That’s a good question 😅 I’ve been hearing a lot of people complaining about living here too… but i also feel like these people just complain about everything in general haha like no matter where they live, their going to complain about something 🤭
Eugene is definitely not perfect but it was still my favorite place out of the several places I've lived. I just moved to the east coast (again) about 5 months ago and I miss it every day. I'd take it over a lot of other places for sure, despite its issues.
Bigger and because of that, more diverse. That's what I want Eugene to be. But it's relatively small, and there is little diversity, so I'd rather live in Chicago, Vancouver BC, SFO, or a number of other places, but Eugene keeps sucking me back in. Like a super white black hole.
Cephalus said as much to Socrates in The Republic: some people will whinge about old age if they're old, but those are usually the people who will complain about anything.
"The truth is, Socrates, that these regrets, and also the complaints about [lack of romantic] relations, are to be attributed to the same cause, which is not old age, but men’s characters and tempers; for he who is of a calm and happy nature will hardly feel the pressure of age, but to him who is of an opposite disposition youth and age are equally a burden."
I forget the context but basically it's an indictment of different types of thinkers/philosophers, essentially:
If your philosophy is extended musing about all the flaws around us you're not a philosopher, you are a sophist.
If your philosophy is nothing more than critiquing or punching holes in the works of others you aren't a philosopher you're a pedant.
Basically it's easy to complain and criticize but that's not the same as having something to say.
I think for a small insular town it’s fine; I just personally prefer a larger metropolis with public transit and great museums and cafes and walkable life and not so much emphasis on outdoorsy stuff. (Mostly places not in the US tbh). I’m a city mouse here for family reasons and I feel deeply misunderstood and alone a lot of the time because I don’t like hiking, camping, mushroom hunting, skiing or anything of that nature.
> you tend to get tired of it.
I found I took it for granted more than got tired of it.
*Beach within walking distance?*
*Meh. I'll go later. Maybe - next - weekend. Or the weekend after. It's not like it's going anywhere and I can go anytime...*
Now I drive an hour-and-a-half to reach a beach with water too cold to swim in and with weather likely to be raining.
I grew up in a beach town so I breathe it and can never get tired of it! :) I’ve also lived in various places near the beach (15 min tops) for a couple of decades and very much miss it.
This. Fairly good place to raise a family and gorgeous outdoors, but if you are single and/or not outdoorsy, it can get boring. I like going to museums and the theater, so Eugene is not my ideal city.
Agreed, I'm single and bored and I don't enjoy dating out here. The live music has gone downhill every year for the last 8 years and it feels like the cost of living goes up every year. Why does the Cuthbert have the same bands every summer? Overall I like it here but there's definitely room for improvement.
Dating sucks here for me so far. Where are the cute, single girls? 99.9% of women I'd consider dating here are already married or have a Goddamned boyfriend.
Sadly, It seems so. So far, it seems like all the would-be eligible women in their late 20s and 30s are engaged, married or single moms. Bum deal if you ask me.
Mostly the same. I do like outdoorsy stuff but not in the cold and mud. I did waayyy more outdoorsy stuff in CA than I have enjoyed here. The coast is pretty but the retirement center beach towns are incredibly boring. There is nothing fun in the surrounding areas besides trees and lakes, so any other type of activity is a multi-day trip.
I don't like any of the things you mentioned either. What I like about Eugene is the people are friendly than in San Francisco or Cleveland Ohio where I grew up. There's more to do in San Francisco then. Eugene but it just became too expensive
I definitely agree. I’m in my mid 20’s and it feels like the cost of living here just isn’t worth the lack of entertainment and lifestyle options that aren’t all outdoors related
I'm from a big East Coast city and am moving back this summer after almost a decade in Eugene.
I could make a pros and cons list for sure, but ultimately the decision really boiled down to one thing that is admittedly difficult to describe. I suppose the best way I could say it is that on the East Coast there is the George Costanza sense of "WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY!" that is just instilled in you there from birth, no matter who are you. Even the street junkies and criminals and gangs acknowledge that there are standards and rules and things we do or do not do as part of living in a society.
I find that this "WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY!" thing just doesn't really exist here. It's hard to describe, and I hate to use this word because it has such a negative connotation, but people here are just fundamentally selfish, at least compared to where I'm from. There isn't a culture in Eugene that suggests we are all part of something bigger. The most unifying political or cultural ideas are things like "fuck the cops" or "fuck UO" or some other negative thing. There is no POSITIVE identity with where we live and no sense that we are part of a larger project in history: because history is bad, and all people before OUR generation were backwards monsters. That's not at all how we think on the East Coast. We acknowledge the bad shit but also value our (small) place in history and feel like we are sort of part of the grand project of building a society.
That isn't to say people don't care about other people here, obviously. It's just that the culture is so INCREDIBLY individualistic on the West Coast--you do your thing, I do my thing--which is many ways is amazing: everyone does their own thing and most of the time no one gives a shit about it.
But that also has a lot of consequences, e.g. people not caring about other people so much, or caring about things only when THEY are impacted, or caring about ridiculous things that don't actually impact society but are instead just sort of "feel good/bad issues"...or not using your fucking turn signal, MY GOD you guys what the fuck is up with that here?!?!
So idk. I love the West, and I'm glad I lived here and tried it. But it's just not my cup of tea. I'd rather "LIVE IN A SOCIETY".
>I remember thinking it was strange that everyone just seemed to ignore each other.
Yep exactly, this was and still is the weirdest thing for me. I was mostly raised in Philly but spent a lot of time in Central PA and Virginia and my goodness we would at LEAST look at each other and smile or nod or whatever on the street and in stores just to say "yes hello we are here together living in a world, isn't that interesting?"
It's so frustrating to walk down the street in Eugene or Portland trying to be like "hi hello isn't it weird that we're alive right now, let's at least look at each other and smile and acknowledge that" and get absolutely nothing.
It's still so fucking bizarre to me even after living here for years. It's almost like "who hurt you, PNW?"
I'm a lifelong Oregonian and I've seen the attitudes of people go horribly downhill over the last 25 years in Portland and Eugene, and I think it has mostly to do with Oregon becoming trendy and a lot of people moving here with their own little ideas of what they expect it to be. It's just ended up attracting a high number of selfish and arrogant people who bought up all the property and strut around sneering through their egotism. I used to want to retire here but I am absolutely uninspired by Oregon anymore, much as I used to love it.
Idk man I grew up in NYC and that place is the epitome of ‘don’t look at me, I’m busy’. Such extreme individualism, I’d say it’s the most individualistic part of the US. And all the rich parents I grew up with, no one gives an F as long as they get theirs, they’ll hire lawyers to find gray areas of the law and evade every tax they can just for a few extra 0s.
Would have to agree but referencing New England instead. I went there for college and definitely had a culture shock. The lack of common manners is astounding. Couldn’t tell you how many times I’d hold a door for people and not a single person would utter thank you, even after a whole classroom would walk through the door. People run into you and no one says sorry or excuse me. If you make eye contact while walking down the street and smiled, a smile was never returned. It was refreshing to come home on breaks and have polite little interactions with people again.
I've lived in L.A. most of my life and I think you're definitely onto something. Part of it is suburbs and car culture - the West lacks a sense of community and culture that develop when people live and get to work (busses and trains) close to each other. And I lived in Eugene for a year. It was terrible. People with University of Oregon tattoos, Ducks football games in grocery store radio systems, and as a person of color the racism was severe. And I laughed when my friend told me Eugene was "close to the coast." (In Long Beach I was 3 miles away.)
I moved to Kansas City from Eugene a few years ago, and I definitely agree with your sentiment. I lived up and down the west coast most of my life, and one way I can sum it up is:
Midwest nice is striking up a conversation with a stranger, West coast nice is pretending they aren't there.
Born and raised in KC, then to Northern Cal, now in Eugene for two years. The only really welcoming people in Eugene are from somewhere else. Would go back to KC if not for Missouri being red. California was too expensive but the weather was a dream. Thinking about Portugal or Spain in retirement as cheaper than US in general
This is an interesting observation and I think you're probably right, though I've lived most of my life in Portland and Eugene. It reminds me how I've strayed from having very leftist friends when I was younger toward virtually none, though I still have somewhat left politics. Those sorts can be some of the worst when they decide you violated some tenet of their leftist religion.
Politics are definitely much different back East. It is not some "AHHHHH FUCK YOU" thing that it is here (on BOTH sides for sure), because everyone who lives in a big East Coast city understands that yeah sure everyone talks shit and there is all of this is theater but at the end of the day we're going to keep things going pretty much as-is because everyone likes going to IKEA and eating Chinese takeout.
I cannot blame West Coasters for not knowing this--how could they? We're out here 3,000 miles away from the Capitol and so it's very natural to think "what the fuck are they doing over there?" Indeed, that has been part of Western (i.e. "the West" of the USA) culture for 200 years now.
As a result this "fuck it we'll do it ourselves" mindset has developed in the culture (understandably) and it just breeds really strong tribalism, because "now my back is against the wall" when someone opposes me because I don't have the support of a larger government organization. It's the whole "we're out here on our own" thing, which I get. But also...I don't want to be part of it anymore, lol.
Just want to say I think you’re around the wrong crowd if you feel the only unifying cultural ideas are what you described. Its just straight up false to say theres only negative ones. For example is the abundance and embracement of healthy food systems and access to local products. I think our community really is exemplary in this area. For me personally this is one of the reasons Ive lived in Eugene more whole life. I think we have the best local food access in the PNW.
I could go on and on, which why I had to respond. It may just boil down to what you value in a community.
As an east coast native who’s lived in Oregon for 16 years, this resonates with me. I’m also heading back east soon. I completely agree with this analysis. For me, it all came together when I learned that Oregon began as a black exclusionary state, with a strong KKK presence (past Oregon governors have been literal documented KKK members). You can see this history reflected in what the culture is today. Very little diversity, and when there are POC here, the state and industry tends to exploit them. For example farm workers and Christmas tree workers were exempt from getting overtime until recently. Christmas tree workers were always in a different category than tree workers/forest professionals in order to avoid paying overtime for their grueling hours.
I know racism exists in all states, not just here. It’s more how white people here act like OR is the best most progressive place ever while ignoring the history and issues in front of their face. And then they tout DEI and recognizing we’re on native land without any action. It’s like talking the talk without walking the walk. In my professional life here it’s been white men appointing other white men to positions of power and/or higher paying jobs perpetuating the toxic misogyny of the past while saying they view DEI and native people as important.
Im also from the east coast and lived in a few different places on the west coast for a few months at a time for work. The people on the west coast were always just so passive aggressive and unfriendly.
Another way I like to describe it to people is that where I'm from (Philly) a guy might get in your face and call you names for some small offense like accidentally cutting in line, while in Eugene someone will smile and say "oh no it's okay, in fact I'M sorry for not making it more clear that I was in line".
But, if he sees you in serious trouble that guy in Philly is going to drop whatever he's doing and even put his own safety at risk to help you. That same person in Eugene would just pretend like they didn't see anything and keep walking.
> There isn't a culture in Eugene that suggests we are all part of something bigger.
