What BestPlaces Users Say about Salem
Salem, Oregon is a mid-sized city located in the northwestern region of the United States. It is the capital of Oregon and is known for its beautiful parks, outdoor recreational activities, and historic downtown area. With a population of over 170,000, Salem offers a mix of urban amenities and a laid-back suburban lifestyle. To get a better understanding of what it's like to live in Salem, I have included comments and reviews from four different users on the BestPlaces website.
"I've lived in Salem for over 10 years and have really grown to love this city. The cost of living is affordable, the job market is decent, and there are plenty of things to do. I especially enjoy spending time at Riverfront Park and trying out the local food scene. The only downside is the traffic can be a bit hectic during rush hour." - Maria S.
"My family and I moved to Salem a few years ago and we couldn't be happier with our decision. The schools are great, the crime rate is low, and the people are friendly. We also appreciate the proximity to Portland and the coast. It's the perfect balance for us." - John D.
"I've lived in Salem my whole life and while it's not the most exciting city, it has its charm. The downtown area is full of cute shops and restaurants, and the parks are well-maintained. The biggest downside is the lack of job opportunities, especially in certain industries." - Emily C.
"I moved to Salem for college and ended up staying after graduation. It's a great place for young adults, with plenty of social events and outdoor activities. The only downside is the weather can be gloomy and rainy at times, but it's worth it for the beautiful green landscape." - Mark L.
based on 37 ReviewsGet to know Salem with the latest comments and reviews from people who live in or have visited Salem
Excellent Quality of Life - 11/10/2008
I give Salem a "Thumbs Up" review in regards to the quality of living here in the Capitol of Oregon.
Salem is smack in the center of the gorgeous Willamette Valley, and is the third largest city, so you have a lot of options with recreation (mountains, beach, rivers, an excellent children's learning museum, local and regional restaurants, even rodeo's just out of town if you like). And it is a hub for community involvement, thriving small businesses, priorities of health, wellness & education (pre-k clear through university and law school) and a town with a wealth of artists. And you definitely have your choice of churches/spiritual-growth places...
It is a beautiful, fertile area with all four seasons, tho' you will see the rain often (but true Oregonians do everything out in the rain anyway!).
This is not just a political town, or a place to retire, or just a town to pass through on your way to Portland... you can raise your kids here, you can get
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slowly going downhill - 8/8/2008
Salem has slowly been going downhill for many years. I have lived here for 13 yrs, and just outside of Salem for 6 years prior to that. I can't wait to get away from here. We may end up taking a loss on our house, or renting it out, just to get out. Criminals everywhere, crooked city police with no accountability, prisons all around, escapees from the mental hospital, bums being spread all over town by the decrepid bus transit system. A mayor whose got developers hands in her pockets, development everywhere, yet no plans to develop the infrastructure to handle all the traffic. You used to be able to get from one side of town to the other in 15 min, not any longer. Expect at least half hour - 45 min. And nothing to do if you don't like hanging out at the many bars. Oh but they do have a nice quarter million dollar bathroom being built in the main city park, that's 1 bathroom, while the bathrooms in the rest of the park and the other parks remain run down and disgusting. If
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Don't knock Salem, Oregon - 7/16/2008
I was born and raised there. I didn't just live there for two years and not have anything to do. Like one comment there are several things to do like the ocean, mountains, rivers and lakes for outdoors type. There is plenty of shopping and a well rounded city for resturants. It is a small town feel with all the amendities of a large city. It is a great place to live and raise kids. The schools in South Salem are great. Medical facilities are very good
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Beware - 6/26/2008
We moved to Salem about 3 years ago and we will be moving this summer. There is nothing to do here and there is a terrible meth problem. I can't say it isn't pretty here because it is. The people are nice, but they aren't friendly. I would not recommend living
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Salem overview - 4/17/2008
I appreciate Salem's viable downtown. If you live in any of the nice neighborhoods close-in, you can completely avoid malls & sprawl. Downtown has Nordstrom, Kohl's TJ Maxx plus several nice locally-owned shops, some good local restaurants & an excellent artisan bakery & art gallery, coffee shops, bike stores.... At least 3 new mixed-use condos are being constructed, and more downtown historic buildings are being converted to apts. or condos.
Minto-Brown & Bush Park are centrally located large parks, wonderful for walking, biking, playing.... The Art Assoc. in Bush Barn Gallery exhibits fine art & sponsors the Salem Art Festival each summer in the park. Salem Rep. Theatre & Pentacle offer high-quality theater. Music venues range from Oregon Symphony, local jazz & pops groups to visiting performances at the Elsinore & Willamette U. The Univ. & the Public Lib. host outstanding visiting lecture series.
A frustration sometimes is that Salem,dominated by State govt. &
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Weather in Salem, Oregon - 3/11/2008
Salem is a nice place to live but the winters can be too long, dreary and rainy for my taste. Looking forward to retirement in an area where I can golf year-round. The golf courses are open all year here, but you'll need waterproof boots to slosh around the fairways some of the time. Summers can be quite hot some days but not that often. The humidity is pretty low, which is a great thing on those hot summer days. But, be sure and store up on those lovely summer days and commit them to memory because you'll need to keep them in mind to make it through the
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There is nothing to do - 3/6/2008
I moved to Salem 2 years ago, and will be leaving this summer. There is nothing to do here. When I ask people who have lived in Salem all of their lives, they agree. It's too bad too because Salem is a quaint city that has the potential to be really cool. I don't know why they don't try to improve the social life here. People go to Portland to have fun when they could be spending their money in Salem if there was JUST SOMETHING TO SPEND IT
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Institutions are scary - 10/15/2007
I go to Willamette University - We are surrounded by institutions. There is a high-level psychiatric ward and a prison within a few miles of campus. There is another prison another 15 minutes away. On top of that, "half-way" housing is right next to campus, which means all the people who get out of these places move right next door. I'm not sure why there are so many prisons / institutions in Salem, near downtown, but it makes for a lot of homeless / sketchy folks walking around.
On top of this, Salem has a bad meth problem, which only adds to the sketchies. Unless you're looking for cheap housing + smallish city, or going to college (great college, btw), staying away from Salem for now is a good idea. I think in 10-20 years we'll see Salem get nice, but not for a while. Move to Olympia if you want the same-sized city feel with a safer / newer
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Meth - 8/7/2007
I lived in Salem for over 2 years and I will say that Salem has a very serious problem with meth.
I know that "meth is everywhere," however, you see more people in Salem on meth than Seattle or Portland combined. Salem has 2 prisons, a huge psychiatric hospital, and juvenile institutions. It is basically an institution
town with a lot of scandals and criminals reintegrating back into the community after they are released. Salem
has an affordable cost of living, however, drug crimes and dealers are everywhere. I would be cautious in considering moving to Salem if you have or intend to have a family. Salem is not a good place to raise children.
I would suggest Corvallis or Eugene as an
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Nice Salem - 6/27/2007
Salem is a nice city with very affordable cost of living. There is not too much recreation but if you like a quiet place, this is
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