Retire in Bend, Oregon
78
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My own hometown, Bend, Oregon was just rated as one of the top places to retire in the United States! It is going to be highlighted in the most recent edition of America's Best Low-Tax Retirement Towns. One of the key reasons for the selection is its low overall tax rate. Among other things, there is no sales tax in Oregon (which makes shopping so much more fun!) Property taxes are fairly reasonable. Although there is a state income tax, payment of the tax is deductible on your federal tax return. The rate is not exorbitant, either. Of course, during retirement, you are not usually earning money. So income tax may be less relevant.
In determining the "best low-tax retirement towns," researchers collected information on tax rates in states across the nation and in Washington, D.C. Then, they calculated potential tax liability for a range of income-level couples.
Bend, Oregon's rank was 7 out of 173 towns in the income/home value scenario of $30,000/$125,000. Housing and living costs, recreational opportunities, overall climate and other factors were also included in award of certain cities as top retirement spots.
Although I'm nowhere near retirement yet, I can definitely attest to the fact that relocating from Seattle, Washington, to Bend, Oregon has saved our family a lot of money. Bend is still a relatively small city, only 75,000 people. However, including the greater area, with Redmond, Sisters and Prineville, Central Oregon now boasts well over 150,000 residents. An international airport serves the region, in Redmond, approximately 20 minutes north of the city. Daily flights to Portland, Oregon, Seattle, Los Angeles and Las Vegas are available.
Among the many budget-friendly aspects of living here, are the following:
1. Short commute. We live only 4 miles from downtown (as opposed to 25 miles out of Seattle, previously). With a 10-minute drive to work, trips to the gas pump are far less frequent than they were before. Given the price of gas these days, we have saved over $50/month, on each vehicle! Its amazingly easy to get around here.
2. Lower child-care costs. This was really unbelieveable! The cost of twins in daycare was - and is - exorbitant. However, we are saving over $300 per child here in Central Oregon, compared to the cost in the Seattle area. Over the course of a year, we ended up funneling the extra money from these savings into college accounts.
3. Fun, outdoor recreation. We save a ton of money by playing and exploring outside. Instead of trips to the movies or the mall, the weather in Bend is usually sunny, allowing us more frequent opportunities to hike or swim in one of the many beautiful areas surrounding our home.
The area is a tourist destination much of the year. Great skiing and snowboarding is available at Mt. Bachelor, 20 minutes west of the city. During the summer, sunny warm days draw crowds to the area to enjoy fishing, swimming, boating, and hiking. The Deschutes River flows right through downtown. Many parks line the river, allowing for casual enjoyment of its natural beauty.
Festivals and farmers markets are a regular staple of the summer season. Very inexpensive and family-friendly, some of these events are even free! Don't forget the BendFilm Festival in the fall - an independent film enthusiast's dream! And, you can attend an outdoor concert at the Les Schwab Amphitheatre, right in the heart of the Old Mill Shopping District. Again, the cost of these events is much more affordable than "big city" prices.
Easy living in Bend, Oregon is fun and affordable. Its no wonder that retirees looking to save some money during their golden years will choose to spend them in Central Oregon.
Ready to Move Here?
Guides to Everything You'll Need for Central Oregon Retirement
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Rand Mcnally Streets of Bend & Redmond, Oregon (Rand McNally Streets Of...)
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Oregon Golf
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Fly Fishing Central & Southeastern Oregon, 3rd (No Nonsense Fly Fishing Guides)
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Comments
You should visit Oregon and check Bend out!
I'm in CT too, and hate the weather, traffic, high prices... :(
Oregon looks pretty perfect - those pictures are beautiful!
Thanks Amy Jane! All photos by yours truly! I really love getting out and enjoying it here. Come visit! :-)
Thumbs up! The photos alone stole my heart before I even read about low taxes. Makes you definitely want an outdoor lifestyle. My only drawback is cold - Spent too many years in New York, Washington, and Atlanta. But it's still most tempting! Great work.