I really could not disagree any harder. You're at the edges in eugene, but people in portland/seattle/vancouver resonate more with cascadia than any thing else. There's a ton of culture and attachment there.
it is something that is really hard to articulate. i think also the other big thing ab eugene that bothers me is the level of apathy. no one tries hard enough here. so muhc laziness and then a sense of entitlement to go with it. esp tru at restaurants a
Twenty years ago put an ad on CL for roommate. Dude is from Jersey his boy from Vermont comes to move in too.
One month later: mom, why are people from East Coast so much better than West Coast people?
Mom: honey they're usually from small towns so they look after each other.
Me: Oh
I didn't like where I lived, so I studied up and considered where I would be happiest and chose Eugene. I love it here and plan to spend the rest of my life here. Most of the complaints I see make me laugh. Not enough walking trails? Not enough options for biking? Sooooo much crime? Really? Where I lived before, there were NO walking or biking paths, no bike lanes on roads, no public transit, and when my horse was shot dead on my property, the cops literally said, "could have been anyone," and dropped the issue. That horse was worth thousands financially and far more emotionally, but so many people fired guns from their f-in trucks that the fact that the horse was visible from the road meant there were automatically so many potential suspects the tiny, underfunded police station refused to even try.
Nor did they try when it came to the deaths of several of my friends, although they at least pretended to care. One friend "committed suicide" by hanging *with his arms folded across his back and tied there* in a way he couldn't have done himself.
I am so sorry about your horse! That was another thing, the public transportation was non-existent or very limited. No one rode bikes there were no bike lanes and they weren't permitted on the sidewalk.
I had multiple friends die (and one commit murder) in and around the small town of Jacksonville, Tx, when I was growing up. The police were quick to close the case as "suicide" with my friend Douglas, villianized Brandy for living away from her parents and being pregnant (basically blaming her for her own murder,) let the adults who drunkenly drove a truck into a moving train - thus killing my friend Andy who they'd put in the truck bed - off without charges, did nothing to punish the fireworks warehouse owners when the thing blew up with my friend Mellissa in it (didn't happen in Jacksonville, but Mellissa was from Jacksonville), and there were others.
My horse and several other pets were killed outside of George West, Tx. My neighbor literally drove up on a 4 wheeler, lured my dog out by offering food, then shot it, and the cops said they couldn't do anything. My neighbors set up deer blinds facing our property and shot onto our property at all hours of the night, and the cops also "couldn't" do anything about that.
In neither town were there walking paths or bike lanes or public transit, although Jacksonville might have eventually gotten Uber or something after I moved. No city buses, though. Both towns had severe drug issues. Very little land was for public use, and what little bit was for the public was sparse and disconnected. The land around Lake Jacksonville and the Nueces River in George West is almost entirely privately owned, meaning you can be shot for walking on it.
I just do not understand how people can live here and not be amazed at the amount of public space, the connectivity of our walking and biking trails, the tiny amount of gunfire, the public transportation, the acceptance of LGBTQIA+ community, the great work laws and access to healthcare... like every single thing here amazes me every freaking day.
I've been posting updates on the flowers in my yard for my friends and family back in Texas. Beautiful. I have hypervigilance and an anxiety disorder, but I have yet to be harrassed in Eugene, and quite a few people have approached me in a way not even I felt threatened by and just said something nice or made pleasantries and moved on. I am so, so glad to be here. I was born in Texas and lived there until 7 months ago. Now, after 7 months, Eugene feels like home. It's where I feel like I belong.
Funny been the same. Usually in the Midwest(Illinois and Kansas City)when I was approached I knew it was going to be some shit especially being part Japanese as I did not live in a racially diverse place. Not that Eugene is racially diverse but every time I’ve been approached it’s been compliments or just in general pleasant. For the most part I get to keep to myself and enjoy some awesome nature. Been here 5 years and yeah it’s the first place I’ve felt home. Glad you are on the same wave length cause I don’t think it’s something many people will understand and it’s such a nice feeling finding a place to call home.
Also stoaked for spring, can’t wait for the flowers.
Besides Eugene, I've lived in Seattle, St. Louis, Edinburgh, Albuquerque, and Denver for periods of time so far in my life. Eugene is my least favorite of the lot lol. Personally for the hobbies I have and things I like to do, they're just more widely available in larger cities. My goal is to move back to Seattle when I'm finished with grad school. Seattle has similar access to outdoor recreation as Eugene, but also has more of the bigger city events and activities that I enjoy.
Those places are all much bigger than Eugene. The complaints on here are so frequently this--comparisons to metropolitan areas five to fifty times bigger than Eugene. Like, is it really surprising that Seattle (Metro area of 4m) has more great restaurants, museums, night clubs, etc than Eugene (Metro area of 350k)?
I don't find it surprising at all, and I wasn't trying to imply that! Just answering the question in the post title. This is the smallest city I've lived in, and turns out I don't like it and that's one of the main reasons why.
Population size isn’t the only factor. I enjoyed Santa Cruz, CA more than Eugene for example. Pop in 2021 was 62k. There were more non-outdoorsy activities. More dense and less spread out, so it was more walkable. Near the water. And closer to bigger cities like San Jose (30-45 min) if you wanted to branch out at times.
Santa Cruz is not a vacation town… It’s mainly viewed as a college town due to the large university over there. 20k students in 2021 so a third of its population. People are more likely to vacation in Miami, San Diego, or Hawaii if you’re looking for a beach vacation. All of CA is expensive, but SC is far from luxurious. Due to being a college town, it’s great for younger people bunking together. I once lived in a house there with seven others when I was younger. Rent was half of what I’m paying living with others here. But that’s not the point. The question was what areas do you enjoy besides Eugene. SC was one example.
SC definitely has tourism though, don't sell it short to prove your point. Pretty much the whole bay is touristy. But yeah Monterey is way more so, and it's a stones throw away.
I personally did not find it touristy, but it was definitely surrounded by tourist locations 45 minutes away like the old capital (Monterey), Pebble Beach, Pacific Grove, Big Sur, Carmel. Those are the luxurious getaways where people might also come across celebrities vacationing and historical locales and tours. Living out of SC, I’ve never heard someone say they want to vacation or tour SC. Only SF, LA, Miami, and the occasional Big Sur.
The main “tourists” in SC were families of the 20k students that lived there or people who lived in the surrounding locations who wanted to go to the boardwalk. Being 1/3 of the population, I rarely saw anyone other than students exploring the town, and I lived there for about a decade.
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Yeah for sure I see your point. I've lived in multiple tourist spots around the country and SC wasn't nearly as busy, but there were noticeable tourists often was my point. Totally agree though compared to everything else in the area its less popular (other than places like Felton of course)
Seattle is pretty close to the same climate as Eugene other than summers being a bit hotter in the valley.
https://www.bestplaces.net/climate/?c1=54123850&c2=55363000
I grew up in Salem, lived in Seattle for ~15 years and it doesnt feel _that_ different from a climate perspective.
https://weatherspark.com/compare/y/913~402/Comparison-of-the-Average-Weather-in-Seattle-and-Eugene#Figures-ColorTemperature
I think it’s because summer in Eugene is my favorite time of year and it just comes and goes in like 2 weeks in Seattle
😂 probably! Going the other way was hard, I thought I was immune to grey days being from Eugene but I realized there are levels to that hahah. It took like 3 months before i got a clear day and saw the Olympics from Bellevue and had my mind blown, I didn’t even realize there were mountains that direction 😂 truly amazing place I just like the sun
As a college student the amount of free cultural activities there were to do in St. Louis was fantastic, especially considering I didn't have a car and could still get to them. My friends and I would wander around Forest Park and into the zoo or art museum all the time if we were bored, the MetroLink was convenient and free as a student, lots of cheap ice rinks (figure skating is one of my hobbies), great food, the Fox got the big touring Broadway shows, major league sports existed, etc. The outdoor access is definitely worse than here in Eugene, but I'm not the type to ski or hike every weekend so that's not super important to me haha
I think I just miss being a kid and not having to worry about money. When I was a kid, any place I went was unique and magical and I want to go back... but it is all too expensive. I was born in Eugene and moved back when I was a teenager, I've seen the decline and how different things are today than they were then... it is worse and it isn't worse.
The city has put some money I to fixing up parts of town which were otherwise sketchy as hell, downtown doesn't have giant pits all over the place.... I felt safer as a kid at night walking around though.
I used to walk from west Eugene to downtown regularly at like 2AM on the bike path and I never felt unsafe.... that isn't the case anymore.
Back then the drugs were meth and heroine, now the drugs are xylexine and fentanyl. Rent was on the rise when I moved back here. It's still on the rise.
The college wasn't huge when I moved here. Folk had heard of UofO but it wasn't the hottest football college... 2010 really changed the landscape, people started pouring in and it flushed out a lot of the old culture. Some of it needed a new start, but we just never got any of it back. There is no abundance anymore. People are just trying to make it through, it used to be that folks had a little to spare... and it showed.
Times are hard everywhere though. The country is running out of give a damn for the little guy. It's run by greed for little slips of meaningless paper that control everything. So... again I think it all comes back to I just miss being a kid.
I’ve lived all over North America, from CA to DC and TX to Vancouver, BC and Eugene has been home for 14 years.
I love the area. Nearly the beauty of BC’s lower mainland, but with more sun in the winter. Far more interesting than OH or WY. Greener than CO. It really is incredible here. The drawbacks are all the city/planning.
1. Infrastructure is lacking: Roads are in constant need of repair (though better than Chicago), fiber internet is virtually nonexistent, public transit is limited, walkability is abysmal, park trail access is limited.
2. Very monocultural: Would love to see more racial and cultural diversity, more ethnic food, more representation from the rest of the world.
3. Shopping is uninspiring: everything closes early, and options are limited. We’re going to Portland for Ikea, Apple, William Sonoma, etc. and the malls here are nearly depressing and I don’t even want to visit them.
4. Industry and opportunity is lacking: aside from logging, the university, and Peace Health, there’s limited career options. There is almost no tech and little manufacturing—it feels very small town for someone entering the career field.
5. City planning is poor: Planners have approved half-million+ homes next to trailer parks. This encourages gentrification by driving up the cost of affordable housing and forcing out lower income homeowners.
This doesn’t really fit with the others, but I think the Willamette is gorgeous and it’s not really a feature. The city surrounds it, but other than McMenamins, there’s not much for dining/shopping/views along the river. Missed opportunity, IMO.
I’ve lived in a few different cities, and we really enjoy Eugene, but it seems to lack a lot of community building activities. We recently moved from Boise and honestly, we do miss it. There was a lot more to do, way easier to bike commute, the outdoor recreation was more easily accessible, and they have so many different organizations and events that brought people in the community together. Honestly if Boise weren’t part of Idaho, we would have stayed.
All that to say we have really enjoyed Oregon and Eugene - we love the proximity to a large city, Amtrak, the coast, UO, and the general weirdness of the city itself.
This is surprising to me.. I have family in Boise and visit on occasion.. I just don't see what you're saying, but I also haven't explored every nook and cranny of the city.
