SperlingViews - Eugene, Oregon

There are enough STRONG pros and cons about Eugene that anyone contemplating moving here should definitely consider: PROS: 1. The people are really, really nice. In fact, it's a bit scary. People open doors for you, wave you ahead in traffic, greet you with a sincere friendliness, etc. It's refreshing to not hear honking horns in traffic! (Really. I've been honked at exactly twice in three years.) 2. The university enriches the cultural life of the city. There's more going on here than in some cities five times the size. 3. Eugene is beautiful and green. It's also clean--and that includes the air. 4. You are within an hour of both a beautiful coastline and some fantastic mountain scenery. The best hiking and camping anywhere! 5. Cost of living is fairly low, though the university puts upward pressure on rental housing prices. Oregon tax structure is fairly progressive, meaning that it's pretty easy to survive on a low income. CONS: 1. The weather is Oregon weather. That means: yes, it rains all the friggin' time. Surprisingly, the summer isn't all that pleasant either--it gets pretty hot and humid. But that's when you should be up in mountains or out at the beach anyway. The shoulder seasons can be absolutely perfect (unless it rains). 2. The town revolves around the university, and especially, the football team. Five tuition hikes in five years, and the football team loses ten of millions a year. The town comes to a complete stop every day there's a home game. So it would be good if you like football, because you'll pay for it one way or another. The thtudent athletes (an oxymoron if there ever was one) get preferential treatment, from special buildings just for them to thtudy and to live in, from carte blanche to be low-grade felons (a few of them overdid it and got heaved off the team last year). 3. A social climate that is openly hostile to business. Not only a confiscatory tax structure at the high end, but also a series of rape-the-rich bills passed in the legislature ensure that businesses stay the hell out, which, with the commensurate high unemployment, seems to be EXACTLY what people want--none of those BEEEEEG EEEEEEVIL corporations sullying our greenscape! All of the above means that what type of person you are and your personal goals can make this place either heaven or hell on earth. If you're a student or a teacher--great. If you just want to escape the rat race--great. If you love the outdoors--great. If you want to make money--forget it. If you like warm, sunny weather--forget it. If you're a political conservative--actually, it might not be that bad. People here are just too damn nice and mellow to get that worked up over anything. "Diversity" and "tolerance" aren't just buzzwords here. I think that stems from the not-too-distant past when this was jumping-up-and-down, marching-in-the-streets, blowing-up-things, radical Berkeley-of-the-North. The present social climate is a reaction to that. Plus, due to the ongoing Second Great Depression, no one can afford to buy drugs, so things are calmer than they have been for quite a while.[read more...]

I went there to visit in June of 2011 and overall I like Eugene a lot because its very green with a lot tall evergreen trees and flowers. Its very clean compare to cities in Tx. Very nice weather not too hot at all and its was in the 70's and a few clouds. Very friendly people there. Many sight seeing not far from Eugene and the ocean is about an hour away. Oregon and Eugene is very pretty place and I am from Texas and Texas is not very pretty at all in most places so Oregon has a more larger area that is so beautiful there that I didn't want to leave Oregon. I will visit Eugene Or again when I have vacation time and just hang out and visit all these beautiful sight seeing near Eugene and is so relaxing there and a nice place to get away from Texas.[read more...]

Eugene is one of those few places where people are so incredibly nice that if you see someone on the streets and don't say high you might very well hurt their feelings this is a town of 150,000 that might go all year without a single murder there is almost nowhere like that anymore anywhere, your best bet might be under a rock and whatever you do don't ever head anywhere east or south cause you won't make it not safe you are either making this up or just plan nuts no offense but my god dude grow a pair eugene is a rare phenomenom of honest nice people.[read more...]

Eugene is a great place to live but its decision-making is dominated by well-meaning, liberal-progressive social engineers. They see themselves as tolerant but that doesn't apply much to those who disagree with the "correct" thinkers.[read more...]

The sad and simple fact is, growing up in downtown Eugene is hellacious. I've been robbed, at the point of various weapons, on the street in the neighbourhood I grew up in three times- twice in broad daylight. The police never did anything about it. My house was broken into four times. Police did nothing. I've had rocks and beer cans thrown out of car windows at me for no apparent reason, and been attacked by surly burn-outs and thugs more times than I can count. Schools are sub-par and dangerous. I grew up near (multiple) meth-houses and swarms of homeless. At times I felt terrorized everywhere I went. The U of O is vastly underrated, and I am pleased I stayed around to study there. But life after university is desolate. When I moved to South Brooklyn, New York, I was prepared for the worst, Eugene being the only place I ever lived. I'm surprised everyday that there are no bums here, there is no noticeable crime, no public inebriation, etc. I'm definitely safer in one of the less safe neighbourhoods of New York City than an average neighbourhood in Eugene, Oregon. I realize others who have lived in more remote and affluent parts of Eugene have different experiences, but this is my experience and the experience of those I grew up with.[read more...]