Right, Caregiver. It can be cold during the winter. At least (from my perspective) its not damp too. Thanks for commenting - Steph
Sold! I'll see you in about 20 years!
I've lived in Bend for 3 years; came from Richmond VA. It is as beautiful as those photos show. Yes, we have snow, but the greatest is when we watch it snow up on the mountain- which makes the winter sports enthusiasts & the economy happy- but it's not snowing here in town. Also that we have sun almost everyday.
But I have to tell ya, I don't want you all moving here. In 3 years Bend has grown by nearly 15,000. I love the small town atmosphere, but it's beginning to fade as everyone wants the perks like in the bigger cities they came from.
Nice presentation, Steph of a lovely small city.
Never been to the US pacific coast but you make it sound great. The snow looks great on those mountains but we rarely get freezing temperatures in Ireland, and i don't think that I could appreciate the cold temperatures.
Yes, sligobay, it is a lovely place to live. But, if you are not into cold temperatures, maybe not here. We have snow again this morning (March 30!) On the other hand, the temperatures are quite nice and warm all summer long (mid 80s from May through September), with little, if any rain.
Looks really pretty. Maybe one day for a holiday.
It is definately the slow pace I'll be looking for. Thank you for the tips, Portland is nice but I think I'll be making that transition sooner than I thought.
Elixir - you should love it! Portland is a great city, but we're sold on Bend!
What a beautiful place to live! We are thinking about selling our house and moving to a less stressful place (We live in the SF Bay Area) The stress here is horrible- and even though I grew up here, I'm ready to get away from the hustle and bustle!
Great hub!
Hey Dorsi - We did the same thing. I grew up in Seattle, but eventually had to get away from the traffic (and rain). I know its probably worse in the SF Bay area, but geesh. There are a LOT of California and Washington transplants here in Bend. :-)
Today, the weather is 85 degrees, sunny, clear, people are out running along the river. It is days like this that I am so happy we live here.
Oh it sounds wonderful...and not just for retirees. As someone who lives in New Jersey with the highest prooperty taxes in the nation, I'm green with envy over that low tax thing LOL Another great one, Steph
Robie - thanks! Bend is great for all ages, and not just those in retirement age. Of course, it is nice to have our city recognized as a super retirement locale, but there are so many wonderful things to do for young families, recreation, scenery, etc. And, speaking of "green," Bend has got to be among the leaders in environmentally friendly places to live. Come and visit. :-) Steph
My law partner was just out there taking the bar exam because she and her family plan to move to Bend soon. Thanks for the pictures. They never bring any pics back so I had not seen how beautifult it is. I definitely 'get it' now.
Hi Pamela, Bend is indeed lovely, and I have written several more Hubs on the area, if you have found them. Anyway, the winters will be more difficult here than in Florida, but it an easy, friendly place to live. Your partner can email me for more information if she would like! Steph
Bend is a great place to live! I have lived here since 1981 and raised my kids here.
oregon is definitely a great place to retire. nice article. very nice indeed.
Great Hub :0)
My wife and I have finaly decided to move to Bend....I have Lived in salem for 9 years and recently Tualatin where my wifes family live`s ...But we both need some healthy space and I have alwalys wanted to move to Bend. I have My own carpet and Uph cleaning Business and will start all over again out there. I have traveled most of Central OR on my motorcycle and used Bend as my Starting point. I love the peace and quiet out there. Growing up in Ireland I alwalys dreamed of riding through cowboy land ;0) and when I first saw the high desert I thought I was in heaven...Well I soon will be LOL and I love to cross country ski...Did it in Mi for 3 years so the cold does not bother me...
