SperlingViews - Medford, Oregon

I have lived here for more then 15 years and finally I can afford to get out of here. I'm moving in a month to Salem, Oregon and I can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Medford is a whole and a black whole that will get you stuck and rarely anyone is able to move away. No jobs here, we have the highest unemployment in the country, all the jobs they do have are part time, we have over 25k people out of work so when a job does open the chance of getting it are slim, Rent is a disaster and always has been, medford landlords expect tenants to pay the whole mortgage. To rent a crappy, in the worst part of town 3 bedroom 2 bathroom home is going to cost you 1200 a month. There are shootings here all the time, gangs, and just two days ago I watched the police kill a 20 year old kid in the Albertsons parking lot. Everything cost a fortune too!!! I went to Papa Murphy s to get a pizza and they raised prices $4 per pizza, when I asked why the huge jump in price they stated because Oregon min. wage just went up .20 cents, .... does this make seance to you guys? Medford does this every time, they give the increase to help with rising cost of living expenses and each time they raise it prices go up 200%, the mall was the same, can't get a subway sub for under $9 dollars now... someone should stop this from happening but they wont. The city once again today blocked HUD housing from building a 100 unit complex! this is what to expect if you live here. We have nothing, all the cool stores closed or are closing this month, there is no economy, no affordable housing and milk cost $4.99 a gallon, and our gas is always the nations highest yesterday still being $3.89 for reg. gas. We have lost 30k people in the last 4 years. NO mills, no jobs, high prices, screw this place. [read more...]

To Be Honest about Medford,Its Should Be Called "Meth"ford, Its a Dump.. Crime is Rising, there are Illegals Everywhere. Cant Find a Decent Job Anywhere. Summers are Stifling, There Really isn't a thing about Medford that Makes it a Nice Place, The Best Part about Medford is Leaving It"."[read more...]

I don't mind Medford, Oregon. There really are a lot of opportunities here... RCC is a great community college, then Ashland is not far with Southern Oregon University being a very profesional place to become educated- Not to mention Ashland's culture-although very liberal, and pricy (also being in the National Geographic for its uniqueness) The Rogue Valley in general is quite pleasing. There are a lot of rednecks. and the roads are constantly being re-vamped because of the number of people coming up from California. You have your rich and poor here for sure. I guess i am moving because i would like to be closer to the water-and really just need to "leave the nest for awhile!" I want to find a warm place, pleasant (not overbearing with crime), and with some good community colleges in mind. If anyone has any suggestions-i would be grateful :)[read more...]

Let me say that medford, oregon is a very beautiful. Slow pace relaxing. Medford is a retirement city work is hard to find unless you have skill they are looking for i.e. phamarcy aide, or tech, pt aide, ot aide. While i lived there both hospitals went into a hiring freeze. The housing prices are very good and now is the time to buy because the builders are dealing and the foreclosure market is good. On the east side of Medford the school is sharing with Phoneix, Talant, and Medford. The east side is still being developed but has slowed or stopped because of the recession. The cost of living is the same has through out the U.S. There is plenty to do in the Medford area however in the winter its slows down. The winter in Medford are very mild they have what they call is fairy snow. After it stops snowing the snow melts in about 3-4 hrs except in the foothills and mountians. The winter temperture is about 40 during the day and in the 20 at night. The newer homes are well insulated and you wont feel the cold at night or day. One word of caution Medford has an inversion layer where the air stalnates and doesnt move for 2 to 3 days this is not good if you have respirator problems on these days they recommend that everybody stay in door. I hope this little bit of information helps.[read more...]

Beautiful city!!!![read more...]

Best four season place ever! Warm-hot and dry in the summer (few bugs) and recreational snow less than an hour away by car in the winter, but minimal shovelling or driving in it. Great outdoor activities.[read more...]

I grew up in the Rogue Valley where Medford is located. It is so very beautiful, but the cost of living is too high. There is a serious lack of jobs for anyone in a professional field. If you don't have secondary education, you are stuck working retail etc. If you are looking to retire, this is the place. If you are young like me, move away and make money to retire on. Then come back.[read more...]

I currently live in a "cheap" area of the country. I can rent a one bedroom for $500/month. Rent is my largest finacial concern. I can transfer to just about anywhere with my company. The only thing is I don't make very much, but I am used to it and I think anyone could enjoy there life on a low income. I am looking for a place that is kinder on the environment, has an eye for the artistic yet isn't gonna make me have to live in my car or under the bridge. I did that before in seattle. When I lived up north of seattle in bellingham I found most people to be snobbish. I never truely felt like I was welcome, even after two years. It's like "I was here first! YOU'RE ruinening my land." Anyway, my search led to me to medford and ashland area. Is this my place? sounds great so far.[read more...]