It seems like the number of smokers significantly outnumbers the non-smokers. I get frustrated by how many people I pass on the street who are smoking. [read more...]

Don't move to Eugene. I live here and I don't want to see this city enlarge. I think everyone should consider Portland, it's got a lot going for it![read more...]

After traveling through most of the country last summer I have come to realize that Eugene has a lot more to offer than most other cities or towns in the U.S.A. Why? Eugene and its surrounding areas offer an abundance of outdoor activities for adults and children alike. There are outdoor programs that Willamalane and Y.M.C.A. offer for kids and adults from river rafting to arts and crafts. There is something for all ages. We are close to the beach where there is camping, boating, crabbing, fishing, etc. Florence and the Southern Oregon Coast all offer "World class sand dunes!" People from all over the world travel to Oregon to experience the sand dunes. And from Eugene, you are only about an hour away from the dunes. The winter months are usually wet with a lot of rain but you can head to the mountains just an hour and half away and play in the snow. There is skiing, snow shoeing, and tubing for all ages to enjoy. Also, hunting is huge near the Eugene area where there is plenty of game. Traveling from Eugene to Bend is a great adventure in the winter or summer months where there is plenty to do (2 1/2- 3 hours away). Eugene also does not have the incredibly high "Humidity" that most of the other states have to deal with in the summer. When temperatures do rise in Eugene the humidity usually stays moderate. I have experienced the southern states where in Florida, Alabama and many other states have excessive humidity levels. The days and nights can be unpleasant to say the least. Also, Eugene is home to the Oregon Ducks football team. Experiencing a game at Autzen Stadium (Loudest stadium on the country) is a great way to have fun on a Saturday in the Fall months. Just remember to scream loud (OOOOOOOOOOOOOO)!! If you come to Eugene expecting tropical weather, you will be disappointed. But if you come to escape the traffic of LA or high humidity of other states, you will be able to enjoy the outdoors at any time. [read more...]

We've lived in Eugene since 2002 and will be leaving ASAP. There are good things about Eugene: The bike paths, the organic grocers, the mild climate, the proximity to the coast and mountains, and fewer racist individuals than other parts of Oregon. However, the crime, over-heated real estate (still), pollen, unfriendliness, and the habit of the college students to riot far out weigh the benefits. Crime: I've been accosted by bums 3 times. There was a shooting in my front yard. Some one tried to break into my house to rape my wife during the middle of the day. An arsonist set my garage on fire. An arsonist tried to burn down REI. There is often needle and other drug paraphernalia in the parks, and the list goes on and on. Housing: The good neighborhoods are South Hills, College Hill, Cal Young, and Fox Hollow. The okay neighborhoods are Friendly and Amazon. All these neighborhoods have bad areas, and you should never leave your doors unlocked anywhere in Eugene. Stay away from West Eugene, Santa Clara (very high cancer rates!), Train Song (lots of cancer), and most of Springfield. Expect to spend at least $225k for a smallish house in okay shape in one of the good neighborhoods. I take allergy medicine 6 months a year. I've developed asthma, which I'm told is quite common in the Eugene area, and when they start burning the fields in the summer, you better hope you have AC. We've lived in Eugene for 8+ years and I have no friends here. I use to go to community events and other gatherings, I even tried joining a simplicity group. No one has ever offered me there phone number or bothered to call me when I've given them mine. Sure the people in Eugene are accepting, you can run naked through the streets if you'd like, but that doesn't mean they'll talk to you. I have numerous friends in Salem, Oregon where I lived for less than a year and in Portland, Oregon where I've never lived. The U of O speaks for itself. The U of O may not be the best place to get an education but it is a top party school. The joke in my office is the new prison expansion is to house U of O students. If you really want to live in Oregon Ashland, Corvallis, or Portland are better choices.[read more...]

