Advantages & Disadvantages of Moving to Oregon

You think about moving to Oregon but want to get additional information about overall quality of life, climate, safety, income prospects, job market, living costs, housing situation and much more before making your final decision regarding this important topic?

Great! Stick with me since I will show you the pros and cons of living in Oregon in the following chapters.

Living in Oregon – Overview

Advantages of Living in Oregon

1. Competition in the housing market is rather low outside of the biggest cities of Oregon
2. Housing shortage is not a serious problem in most regions of Oregon
3. Many different housing options for single households as well as families
4. Rents are still affordable in most parts of Oregon
5. Property prices are rather low outside of the big metropolitan regions
6. Many people in Oregon can still afford to buy a decent home
7. Many people in Oregon can still live the American dream
8. Reasonably low financial pressure for many people living in Oregon
9. You don’t have to make a fortune to live a decent lifestyle in many parts of Oregon
10. Living costs in Oregon are not as high as in many other states
11. Decent income level in Oregon
12. Oregon is a pretty relaxed state
13. Many people are not as career-focused as in many other regions
14. Oregon is a pretty tolerant state
15. You will find many people who will be glad to help you out
16. Easy to socialize in most parts of Oregon
17. Oregon attracts people from many different cultures
18. Many people in Oregon are still honest and genuine
19. You can make really good friends in Oregon rather quickly
20. Oregon is a rather popular state
21. Oregon attracts many tourists from all over the US
22. Decent nightlife in the big cities of Oregon
23. You find many good doctors and hospitals in the big cities
24. You can try many delicious foods in Oregon
25. You can experience many different lifestyles in Oregon
26. Moving to Oregon may help you grow in character
27. You can slow down your life by moving to Oregon
28. Oregon has a coastline
29. You can enjoy many nice nature reserves
30. People in Oregon can go fishing, hunting and do many other exciting things outdoors
31. Many people in Oregon can exercise in a natural manner
32. Decent air quality in most parts of Oregon
33. Moving to Oregon may help you go back to the roots
34. You may be able to live a self-sufficient lifestyle in Oregon
35. Interesting climatic conditions in Oregon
36. Oregon attracts many smart and talented people
37. You can build a strong business network rather quickly in the big cities of Oregon
38. Rather low violent crime rate in Oregon
39. Rather low population density in Oregon
40. Most parts of Oregon are well-connected to the world
41. Decent internet connection in most regions of Oregon
42. You will find many recreational spaces in Oregon
43. Many people from other states consider moving to Oregon
44. Many retirees really enjoy their lives in Oregon
45. Oregon can be a great place for students
46. Decent future outlook for Oregon
47. Oregon may still be an underrated state

Competition in the housing market is rather low outside of the biggest cities of Oregon

One advantage of moving to Oregon is that overall competition in the housing market outside of the major cities is pretty low and this means you don’t have to worry about too many bidders or people interested in renting a flat and chances for success for you may be much higher than in many other more crowded regions where competition in the housing market may be much fiercer.

Housing shortage is not a serious problem in most regions of Oregon

In general, housing shortage is not a big problem in most parts of Oregon and this means you will often find a decent place to stay rather quickly while people moving to San Francisco or other regions where demand for housing will be much higher often have to search for many weeks or even months to find what they are looking for.

Many different housing options for single households as well as families

Since housing shortage is not a big problem in many parts of the state, you will also find more than enough housing options, no matter whether you search for a home for a big family or if you are single right now and just want to find a small flat.

Rents are still affordable in most parts of Oregon

You should also know that rents are still affordable in most parts of Oregon and many people don’t have to spend a high fraction of their income on housing yet and this is great news since you may have enough money for other nice and important things.

For instance, you may be able to save up enough money for retirement and may not be at the same great risk of suffering from old-age poverty as people living in Miami or other regions where housing is much more expensive.

Property prices are rather low outside of the big metropolitan regions

Also in case you don’t want to rent but rather buy a home, Oregon may also be a great place to move to since also property prices are rather affordable in most regions and your mortgage rates may therefore be reasonably low and your chances of getting a mortgage may also be higher compared to more expensive regions where people often really struggle to get a mortgage since they would often have to overextend themselves for buying property.

Many people in Oregon can still afford to buy a decent home

Thanks to reasonably low property prices compared to income levels, the average person in Oregon can often still afford to buy a decent home in this region while this would almost be impossible for the middle class living in San José or other much more expensive regions.

