The Big City of Eugene with the Small Town feeling lies near the southern end of the year-round green Willamette Valley. Here the Willamette River meets with the McKenzie River. Only about fifty miles to the rugged Oregon coast, Eugene’s population less than 200,000 making Eugene the second largest city in the entire state of Oregon.
People who visit here often end up buying homes Eugene OR, a city where the summers are mild and the winters cold enough to make people want to get that anorak out and a long scarf too! It does rain in Eugene. But most people enjoy the sound of raindrops, and rain is what keeps the valley so beautifully green all year-round. Eugene is notable for its institutions of learning. These include a dazzling array of religious institutions and colleges where students may study for a career in the different beliefs to be found in and around the city. The city has many churches and temples of nearly every denomination as well.
The University of Oregon in Eugene draws students from many areas. This storied institute of higher learning was established in 1872 and has grown both in size as well as importance over the years. The university’s motto: Mens agitat molem, i.e. the mind moves the mass, is well made. Here students not only learn from books but the university is well-known as a research institute.
With a campus spreading out over 295 acres and some eighty buildings, the University of Oregon is almost a city unto itself. Lane Community College too is another popular institute for higher learning. And two public school districts provide ample room for education for Eugene’s younger pupils. Although the timber industry, so important in the past, has diminished, the rapid influx of high-tech industries has more than compensated and each year draws more and more job seekers to the Eugene area.
Growing more and more desirable as a place to live, the average price of homes in Eugene comes close to $300,000.00. Fortunately for those who might want to buy in the area, most experts predict a slower rate of growth this year and in the immediate years to follow. And the experts remind us that the increased demand for homes in the area is certain to drive prices higher.
A little research will show anyone that the cost of living in beautiful Eugene, Oregon is much lower than in larger cities such as Los Angeles and San Francisco. And with well-paid jobs in the high-tech market opportunities, Eugene appears very bright. With its many breweries and the Eugene lifestyle, food and drink are not as high as in many cities. Once a center for hippies (with noted novelist Ken Kesey at the helm) remnants can still be seen at Eugene’s famous Saturday Market. And as a final note, Eugene has rightly been called the “A Great City for the Arts and Outdoors”. That means a gamut of festivals running from the Bach Festival through Asian Celebrations, the Kaleidoscope and Cascadia Music Festivals And there are the Eugene Ballet and Symphony and the Eugene Celebration – something for every weekend for everyone. And as an additional perk for those who’re thinking of settling in Eugene, Oregon: There’s no sales tax!
