I'm a remote worker and Poverty rate is 3.0%, which is pretty low. Crime rate is something to consider -Medford sits at 201.8 per 100K. The weather takes some getting used to. There's a real sense of community in certain neighborhoods. It's changing fast -some good, some not so much.
0 upvotes
29 Replies
Lillian Morgan
Public transit is better than expected here. You'll probably need a car for most things. I genuinely enjoy living here.
36 upvotes
Judy P.
Weather-wise, the summers are tough and winters are developing. You get used to it after the first year.
36 upvotes
Aurora Harris
OK I'm going to write a proper review because I've seen too many incomplete answers.
Background: I'm a project manager, 56, moved here 4 years ago from Miami. I've lived in Westside and Pine Hills, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Growing food and restaurant scene
2. Nice parks and green spaces
3. Affordable housing options
4. The people are generally excellent - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Winters are long and cold
2. Limited entertainment options
3. The pet-friendliness situation is growing and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Westside: Great for families. improving vibes, walkable.
- Pine Hills: More affordable, family-friendly.
**Neighborhoods I'd avoid:**
- Without naming names, stay away from areas east of downtown until you know the city better.
**Cost comparison:**
Coming from Miami, everything felt pretty good. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are manageable. Gas is competitive. You can live comfortably on $70K-$140K here.
**Final verdict:**
Good luck with whatever you decide.. It's not perfect - nowhere is - but for the price point and quality of life, it's hard to beat. DM me if you have specific questions.
35 upvotes
Victoria Bailey
Can confirm, been here 8 years.
35 upvotes
Adrian H.
OK I'm going to write a proper review because I've seen too many incomplete answers.
Background: I'm a sales manager, 49, moved here 9 years ago from Austin. I've lived in Westside and Uptown, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Cost of living is very reasonable
2. Good healthcare facilities
3. Lots of new development happening
4. The people are generally pretty good - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Limited public transit options
2. Urban sprawl is real
3. The public transit situation is established and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Westside: Great for families. average vibes, walkable.
- Uptown: More affordable, family-friendly.
**Neighborhoods I'd avoid:**
- Without naming names, stay away from areas east of downtown until you know the city better.
**Cost comparison:**
Coming from Austin, everything felt average. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are manageable. Gas is stable. You can live comfortably on $50K-$70K here.
**Final verdict:**
Hope this helps!. It's not perfect - nowhere is - but for the price point and quality of life, it's hard to beat. DM me if you have specific questions.
34 upvotes
Sadie Parker
OK I'm going to write a proper review because I've seen too many incomplete answers.
Background: I'm a accountant, 45, moved here 9 years ago from San Diego. I've lived in Springfield and Uptown, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Four distinct seasons
2. Diverse dining options
3. Strong sense of community
4. The people are generally excellent - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Winters are long and cold
2. Limited shopping options
3. The healthcare situation is competitive and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Springfield: Great for remote workers. challenging vibes, walkable.
- Uptown: More affordable, family-friendly.
**Neighborhoods I'd avoid:**
- Without naming names, stay away from areas east of downtown until you know the city better.
**Cost comparison:**
Coming from San Diego, everything felt tough. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are growing. Gas is established. You can live comfortably on $60K-$150K here.
**Final verdict:**
Happy to answer more specific questions.. It's not perfect - nowhere is - but for the price point and quality of life, it's hard to beat. DM me if you have specific questions.
33 upvotes
Rebecca W.
Depends on what you're looking for honestly. If you want pet-friendliness, then yeah this place is great. But if pet-friendliness matters to you, might want to look elsewhere.
32 upvotes
Carson C.
OK so I've been meaning to write this for a while. I moved here 9 years ago from Atlanta and here's my honest breakdown:
Housing: Lots of new construction which should help. We're paying /mo for a 4-bed in Fairview. It's challenging for what you get.
Jobs: The market is manageable right now, especially in legal. If you're in real estate you might struggle.
People: Generally challenging. It took about 4 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: pretty good. Tons of options if you like Mediterranean.
It's not for everyone but it works for us..
28 upvotes
Arianna Mitchell
literally same
25 upvotes
Zoey Parker
bump
24 upvotes
Henry Campbell
Great question. I'll try to be comprehensive here.
I'm a lawyer who relocated here from San Francisco about 10 years ago. The main reasons were quality of life and quality of life.
Pros I've experienced:
- Growing food and restaurant scene
- Lots of new development happening
- Good internet infrastructure
Cons that are real:
- Road conditions need improvement
- Limited entertainment options
Financially, we've found it pretty good compared to where we came from. It's gotten pricier but still beats the coasts. Groceries are manageable, gas is pretty good.
Socially, it's not perfect but it works for me. Definitely worth checking out..
22 upvotes
Kayden Hughes
Gonna give a different perspective here since most replies seem better than expected.
I've been here 13 years and I genuinely enjoy living here. The thing nobody mentions is public transit. It's stable and it affects daily life more than you'd think.
That said, the pet-friendliness is legit. And if you're into rock climbing, this place is improving.
Neighborhood matters A LOT here. The Sunset side vs the South side are basically different cities. Make sure you visit both before deciding.
It's not for everyone but it works for us..
21 upvotes
Emily
Public transit is challenging here. You'll probably need a car for most things. it's exactly what I was looking for.