Many people in Oregon can still live the American dream

Thanks to rather low housing costs, many people in Oregon can still live the American dream including owning a nice car, a decent home and so on while this can of lifestyle has become increasingly unaffordable in many other much more expensive regions where living the American dream is in fact just a dream for most people.

Reasonably low financial pressure for many people living in Oregon

Due to rather low expenses for housing outside of the big cities of Oregon, many people also don’t have to deal with the same high financial pressure as people in many other states and may therefore be able to live their lives in a much more relaxed manner.

You don’t have to make a fortune to live a decent lifestyle in many parts of Oregon

While people living in NYC may have to make a six-figure income to make a decent living in this region, people in Oregon don’t have to make as much money to be able to afford the same nice things and may also have to work far fewer hours due to that which may enable them to spend more time with their family and on the things they love even more than working.

Living costs in Oregon are not as high as in many other states

While living costs in Oregon may not be as low as in some other states, they are also not at the very top and you will therefore not have to spend as much money on drinks and many other nice things of life as in many other more expensive regions and may be able to afford many nice things for a rather limited budget.

Decent income level in Oregon

Another upside to moving to Oregon is that income levels are above national average and you may therefore be able to make pretty decent money from what you are doing if you have solid education and are also willing to work hard for your goals.

Oregon is a pretty relaxed state

You should also know that Oregon is a pretty relaxed and laid-back state where people are not as hectic as in many other regions but rather try to enjoy their lives to its fullest.

Many people are not as career-focused as in many other regions

Many people in Oregon are also not as career-focused and busy as in many other regions and may take more time to get in touch with you so you may be able to become a valued member of society rather quickly.

Oregon is a pretty tolerant state

Another benefit of moving to Oregon is that it is also a pretty tolerant state where you will be welcome no matter where you come from and what your background is so you can have a great time with interesting people from many different regions and origins.

You will find many people who will be glad to help you out

You should also keep in mind that Oregon is a pretty helpful place where people will be happy to help you out on various occasions in life and this can be great, especially during the first weeks when you may not be familiar with all the customs, traditions and how the system in Oregon works in general since you will have people showing you the way to go.

Easy to socialize in most parts of Oregon

Since you can meet many friendly and open people in Oregon, you will also have a rather easy time socializing in most parts of the state and will not have to worry about getting socially isolated anytime soon.

Oregon attracts people from many different cultures

The big cities in Oregon also attract many different people from all over the US and even the world and you will therefore be able to experience many different cultures and this can be great since it helps you become more tolerant and you can also listen to many interesting stories.

Many people in Oregon are still honest and genuine

You will also be able to meet many genuine and real people in Oregon and due to their honesty, you will also really rely on those people and even during difficult periods of your life, you can be pretty sure that people will be there for you so you can overcome your problems and carry on with your life.

You can make really good friends in Oregon rather quickly

Since you can really rely on many people in Oregon, you may also be able to make really good friends rather quickly and you may be able to expand your circle of friends quite a lot within a pretty short period of time after arriving in this state.

Oregon is a rather popular state

You should also know that Oregon is a rather popular state and your friends from other states may really envy and admire you for moving to Oregon and may secretly want to change places with you so you may get a pretty high social standing among your peers.

Oregon attracts many tourists from all over the US

Since Oregon is a pretty popular state, you may also be able to get in touch with many tourists from all over the US and can therefore talk to many interesting people with different cultural backgrounds which can make your life in Oregon just much more interesting in the long run.

Decent nightlife in the big cities of Oregon

Another advantage of living in Oregon is that nightlife is really great in the biggest cities and you will find more than enough bars and clubs where you can party until the early morning and can meet numerous great and like-minded people on those occasions.

You find many good doctors and hospitals in the big cities

As long as you move to the big cities, you also don’t have to worry about running out of good doctors and hospitals since medical infrastructure is pretty decent in the urban areas and as long as you have enough money, you can get pretty good medical treatment from real experts in their fields.

You can try many delicious foods in Oregon

Thanks to many different cultural influences, you will also be able to try many delicious foods in the Oregon region and this will greatly improve your culinary knowledge and can also just increase your overall quality of life quite a lot in general.

You can experience many different lifestyles in Oregon

Since you can experience many different cultures, you will also be able to enjoy many different ways of life and by talking to people living different lifestyles, you may be able to learn quite a lot and may be able to adapt some helpful characteristics into your own life.

