Good retirement choice. - 9/17/2023

I only lived in Albany 1 year. But I found the weather to be quite Mild. The Housing more affordable than Corvallis. I was shocked to find that nearby Corvallis gets 7 inches more rain a year than Albany. And even less rain than nearby Lebanon, OR. Of the 3 towns, Corvallis has the best air quality. So If you want a nice affordable town to retire to and the town still be big enough to do things, Albany might be just right for you.

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Cost of living well worth it - 4/20/2022

I've been living in Albany about 4.5 years. Moved up from Southern California to escape high home prices and the cost of living and clogged freeways. Now it's not sunny 365 days a week, but we bought a beautiful home in NW Albany with views of green treetops under 375k. Leaves plenty of spending for traveling that we never had before. We often drive to the coast (1 Hour) and often are up in Beaverton and Lake Oswego (1 hour). You can't beat it. The community is very friendly. The downtown buisnesses know you when you walk in. The is precious. We are not real outdoorsy, if you are, it's endless. The price of gas is cheaper here than CA and so are utilities.

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Silence is Golden - 8/12/2021

Ten months and ongoing in Albany, from the SF Bay Area. Much less crime here, much quieter here, more courteous and sane drivers here by far. We have been able to decompress and reduce our level of stress to almost nil after getting to Albany. I have yet to need the police whereas in SF, I was calling for many many incidents, mostly noise and quality of life crime, almost 3 times a week. Here in Albany, we get our money's worth for our taxes and real estate.

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Overcrowded - 11/2/2020

This place is literally bulging at the seams. Traffic is intense. Property taxes are very high. Basic city water is $100.00/mo minimum. Bond initiatives always pass so taxes keep rising. Personally I'm comfortable and quite settled in my home and don't wish to have to go through the expense and hassle of moving but my wife and I always keep an eye out for somewhere else to go and there definitely are better places to live!I guess the schools are ok and there's Linn-Benton Community College and OSU is only 15mi away.It does seem that quality of life has gone downhill and many longtime residents have begun to slowly leave but maybe the new arrivals like it here. It's very crowded and much more expensive than it was even 15 years ago.

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I'll pass thank you... - 7/13/2019

Now I know why this place is referred to as "The armpit of Oregon". After living there for 10 years it became like living in a dirty and dark closet. What an awful place.

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Albany resident. - 7/6/2019

The other reviews are pretty accurate and I live in Albany. Law enforcement is AMAZING here---there is usually a Sheriff's car or truck on every corner. If you are a criminal or want to hide from the law here, bad idea. One dispatcher told me you can call them over "anything." Having small children this is important to me. Not a good place for illegals either, my current job required a 10 year background history of where I was living as do most jobs. The sports are great, U of O is the best, and check out Frankie's restaurant over the bridge. Novak's is great too. The only downside is LOTS of rain and gray skies but what do you want this is Oregon.

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Living in Albany - 6/15/2019

I'm a resident and I will tell you the good and the bad. Lots of friendly people, great law enforcement and traffic is not bad. It can stay dark and cloudy/rainy for weeks but I don't mind. The bad: VERY hard to find a job here. Like the other review states you have to have a valid Oregon license, birth certificate, background check etc read and write english and the pay is grossly below the national avg. and wages are VERY low. Getting housing assistance is not easy. I would not recommend moving a family here unless you can survive on $10-11 an hour. Anything higher requires a 2-4 year degree. If you are elderly and need a place to retire in a one bedroom studio this might be better for you. People are very chatty and like to be neighborly.