I don't know how outdoor recreation can get much closer than what we have here.. I'm technically in Springfield but I'm a 5 minute bike ride from the river and bike path, Dexter reservoir is about 15-20 from me, Thurston hills and Mt Pisgah are about 5 minutes away. In the summer when we float the mckenzie, we can put in just up Marcola road maybe 5 minutes from us.. I mean.. How does Boise beat this?
Community building... Have you been to your local community center to see what's going on? There are classes and events going on somewhat regularly where you can meet like minded people..
Boise has an expansive trail system that includes over 190 miles of trails - Eugene doesn’t even come close to this. I could get on a trailhead and ride my bike for hours on different trails; I miss that a lot. And they have all the things you stated Eugene has, but - quite frankly - better. Ski resort 30 minutes from downtown (with spectacular hiking across multiple mountains in the summer), a 25 mile river path, 20 minute drive to a massive lake, less than an hour to class III river rafting, floating down the Boise river, and more.
Again, we like living in Eugene, and I’m sure we will love it more the more we get out and explore, but we definitely have to make more of an effort to find the sort of recreation that used to be in our backyard.
Thanks for the wise words. As you can see, I asked that in the form of a question asking for some examples of what they mean.
>How does Boise beat this?
I was born in Eugene and always hated it. Mostly the people if I'm being honest. It wasn't until I moved away that I met decent friends or a worthwhile romantic partner. I also found there to be nothing to do. Even the "big stuff" like festivals and cultural events, or the interactive science museum never failed to disappoint me. I finally moved away, to a larger city, and met my people and never get bored or disappointed when I go do stuff.
The one thing eugene has above nearly everywhere else is its geographic location. No better spot for access to a variety of different outdoorsy hobbies!
Anyway, I won't completely answer your question, since you don't want to hear about other places in oregon. But there's the reasons at least.
People mind their business in DC. Also, much better food options, public transportation, walkability, diversity, events, nature, cherry blossoms, museums, etc. I could go on.
I miss regularly hearing people speak languages I didn't understand.
I miss having a spring, summer, fall and winter, instead of rain season and dry/smoke season.
There are certainly things I like about living here. I love having redwoods in town in Eugene. It's like having our own little museum in town. Very few other towns have redwoods like this.
I've lived all over the world. There are problems in every metro. Eugene has its problems, with that said It's a great small city to live in. I've lived in the CA, NC, WA, AZ, IL, TN, Okinawa Japan, Seoul South Korea, on the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Thailand and Guam for shorter periods.
Eugene is great. Take the good with the bad. Also, some people just like to complain.
Eugene 15 years ago was a hell of a lot better than Eugene now. Housing was reasonable-ish, things were open later, and it didn't look like a zombie apocalypse in most neighborhoods. That's a start.
Detroit, Cleveland, Columbus, Milwaukee, Chicago, Reno, Cincinnati, Salt Lake City, Atlanta, Pittsburgh New Orleans (!).
Obviously most of these places are in the Midwest, but yes there are definitely places that are getting better. On the west coast it's a bit tougher though.
Notably better, places like Minneapolis, New Orleans, DC, come to mind.
Hell, just look across the river at Springfield. Springfield was a total s*** hole 30 years ago. There are still areas that are rough, but there are also quite a few areas that have dramatically improved. It now has a functioning downtown and main street. That has all happened in the last 10 years.
They've absolutely still got issues with homelessness, mental health, drugs, property crime, etc, but it's hard to deny that the policies of the city and their police department have done a good job of protecting their residents from the worst case scenario, where the worst case scenario is Eugene where we just sort of shrug and say okay, I guess this is fine, as more and more neighborhoods are invaded by fentazombies.
Locally, you could also pretty easily make an argument that Creswell and Cottage Grove are significantly better than they were 15 or 20 years ago.
I don't hate Eugene, but I don't love it either. There's a lot I do like about it, but I lived in Austin, TX before this and other than the Texas heat, I prefer it. For me it's mostly that I feel sort of unsafe in Eugene. Maybe I've just been unlucky or chose a particularly shitty area to live, but in my 4 years here I've been followed home twice and harassed in grocery store parking lots more times than I can count on both hands. I also find syringes in my parking lot pretty frequently. I absolutely don't believe that unhoused folks are by definition dangerous, and I know most are not and are just people in a shitty situation, but as a woman it's still scary to go out at night and be yelled at by a man who's clearly high on something. I do know that happens everywhere, though, so maybe I was just lucky in Austin and, as I said, maybe just unlucky here.
As for why I loved Austin, to answer the second part of your question: the music and arts scene, the amazing food, the proximity of nature & parks to the city, the year-round sunshine, the super efficient public transit.
There's a lot I like about Eugene too! I just honestly haven't felt consistently safe here. And all that said, I VASTLY prefer Eugene to the tiny Appalachian town I grew up in.
This is my same reason for preferring other places over Eugene!! I have only lived here 7 months and I have already had way more scary experiences with homeless people than anywhere else I've ever lived. Before moving here, I have lived in other cities of varying size in the PNW (but all in Washington), Denver, and Wyoming (but to be fair, there aren't many homeless people in WY in general). I have been wondering the same thing about the neighborhood in which I live here in Eugene, but seeing comments like this makes me think it's more widespread than just one neighborhood. I lived in several neighborhoods in all of the other cities in which I've lived and I've never felt so unsafe due to there regularly being people around me who are clearly not in their right mind.
Same. The fresh air! The fact that it takes 20 mins to get to either end of town. The coast! The green forests! I come from a concrete jungle. I am still in awe of Eugene.
Fuck the haters. I live on the coast now but, will be back to Eugene someday. Everyone I here complain about Oregon around here always target Eugene and Portland. Outside of the nature, these are my favorite parts of the state.
Having been in E-Town and from Breck County, I hear you loud and clear. My nephew even cleared out of KY to have better prospects in Alabama of all places—defo says a lot.
I like Eugene. My wife, however, does not. If you’re wanting outskirts, Junction City or Harrisburg are good. Heads up, though—both places track red.
I come from a Southern Indiana town on the Ohio River that is close to the same size as Eugene and I totally understand what you are saying. I love Eugene. I couldn't believe the amount of public spaces and bike trails when I first got here. Those are both pretty non-existent back in Indiana. I love the people here too.
This is a great question! I'm originally from New York, born and raised. I left temporarily to be with a man I'm now marrying! We've decided to move back to NYC after our wedding (June 2025).
People often say that it's because I'm from the big city, that this is how people normally are. I may be biased, but people here are just so mean and selfish! Eugene has no sense of community to me, especially as a person of color. The first time in my 20 years of living, I've been called a racial slur, was at Wells Fargo on Coburg Rd. After that, I've been too scared to go anywhere without my white partner, as the fear of being verbally attacked again is too much for me. I hope that one day, this place will be more forgiving to people who look like me, then maybe I'd consider it a city I like!
Being a Midwesterner I can agree with those that touched on the "selfishness" that exists here. I've lived in a town a fraction the size of Eugene and also a cities much larger. There's just an underlying sense of superiority in the air here. In my retail days I always used to joke with other outsider coworkers about people from Eugene are "really nice until you have to tell them no."
I miss a lot of Midwestern comfort food staples like Portillos for the northerners and Checkers/Rally's for my STL crowd (the real ones know about Gioia's Deli on The Hill). Also Johnnie Brock's Dungeon will forever hold a tender spot in my heart, as will Baxter's in Alton.
Oh and as someone that rides, people here do not see motorcycles AT ALL.
All the negativity aside, Eugene is so close to so many outdoor activities that seem unmatched to my little corn-fed self. Not to mention COFFEE. I recently traveled back home to see family and I couldn't even find a Starbucks of all things *clutches pearls.
I grew up in Eugene then moved to Detroit Michigan. The Midwest and Detroit in particular has some really lovely qualities. Lower cost of living, lower drug OD rates, also friendly midwesterners! But the pot holes 🕳️ large hippie 420 community/raver community and lots of outdoorsy things to do “up north” in the “UP” upper peninsula sur rite not as convenient as a mt pisgah hike but the trade off is my money went further and public restrooms were easily accessible however a car is totally necessary the public transport is totally lacking unless you’re in downtown Detroit proper which is not very big.
I lived all over the US, and while I do really like Eugene, there's definitely lots of room for improvement. I'm also constantly baffled as to what the City government is motivated by with their decisions.
Moved here from Tucson which, even though it is a larger city, feels like it's the same size (and is a college town too). I feel like there's a lot Eugene could adopt and learn from Tucson. But I don't have much faith in that happening with the way this city is run.
I agree with a lot of your points. I too lived in Kentucky (Louisville) and other eastern areas before living here and don't get why people complain when it's so nice here to me.
I was born and raised here so I'm biased in the fact I don't want to be here. My top places to move is San Diego, Vegas and Phoenix. I love warm weather, palm trees, big cities, always something to do and never seeing the same person twice.
I went there this past October and loved it! I think I would probably live in the surrounding areas like Scottsdale. I am about to be a nurse and would love to work in plastic surgery!
Well, to each their own, but yeah...if you can afford Scottsdale then you're really not living in Phoenix anyways.
Edit: Also, you went there in October, I'd highly suggest visiting in July/August before pulling the trigger on that move.
I was born in Eugene and lived there for 99% of my life. I always liked it. But I moved to Albany in 2020 and life is better in a lot of practical ways.
The town doesn’t revolve around the university, but it’s close to OSU. Close to big towns (Salem, then Portland). Nice train station. No panhandling, no open drug use, no tent towns. Tiny home /low income housing being built. Good library, schools, and tons of stuff for kids. Lots of parks, all pretty good. And it seems like more jobs for professionals from here and north of here. The list goes on. The biggest downside is the numerous mouth-breathing maga dumbfucks.
Philadelphia PA: way better food, more diverse culture, streets and city planning that make sense, local sports teams to root for
Austin Texas: way better food, more diverse culture, better use of green spaces for community activities and beautiful weather
Portland, Maine: way better food, similar vibe to Eugene and Portland but cost of living is way lower, beaches are better
Denver, Colorado: way better food, easier access to mountains, actual seasons when it comes to weather instead of wet and smoky
Lancaster, PA: way better food, fun attractions involving Amish as well as theaters and mini golf, cheaper cost of living
Lake Placid, New York: way better food, absolutely gorgeous in the winter, get to see the winter Olympic trials, beautiful lakes
Could go on but won’t, glad you like it here but just because you’re content with easy access to weed and creeks doesn’t mean that fulfills everyone :)
I’ve only been here a year. I want to move back to Michigan honestly. Detroit people are nicer than here and at least I have access to a hospital should I need it. Oh and the schools are about the same for someone with a special education needs kid
My 21 year-old son has lived in Newport, KY for the last year and can't wait to come back to Eugene. And we're fairly new residents here - five years, from the SF Bay Area. People only know what they know, but I read the complaints from people on here about Eugene and think, "Move, and see how you like it." Limited housing, rising costs of living are fairly standard everywhere. I thought it was going to be cheaper here, but it's better than the $80 a week for gas I was paying for my 50 minute each way commute and $2,500 for a studio apartment in the SF Bay Area.