Moving to Oregon may help you grow in character

Due to the many culturally interesting experiences you can make in many parts of this state, you may also be able to really grow in character in the long run since you can try many things you may be unfamiliar with yet and may therefore get more confident by expanding your skillset quite a lot in the long run.

You can slow down your life by moving to Oregon

Another upside to living in Oregon is that it is also not the most hectic state and moving to Oregon can therefore be great in case you are stressed with your life right now and just search for a rather quiet place to live where you can slow down your life and reload your batteries.

Oregon has a coastline

Since Oregon has a coastline, you can also go surfing and swimming on a regular basis if you move close enough to the west coast and many people living in Chicago or other regions where they don’t have a beach will often envy you quite a lot for having this luxury since it will greatly increase your overall quality of life in the long run.

You can enjoy many nice nature reserves

You should also keep in mind that Oregon is a really beautiful state where you find many nice nature reserves and national parks so you can hang out at nice lakes, creeks, forests and mountains and can relax while you can still have a great time with your family and friends.

People in Oregon can go fishing, hunting and do many other exciting things outdoors

Since there are so many nice nature reserves, you will also have countless opportunities to go fishing, hiking or do many other nice things in those natural environments and this can make your life just more interesting and you will also learn a lot about natural processes in general.

Many people in Oregon can exercise in a natural manner

Since you can do so many nice things outdoors, you will also burn lots of calories in a completely natural manner and may not have to go to the gym to stay fit and in shape in the long run.

Decent air quality in most parts of Oregon

Another benefit of moving to Oregon is that you will also find many places where you can enjoy pretty decent air quality and this may help you reduce your risk of suffering from serious pulmonary problems or other health conditions later on.

Moving to Oregon may help you go back to the roots

Many people in Oregon also still live a pretty original lifestyle and if you don’t like big city life and the stressful things that come along with it, you may be better off moving to the rural parts of Oregon where you may be able to live a life in line with natural forces.

You may be able to live a self-sufficient lifestyle in Oregon

Since there are so many nice places in nature and land prices are rather low in the rural parts of the state, many people in Oregon may still be able to buy a large piece of land at a rather affordable price and may be able to grow their own fruits and veggies so they may be able to become independent of conventional stores in the long run.

Interesting climatic conditions in Oregon

While you will have a mix of subtropical and meditteranean climate in the coastal regions of Oregon, you will also be able to experience colder climatic conditions away from the coast and experiencing those different climatic conditions can be really interesting and may make your life in Oregon just better in general.

Oregon attracts many smart and talented people

Since Oregon is a pretty popular state and you may be able to make really good money from your job as long as you provide lots of value to the corporate world, the big cities of Oregon also attract many talented and ambitious people and by getting in touch with those people, you may be able to learn quite a lot about how to succeed in various parts of life and those experiences may also let you really grow in character since you may be able to learn from the best of the best.

You can build a strong business network rather quickly in the big cities of Oregon

As long as you move to the big metropolitan regions, you will also be able to meet many smart and hard-working people and will therefore be able to build a strong business network rather quickly which may help you succeed in the corporate world.

Rather low violent crime rate in Oregon

While property crime is a serious problem in Oregon, violent crime rates are still rather low and you may therefore not have to worry in this regard as much as people moving to Oakland or other places where those crime rates are usually much higher.

Rather low population density in Oregon

Since population density in Oakland is rather low, you will also have more than enough space for yourself to hang out in public and this can be great during times when you may just not want to have company and may not want to get distracted by others so you may be able to think about your life and how to solve complex issues that need to be fixed.

Most parts of Oregon are well-connected to the world

You will also have many decent airports near the biggest cities of Oregon and getting from and to those big metropolitan regions is usually rather easy so your loved ones will have a rather easy time visiting you and you may have more company and guests compared to people moving to regions that are much harder to get to.

Decent internet connection in most regions of Oregon

Most people in Oregon also enjoy pretty decent internet connection and this is great since it may allow you to work from home so you will be much more flexible to manage your professional and private life at the same time and may also be able to stay connected to the world in general.

You will find many recreational spaces in Oregon

There are also many parks and other green spaces in the big cities of Oregon where you can sit down on a bench and enjoy your lunch break so you may be able to relax and reload your batteries for the stressful times that may still lie ahead of you.

Many people from other states consider moving to Oregon

Since Oregon is a pretty popular state, many people from other parts of the US may also consider moving to Oregon in the long run and this may make your life in Oregon even more interesting since you may be able to meet up with so many new people with other backgrounds and may be able to learn quite a lot from them in the long run.