I currently live in San Diego, and am looking to leave for many of the same reasons of comments I find on this site. High cost of living, housing, drugs, etc... However, I have to laugh. I see so many complaints about how the cost of houses are so high in Medford and how insanely high $300,000/house is, or how expensive it is to live there. LOL.. Try living in San Diego a month.. Just one month... At an average house price of $750,000, Apartments at minimum of $1500/mo., fast paced environment, population of 2,000,000, and a tax rate of 8% . I will take a median $300,000, and a pop. of 25,000 any day.[read more...]

Everyday when I wake up to the National News & Weather reports, I feel especially thankful & blessed to be fortunate enough to live in the beautiful Rogue River Valley.[read more...]

...and not the best. Nice climate, a little hot in summer, not enough snow in the winter. Plenty of outdoor recreation. Problem is that it seems like it's becoming somewhat of a retirement community, kind of an average place to live but very low wages and high rents. Makes no sense. You would think by the high cost of living that you were somewhere sweet like Hawaii but it's not even a resort town![read more...]

When we moved here 17 years ago we thought we had it made. We built a nice house and we both got decent jobs. It's really nice here, but the cost of living is really high. Wages are not good. The property and income tax bills are outrageous. Not only do you have to have a lot of money when you come here, you have to make a lot to stay here. It's worth it if you can do it, though.[read more...]

Surrounded by mountains with lots to do. Fishing, camping, hiking to concerts, plays and festivals.[read more...]

It sounds pretty dire to say that all the libraries in Jackson County Oregon have been closed, but it is true. We are voting on it next week, and if it passes it will mean an extra 66 cents per thousand in property taxes. For us it will cost $150 dollars per year more. I don't know how it even got to this point, but we'll see how it goes. Its hard to see how Medford got to #34 in light of this. Signed, Long time Medfordite[read more...]

I have lived in the Rogue Valley my life. I have traveled to many places and have never found anyplace that is more beautiful, and has more to offer than right here.[read more...]

Medford is a great place to live, if you can find a decent paying job and are willing to pay very high housing prices.[read more...]

Come back to Phoenix. We live in Chandler. We have lived here of and on since 1984. Boy! had it changed. You can take over our lease on a 2bd/2bth patio home ($975) and we'll rent your place. We can be packed and ready to go tomorrow. Give me the green of Oregon any day over this hot hell hole!![read more...]

Paula its wonderful, beautiful and heaven next to Phoenix. I cry daily because I came to Phoenix from Medford. Yes the Californians have caused price to go sky high. But I would take them over these snowbirds any day especially the northern snowbirds and the ones from WA. GOOD LUCK.. GO GIRL GO.....[read more...]

We moved here to Medford, Oregon from Phoenix four years ago. (Boy, do I miss Phoenix; would move back there in a second if we could!) Housing prices are even higher here than they are in Phoenix. We scrambled fast to buy a tiny condo here before the prices ran up any further two years ago. The escalating housing prices have far outstripped salary increases and they are closing an elementary school in nearby Ashland because the middle class can no longer afford to live there. My wife and I jokingly call it Medford, California because of all the California residents who have left that horrible state for southern Oregon. My advice: have a job lined up before you move here, and bring lots of cash if you want to buy a home, because you're going to need it![read more...]

My husband and I are considering a move from Maine to the Grants Pass-Medford, Oregon area. My husband is also considering attending the Willamette Carpenter's Training Center headquartered in Portland. (We've found out that they conduct some classes in the Medford area and are hoping he'll get assigned there.) At this time, he has several years' worth of carpentry skills. The three main reasons we're considering a move out there (and we haven't visited the area yet, but have LOTS of information) are climate (which has an affect on my husband's health, which in turn affects his work), education, and finances. I've read the comments posted about these two cities and it appears, with a few exceptions, that it's no better living out there than it is here. We don't have the level of crime in my area as you have out there, but we have a much lower population(pop. +/- 9500). The cost of living in Grants Pass is lower than Medford. Guess what I'm fishing for is for several differing opinion about what it's like living out there. It's especially helpful if you've ever lived on the East coast, particuarly New England. But I'd be grateful for whatever you'd like to contribute. I realize that we just need to visit, but right now it's not affordable for us to do so. So, talking with someone who lives out there would be almost as good. Thank you for any contributions you can make![read more...]