Bend, OR
| U.S. News Ratings | |
| Population: | 78,530 |
| Crime: | Average |
| Cost of Living: | High |
| Health Care: | Comprehensive |
| Housing Price: | High |
| Income: | Low |
Smack in the middle of Oregon's lush topography is the city of Bend. Nestled on the Deschutes River in the shadow of the Cascade Mountains, this former logging town has blossomed into a popular, year-round destination for adventure seekers of all sorts. While its annual temperatures range from 18 to 88 degrees, the high desert climate makes for warm summers with little humidity. But it's not just tourism that sustains this city of nearly 79,000; health and business services have become key job providers as well.
After serving for years as hunting and fishing grounds for American Indians, Farewell Bend was incorporated in 1905 by some 300 settlers, in a nod to the parting words early pioneers uttered before continuing their journey west. (The name was later shortened to simply "Bend" by the U.S. Postal Service.) A railroad that reached Bend in 1911 helped foster tourism and commerce. And the arrival of two big lumber companies in 1914 brought prosperity and established logging as the linchpin of the local economy.
Today, long after the mills have closed, Bend's diverse wilderness continues to draw outsiders to the city. With 370 inches of annual snowfall, the Olympic-quality slopes of Mount Bachelor are popular with skiers and snowboarders. Smith Rock State Park is a great spot for hiking and camping even if you're not up to ascending one of its 1,600 climbing routes. And golfers will feel right at home, too; with 24 courses within a 15-mile radius, Bend is considered by some to be the Palm Springs of the Pacific Northwest.
Bend is also a proud patron of the arts. Its slate of 15 art houses includes the Deschutes Gallery, which displays original works of Northwest Coast Indian and Inuit tribes. The city has two theater groups that perform throughout the year, and Drake Park hosts outdoor concerts during warmer months. Bend also has an annual film festival and is home to several microbreweries.
Bend residents are treated to a full schedule of competitive athletic events. Hoops fans can follow the Central Oregon Hotshots of the International Basketball League. This summer, the Bend Renegades, a newly established women's soccer team, will compete in the first-ever season of the Northwest Women's Soccer League. Bend also hosted the 2009 USA Winter Triathlon National Championships and is the site of the annual Cascade Cycling Classic, a long-running race for elite cyclists.
The large number of singles over 65 years old and the abundance of outdoor activities in Bend led U.S. News to select the city as one of the country's top 10 places for single retirees to live.
The Bend area has five high schools, five middle schools, 12 elementary schools, and three magnet schools. Oregon State University's Cascade Campus and Central Oregon Community College are located there as well.
There are five hospitals in the county. Bend's leading medical facility, St. Charles Medical Center, has 250 physicians practicing in 40 different specialties and represents the regional referral center for specialty care. The 261-bed facility serves more than 240,000 people in central and eastern Oregon.
While tourism is the engine of the economy, education, health, and business services are important as well. The St. Charles Medical Center, Les Schwab Tire Center, and Mount Bachelor are the top job providers in the city.
Home values in Bend swelled during the housing boom and have declined only moderately since. A joint report by IHS Global Insight and National City Corp.—which was based on third-quarter 2008 data—identified Bend as one of three "extremely overvalued" housing markets in the nation, suggesting that values there were poised to decline sharply. The average home sale price for 2008 was $355,863, a 9 percent decline from 2007.
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