Many retirees really enjoy their lives in Oregon

Oregon may also be a great place to retire since you can enjoy warm climatic conditions at the coast and will also have many free things to do while overall living and housing costs are still affordable in most regions even if you don’t receive a really high pension.

Oregon can be a great place for students

The big cities of Oregon can also be interesting places for students since you may be able to find solid education while you still don’t have to spend as much money during your studying period compared to people studying in NYC or other places where housing and living costs would be far higher.

Decent future outlook for Oregon

Since Oregon is a really beautiful state where you can also make pretty good money as long as you have decent education, it may also stay an attractive place to live for many decades and you don’t have to worry about too many people leaving this region anytime soon.

Oregon may still be an underrated state

While Oregon has become increasingly popular, it may still be considered an underrated place to live since you can do so many nice things at a rather affordable price compared to other states where you might have to spend much more money for achieving similar quality of life.

As you can see, there are many reasons for moving to Oregon.

Yet, there are also some drawbacks of living in Oregon that I want to talk about in the following so you will be better able to decide for yourself whether you still want to move to Oregon or rather want to live in Missouri or other interesting places.

Disadvantages of Living in Oregon

1. High unemployment rates in Oregon
2. Hard to find good jobs for people with rather poor education
3. High property crime rates in Oregon
4. Property prices and rents are about to increase significantly
5. Living in Oregon becomes increasingly expensive
6. Risk of natural disasters is about to increase due to climate change
7. Homeowners insurance will likely become more expensive
8. Public transport is not great in most parts of Oregon
9. Hard to find really good medical infrastructure in many rural regions
10. You may not get happy with nightlife outside of the big cities of Oregon
11. Not many fancy shopping opportunities in the rural parts of Oregon
12. Cultural diversity may be rather limited in the rural regions of the state
13. Limited entertainment options outside of the big cities of Oregon
14. Some people get bored with the Oregon way of life in the long run
15. You should love nature before you even consider moving to Oregon
16. You may not be able to meet as many international tourists as in many other states
17. You may not find as many great museums as you may have hoped for
18. Hard to find decent art scenes in the rural parts of Oregon
19. Social inequality is about to increase in many parts of Oregon
20. Traffic may become a significant problem in the big metropolitan regions
21. Distances can be pretty long in the rural parts of Oregon
22. People in rural regions may have to spend lots of time organizing their lives
23. Oregon may be too quiet for you

High unemployment rates in Oregon

One problem with moving to Oregon is that unemployment rates are rather high compared to the rest of the US and had been high for many decades so chances are this will likely not change in the near future and unless you have many valuable skills urgently needed in the job market, you may just not be able to find a really great job in this region.

Hard to find good jobs for people with rather poor education

Especially people who don’t have solid education often have to work in low-wage environments where one job is often not enough to make a living and those people often have to work multiple jobs just to survive which can be extremely exhausting in the long run and may also lead to mental and emotional problems sooner or later.

High property crime rates in Oregon

You should also not forget that property crime rates are rather high in Oregon and if you want to get a fancy home, you should also take appropriate security measures so burglars may have a hard time taking your nice things away from you.

Property prices and rents are about to increase significantly

While property prices are still rather low in many regions, this may change in the near future since Oregon becomes increasingly popular by people from other states and this may lead to growing demand for housing and housing shortage may also become a much more serious problem in the future.

Living in Oregon becomes increasingly expensive

In general, once Oregon becomes even more popular, living costs in Oregon will likely increase even further and everything will become more expensive so you may just need to make more money or work more hours to afford similar lifestyles as you are able to do today.

Risk of natural disasters is about to increase due to climate change

Another downside to moving to Oregon is that natural disasters will likely also become more common due to climate change and if you are unlucky, your home and everything you worked for may get destroyed and you may suffer a huge financial loss in case you don’t have proper insurance.

Homeowners insurance will likely become more expensive

Due to the increasing risk of natural disasters hitting your home, also the costs of homeowners insurance will likely increase and this may increase living costs in Oregon quite a lot in general.

Public transport is not great in most parts of Oregon

You should also not expect to find great nightlife in the rural parts of Oregon and unless you have a car and are also able to drive, you may just not get around in those parts of Oregon in an efficient manner and may just get stuck at your home which may greatly lower your overall quality of life in the long run.

Hard to find really good medical infrastructure in many rural regions

While you will find decent doctors and hospitals in the big cities of Oregon, medical infrastructure in the rural parts of the state is often just rather poor and you may therefore have to drive long distances to get the help that you are looking for.