Mike ;0)
Hi Mike - send me an email whe you guys get here, or even beforehand so I can point in directions for homes, schools, business and more. Be sure to check out the Chamber of Commerce website for your business! Last winter we got a ton of snow. So far this year, its been unseasonably mild in Bend. Today (Nov. 16), it was over 70 degrees!! WOW. You and your wife will love it here. Cheers, Steph
Hi Steph ;0)
Wow 70`s that is unseasonably mild. I remember some years back in Ireland my mother calling me to say that it was in the high 80`s in early January and the daffodils were already blooming there - only time thats ever happened. Thank you! I will send you an E-mail.
What I look forward to the most is being able to ride out into the desert on a whim or going to the lava caves to think LOL or taking our RV up to Paullnia Peak on a friday night and having a camp fire and of course getting away from the allergies of the valley, I alwalys feel like a new person in the higher elavations. have a great week! Mike :0)
Mike - you can do all that and more. What I love about Bend is that in about 10 minutes, you are away from the City and off into the wilderness. Paulina Peak is incredible. The Lava Caves are really cool too - we went to the Lava Cast Forest this summer (I have a Hub on it). Drive about an hour and you can see "Hole in the Ground" and Fort Rock (another Hub....) some awesome geological formations. Anyway - yes, you should get some relief from the grasses and allergies of Salem. I lived there for 3 years in the early 1990s. Aaaachoo!!
You say that daily flights are available to Portland, but aren't they expensive? Or at least the the cheap, short-hopper trips we're used to out West on Southwest, Alaska, et. al.
It's only a 3 hour drive to Portland, so it's an easy 3-day weekend if you ever need the bright lights of the big city.
Thanks for the hub!
Hi bladeguy, most of the flights from Portland to Bend and back do cost more than the price of gas (especially these days). The primary carrier is Alaska Air/Horizon. Depending on when you book the flight, it can be as low as $100 each way. Still, as you mention, it is an easy 3-hour drive - except in the winter when the passes are bad. :) We get to Portland several times a year and though its nice, there is certainly no need to "escape" from Bend!
Oregon is such a beautiful state! I am new to hubpages.......new to writing blogs, in fact, and TWO of my hubs have been about Oregon. Intend to write more. The two weeks of vacationing in Oregon sold me on the idea of living there! Maybe someday............?
Hi Peggy!! We love it in Bend! So nice to meet someone else who is posting about Oregon. Cheers, Steph (I am going to go check out your hubpages)
Too bad I'm a Canadian. It sounds perfect. I've been hearing about Bend for 45 years, since my college buddies used to travel there for ski races. Then, when I started working in the outdoor world in the Canadian Rockies (see my Hub The Weeping Wall), I started meeting climbers, skiers, and mountain bikers who raved about the place.
We've got nice places up here, too. But the trouble is all the rich folks from across our country and yours flock to them, bid the housing prices up to astronomical heights, and then modest incomced simple living folk like me can't afford to live there.
For example, Canmore, AB. When I first started living and working there, I could have bought a house for $10,000. Old mining town, with a shut-down mine. Later, I did buy a house, with another couple a couple of investors for $80K. Got a bit screwed on the handshake deal when I sold my half but that house is now worth at least a half a million dollars. A basic 3 bedroom condo in that town is worth nearly a million!
What's a poor old fella to do. Ah, retire to Bend! Hmm… you got me thinking!
Great information - sounds like lots of great outdoor activities!
What can you grow in a garden in Bend or do you need a hothouse? What do they sell at the farmer's markets? Are there any farms near Bend or all west of the Cascades?
Hi Chiak - there are farmers' markets in Bend, from April through October. Beyond that, you'll have to pay for imported fruits and veggies. :) The fresh food here is the best! At farmers' markets, you can get peaches, pears, avocados, apples, oranges, meat products, lots of flowers, strawberries, apricots, olives, and so much more!
As for growing your own, my neighbor does tomatoes, my in-laws (in sisters) do cherry tomoatoes. We also grow herbs at our home. The climate is somewhat tough with the coldness overnight, but during the day, it can get quite warm. I would think a hothouse would do great!
Hi!
I can't sleep and found your article while setting up my own hub. Thank you for the wonderful photos.