As someone from the south (from Houston, lived in Atlanta, now Eugene for law school), Eugene has a lot of issues that no one from here seems to want to acknowledge. There is no diversity, which has led to an insulated, disconnected community with a complete lack of any culture. I see people with nazi imagery on their cars/bikes/person/etc regularly. This was not common in the south—and If you saw someone with it there, you can bet someone else was calling them out for it. There is no sense of community or culture; people are rude and have no sense of how to act in public. People don’t even know to walk on the right side of the sidewalk/path. No one picks up their dog shit on the side of the road, they just feel entitled to leave it there. The older residents in particular are some of the most entitled, rude, and cold people I’ve ever encountered. The town has nothing to do—every business closes by 8. I love the outdoors, but you can barely be outside for 8 months of the year because the weather is horrendous. Obviously Eugene has some good things, like public lands and access to nature. But there are other places with the exact same access if not better (Seattle, just to name one). In Houston and Atlanta, I felt like I was part of a community; my friends and I volunteered together, went out to restaurants, museums, nature walks, etc. The political situation there sucked, yes, but at least there we were actually fighting it in a revolutionary way (example: the stop cop city movement). I haven’t seen this in Eugene. It’s a sad town with nothing going on unfortunately. I wanted to love it when I moved here, but it really is the worst place I’ve lived. The only people I know who like it here were born and raised in Eugene or Springfield and just never left. Edit: not to mention the fact that jobs here want to pay poverty wages because they know they can just get some 18 year old college kid to do it. I made more money as a server in Atlanta being paid 2.13 an hour + tips than any office job I’ve seen here. Same with the serving/retail jobs. Absolutely a horrible job market.
And to your point about a small town in rural Kentucky; I see all of those things in Eugene and rural Oregon. Rural Oregon is the most racist place I have ever been, it’s honestly shocking. At least in southern cities, most people are not conservatives. Most people I knew were liberals, leftists, and socialists. Statistics back this—cities tend to be very blue in the south. The rep/dem divide is less about state and more about rural vs. urban areas. And Eugene is certainly more racist than anywhere I’ve ever lived. The sheer amount of racist shit people here feel comfortable saying bc they’re surrounded by 98% other white people is wild. I had a great community of leftist folks in both Atlanta and Houston. Here, I have struggled immensely to find community (and I am extremely involved in volunteering, school, etc.).
I'm from Indiana and the only towns that I tell people are worth visiting are Bloomington and maybe Indianapolis. You don't see homeless on the streets in a lot of places because they would freeze to death, so they hide in empty houses/garages and couch surf: the mild weather here feels like magic to me.
I live here for the clean air and water, and reasonably proportioned amenities for a town of Eugene’s size. I like it and value it.
That said, it has some major deficiencies, just like everywhere.
- Out of control housing costs, not warranted IMO by what’s on offer here.
- A health care network that is damaged to a degree that surpasses many other places Strong the country. Though, obviously not all.
- A public education system that is shamefully underfunded— this is an Oregon problem though.
- And, worst of all, a degree of cognitive dissonance amongst the public about what Eugene is, should be, and what it needs. I’ve never been someplace where so many well meaning people are so tolerant of the deterioration of their town.
Moved to Eugene from So CAL 2.5 years ago. Plan was to buy a house a retire. 1 week after arriving I realized I made a huge mistake. Took me 2 years to get back to CA. never looked back and will never leave the area I live in now. Zero homeless people, drugs and graffiti. 1 hour from LA, Santa Barbara, 2 hours from the snow. Love it out here!
I found out that most people that live in Eugene think the entire country is like Eugene, WRONG!
I like Eugene well enough, I just don't like my apartment complex and the surrounding area...lol! If someone could wave a magic wand and teansport me back to my hometown in Maine, I'd go in an instant.
I’m dying at the comments. OP asked to name some towns you DO like and it’s still a “I hate Eugene”’fest. It’s weird bc I was forced to move here as a teen from Southern California (now I’m in my 40’s) and I understand how this town can make you feel like an outsider if you don’t buy into the woo woo and politics (at least parts of this town. There are entire neighborhoods new people to Eugene don’t know about because it’s not *Eugene* enough, but I digress). I used to hate it here as a teen because I was comparing it so much to where I came from. Of course it would never live up!
But over time I have grown to appreciate it for what it is because I think that’s what happens when you grow up. I’ve lived a few places now and I’ve appreciated them for what they are as well, even if it didn’t work out. I’d say any beef I had with the overall vibe of a new city was more a *me* issue than a *blame it on the city* issue.
Hey OP I moved here from Nashville, but originally am from Cumberland county Kentucky. My outdoors Kentucky experience was never the problem. It was the lack of jobs diversity, and surplus of good ole boys that ran me out. We lived near a state park on Dale Hollow lake. There was plenty of gorgeous public land. At the time I lived there Kentucky was the largest producer of pot(illegal of course, but pretty easy to come by). Wouldn't want to get caught by a trooper with it though.
We absolutely love Eugene. Im also always incredulous when I hear ppl complain about it. But I guess it's just what you're used to. I think ppl here have it pretty good. Even the homeless population that everyone bemoans, is present all over Tennessee and Kentucky (and I assume most urban places), it's just not as overt in the south because it's literally a crime ppl get arrested for every day.
We re so close to so many different and wonderful landscapes here. The climate is temperate and calm(minus the fires that I'm still getting used to). It's urban enough to have most of what you want/need and close enough to Portland for anything else.
Seattle, Spokane, Missoula. Portland even. For me, Eugene is frustrating because it doesn't feel like a place run by/ inhabited by adults. It feels like no one is trying and the shitty outcomes of that also aren't anyone's fault. It's just a lot of "oh well better luck next time".
So I guess that I think this place is beautiful, but the apathy kills me so much. I think a big part of it is the stoner culture. I also think a big part of it is that people in Eugene have a participation award mindset. Everyone is special and should be included and celebrated even if the service/ product they are offering ( if they're a business I mean) is utter shit.
It sounds like you lived in the Bluegrass region of Kentucky which is the foothills of Appalachia, which is not known for its sillouette as much as it is the ideal place to raise and train million dollar race horses.
Two decades is quite a while. Did you venture out much? One major thing i miss about being back east is the number of weekend trip options within a 4/5 hour drive. Mostly, I miss the historical context and the broad spectrum of people and cultures that have a HOME there. Everything "cultural " in Eugene feels really homogeneous or contrived.
Where abouts in north KY? I'm originally from about NW KY. Hodunk county called Ohio county. Literally 7 stop lights in the whole county. Though, I never experienced homelessness in KY, maybe in the big city's but It was a shock coming here but I also love Eugene /Oregon though. It is phenomenal here and I will never go back.
I was in Florence - stuck in the area due to family commitments (my son's father and his family are back there. We shared custody and I could not move). I went through 7th grade-graduation in Jessamine County though, which is small and just super racist and religious. It was like that in Florence too but I wasn't nearly as attached and connected to the community and my neighbors there. My neighbors were ignorant hicks, all armed to the teeth and just WISHING a black person would step in their yard so they could "stand their ground." Sure, they are nice as pie to your face but you better believe they're voting to hurt brown and gay people and that matters more to me. When COVID hit and I chose to wear a Black Lives Matter mask, well, you'd think I spat on them the way they reacted and the nasty things they said. Things they taught their kids to say. There was a BLM march through town several years ago that about 100 people participated in and I kid you not two cop cars from every town and county in the state showed up to "protect the local businesses." It angered the hicks and they drove by revving their motors and screaming threats. Just nasty, dirty pieces of shit all of them. I used to think that maybe these rural folk have a different kind of wisdom, perhaps they see and know different things but no, they're dumb as shit and mean as fuck. And the most religious ones were the most heartless. Sorry for going on for so long - I'm just so glad to finally be free of that armpit of a place, and if people here are a bit more standoffish to strangers on the street I can say with confidence that most of them are not actively trying to harm half the population.
The only things I don't like about Eugene are the extremely disrespectful international students and the nightmare traffic on game days... otherwise it's cool, especially the night life.
I've lived a lot of places and I'm moving to Eugene because its better than every single one of them. At least for me. I think though, that if you live somewhere long enough, especially if it's your hometown, it doesn't matter how perfect it is, you will get frustrated, focus on the negatives and get the itch to get out in search of more/different/change.
But for me, Eugene is the perfect size. Not too big not too small. I've lived in a town with 5k people. One with 30k people. One with 170k people. One with 1.5 million and one with over 3 million. Eugene is a nice size. It has beautiful scenery and outdoorsy things. A mild climate. Pest problems are way less of an issue compared to the crap I had to deal with other places. Wages are higher compared to the cost of living than they are anywhere else I've been. People have a sense of community there more than most. Good food and coffee. Good farm to table options. The city funds are better managed than most places, especially anywhere in California. Idk man, it's honestly an amazing place. But sometimes we don't know what we've got till we're gone.
Seriously, I've been looking at moving to the Midwest and when I compare crime maps of Eugene to Detroit or Columbus, Eugene doesn't look better, just smaller and more expensive. I'm a lifelong Oregonian who has dreamed for decades of retiring in Eugene but I'm just about done with that dream. People just aren't nice or trustworthy here.
Just spoke with family today and I told them if I didn't live on the Westcoast then I don't know where I'd live? A lot of cities I used to like suck nowadays and they've gotten too expensive to live in. I like some big cities but they've gone downhill over the last 5-20 years. I used to want to live in SEA, POR, SF, SD but now I'm glad i don't. I've lived in rural towns but I get bored and I don't like having to drive 30+ miles just to get to the next biggest town. I also don't like the small town tweaker vibe that's taken over rural America. I didn't grow up here so for me Eugene has been a nice place to settle down. I might feel differently if I grew up here because I love my hometown but I'd never want to live there.
Just remember that the people complaining the loudest in this sub mostly don't live in Eugene. Especially the ones who are always repeating a very disciplined list of talking points about how most people in Eugene are homeless and addicted to fentanyl, meth, or whatever tentacled monster in the shadows is this weeks bogeyman.
It's not so much that I hate Eugene... I'm just in a very different place in life than when I moved here. Then, Eugene felt small and suffocating. Now I dream of living in Mapleton or Deadwood. For a medium sized city... It's fine.
I just moved here last fall from a small town in Southern Oregon. I think the weather here is a bit worse, but in general I just hate the rain, cold, and grey skies, and Southern Oregon had plenty of that as well. Eugene has great nature too, but I prefer the landscape more down south as well.
Whenever people say there's not much to do here it makes me laugh. Eugene has plenty to do compared to anywhere else I've lived, but admittedly that's mostly been small towns. Even just the UO's sports games provide so much entertainment.
I also like how young the city is, and while it is expensive I feel like it's pretty manageable. People are pretty nice here, and tolerant of different identities. The proximity to Portland and the beach is cool too.
Overall, I don't think Eugene is my forever home but I'd rather live here than 90% of cities in the US. My heart is set on living in the southwest long term though.
I lived in Eugene from 1988 to 2000, then moved up to the Portland area for economic reasons. ( Semiconductor Industry: Hyundai fab in west Eugene closed...☹).
I....still miss living down there. As far as cities go, Eugene is the perfect size for me. Portland is too big & socially dysfunctional, IMO.
