

Consider schools, safety, things to do with your time (fishing), etc.
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When I moved to Washington in 2019, we sold our 3bdrm, 2 bath ranch home on 2/3 of an acre, in the Vermont state capitol Montpelier, with established blueberries and a small orchard and mountain views, for $275K. That was a fair price for the area.
 
FishyJere said:
I think what @RCF said has a very useful idea. College towns, the smaller ones. There is enough population and culture to make it interesting. Most (all) are much, much cheaper than Seattle. Pick one with fish nearby and start shopping.
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Left Seattle in '92. Great decision. Especially when there is lots of healthcare. Not particularly cheap, most expensive gas around, but otherwise a bit of heaven on earth.
 
Oregon has some great areas I would consider. Anything but Portland 😂 I really love the north Oregon coast. In august and the summer sun is out no better place to be imho. Plenty of fishing and variety to target fresh and salt. The only thing has you age and need more medical expertise this is not the area to be in. Basically when you get to that point you need to be close to major city. Just a fact. As to regards to school and affordability. I don’t know much about the schools and the affordability probably ranks low too. Guess it depends on your compromises. Cheaper as you get further away from the ocean. Cheaper when you want less land. Cheaper when you can deal with a smaller house. Etc etc.
 
Porter2 said:
Oregon has some great areas I would consider. Anything but Portland 😂 I really love the north Oregon coast. In august and the summer sun is out no better place to be imho. Plenty of fishing and variety to target fresh and salt. The only thing has you age and need more medical expertise this is not the area to be in. Basically when you get to that point you need to be close to major city. Just a fact. As to regards to school and affordability. I don’t know much about the schools and the affordability probably ranks low too. Guess it depends on your compromises. Cheaper as you get further away from the ocean. Cheaper when you want less land. Cheaper when you can deal with a smaller house. Etc etc.
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I'm in Gresham and honestly like it a whole lot more than I anticipated. I really like this far east edge of the metro area. The far west edge out past Beaverton has some appeal also. I don't care much for the areas too far south of me, but probably because I really like my proximity to the Columbia River.
 
Jim in Anacortes said:
There is a "security blanket" effect that compels me to not leave the USA.
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Where I’m from in Australia is the family friendly utopia I seek, on paper.

The only problem is I left for a reason - it is insanely boring and I have no idea what I would do all day. The closest good fly fishing is a 15h drive.
 
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Buzzy said:
Calling @Tim L - care to share thoughts on your area?
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Ha, I'll make it easy. W/o going into the details, it's an advantage if you're staying in the city/suburbs (Cleveland vs. greater PS). Overall, cost of living and quality of life are both far better here. Never would have thought that but it's a no brainer. Here and now, I'm retired with a better living situation - I was in Mill Creek proper for 20 yrs before relocating, and would still be working if I stayed. Note, I'm referring to Cleveland's west end out here.

Away from the cities, WA would have the better terrain by a farmer's mile. Here it's flat farmland for the most part. In either state, I'd hit those areas all day long to play but have no interest in living there (once upon a time I would have settled in eastern WA, but that was then).

WA has the better weather, statewide. That said, I'm in a good pocket that acts as a "snow shadow" with year round mild weather compared to most of the midwest (and I generally hate the weather anywhere outside the PNW).

Fish wise, I can't say one is better than the other. Different sets of pros and cons.

Edit: Rich makes a good point below regarding healthcare - that's a big one. Another push for me, both areas excellent. Cleveland Clinic is outstanding. FWIW, not an item I'd compromise.
 
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I lived here at one time. Upper Duckabush.
Absolute rural paradise, 2 garages and a 900 Sq ft ADU above one of the garages, was my fishing room, tying space, and drafting spot.
Private, quiet, elk and deer daily, 3 greenhouses.
Love this place, see right into the park, with killer views of The Brothers.
Would move back in a second but for the cost...and the Samsquanch.
It's a ways out, but damn...everything you'd ever want...if you're me.
😁🤣


 
Duluth. As long as you can handle a bit of winter.
-Reasonable housing costs
Great availability of medical facilities and
Doctors
-solid MN schools
- UM Duluth, UW Superior, St. Scholastica
-fabulous summer weather
- close access to Lake Superior, which can be effectively fished off shore or in a small craft (float tube, canoe, small boat).
-lots of other fishing- brookies in streams, walleye, northern, bass). Including good muskie and walleye fishing in town.
-enormous amounts of public land to explore
- good birding.
-reasonable distance to the BWCAW.

Towns further up the north shore such as Two Harbors, Silver Bay or Grand Marais would be even better except for the lack of medical care and more limited educational options in small public schools.
 
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