I finally convinced my husband NOT to go to Telluride, CO, as we have done for eight years straight. We'll be checking out Bend this summer! We are looking for a place to live after I finish nursing school.
Please visit my profil page to see if you would like to have breakfast with us while we are there :>)
Do you know anyone in your network who might want to swap houses (we live in Sedona, AZ) during July/early August?
Greetings from the red rocks,
Maria
Hi Maria, that would be great fun to connect when you are here in town - shoot me an email from my profile page. As far as swapping houses, you might want to put up a post in the forums here at HubPages - I'll bet you'll get a response. I'll see if there is anyone here in Bend that would be interested. I'm actually off to an Oregon Women Lawyers meeting right now and I have some good networks there!
Best, Steph
hi steph, great hub, when do i move in, can't afford a place of my own, can do odd jobs to pay my way, handy in the kitchen too. just kidding, but i do love that area and the coastal area also with all the big rocks in the surf.
Ha ha ha - Roger! We're all in the same boat. Great deals to be had in the real estate and rental market here in Bend right now! The coast isn't too far away either. :)
Hi.. i am from india and i have visited oregon 2 times now... i really love it..!!
Hi Steph! My wife and I are happy on the South Carolina coast, so we're not looking to move anytime soon. However, we would like to visit Oregon sometime, as it's one of 8 states I have yet to see. We considered Seattle at one point, but the dreariness of constant rainy weather (plus the traffic and expense) was a dealkiller for us. Does Oregon get more sunshine on average than Washington state? (*I know that the "Places Rated Almanac" always ranks Oregon metro areas' climates among the highest...health and nutrition is important to us, and a mild "paradise" climate is great for that!)
Hi Drake's Compass - there are many, wonderful places to see in Oregon. Portland is much like Seattle, though - rainier and cloudy/cool. Central Oregon is just great this time of year. They say we get 300 days of sunshine a year. Winters tend to be cooler than on the west side of the mountains, but the climate here overall is tops! That is one of the main reasons we moved here from Seattle. Oh, and regarding expense - no sales tax in Oregon, versus nearly 10% in Washington! Cheers, Steph
Thank you for the summary, Steph. We have family in Seattle, so maybe next time we visit there, we'll swing down and check out the pristine Beaver State!
Hi Drake's Compass, do visit Bend Oregon! It is so lovely here (we had an especially wonderfully gorgeous early summer day today). Best, Steph
Hi, I am actually just emailing to ask what I could tell my mom to do in Bend and to meet people there. She is 57 years old and she has lived there for 4 years and is very lonely. She has not met many people and wants to get out and do things but doesn't want to do it alone. Any suggestions? my email address is onetrendychic@hotmail.com.
Hi Heather, I'm sorry to hear that your mom is lonely here in Bend. There are some things she could do to get out and meet people, however! This time of year, there are Farmer's Markets all over town. The best one is Wednesday afternoon 4-7 p.m. at Drake Park. There are also a few Saturday markets around, one near Northwest Crossing. The first Friday of every month is the "Art Walk" downtown. Its not really so much about art as it is a community gathering. Retailers offer free drinks and appetizers and there is often live music. Its lots of fun. The Art Walk is year-round. There are also several festivals, including the BendFilm fest in the fall - independent films, plus Winterfest and Summerfest. Both events have lots of booths, art, goods, community organizations also have information available. Of course, there is an active faith community here too. I'm pretty active in my church, and there are so many around town, plus synagogues. Oh, another cool thing is to attend the free Sunday concerts at the Les Schwab amphitheater in the Old Mill District. These are on Sunday afternoons through the summer. A variety of music, and always fun. Best and I hope your mom finds some fun things to do here! Stephanie
bogey047 says:
17 months ago
Sounds good, I am getting Tax to death in Connecticut. I am looking to move elsewhere because I am retired and need to get some tax breaks. I just hope the Democrats don't win the October election because if you think its bad now wait until they add more taxes.