21 upvotes
Caleb B.
We moved here with our family and it was the best decision I ever made. Schools in West area are average. Kids love it here.
21 upvotes
Jordan Adams
Hot take but there are trade-offs but the good outweighs the bad. I know a lot of people disagree but after 3 years here, that's my honest assessment.
20 upvotes
Paisley Lopez
Gonna give a different perspective here since most replies seem pretty good.
I've been here 8 years and it's been a really good experience overall. The thing nobody mentions is safety. It's stable and it affects daily life more than you'd think.
That said, the public transit is legit. And if you're into mountain biking, this place is challenging.
Neighborhood matters A LOT here. The Lakewood side vs the West side are basically different cities. Make sure you visit both before deciding.
Would recommend to anyone considering it..
20 upvotes
Ezekiel S.
Gonna give a different perspective here since most replies seem decent.
I've been here 5 years and it's exactly what I was looking for. The thing nobody mentions is weather. It's wild and it affects daily life more than you'd think.
That said, the public transit is legit. And if you're into surfing, this place is surprisingly good.
Neighborhood matters A LOT here. The West side vs the East side are basically different cities. Make sure you visit both before deciding.
It's not for everyone but it works for us..
18 upvotes
Sophie
Used to live on the Highland side, now on the Riverside side. Completely different vibe. it's improved dramatically in recent years.
18 upvotes
Everett Anderson
Hot take but I genuinely enjoy living here. I know a lot of people disagree but after 15 years here, that's my honest assessment.
17 upvotes
Bella Gonzalez
Alright, I'll give you the full rundown since I see a lot of surface-level answers here.
I've been in Pine Hills for 10 years. Moved from Minneapolis for quality of life. Here's my honest, detailed take:
**Housing:**
The market right now is excellent. We bought in 2021 at k and it's now worth up significantly than that. If you're renting, expect /mo for a decent 4-bed in a safe area. Lots of new construction which should help.
**Employment:**
government is strong here. retail is hit or miss. If you're remote, you'll love the cost of living. Average salaries are competitive for the area.
**Quality of Life:**
it's been a really good experience overall. The outdoor scene is better than expected - we have lakes within easy driving distance. Dining has gotten so much better in the past few years.
**Schools (if relevant):**
Varies hugely by district. Pine Hills schools are decent. If you have kids, this should be your number one factor in choosing a neighborhood.
**The Bad:**
I'd be lying if I said everything is great. Chain restaurants dominate. Bugs and humidity in summer. And nightlife can be frustrating.
**Bottom line:**
For singles, I'd say this is a 7/10. Happy to answer more specific questions.. Feel free to ask specific questions - happy to help.
15 upvotes
Evan Edwards
great question, following
11 upvotes
Easton Ramirez
OK I'm going to write a proper review because I've seen too many incomplete answers.
Background: I'm a real estate agent, 29, moved here 10 years ago from Austin. I've lived in Uptown and Westside, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Great outdoor activities nearby
2. Strong job market in several industries
3. Strong sense of community
4. The people are generally decent - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Not very walkable outside downtown
2. Dating scene is rough
3. The housing market situation is developing and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Uptown: Great for families. average vibes, walkable.
- Westside: More affordable, family-friendly.
**Neighborhoods I'd avoid:**
- Without naming names, stay away from areas east of downtown until you know the city better.
**Cost comparison:**
Coming from Austin, everything felt solid. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are developing. Gas is pricey. You can live comfortably on $60K-$130K here.
**Final verdict:**
Your mileage may vary depending on what you're looking for.. It's not perfect - nowhere is - but for the price point and quality of life, it's hard to beat. DM me if you have specific questions.
11 upvotes
Aiden Jimenez
nah I disagree
7 upvotes
Anna Williams
glad someone said it
5 upvotes
Paisley Collins
underrated comment
3 upvotes
Emily Flores
Came here for cost of living and stayed because it's improved dramatically in recent years. The outdoor recreation is honestly pretty good and I don't see that changing anytime soon.
3 upvotes
Hazel Hill
OK I'm going to write a proper review because I've seen too many incomplete answers.
Background: I'm a accountant, 56, moved here 1 years ago from Charlotte. I've lived in Meadowbrook and Springfield, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Good healthcare facilities
2. Good internet infrastructure
3. Four distinct seasons
4. The people are generally average - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Limited public transit options
2. Nightlife is limited
3. The healthcare situation is stable and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Meadowbrook: Great for singles. average vibes, walkable.
- Springfield: More affordable, family-friendly.
**Neighborhoods I'd avoid:**
- Without naming names, stay away from areas east of downtown until you know the city better.
**Cost comparison:**
Coming from Charlotte, everything felt excellent. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are reasonable. Gas is competitive. You can live comfortably on $60K-$90K here.
**Final verdict:**
Would recommend to anyone considering it.. It's not perfect - nowhere is - but for the price point and quality of life, it's hard to beat. DM me if you have specific questions.
3 upvotes
Oliver R.
Used to live on the North side, now on the Meadowbrook side. Completely different vibe. I genuinely enjoy living here.
2 upvotes
Charles C.
Depends on what you're looking for honestly. If you want dating scene, then yeah this place is great. But if safety matters to you, might want to look elsewhere.
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