I have lived in Eugene since July 06, 4 years now. I agree with everything the other folks have said about living here. But I thought I would add a few other things. The people here have an almost religious fervor with the Ducks. I became a fan of sorts but you are not a real fan unless you have lived here your whole life. The ironic part is the football team has been in constant trouble with the law. These are black athletes recruited from the deep south to play, go to school, and live in Eugene. You really have to understand how Lilly white Eugene is to appreciate the how upside down these fans really are. My 5 top reasons for hating Eugene. 1. The Rain. 2. The Hippies. 3. The Transients Bums. 4. The Grass pollen kills me in the spring. 5. The Hippies. Did I mention the Hippies? What I will miss with Eugene. 1. The bike riding along the river is remarkable. 2. Its an hour drive to the coast and 45 minutes up to the mountains to go shooting. 3. The summer and fall is great for camping, but most camp grounds are full of hippies. [read more...]

Eugene is not the place to live if your interested in bettering your career or raising children! This city has more trash on the ground then any where I've been and the homeless population is the largest I've seen in any city, they leave needles and condoms along sidewalks and on hiking/biking trails, and yet the city just keeps handing them more and more shelters and food! Also the city's management finds it more important to keep throwing money into unnecessary projects like adding bus lanes when very few even ride,, or renaming highways at a cost of $250,000 and all while the city is over $500 million in dept as of April 2010! If you prefer not working and trash everywhere this is the city for you!!!!!!!!! [read more...]

Hey all. My niece has been decided on UO for her university studies... so, to Eugene we go. I've seen the crime data and understand (living in Tempe, AZ currently) how crime is "pocketed" when living near a university (especially one like ASU where people move in from other states... and not unlike us). However, I would like to see us move to a lower crime neighborhood as it'll be just us and her pup. I'm concerned about the stories of drug addicts attempting to break into residences (oh, I wish I'd copied that site down) while the owners are home and the police unwilling to respond. It's possible that may be a one off story but I'm simply not sure where to start looking. Any suggestions?[read more...]

Eugene is a crown jewel of oregon...you may not find a better city or quality of life except portland metro....its not for everyone,it is a university town,university of Oregon being a focal point,it is a wonderful place to raise kids,its safe, have a family, and lead a nice quiet life...you can still go for walks late at night with little concern,...its small,but has all modern ammenities needed for most people, a mixture of students, hippies, regular people, and nature lovers, dogs and biking are welcomed, beautiful river runs thru city, good transportation, farmers market, rains alot, but spring and summers are plenty sunny with gardens in bloom...if you want big trees, nice people, artists, student life, nature, and the niche of everything you have heard, Eugene is for you. Cost of living is low, education is good, the job market is not the best, too many people, too few jobs, like i said , not a huge city, that would be the only drawback.[read more...]