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Fantastic up and coming town! - 5/14/2019

Albany has changed a lot for the better in the past few years. The schools are good, tons of parks, lots of amenities, big support for local businesses, right off the I5. It's a great little town with a lot to offer and lots of potential to be even lower amazing. The City has really pushed to clean up sketchy areas and make sure all properties are kept looking nice. The police department is awesome and really cares about Albany and works hard to keep crime low. Yes there are transients and drug addicts (just like every single other place in the country) and just like everywhere else Albany works to find resources for them when possible. Albany is near tons of rivers, waterfalls, amazing hiking and biking trails, the coast, mountains for skiing, and even sand dunes for sand boarding. Albany is very pet friendly as well. This is a great place to raise a family and be a part of a positive community that is growing and becoming better everyday.

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Nonstop Gray in the Allergy Capital - 5/11/2019

If you like alternating between months and months of nonstop gray followed by sunnier months in the allergy capital of the country, this is the place for you. For the rest of us, Albany is a miserable place. You'll notice that most of the good reviews are from people from Oregon, many having lived their lives in the area. Those of us from other areas have a good comparison and realize where Albany is lacking. Even compared to other parts of Oregon, the people here aren't especially friendly. A surprising number of people have actual depression. I'm easily the only outgoing person I know, but this place is chipping away at my optimism. There's more poverty then you'd expect when you consider the state of the economy and cost-of-living. There's no diversity, no culture, and little variation in anything, including the people. The food is bland and terrible. (This is true in most of Oregon.) If I stay in Oregon, I'd rather go almost anywhere else.

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Fantastic up and coming town! - 3/10/2019

I've lived in Oregon for almost 3 years and my family of four just bought a house in Albany 9 months ago. I love how close Albany is to the I5, and lots of locally owned stores, as well as plenty of grocery stores (and a Costco). The farmers market is awesome and one of our fave places to go on weekends during the summer! Albany has TWO libraries (one a Carnegie library, the other a very new, modern library) that offer multiple family friendly events. Albany has an awesome mall with a small free indoor play area, as well as an indoor bounce house place that my kids love. Our Walmart is big, clean and has new EV charging stations available. Albany has some great locally owned restaurants with fantastic gluten free menus (if you need that). The community of Albany bands together when the going gets tough and it's awesome to see. Yes there are transients and drug users, but you find that in every town, it just may be more noticeable in a small town like Albany compared to a larger city. There are tons of community centered events and many ways to volunteer or get involved with civic duties if you're interested. The police department is growing and on top of things, as is the fire department. Albany could use a little beautification, but it has a heart of gold!!!

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Hayden homes - 1/1/2017

Albany seems nice, do not buy Hayden homes however, worst decision in my 65 years by far.

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My thoughts on Albany - 9/12/2012

I moved to Albany a year ago. Prior to that I lived in Corvallis for twenty years. Before Corvallis, I lived in Coos Bay for twenty five years. Of the three towns, I like Albany the best. The people are so friendly, I felt at home the first week. There is so much to do here for me seeing my college days have long been over. We have River Rythems in the summer, and beautiful parks by the river to hike, picnic, fish and play. We also have Lakeshore Lanes where you can bowl a dollar a lane on Tuesdays. Albany has many groups for different interests. The one I like is "Albany Meet Ups". We have a dance clubs, nice theater, new library, a fairgrounds with lots of different events, JPC church (love that church), and oh yes...old town has some really cool little shops to discover treasures and some of the most hidden away ones have the best food! I suggest parking your car in old town, and walking the streets to investigate the special secrets that the locals know. On top of all that we are a short day trip to the coast, Salem, Eugene, Lebanon, and Corvallis. And for a longer day trip, Portland is a 1 hour 15 minute drive. We get the personal small town feel where everybody knows everybody, and so close to the larger cities. Oh, I forgot to mention the great shopping. We have all the major shopping places like costco, home depot, wall mart super store, k mart, all the major supermarket chains, habitat for humanity,Heritage Mall and more. And if you like second hand stores and garage sales, you will be in paradise here. I am very happy with my choice to relocate here.