You may not get happy with nightlife outside of the big cities of Oregon

You should also know that nightlife is not really great in most parts of Oregon and you may have a hard time finding good bars and clubs outside of the big cities.

Not many fancy shopping opportunities in the rural parts of Oregon

Also in case you are a shopping queen, you may just not get happy with your life in Oregon since fashion doesn’t play as much of a role as in many other big metropolitan regions and also the overall selection of fancy boutiques may be rather limited in this region.

Cultural diversity may be rather limited in the rural regions of the state

While you will be able to experience many different cultural influences in the big cities of Oregon, cultural diversity may still be rather limited in many rural parts of the state and you may therefore just not meet as many interesting people as you may have hoped for in those regions.

Limited entertainment options outside of the big cities of Oregon

Another downside to living in Oregon is while you can do many nice things in nature, other entertainment options are often rather limited in the rural parts of the state and you may just not find what you are looking for and may not have enough options regarding what to do with your leisure.

Some people get bored with the Oregon way of life in the long run

Especially if you are still young and want to have action and really explore yourself, you may also not get happy with overall entertainment options outside of the big cities and may just get bored with the Oregon lifestyle in the long run.

You should love nature before you even consider moving to Oregon

In general, before you decide on moving to Oregon, you should also really ask yourself whether you like nature or not since in case you don’t, you may just not find many great things to do in the rural parts of the state and may not get happy with your life in Oregon.

You may not be able to meet as many international tourists as in many other states

While Oregon is pretty popular all over the US, it is still not really popular on a global scale and you may therefore also not be able to meet as many tourists as people moving to Washington D.C. or other places that usually attract more people from all over the world.

You may not find as many great museums as you may have hoped for

Another disadvantage of living in Oregon is that you may also have a hard time finding really good museums in this region, especially outside of the big cities where the selection of museums may be rather limited.

Hard to find decent art scenes in the rural parts of Oregon

Also in case you are an artist and want to hang out with many like-minded people, the rural parts of Oregon may just not be a great place to stay for you since you may just not find as many great artists as you may have hoped for and may be better off moving to Las Vegas or other bigger and more vibrant metropolitan regions.

Social inequality is about to increase in many parts of Oregon

You should also know that social inequality is about to increase in many regions of Oregon due to increasing property prices and overall costs of life and you may therefore also be confronted with high levels of poverty and may see many unpleasant things during your time in the urban parts of Oregon.

Traffic may become a significant problem in the big metropolitan regions

While traffic jams are not a big problem in most regions of Oregon yet, getting stuck in traffic may become more likely in the big cities since those places will likely become more crowded in the future and you may therefore lose lots of time in traffic on a regular basis.

Distances can be pretty long in the rural parts of Oregon

Another problem with living in Oregon is that distances are also often pretty long in many rural regions of the state and it may therefore take you quite a long time to bring your kids to school or to do many other important things of life in general.

People in rural regions may have to spend lots of time organizing their lives

In case you want to move to rather remote regions in Oregon, you may also have to spend lots of time organizing your life since you may not find all things you need close to your home but may have to drive long distances to hospitals or many other important parts of public infrastructure.

Oregon may be too quiet for you

If you don’t move to the big cities of Oregon, you may also not get happy with your life in Oregon since it may just be too quiet for you and you may rather want to move to a different region where more exciting things may be going on.

Top 10 Moving To Oregon Pros & Cons – Summary List

Is Oregon A Good Place To Live?

While Oregan can be a great place to live since you can enjoy lots of beautiful nature and living and housing costs are still pretty low compared to the average income, you should also know that public infrastructure and medical treatment options may not be great outside of the big cities and public infrastructure gets worse in general.

In the end, it is on you to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of moving to Oregon by yourself so you can make the best possible decision according to your individual preferences.

Most Popular Cities To Live In Oregon – Comparison

Alternative States To Live

If you no longer want to move to Oregon, you may also want to have a look at the following articles:

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Ohio

Advantages and disadvantages of living in North Dakota

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Oklahoma

Sources

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/OR

About the author

This site is about living, moving and traveling to various parts of our fascinating planet.

My name is Andreas and when I was younger, I traveled the world and learned a lot about different cultures and countries.

Thus, I want to share my experiences with you so that you can benefit from them and avoid common mistakes in this regard.

In my articles, you will find everything you need to find the best location for a happy and successful life.