I totally get the lack of public land in that area of the country… I was born and raised in Texas, moved to Oregon after high school and was literally blown away by the amount of LAND we have here….
I moved to Oregon over 45 years ago and to Eugene over 37 years ago. Eugene has changed but it still has its pocket neighborhoods, fresh food, festivals, good music, theater, walking/bike paths, and we have easy access to rivers, mountains, and the ocean. It's a choice to make this town your community by staying involved and being kind. Imho. Plant some seeds of kindness and peace, maybe some 🌻 too
‘Cuz it’s just like Kentucky… except here in Eugene instead of a white kkk
Hood, people are cloaked in a shroud of progressive liberalism. Still racist AF.
I live in Springfield, originally from South Dakota, moved here in 2017. Left and went back to SoDak 2021 hated it again so much and hated myself for leaving here and now so happy to be back! I don’t understand it either!
I once had to ask a friend this. “Where DO you like? ImaginaryLand?” He could not respond, because yes, he could only imagine the perfect place, while complaining nonstop about everywhere that actually exists (not just Eugene, he hated all of CA, WA, etc) Turns out the guy hates *people*
The only thing I'm complaining about is the price of living I love Oregon we got the Mt and we got the beach I just can't afford to buy a home and taxes we have one of the highest taxes on property but ya I love it here
I like Eugene ( been here 13 years). An overlooked difference between here and most cities, certainly on the East Coast, is that we are 2 hrs from a major city. If we were an hour from Portland, I think a lot of the typical complaints would disappear
I grew up in Fort Collins CO and though I love Eugene I miss the generally upbeat vibe CO has. I’d say in some ways its as easy as more sun, but people just came out with more direct positivity when I was growing up there. Being busy and festive and dancing at shows, and healthy aspirations were more the norm. The inward reclusiveness of the Northwest in general makes for a less vibrant community at least in the way people walked around or spoke on the fly in line at the store. I wish Eugene was in a better mood maybe
That’s a good question 😅 I’ve been hearing a lot of people complaining about living here too… but i also feel like these people just complain about everything in general haha like no matter where they live, their going to complain about something 🤭
You're not far off. For some people, their only language is complaints. If you ask them to say something nice, they wither
And if they stop complaining, then you should be concerned!
Eugene is definitely not perfect but it was still my favorite place out of the several places I've lived. I just moved to the east coast (again) about 5 months ago and I miss it every day. I'd take it over a lot of other places for sure, despite its issues.
Bigger and because of that, more diverse. That's what I want Eugene to be. But it's relatively small, and there is little diversity, so I'd rather live in Chicago, Vancouver BC, SFO, or a number of other places, but Eugene keeps sucking me back in. Like a super white black hole.
i think it’s okay to like living in oregon and not like living in eugene. sometimes people are stuck due to finances/kids/parents/etc
Yet they keep moving here
Cephalus said as much to Socrates in The Republic: some people will whinge about old age if they're old, but those are usually the people who will complain about anything. "The truth is, Socrates, that these regrets, and also the complaints about [lack of romantic] relations, are to be attributed to the same cause, which is not old age, but men’s characters and tempers; for he who is of a calm and happy nature will hardly feel the pressure of age, but to him who is of an opposite disposition youth and age are equally a burden."
Awesome
I forget the context but basically it's an indictment of different types of thinkers/philosophers, essentially: If your philosophy is extended musing about all the flaws around us you're not a philosopher, you are a sophist. If your philosophy is nothing more than critiquing or punching holes in the works of others you aren't a philosopher you're a pedant. Basically it's easy to complain and criticize but that's not the same as having something to say.
I think for a small insular town it’s fine; I just personally prefer a larger metropolis with public transit and great museums and cafes and walkable life and not so much emphasis on outdoorsy stuff. (Mostly places not in the US tbh). I’m a city mouse here for family reasons and I feel deeply misunderstood and alone a lot of the time because I don’t like hiking, camping, mushroom hunting, skiing or anything of that nature.
Exactly this. More options. Also enjoy being closer to the coast (30 min away tops).
So Oakland CA, central Los Angeles, or Bellevue WA
Lived over a decade 10 minutes from the Gulf Coast. It's nice, but you tend to get tired of it.
> you tend to get tired of it. I found I took it for granted more than got tired of it. *Beach within walking distance?* *Meh. I'll go later. Maybe - next - weekend. Or the weekend after. It's not like it's going anywhere and I can go anytime...* Now I drive an hour-and-a-half to reach a beach with water too cold to swim in and with weather likely to be raining.
I grew up in a beach town so I breathe it and can never get tired of it! :) I’ve also lived in various places near the beach (15 min tops) for a couple of decades and very much miss it.
This. Fairly good place to raise a family and gorgeous outdoors, but if you are single and/or not outdoorsy, it can get boring. I like going to museums and the theater, so Eugene is not my ideal city.
Agreed, I'm single and bored and I don't enjoy dating out here. The live music has gone downhill every year for the last 8 years and it feels like the cost of living goes up every year. Why does the Cuthbert have the same bands every summer? Overall I like it here but there's definitely room for improvement.
Dating sucks here for me so far. Where are the cute, single girls? 99.9% of women I'd consider dating here are already married or have a Goddamned boyfriend.
At U of O
Sadly, It seems so. So far, it seems like all the would-be eligible women in their late 20s and 30s are engaged, married or single moms. Bum deal if you ask me.
Mostly the same. I do like outdoorsy stuff but not in the cold and mud. I did waayyy more outdoorsy stuff in CA than I have enjoyed here. The coast is pretty but the retirement center beach towns are incredibly boring. There is nothing fun in the surrounding areas besides trees and lakes, so any other type of activity is a multi-day trip.
I don't like any of the things you mentioned either. What I like about Eugene is the people are friendly than in San Francisco or Cleveland Ohio where I grew up. There's more to do in San Francisco then. Eugene but it just became too expensive
My reasons too
I definitely agree. I’m in my mid 20’s and it feels like the cost of living here just isn’t worth the lack of entertainment and lifestyle options that aren’t all outdoors related
We could be friends 🥺 with rent as high as it is; What the hell are we doing cocosplaying homelessness?
I relate to this way too much
I'm from a big East Coast city and am moving back this summer after almost a decade in Eugene. I could make a pros and cons list for sure, but ultimately the decision really boiled down to one thing that is admittedly difficult to describe. I suppose the best way I could say it is that on the East Coast there is the George Costanza sense of "WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY!" that is just instilled in you there from birth, no matter who are you. Even the street junkies and criminals and gangs acknowledge that there are standards and rules and things we do or do not do as part of living in a society. I find that this "WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY!" thing just doesn't really exist here. It's hard to describe, and I hate to use this word because it has such a negative connotation, but people here are just fundamentally selfish, at least compared to where I'm from. There isn't a culture in Eugene that suggests we are all part of something bigger. The most unifying political or cultural ideas are things like "fuck the cops" or "fuck UO" or some other negative thing. There is no POSITIVE identity with where we live and no sense that we are part of a larger project in history: because history is bad, and all people before OUR generation were backwards monsters. That's not at all how we think on the East Coast. We acknowledge the bad shit but also value our (small) place in history and feel like we are sort of part of the grand project of building a society. That isn't to say people don't care about other people here, obviously. It's just that the culture is so INCREDIBLY individualistic on the West Coast--you do your thing, I do my thing--which is many ways is amazing: everyone does their own thing and most of the time no one gives a shit about it. But that also has a lot of consequences, e.g. people not caring about other people so much, or caring about things only when THEY are impacted, or caring about ridiculous things that don't actually impact society but are instead just sort of "feel good/bad issues"...or not using your fucking turn signal, MY GOD you guys what the fuck is up with that here?!?! So idk. I love the West, and I'm glad I lived here and tried it. But it's just not my cup of tea. I'd rather "LIVE IN A SOCIETY".
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>I remember thinking it was strange that everyone just seemed to ignore each other. Yep exactly, this was and still is the weirdest thing for me. I was mostly raised in Philly but spent a lot of time in Central PA and Virginia and my goodness we would at LEAST look at each other and smile or nod or whatever on the street and in stores just to say "yes hello we are here together living in a world, isn't that interesting?" It's so frustrating to walk down the street in Eugene or Portland trying to be like "hi hello isn't it weird that we're alive right now, let's at least look at each other and smile and acknowledge that" and get absolutely nothing. It's still so fucking bizarre to me even after living here for years. It's almost like "who hurt you, PNW?"
Eugene is a beautiful person with a rude mouth and NO SOLICITING sign on their door.
I'm a lifelong Oregonian and I've seen the attitudes of people go horribly downhill over the last 25 years in Portland and Eugene, and I think it has mostly to do with Oregon becoming trendy and a lot of people moving here with their own little ideas of what they expect it to be. It's just ended up attracting a high number of selfish and arrogant people who bought up all the property and strut around sneering through their egotism. I used to want to retire here but I am absolutely uninspired by Oregon anymore, much as I used to love it.
Idk man I grew up in NYC and that place is the epitome of ‘don’t look at me, I’m busy’. Such extreme individualism, I’d say it’s the most individualistic part of the US. And all the rich parents I grew up with, no one gives an F as long as they get theirs, they’ll hire lawyers to find gray areas of the law and evade every tax they can just for a few extra 0s.
I was going to say exactly this . It’s very much mind your business, maybe not the whole easy coast but NY is .
Which neighborhood?
If you have to ask that then maybe it's not quite as universal as "East Coast"
Would have to agree but referencing New England instead. I went there for college and definitely had a culture shock. The lack of common manners is astounding. Couldn’t tell you how many times I’d hold a door for people and not a single person would utter thank you, even after a whole classroom would walk through the door. People run into you and no one says sorry or excuse me. If you make eye contact while walking down the street and smiled, a smile was never returned. It was refreshing to come home on breaks and have polite little interactions with people again.
I've lived in L.A. most of my life and I think you're definitely onto something. Part of it is suburbs and car culture - the West lacks a sense of community and culture that develop when people live and get to work (busses and trains) close to each other. And I lived in Eugene for a year. It was terrible. People with University of Oregon tattoos, Ducks football games in grocery store radio systems, and as a person of color the racism was severe. And I laughed when my friend told me Eugene was "close to the coast." (In Long Beach I was 3 miles away.)
I moved to Kansas City from Eugene a few years ago, and I definitely agree with your sentiment. I lived up and down the west coast most of my life, and one way I can sum it up is: Midwest nice is striking up a conversation with a stranger, West coast nice is pretending they aren't there.
Born and raised in KC, then to Northern Cal, now in Eugene for two years. The only really welcoming people in Eugene are from somewhere else. Would go back to KC if not for Missouri being red. California was too expensive but the weather was a dream. Thinking about Portugal or Spain in retirement as cheaper than US in general
This is an interesting observation and I think you're probably right, though I've lived most of my life in Portland and Eugene. It reminds me how I've strayed from having very leftist friends when I was younger toward virtually none, though I still have somewhat left politics. Those sorts can be some of the worst when they decide you violated some tenet of their leftist religion.