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My thoughts on Albany - 9/12/2012

I moved to Albany a year ago. Prior to that I lived in Corvallis for twenty years. Before Corvallis, I lived in Coos Bay for twenty five years. Of the three towns, I like Albany the best. The people are so friendly, I felt at home the first week. There is so much to do here for me seeing my college days have long been over. We have River Rythems in the summer, and beautiful parks by the river to hike, picnic, fish and play. We also have Lakeshore Lanes where you can bowl a dollar a lane on Tuesdays. Albany has many groups for different interests. The one I like is "Albany Meet Ups". We have a dance clubs, nice theater, new library, a fairgrounds with lots of different events, JPC church (love that church), and oh yes...old town has some really cool little shops to discover treasures and some of the most hidden away ones have the best food! I suggest parking your car in old town, and walking the streets to investigate the special secrets that the locals know. On top of all that we are a short day trip to the coast, Salem, Eugene, Lebanon, and Corvallis. And for a longer day trip, Portland is a 1 hour 15 minute drive. We get the personal small town feel where everybody knows everybody, and so close to the larger cities. Oh, I forgot to mention the great shopping. We have all the major shopping places like costco, home depot, wall mart super store, k mart, all the major supermarket chains, habitat for humanity,Heritage Mall and more. And if you like second hand stores and garage sales, you will be in paradise here. I am very happy with my choice to relocate here.

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My thoughts on Albany - 9/12/2012

I moved to Albany a year ago. Prior to that I lived in Corvallis for twenty years. Before Corvallis, I lived in Coos Bay for twenty five years. Of the three towns, I like Albany the best. The people are so friendly, I felt at home the first week. There is so much to do here for me seeing my college days have long been over. We have River Rythems in the summer, and beautiful parks by the river to hike, picnic, fish and play. We also have Lakeshore Lanes where you can bowl a dollar a lane on Tuesdays. Albany has many groups for different interests. The one I like is "Albany Meet Ups". We have a dance clubs, nice theater, new library, a fairgrounds with lots of different events, JPC church (love that church), and oh yes...old town has some really cool little shops to discover treasures and some of the most hidden away ones have the best food! I suggest parking your car in old town, and walking the streets to investigate the special secrets that the locals know. On top of all that we are a short day trip to the coast, Salem, Eugene, Lebanon, and Corvallis. And for a longer day trip, Portland is a 1 hour 15 minute drive. We get the personal small town feel where everybody knows everybody, and so close to the larger cities. Oh, I forgot to mention the great shopping. We have all the major shopping places like costco, home depot, wall mart super store, k mart, all the major supermarket chains, habitat for humanity,Heritage Mall and more. And if you like second hand stores and garage sales, you will be in paradise here. I am very happy with my choice to relocate here.

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It just keeps getting better here! - 8/13/2011

We've been here in Albany for many years now and have travelled a very considerable amount in our lives! We've always been so happy to come home to beautiful Albany, with the friendliest and most down-to-earth people, reasonable prices on... EVERYTHING, low crime, great schools and history! Not to mention the beauty, tranquility and abundance of greenery, lakes, rivers, mountains and forests that only Oregon could be known for! Living in Albany takes the best of Pacific Northwest Living, leaving out the hustle and bustle of the bigger cities, but still keeping the amenities and/or easy access to those amenities that you would want from the biger cities. Mild temparatures year round, beautiful people, beautiful scenery and plenty to do here. It gets better every year, seriously!

