What a difference the popping of a bubble makes. Two years ago, Bend made the Top 10 on Money magazine’s list of the 100 Best Places to Live in America. This year we didn’t make the Top 10.
Hell, we didn’t even make the Top 100.
The Money list, appearing in the magazine’s August issue, ranks small cities on the basis of a variety of factors including availability of jobs, affordable housing, recreation and quality of schools. This year, not only Bend but pretty much the whole Pacific Northwest got snubbed – the only place in Oregon or Washington to make the Top 100 is Bellevue, WA, which came in at Number 42.
Looking at the map posted on the CNN-Money website, it appears that this year’s list is heavily skewed toward the Northeast and Midwest – largely, we suspect, on the basis of those regions’ more affordable housing. Only one city on the West Coast – Irvine, CA – cracked the Top 10.
And the big winnah proudly holding the Number One spot? It’s Plymouth, MN. (No, we never heard of it either.)
“Topnotch schools, good jobs, affordable housing, low crime, an active outdoor culture – yep, they’re pretty much all here,” reads Money‘s description of this city of 70,000. (And where have we heard all that before?)
“Plymouth could have become just another Twin Cities suburb, but more than 50,000 jobs keep residents working there.
“Home prices are within reason: The typical three-bedroom, two-bath house goes for $350,000. The city’s main school district is ranked among the top three in the state, and for culture, Plymouth’s open-air amphitheater, the Hilde Performance Center, hosts numerous summer concerts. Residents are a quick drive from the Mall of America, the nation’s biggest mall.
“And did we mention the outdoors? Plymouth boasts more than half a dozen sizable bodies of water. Of course, this being Minnesota, winter can be brutal: January’s average low temperature is about 13°F. But when the mercury plummets, the locals get busy. In February the city hosts a Fire & Ice Festival that includes mini-golf, bowling and basketball – all right on the ice.”
Gosh, right on the ice. Isn’t that special.
Will all the “lifestyle” seekers who flocked to Bend a couple years ago when it was THE Hot Place to Be now pack their mountain bikes, kayaks, climbing gear, Lycra shorts (and long johns) into a U-Haul and head out for Plymouth, MN? Well, we can hope …
This article appears in Jul 24-30, 2008.
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Maybe The Source staff can take their editorial garbage and join the exodus out of town. WELL, WE CAN HOPE…
Sounds like whoever wrote this article is jealous of Plymouth,MN. Face it people, Bend really isn’t that great. (Topnotch schools? HARDLY, good jobs? Um, NO, affordable housing? *laughs*, low crime? With the drug problem in Bend? I think not, active outdoor culture? About the only thing Bend can be remotely proud of).
And yes, right on the ice IS special.
It just goes to show you how stupid these lists are. The main factor in that list that HAS changed in Bend over the past year is housing affordability — and THAT has actually improved. (Yeah, there are still imaginative prices on many houses, but at least people who earn money can think about buying now.)
“Face it people, Bend really isn’t that great.”
Agreed. At any rate it’s not as great as it’s hyped to be. Not so great that people will pay ridiculously inflated real estate prices to live here. And a lot of what used to be great about it (small-town ambiance, lack of traffic congestion, friendliness, open space, scenery) has been trashed by frenetic, poorly planned development.
What has Bend got to offer? The great outdoors, Summer concerts, terrible side-roads in Winter, over-the-top housing/rental prices and an intolerant atmosphere for gays. Change a few of these negatives and we could be on the Top 10 again.
Jed, how’s the real estate biz doing? How’s the Escalade?
You that do not think Bend is so great should help us natives by leaving. Then we would get back some of our ambiance.
To NotJed: Housing prices are down. Isn’t that good??? It does depend on whether you are a buyer or a speculating seller. As with any place in the US, you are free to leave if you do not like the area no one forces you to stay here. I do not have an SUV but my pick-up is fine.
“It just goes to show you how stupid these lists are.”
No argument from this quarter.