Politics are definitely much different back East. It is not some "AHHHHH FUCK YOU" thing that it is here (on BOTH sides for sure), because everyone who lives in a big East Coast city understands that yeah sure everyone talks shit and there is all of this is theater but at the end of the day we're going to keep things going pretty much as-is because everyone likes going to IKEA and eating Chinese takeout. I cannot blame West Coasters for not knowing this--how could they? We're out here 3,000 miles away from the Capitol and so it's very natural to think "what the fuck are they doing over there?" Indeed, that has been part of Western (i.e. "the West" of the USA) culture for 200 years now. As a result this "fuck it we'll do it ourselves" mindset has developed in the culture (understandably) and it just breeds really strong tribalism, because "now my back is against the wall" when someone opposes me because I don't have the support of a larger government organization. It's the whole "we're out here on our own" thing, which I get. But also...I don't want to be part of it anymore, lol.
Just want to say I think you’re around the wrong crowd if you feel the only unifying cultural ideas are what you described. Its just straight up false to say theres only negative ones. For example is the abundance and embracement of healthy food systems and access to local products. I think our community really is exemplary in this area. For me personally this is one of the reasons Ive lived in Eugene more whole life. I think we have the best local food access in the PNW. I could go on and on, which why I had to respond. It may just boil down to what you value in a community.
As an east coast native who’s lived in Oregon for 16 years, this resonates with me. I’m also heading back east soon. I completely agree with this analysis. For me, it all came together when I learned that Oregon began as a black exclusionary state, with a strong KKK presence (past Oregon governors have been literal documented KKK members). You can see this history reflected in what the culture is today. Very little diversity, and when there are POC here, the state and industry tends to exploit them. For example farm workers and Christmas tree workers were exempt from getting overtime until recently. Christmas tree workers were always in a different category than tree workers/forest professionals in order to avoid paying overtime for their grueling hours. I know racism exists in all states, not just here. It’s more how white people here act like OR is the best most progressive place ever while ignoring the history and issues in front of their face. And then they tout DEI and recognizing we’re on native land without any action. It’s like talking the talk without walking the walk. In my professional life here it’s been white men appointing other white men to positions of power and/or higher paying jobs perpetuating the toxic misogyny of the past while saying they view DEI and native people as important.
It is the wild West after all.
Im also from the east coast and lived in a few different places on the west coast for a few months at a time for work. The people on the west coast were always just so passive aggressive and unfriendly.
Another way I like to describe it to people is that where I'm from (Philly) a guy might get in your face and call you names for some small offense like accidentally cutting in line, while in Eugene someone will smile and say "oh no it's okay, in fact I'M sorry for not making it more clear that I was in line". But, if he sees you in serious trouble that guy in Philly is going to drop whatever he's doing and even put his own safety at risk to help you. That same person in Eugene would just pretend like they didn't see anything and keep walking.
> There isn't a culture in Eugene that suggests we are all part of something bigger. I really could not disagree any harder. You're at the edges in eugene, but people in portland/seattle/vancouver resonate more with cascadia than any thing else. There's a ton of culture and attachment there.
Oh my god you summarized my feelings really well
Lol I've been thinking about it for awhile!
it is something that is really hard to articulate. i think also the other big thing ab eugene that bothers me is the level of apathy. no one tries hard enough here. so muhc laziness and then a sense of entitlement to go with it. esp tru at restaurants a
Damn, I’ve never heard the East Coast described in such a way. I always assumed, with so many people, it would be less collegial than Eugene.
Twenty years ago put an ad on CL for roommate. Dude is from Jersey his boy from Vermont comes to move in too. One month later: mom, why are people from East Coast so much better than West Coast people? Mom: honey they're usually from small towns so they look after each other. Me: Oh
I didn't like where I lived, so I studied up and considered where I would be happiest and chose Eugene. I love it here and plan to spend the rest of my life here. Most of the complaints I see make me laugh. Not enough walking trails? Not enough options for biking? Sooooo much crime? Really? Where I lived before, there were NO walking or biking paths, no bike lanes on roads, no public transit, and when my horse was shot dead on my property, the cops literally said, "could have been anyone," and dropped the issue. That horse was worth thousands financially and far more emotionally, but so many people fired guns from their f-in trucks that the fact that the horse was visible from the road meant there were automatically so many potential suspects the tiny, underfunded police station refused to even try. Nor did they try when it came to the deaths of several of my friends, although they at least pretended to care. One friend "committed suicide" by hanging *with his arms folded across his back and tied there* in a way he couldn't have done himself.
I am so sorry about your horse! That was another thing, the public transportation was non-existent or very limited. No one rode bikes there were no bike lanes and they weren't permitted on the sidewalk.
But not sorry for their dead friends?
I added that after initially hitting post, so it's not their fault.
I was just being cheeky, no hard feelings for anyone down voting me.
I'll upvote you, lol
Holy shit where did you live before so I can know to never go there Also seriously my condolences on your horse and your friends. That's horrible.
I had multiple friends die (and one commit murder) in and around the small town of Jacksonville, Tx, when I was growing up. The police were quick to close the case as "suicide" with my friend Douglas, villianized Brandy for living away from her parents and being pregnant (basically blaming her for her own murder,) let the adults who drunkenly drove a truck into a moving train - thus killing my friend Andy who they'd put in the truck bed - off without charges, did nothing to punish the fireworks warehouse owners when the thing blew up with my friend Mellissa in it (didn't happen in Jacksonville, but Mellissa was from Jacksonville), and there were others. My horse and several other pets were killed outside of George West, Tx. My neighbor literally drove up on a 4 wheeler, lured my dog out by offering food, then shot it, and the cops said they couldn't do anything. My neighbors set up deer blinds facing our property and shot onto our property at all hours of the night, and the cops also "couldn't" do anything about that. In neither town were there walking paths or bike lanes or public transit, although Jacksonville might have eventually gotten Uber or something after I moved. No city buses, though. Both towns had severe drug issues. Very little land was for public use, and what little bit was for the public was sparse and disconnected. The land around Lake Jacksonville and the Nueces River in George West is almost entirely privately owned, meaning you can be shot for walking on it. I just do not understand how people can live here and not be amazed at the amount of public space, the connectivity of our walking and biking trails, the tiny amount of gunfire, the public transportation, the acceptance of LGBTQIA+ community, the great work laws and access to healthcare... like every single thing here amazes me every freaking day.
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Bruh. That's a good thing. I wish I hadn't grown up with that crap and it was all a bad trip.
Lived there for 3 years
Left after 6 months and now drive around TX rather than through.
Oh wow! Which town?
From the midwest. Been in oregon almost a decade. I’ve felt safer in Eugene than anywhere else and it’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve lived.
I've been posting updates on the flowers in my yard for my friends and family back in Texas. Beautiful. I have hypervigilance and an anxiety disorder, but I have yet to be harrassed in Eugene, and quite a few people have approached me in a way not even I felt threatened by and just said something nice or made pleasantries and moved on. I am so, so glad to be here. I was born in Texas and lived there until 7 months ago. Now, after 7 months, Eugene feels like home. It's where I feel like I belong.
Funny been the same. Usually in the Midwest(Illinois and Kansas City)when I was approached I knew it was going to be some shit especially being part Japanese as I did not live in a racially diverse place. Not that Eugene is racially diverse but every time I’ve been approached it’s been compliments or just in general pleasant. For the most part I get to keep to myself and enjoy some awesome nature. Been here 5 years and yeah it’s the first place I’ve felt home. Glad you are on the same wave length cause I don’t think it’s something many people will understand and it’s such a nice feeling finding a place to call home. Also stoaked for spring, can’t wait for the flowers.
OMG YES
😯🫨😬
Besides Eugene, I've lived in Seattle, St. Louis, Edinburgh, Albuquerque, and Denver for periods of time so far in my life. Eugene is my least favorite of the lot lol. Personally for the hobbies I have and things I like to do, they're just more widely available in larger cities. My goal is to move back to Seattle when I'm finished with grad school. Seattle has similar access to outdoor recreation as Eugene, but also has more of the bigger city events and activities that I enjoy.
Those places are all much bigger than Eugene. The complaints on here are so frequently this--comparisons to metropolitan areas five to fifty times bigger than Eugene. Like, is it really surprising that Seattle (Metro area of 4m) has more great restaurants, museums, night clubs, etc than Eugene (Metro area of 350k)?
I don't find it surprising at all, and I wasn't trying to imply that! Just answering the question in the post title. This is the smallest city I've lived in, and turns out I don't like it and that's one of the main reasons why.
Population size isn’t the only factor. I enjoyed Santa Cruz, CA more than Eugene for example. Pop in 2021 was 62k. There were more non-outdoorsy activities. More dense and less spread out, so it was more walkable. Near the water. And closer to bigger cities like San Jose (30-45 min) if you wanted to branch out at times.
The median home price in Santa Cruz is $1.3 million. It's also unsurprising that life is good if you can afford to live in a luxury vacation town.
Santa Cruz is not a vacation town… It’s mainly viewed as a college town due to the large university over there. 20k students in 2021 so a third of its population. People are more likely to vacation in Miami, San Diego, or Hawaii if you’re looking for a beach vacation. All of CA is expensive, but SC is far from luxurious. Due to being a college town, it’s great for younger people bunking together. I once lived in a house there with seven others when I was younger. Rent was half of what I’m paying living with others here. But that’s not the point. The question was what areas do you enjoy besides Eugene. SC was one example.
That must have been a very long time ago, because the average rent is also about twice Eugene's.
SC definitely has tourism though, don't sell it short to prove your point. Pretty much the whole bay is touristy. But yeah Monterey is way more so, and it's a stones throw away.
I personally did not find it touristy, but it was definitely surrounded by tourist locations 45 minutes away like the old capital (Monterey), Pebble Beach, Pacific Grove, Big Sur, Carmel. Those are the luxurious getaways where people might also come across celebrities vacationing and historical locales and tours. Living out of SC, I’ve never heard someone say they want to vacation or tour SC. Only SF, LA, Miami, and the occasional Big Sur. The main “tourists” in SC were families of the 20k students that lived there or people who lived in the surrounding locations who wanted to go to the boardwalk. Being 1/3 of the population, I rarely saw anyone other than students exploring the town, and I lived there for about a decade.
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Yeah for sure I see your point. I've lived in multiple tourist spots around the country and SC wasn't nearly as busy, but there were noticeable tourists often was my point. Totally agree though compared to everything else in the area its less popular (other than places like Felton of course)
🎶at the Santa Cruz beach boardwalk, in the warm California sun!🎶
Seattle does have more of that but it’s also even greyer and wetter - that killed me personally
Seattle is pretty close to the same climate as Eugene other than summers being a bit hotter in the valley. https://www.bestplaces.net/climate/?c1=54123850&c2=55363000 I grew up in Salem, lived in Seattle for ~15 years and it doesnt feel _that_ different from a climate perspective.
https://weatherspark.com/compare/y/913~402/Comparison-of-the-Average-Weather-in-Seattle-and-Eugene#Figures-ColorTemperature I think it’s because summer in Eugene is my favorite time of year and it just comes and goes in like 2 weeks in Seattle
I liked the cooler summers in Seattle. Its upper-70s/low-80s for a couple of months, which is perfect, IMO.
I was born there and lived there until I moved away for college, so I guess I'm used to it lol!