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Love Albany! - 6/19/2011

I moved her one year ago with my 2 young boys and my husband. We moved into a neighborhood in SW Albany very close to Good Samaritan hospital. We love our house and our neighbors and enjoy all that the city has to offer. There are several parks very close by that I walk to with my children. We often walk downtown to the downtown library, local coffee joints and shops. Downtown has been undergoing improvement and attracting many new restaurants and shops (even with the down economy)! I love the feeling of downtown and most people I come into contact with are very friendly and open. If you want to drive you have endless opportunities that all of Oregon has to offer.... We moved from Corvallis, and though some may prefer Corvallis life, I feel that Albany is more connected to it's neighbors, more down-to-earth, and accessible. Albany's vibe doesn't have the "snobbery" (?) that Corvallis does, and it was very easy to become a part of our new town. It is interesting that Albany has some of the most revered restaurants in the area (ie: Sybaris, Calapooia Brewing Company, BoMack's BBQ, etc.) that attract many people from Corvallis. Home prices are SOOOOO much more affordable here and there are many large (and small) beautiful homes with character to choose from. I prefer the feel of SW Albany with it's older homes and proximity to downtown. If you are looking for newer homes, check out North Albany. You will still be able to find great prices, and you'll have great schools and parks too. There is a large shopping center in North Albany with a Starbucks, Ray's grocery store, restaurants and amenities. We're all looking forward to the summer with River Rhythms, the Air Show, Movies by the Moonlight and block parties! Really, really love it here.

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Great location - 11/13/2010

The city is well located for recreation ranging from the Pacific Coast to the Cascade Mountain range.

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albany = apathy - 10/28/2009

I was born there, and so glad to escape it .. a cultural zero, with jobs that are either dying or will never be there at all for people without special skills and education ... if you have skills that can bring an income then you might be able to find work, but the last time I knew anything about it, the town was getting a giant black eye for having about 270 jobs with one of its really major employers - a paper mill, wow what a thrill to work there: not ! - destroyed by a corporate decision ... so much for long years of loyalty and hard work, gone in one afternoon's choice by someone who doesn't live there or really care ... the countryside around it is painfully pretty in many places, but if you cannot make a living above the minimum wage, then what good is pretty scenery? Hewlett Packard in Corvallis has its issues too, so even the tekkies can get the boot like a blue collar guy, when their slave-owners decide to toss them aside .... it all means that, like other places far away, the labor market there is in difficulty, partly thru forces it cannot control, partly because the jobs that people sorely need to live on either don't exist there, or pay at a level that a mosquito cannot live on ... when I finally accepted what had to be, and fled forever, it was a sad day, but where I am now, I have some fulfillment as an artist doing what I do, and wonderful friends around me sharing the effort together... I cannot imagine ever having something like that there, in that place ... on a minimum wage level job, someone I know worked diligently for years in a store there, and was kept at 38 hours, just below full time, so their employer could avoid the costs of paying them FT bennies ... a polite form of theft if I ever saw one ... thats the mentality level of too many of the employers there ... stingy, selfish, crass ... may the starving fleas of ten thousand underfed camels infest the underpants of these "employers" count me as an Albany refugee ...thanks, but no thanks, Albany, I suffered too much there already , and you lose out on the talents and skills that I do have, a native son, who got tired of being described as weird ... maybe it's true, but I'd rather be crazy that stupid ... crazy is a choice, stupid is a condition ... hahahaha

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Things to do in Albany, Oregon - 2/5/2008

For the past 15 years of living here in this city, I've found numerous family things to do as well a adult themes also. We have several parks the outline the williamette river with free concerts in the summer and a logging theme carnival as well. As for the adults, we have several wineries all around the Albany area. The Williamette valley is the "gras seed" capital of the world! So therfore we are surrounded by grass seed fields all over. We have several restaurants downtown which is in the historic district!

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Albany, Oregon - 3/19/2007

Albany, Oregon is a little more affordable than Corvallis. Would love to see the main streets into the city (off the freeway exits) cleaned up with more (upscale) modern buildings for restaurants, shopping, and businesses (with the old junk demolished). The mall is little and plain. Could use a Macy's and some higher-end shops. North Albany is gorgeous, but housing is WAY overpriced. Downtown is cute, but needs more resoration. The river area is beautiful, but SHOULD be made GOOD use of (shops, restaurants, condos). This would give the downtown/riverfront area a progressive "cool" and inviting feel (which it is lacking). This town is a diamond in the rough. If city planners do it right, it could be BETTER than Corvallis.

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