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Bend, Oregon
Retirement Oregon
Bend is situated in the
center of Oregon and got its start, not surprisingly, as
a logging community. It is surrounded by some
truly beautiful scenery, nestled at the base of the
snow-covered Cascade range with towering pine trees all
around. It is the gateway to a bounty of outdoor
recreational opportunities, everything rafting in
camping to fishing and hiking. With a population
of about 85,000 people, it is a very progressive city
with a strong commitment to environmentalism. Bend
has also been a booming place, growing by a whopping 75%
within the last 10 years or so. At one point, it was
said that someone new was moving to Bend every two
hours. Roughly 35% of the population is age 45 or
better, and the cost of living is about 10% above the
national average. The crime rate is below the national
average.
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Bend real estate comes in all shapes and
sizes, and the median home price is roughly $210,000.
Not too long ago, when housing speculation was rampant
throughout the country, the Bend real estate market was
named one of the most overpriced in the country. Today
the prices have come down to earth and homes that
several years ago are selling in the $300,000 and
$400,000 range are now much more reasonably priced.
Bend sits in the shadow of 2,000,000
acres of national parklands, and the area is known for
its outstanding fishing waters. It is also a bicyclists'
Eden, attracting riders from around the region.
Anyone considering retirement in Bend should love the
outdoors since wilderness adventure is a way of life
here.
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completely about the outdoors. The Central Oregon
Symphony performs regularly, and the Bend Film Festival
brings in attendees around the state. Residents
also enjoy First Friday Art Walks once a month, a time
when galleries open their doors and serve tasty morsels
of food.
The general opinion seems to be that Oregon has a
soggy climate, and while this is true in much of the
state, in Bend, the the climate is generally hot and dry
in the summer and cold and snowing in the winter. Thanks
to the nearby Cascades, the city only receives an
average of 15 inches of precipitation a year.
Transportation is provided by Bend Area
Transportation, and there is also a dial a ride service.
The primary medical facility is the award winning St.
Charles Medical Center. It has 225 beds and is a
Level II Adult Trauma Center.
With its gorgeous surrounding natural landscape, low
crime rate, progressive outlook and plethora of outdoor
recreation opportunities, Bend it makes a great place to
retire.
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