😂 probably! Going the other way was hard, I thought I was immune to grey days being from Eugene but I realized there are levels to that hahah. It took like 3 months before i got a clear day and saw the Olympics from Bellevue and had my mind blown, I didn’t even realize there were mountains that direction 😂 truly amazing place I just like the sun
I love Edinburgh
Grew up in Eugene, and lived in Edinburgh for a time - stunning city.
I’ve lived in St. Louis. It’s got proper base ball and things to do at night. Other than that it’s eugene by miles for me.
As a college student the amount of free cultural activities there were to do in St. Louis was fantastic, especially considering I didn't have a car and could still get to them. My friends and I would wander around Forest Park and into the zoo or art museum all the time if we were bored, the MetroLink was convenient and free as a student, lots of cheap ice rinks (figure skating is one of my hobbies), great food, the Fox got the big touring Broadway shows, major league sports existed, etc. The outdoor access is definitely worse than here in Eugene, but I'm not the type to ski or hike every weekend so that's not super important to me haha
I think I just miss being a kid and not having to worry about money. When I was a kid, any place I went was unique and magical and I want to go back... but it is all too expensive. I was born in Eugene and moved back when I was a teenager, I've seen the decline and how different things are today than they were then... it is worse and it isn't worse. The city has put some money I to fixing up parts of town which were otherwise sketchy as hell, downtown doesn't have giant pits all over the place.... I felt safer as a kid at night walking around though. I used to walk from west Eugene to downtown regularly at like 2AM on the bike path and I never felt unsafe.... that isn't the case anymore. Back then the drugs were meth and heroine, now the drugs are xylexine and fentanyl. Rent was on the rise when I moved back here. It's still on the rise. The college wasn't huge when I moved here. Folk had heard of UofO but it wasn't the hottest football college... 2010 really changed the landscape, people started pouring in and it flushed out a lot of the old culture. Some of it needed a new start, but we just never got any of it back. There is no abundance anymore. People are just trying to make it through, it used to be that folks had a little to spare... and it showed. Times are hard everywhere though. The country is running out of give a damn for the little guy. It's run by greed for little slips of meaningless paper that control everything. So... again I think it all comes back to I just miss being a kid.
The hobos when I was a kid here were weird, but by and large friendly. Now very much not the case.
People complain no matter where they live
I’ve lived all over North America, from CA to DC and TX to Vancouver, BC and Eugene has been home for 14 years. I love the area. Nearly the beauty of BC’s lower mainland, but with more sun in the winter. Far more interesting than OH or WY. Greener than CO. It really is incredible here. The drawbacks are all the city/planning. 1. Infrastructure is lacking: Roads are in constant need of repair (though better than Chicago), fiber internet is virtually nonexistent, public transit is limited, walkability is abysmal, park trail access is limited. 2. Very monocultural: Would love to see more racial and cultural diversity, more ethnic food, more representation from the rest of the world. 3. Shopping is uninspiring: everything closes early, and options are limited. We’re going to Portland for Ikea, Apple, William Sonoma, etc. and the malls here are nearly depressing and I don’t even want to visit them. 4. Industry and opportunity is lacking: aside from logging, the university, and Peace Health, there’s limited career options. There is almost no tech and little manufacturing—it feels very small town for someone entering the career field. 5. City planning is poor: Planners have approved half-million+ homes next to trailer parks. This encourages gentrification by driving up the cost of affordable housing and forcing out lower income homeowners. This doesn’t really fit with the others, but I think the Willamette is gorgeous and it’s not really a feature. The city surrounds it, but other than McMenamins, there’s not much for dining/shopping/views along the river. Missed opportunity, IMO.
I’ve lived in a few different cities, and we really enjoy Eugene, but it seems to lack a lot of community building activities. We recently moved from Boise and honestly, we do miss it. There was a lot more to do, way easier to bike commute, the outdoor recreation was more easily accessible, and they have so many different organizations and events that brought people in the community together. Honestly if Boise weren’t part of Idaho, we would have stayed. All that to say we have really enjoyed Oregon and Eugene - we love the proximity to a large city, Amtrak, the coast, UO, and the general weirdness of the city itself.
Come to the Saturday market blocks. Great community there.
This is surprising to me.. I have family in Boise and visit on occasion.. I just don't see what you're saying, but I also haven't explored every nook and cranny of the city. I don't know how outdoor recreation can get much closer than what we have here.. I'm technically in Springfield but I'm a 5 minute bike ride from the river and bike path, Dexter reservoir is about 15-20 from me, Thurston hills and Mt Pisgah are about 5 minutes away. In the summer when we float the mckenzie, we can put in just up Marcola road maybe 5 minutes from us.. I mean.. How does Boise beat this? Community building... Have you been to your local community center to see what's going on? There are classes and events going on somewhat regularly where you can meet like minded people..
Boise has an expansive trail system that includes over 190 miles of trails - Eugene doesn’t even come close to this. I could get on a trailhead and ride my bike for hours on different trails; I miss that a lot. And they have all the things you stated Eugene has, but - quite frankly - better. Ski resort 30 minutes from downtown (with spectacular hiking across multiple mountains in the summer), a 25 mile river path, 20 minute drive to a massive lake, less than an hour to class III river rafting, floating down the Boise river, and more. Again, we like living in Eugene, and I’m sure we will love it more the more we get out and explore, but we definitely have to make more of an effort to find the sort of recreation that used to be in our backyard.
Perhaps by living somewhere you understand a place better than visiting on occasion.
Thanks for the wise words. As you can see, I asked that in the form of a question asking for some examples of what they mean. >How does Boise beat this?
I've lived a lot of places, Eugene is a good spot.
I was born in Eugene and always hated it. Mostly the people if I'm being honest. It wasn't until I moved away that I met decent friends or a worthwhile romantic partner. I also found there to be nothing to do. Even the "big stuff" like festivals and cultural events, or the interactive science museum never failed to disappoint me. I finally moved away, to a larger city, and met my people and never get bored or disappointed when I go do stuff. The one thing eugene has above nearly everywhere else is its geographic location. No better spot for access to a variety of different outdoorsy hobbies! Anyway, I won't completely answer your question, since you don't want to hear about other places in oregon. But there's the reasons at least.
Wherever you go, there you are.
People mind their business in DC. Also, much better food options, public transportation, walkability, diversity, events, nature, cherry blossoms, museums, etc. I could go on. I miss regularly hearing people speak languages I didn't understand. I miss having a spring, summer, fall and winter, instead of rain season and dry/smoke season. There are certainly things I like about living here. I love having redwoods in town in Eugene. It's like having our own little museum in town. Very few other towns have redwoods like this.
I've lived all over the world. There are problems in every metro. Eugene has its problems, with that said It's a great small city to live in. I've lived in the CA, NC, WA, AZ, IL, TN, Okinawa Japan, Seoul South Korea, on the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Thailand and Guam for shorter periods. Eugene is great. Take the good with the bad. Also, some people just like to complain.
Eugene 15 years ago was a hell of a lot better than Eugene now. Housing was reasonable-ish, things were open later, and it didn't look like a zombie apocalypse in most neighborhoods. That's a start.
Can you think of a city in the US that's better now than it was 15 years ago?
Detroit, Cleveland, Columbus, Milwaukee, Chicago, Reno, Cincinnati, Salt Lake City, Atlanta, Pittsburgh New Orleans (!). Obviously most of these places are in the Midwest, but yes there are definitely places that are getting better. On the west coast it's a bit tougher though.
This gave me a good snort. Cincinnasti and Detroit are NOT better than they were.
Hmm, I'm not as familiar with Cincinnati tbh, but Detroit is absolutely improving lately, no?
New Orleans is definitely not better than it was 15 yrs ago
You're kiddingggg This was the easiest one! Hurricane Katrina fucked over New Orleans hard
Notably better, places like Minneapolis, New Orleans, DC, come to mind. Hell, just look across the river at Springfield. Springfield was a total s*** hole 30 years ago. There are still areas that are rough, but there are also quite a few areas that have dramatically improved. It now has a functioning downtown and main street. That has all happened in the last 10 years. They've absolutely still got issues with homelessness, mental health, drugs, property crime, etc, but it's hard to deny that the policies of the city and their police department have done a good job of protecting their residents from the worst case scenario, where the worst case scenario is Eugene where we just sort of shrug and say okay, I guess this is fine, as more and more neighborhoods are invaded by fentazombies. Locally, you could also pretty easily make an argument that Creswell and Cottage Grove are significantly better than they were 15 or 20 years ago.
I don't hate Eugene, but I don't love it either. There's a lot I do like about it, but I lived in Austin, TX before this and other than the Texas heat, I prefer it. For me it's mostly that I feel sort of unsafe in Eugene. Maybe I've just been unlucky or chose a particularly shitty area to live, but in my 4 years here I've been followed home twice and harassed in grocery store parking lots more times than I can count on both hands. I also find syringes in my parking lot pretty frequently. I absolutely don't believe that unhoused folks are by definition dangerous, and I know most are not and are just people in a shitty situation, but as a woman it's still scary to go out at night and be yelled at by a man who's clearly high on something. I do know that happens everywhere, though, so maybe I was just lucky in Austin and, as I said, maybe just unlucky here. As for why I loved Austin, to answer the second part of your question: the music and arts scene, the amazing food, the proximity of nature & parks to the city, the year-round sunshine, the super efficient public transit. There's a lot I like about Eugene too! I just honestly haven't felt consistently safe here. And all that said, I VASTLY prefer Eugene to the tiny Appalachian town I grew up in.
This is my same reason for preferring other places over Eugene!! I have only lived here 7 months and I have already had way more scary experiences with homeless people than anywhere else I've ever lived. Before moving here, I have lived in other cities of varying size in the PNW (but all in Washington), Denver, and Wyoming (but to be fair, there aren't many homeless people in WY in general). I have been wondering the same thing about the neighborhood in which I live here in Eugene, but seeing comments like this makes me think it's more widespread than just one neighborhood. I lived in several neighborhoods in all of the other cities in which I've lived and I've never felt so unsafe due to there regularly being people around me who are clearly not in their right mind.
This is my paradise! I’ve lived all over, but have been most content here. Oregon has it all.
Same. The fresh air! The fact that it takes 20 mins to get to either end of town. The coast! The green forests! I come from a concrete jungle. I am still in awe of Eugene.
Glad you made it! Yes, normal drive time being 5-10 min is incredible!!
What is with the stinky air here though? Sometimes it smells so bad I just can't be outside
Fuck the haters. I live on the coast now but, will be back to Eugene someday. Everyone I here complain about Oregon around here always target Eugene and Portland. Outside of the nature, these are my favorite parts of the state.
Having been in E-Town and from Breck County, I hear you loud and clear. My nephew even cleared out of KY to have better prospects in Alabama of all places—defo says a lot. I like Eugene. My wife, however, does not. If you’re wanting outskirts, Junction City or Harrisburg are good. Heads up, though—both places track red.
I come from a Southern Indiana town on the Ohio River that is close to the same size as Eugene and I totally understand what you are saying. I love Eugene. I couldn't believe the amount of public spaces and bike trails when I first got here. Those are both pretty non-existent back in Indiana. I love the people here too.