I moved to Eugene three years ago to live in a cooler, more liberal climate, from Oklahoma. Don't let the rain measurements fool you: it may not be many more inches than where you live now, but it comes down all the time, all Fall, Winter & Spring. That said, the temps are mild in both directions, so long as you don't mind the constant darkness, lots of folks have special lamps to ward off Seasonal A??? Disorder, depression. But Summer is just gorgeous, only too hot about one week, lots of houses don't have A/C and don't need it. But the days you can't enjoy the outdoors because of rain are about the same number you can't enjoy because of heat in the South. Property values are outrageous unless you're relocating from SanFran, LA or NYC: it's a university town, good medical care, nice climate, lots of wealthy retirees. I doubled what I spent on housing from Okla. and still ended up in a bad neighborhood and the neighborhoods are very diverse/mixed property values which is all nice and egalitarian, but not so much when you've just spent 250-300K to live surrounded by meth heads, even in the "good" part of town. If you're looking at houses here, I recommend driving in concentric circles around the neighborhood/street you're considering and don't ignore the ugly spots because they're NOT "up and coming." The university neighborhood is very high priced and has nice views but you'll get stuck with college rentals around you, parties and folks peeing on your lawn. South Eugene is nice in pockets but you'd better have 350K+ to spend, Southwest Eugene, again, nice in pockets but terrible in others. Pay attention to the crime map. River Road/Santa Clara, looks nice but there's a reason for those lower prices, I live there now, surrounded by meth heads, homeless folks coming up from the river. The meth problem here is so bad that meth addicts are part of the daily fabric of life in all parts of town. We have no sales tax (but 9% state income tax) so no jail beds available except for the very worst crimes, not enough police, property crimes, no use in even reporting those, barely any treatment programs to make it better. I don't take my trash out at night. Some of the good aspects are lots of tolerance for different lifestyles, highly educated population, tons of art and culture, fantastic symphony, opera, ballet for a city this size and beautiful outdoor areas all around. They call it "The People's Republic of Eugene" and they mean it - everything must be discussed for ten years, every side heard ten times, no progress allowed because progress, in the traditional sense, is not "sustainable" and green. Since "new" = "bad" the whole place looks kind of run down. Be prepared for people to tell you how you should eat (local and organic only) and where you should shop (don't be caught dead at Wal-Mart, though amazingly, the parking lot's always full...), people who shop "right" do it at the farmer's market which is huge and lovely but the prices are out of this world and fixed. You see people paying $8 for a tomato with food stamps! Folks are very outspoken here to the point of rudeness and they expect accommodation, not just for special needs, but for every whim they've ever entertained, but don't want to compromise on anything or be put out in any way themselves. It creates a very odd mix. On one hand, it's truly nice that homeless and other cultures are treated in such an egalitarian manner. On the other hand, when you're the one doing all the accomodating, it gets a little old. When I came here, I was a good liberal, Unitarian, recycling, left-wing, organic-eating, feminist Democrat. I've discovered, having had the extremes shoved down my throat for the last three years, that I'm actually a very middle-of-the-road Unitarian (though a lifelong UU, I've left the local church because I get tired of being viewed as a bad Unitarian because I don't do the extreme lifestyle) who doesn't enjoy being told where to shop and what to eat. I like my car, don't believe that convenient = evil, shave my legs occasionally and wear a touch of makeup now and then (don't dare wear even a tiny amount of cologne to a public space or you'll get a lecture on how you're endangering those with sensitivity to scents and I'm NOT KIDDING, there are actually signs up at the performing arts center), enjoy a chain restaurant and a regular movie every so often and none of that is a sarcastic exaggeration. Before I moved here I used to be so impressed with the weekly publication's ads for shamanic healing, meditation services, green everything, 4:20- friendly but now I'm just fed up with it all and thinking of moving back to the midwest where I can afford to live in a decent, safe neighborhood for 250K. Tolerance is promoted but only for the "right" things. I used to feel I lived under the tyranny of the right; now I've discovered the tyranny of the left. Like me, you may think you crave this kind of lifestyle but it's more than you'd ever imagine - mayhap I went too far? Also, despite seeing dogs everywhere, this IS NOT a dog-friendly town: the yards are tiny, even in expensive neighborhoods, your neighbors will gripe every time your dog makes a peep, part of that expectation of accomodation, but they'll let their pit bull (this place is covered in them, my German Shephard has been attacked twice by pits in public areas in three years) run free in their front yard and the parks, not to mention that you'll spend all Winter drying your dog six times a day and wiping the mud off your walls. So if you're a rich, socialist, pet-free vegan who bikes everywhere, lives 100% organic, loves accommodating everyone to the point of masochism, have a graduate degree but not looking for a job (12% unemployment), enjoys lots of rain, doesn't want a big yard, you might be fine here but be prepared to embrace it wholeheartedly because moderation is frowned upon. [read more...]

Eugene is a very friendly and welcoming city to anyone & everyone. Anything pretty much goes. Eugene seems to be a very green city, a lot of organics and recycling. We are the Hippy City and have a huge country fair every year just to prove it. We are a city that is very much college team oriented. GO DUCKS. Eugene is a couple hours in either direction of almost anywhere. You can go to the mountains for great skiing, to the forest for the most beautifuls hikes or camping, or to the ocean for an amazing coastal drive or perhaps go to the desert or visit a volcano. We pretty much have it all. But although it does get pretty green. It rains and rains. Summers are nice but seem to last for only a short time before it rains and rains again. So if you don't have a problem with depression the rain can be quite lovely to listen to. [read more...]

Good place for living.[read more...]

It's the best![read more...]

It rains a lot in the winter. The first few years it didn't bother me, but it finally has. Very few sunny days.[read more...]

Eugene is an excellent place to live. We are close to the mountains, beaches, and the vineyards. The city is very bike friendly with paths along the river and bike lanes along most streets, making bike commuting safe and practical. The citizens are also socially responsible. There is curb-side recycling for paper, metal, plastic and glass. And a wide variety of local, organic, sustainably grown produce & raised meats can be easily found in the grocery stores, farmers markets, & individual farms.[read more...]

Not the kind of town to raise kids. The level of transients that the city nurtures is unbelievable. The preference is to make it difficult, if not impossible, for businesses to thrive and do everything possible to ensure that the transient population blooms. Maybe that is what all the gray and rain is for. Growing bums. Many people are just dirty, while others are totally lacking in manners. I have never lived in an area where so many women and men spit...not off to the side, but right in the middle of where everyone walks. Educational funding is not handled sufficiently and the police force is non-responsive at best. The short summers, if they appear, can be nice, but not worth the 9+ months of rain. But,if you want to live in a non-safe, business deprived, bum infested mud hole, then Eugene could be the place for you.[read more...]