Military spouse here. It's a a mid-size city city with about 268K people. Median household income is $47,532, which feels on the lower side for the area. The median home value here is around $107,000, which is actually reasonable. It's a very car-dependent city, for better or worse. The school system varies a lot by neighborhood. Any advice would be great. There's a real sense of community in certain neighborhoods. People here are genuinely friendly, not just surface-level. The weather takes some getting used to. It's not perfect, but the community is solid. People here are genuinely friendly, not just surface-level. The parks and outdoor areas are a huge plus.
13 upvotes
2 Replies
Greyson Ward
Great question. I'll try to be comprehensive here.
I'm a chef who relocated here from Boston about 11 years ago. The main reasons were a job opportunity and school.
Pros I've experienced:
- Great outdoor activities nearby
- Growing food and restaurant scene
- Four distinct seasons
Cons that are real:
- Not very walkable outside downtown
- Limited shopping options
Financially, we've found it excellent compared to where we came from. Lots of new construction which should help. Groceries are established, gas is improving.
Socially, I'm still on the fence after all this time. Feel free to reach out with questions..
36 upvotes
Mateo Robinson
Real talk - this place is not for everyone, and I think that's OK.
If you value housing market, you'll love it. The public transit is genuinely pretty good and I've found it's exactly what I was looking for. My neighborhood (West) is reasonable and I feel safe walking around at night.
But if you're coming from Portland, be prepared for the culture shock. housing market is completely different here. And Nightlife is limited.
My advice would be to visit for at least a week before committing. Rent first, don't buy. And explore multiple neighborhoods - they're all different.
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