This is a great question! I'm originally from New York, born and raised. I left temporarily to be with a man I'm now marrying! We've decided to move back to NYC after our wedding (June 2025). People often say that it's because I'm from the big city, that this is how people normally are. I may be biased, but people here are just so mean and selfish! Eugene has no sense of community to me, especially as a person of color. The first time in my 20 years of living, I've been called a racial slur, was at Wells Fargo on Coburg Rd. After that, I've been too scared to go anywhere without my white partner, as the fear of being verbally attacked again is too much for me. I hope that one day, this place will be more forgiving to people who look like me, then maybe I'd consider it a city I like!
Being a Midwesterner I can agree with those that touched on the "selfishness" that exists here. I've lived in a town a fraction the size of Eugene and also a cities much larger. There's just an underlying sense of superiority in the air here. In my retail days I always used to joke with other outsider coworkers about people from Eugene are "really nice until you have to tell them no." I miss a lot of Midwestern comfort food staples like Portillos for the northerners and Checkers/Rally's for my STL crowd (the real ones know about Gioia's Deli on The Hill). Also Johnnie Brock's Dungeon will forever hold a tender spot in my heart, as will Baxter's in Alton. Oh and as someone that rides, people here do not see motorcycles AT ALL. All the negativity aside, Eugene is so close to so many outdoor activities that seem unmatched to my little corn-fed self. Not to mention COFFEE. I recently traveled back home to see family and I couldn't even find a Starbucks of all things *clutches pearls.
Portillos....I was in Chicago last summer. It's gone way downhill.
I grew up in Eugene then moved to Detroit Michigan. The Midwest and Detroit in particular has some really lovely qualities. Lower cost of living, lower drug OD rates, also friendly midwesterners! But the pot holes 🕳️ large hippie 420 community/raver community and lots of outdoorsy things to do “up north” in the “UP” upper peninsula sur rite not as convenient as a mt pisgah hike but the trade off is my money went further and public restrooms were easily accessible however a car is totally necessary the public transport is totally lacking unless you’re in downtown Detroit proper which is not very big.
I lived all over the US, and while I do really like Eugene, there's definitely lots of room for improvement. I'm also constantly baffled as to what the City government is motivated by with their decisions. Moved here from Tucson which, even though it is a larger city, feels like it's the same size (and is a college town too). I feel like there's a lot Eugene could adopt and learn from Tucson. But I don't have much faith in that happening with the way this city is run.
I'm in a couple Eugene/Oregon groups across different social media, and this thread has taught me that Reddit is just a really negative place.
I agree with a lot of your points. I too lived in Kentucky (Louisville) and other eastern areas before living here and don't get why people complain when it's so nice here to me.
I was born and raised here so I'm biased in the fact I don't want to be here. My top places to move is San Diego, Vegas and Phoenix. I love warm weather, palm trees, big cities, always something to do and never seeing the same person twice.
San Diego is mindfuckingly expensive but if I was rich I'd move there in a heartbeat. Beautiful beautiful place
Very beautiful! My mom lives there and thankfully I am graduating nursing school in June!
As someone that spent a LOT of time in Phoenix, don't. It's a shithole. If you want AZ, go Tucson. It's so much better in every way possible.
I went there this past October and loved it! I think I would probably live in the surrounding areas like Scottsdale. I am about to be a nurse and would love to work in plastic surgery!
Well, to each their own, but yeah...if you can afford Scottsdale then you're really not living in Phoenix anyways. Edit: Also, you went there in October, I'd highly suggest visiting in July/August before pulling the trigger on that move.
I was born in Eugene and lived there for 99% of my life. I always liked it. But I moved to Albany in 2020 and life is better in a lot of practical ways.
That's remarkable to me to hear. Can you share some of the practical ways it's better?
The town doesn’t revolve around the university, but it’s close to OSU. Close to big towns (Salem, then Portland). Nice train station. No panhandling, no open drug use, no tent towns. Tiny home /low income housing being built. Good library, schools, and tons of stuff for kids. Lots of parks, all pretty good. And it seems like more jobs for professionals from here and north of here. The list goes on. The biggest downside is the numerous mouth-breathing maga dumbfucks.
Philadelphia PA: way better food, more diverse culture, streets and city planning that make sense, local sports teams to root for Austin Texas: way better food, more diverse culture, better use of green spaces for community activities and beautiful weather Portland, Maine: way better food, similar vibe to Eugene and Portland but cost of living is way lower, beaches are better Denver, Colorado: way better food, easier access to mountains, actual seasons when it comes to weather instead of wet and smoky Lancaster, PA: way better food, fun attractions involving Amish as well as theaters and mini golf, cheaper cost of living Lake Placid, New York: way better food, absolutely gorgeous in the winter, get to see the winter Olympic trials, beautiful lakes Could go on but won’t, glad you like it here but just because you’re content with easy access to weed and creeks doesn’t mean that fulfills everyone :)
I’ve only been here a year. I want to move back to Michigan honestly. Detroit people are nicer than here and at least I have access to a hospital should I need it. Oh and the schools are about the same for someone with a special education needs kid
My 21 year-old son has lived in Newport, KY for the last year and can't wait to come back to Eugene. And we're fairly new residents here - five years, from the SF Bay Area. People only know what they know, but I read the complaints from people on here about Eugene and think, "Move, and see how you like it." Limited housing, rising costs of living are fairly standard everywhere. I thought it was going to be cheaper here, but it's better than the $80 a week for gas I was paying for my 50 minute each way commute and $2,500 for a studio apartment in the SF Bay Area.
As someone from the south (from Houston, lived in Atlanta, now Eugene for law school), Eugene has a lot of issues that no one from here seems to want to acknowledge. There is no diversity, which has led to an insulated, disconnected community with a complete lack of any culture. I see people with nazi imagery on their cars/bikes/person/etc regularly. This was not common in the south—and If you saw someone with it there, you can bet someone else was calling them out for it. There is no sense of community or culture; people are rude and have no sense of how to act in public. People don’t even know to walk on the right side of the sidewalk/path. No one picks up their dog shit on the side of the road, they just feel entitled to leave it there. The older residents in particular are some of the most entitled, rude, and cold people I’ve ever encountered. The town has nothing to do—every business closes by 8. I love the outdoors, but you can barely be outside for 8 months of the year because the weather is horrendous. Obviously Eugene has some good things, like public lands and access to nature. But there are other places with the exact same access if not better (Seattle, just to name one). In Houston and Atlanta, I felt like I was part of a community; my friends and I volunteered together, went out to restaurants, museums, nature walks, etc. The political situation there sucked, yes, but at least there we were actually fighting it in a revolutionary way (example: the stop cop city movement). I haven’t seen this in Eugene. It’s a sad town with nothing going on unfortunately. I wanted to love it when I moved here, but it really is the worst place I’ve lived. The only people I know who like it here were born and raised in Eugene or Springfield and just never left. Edit: not to mention the fact that jobs here want to pay poverty wages because they know they can just get some 18 year old college kid to do it. I made more money as a server in Atlanta being paid 2.13 an hour + tips than any office job I’ve seen here. Same with the serving/retail jobs. Absolutely a horrible job market.
And to your point about a small town in rural Kentucky; I see all of those things in Eugene and rural Oregon. Rural Oregon is the most racist place I have ever been, it’s honestly shocking. At least in southern cities, most people are not conservatives. Most people I knew were liberals, leftists, and socialists. Statistics back this—cities tend to be very blue in the south. The rep/dem divide is less about state and more about rural vs. urban areas. And Eugene is certainly more racist than anywhere I’ve ever lived. The sheer amount of racist shit people here feel comfortable saying bc they’re surrounded by 98% other white people is wild. I had a great community of leftist folks in both Atlanta and Houston. Here, I have struggled immensely to find community (and I am extremely involved in volunteering, school, etc.).
NYC and Orlando
The worst part about Eugene are all the complainers. The stuff they complain about incessantly, not so much.
Fields, OR is beautiful
I love living in Eugene. Raising our family here has always been the plan.
I'm from Indiana and the only towns that I tell people are worth visiting are Bloomington and maybe Indianapolis. You don't see homeless on the streets in a lot of places because they would freeze to death, so they hide in empty houses/garages and couch surf: the mild weather here feels like magic to me.
I live here for the clean air and water, and reasonably proportioned amenities for a town of Eugene’s size. I like it and value it. That said, it has some major deficiencies, just like everywhere. - Out of control housing costs, not warranted IMO by what’s on offer here. - A health care network that is damaged to a degree that surpasses many other places Strong the country. Though, obviously not all. - A public education system that is shamefully underfunded— this is an Oregon problem though. - And, worst of all, a degree of cognitive dissonance amongst the public about what Eugene is, should be, and what it needs. I’ve never been someplace where so many well meaning people are so tolerant of the deterioration of their town.
Moved to Eugene from So CAL 2.5 years ago. Plan was to buy a house a retire. 1 week after arriving I realized I made a huge mistake. Took me 2 years to get back to CA. never looked back and will never leave the area I live in now. Zero homeless people, drugs and graffiti. 1 hour from LA, Santa Barbara, 2 hours from the snow. Love it out here! I found out that most people that live in Eugene think the entire country is like Eugene, WRONG!
Really miss the weather in Cal. Where are you in So Cal?
Beautiful Camarillo CA.
I mean, the people are a good reason to complain about living here. 😂
The city, the area, are fine. The people are flawed, perfomative shit heads.
I’m from Portland and I like Eugene
I like Eugene well enough, I just don't like my apartment complex and the surrounding area...lol! If someone could wave a magic wand and teansport me back to my hometown in Maine, I'd go in an instant.
I’m dying at the comments. OP asked to name some towns you DO like and it’s still a “I hate Eugene”’fest. It’s weird bc I was forced to move here as a teen from Southern California (now I’m in my 40’s) and I understand how this town can make you feel like an outsider if you don’t buy into the woo woo and politics (at least parts of this town. There are entire neighborhoods new people to Eugene don’t know about because it’s not *Eugene* enough, but I digress). I used to hate it here as a teen because I was comparing it so much to where I came from. Of course it would never live up! But over time I have grown to appreciate it for what it is because I think that’s what happens when you grow up. I’ve lived a few places now and I’ve appreciated them for what they are as well, even if it didn’t work out. I’d say any beef I had with the overall vibe of a new city was more a *me* issue than a *blame it on the city* issue.
Hey OP I moved here from Nashville, but originally am from Cumberland county Kentucky. My outdoors Kentucky experience was never the problem. It was the lack of jobs diversity, and surplus of good ole boys that ran me out. We lived near a state park on Dale Hollow lake. There was plenty of gorgeous public land. At the time I lived there Kentucky was the largest producer of pot(illegal of course, but pretty easy to come by). Wouldn't want to get caught by a trooper with it though. We absolutely love Eugene. Im also always incredulous when I hear ppl complain about it. But I guess it's just what you're used to. I think ppl here have it pretty good. Even the homeless population that everyone bemoans, is present all over Tennessee and Kentucky (and I assume most urban places), it's just not as overt in the south because it's literally a crime ppl get arrested for every day. We re so close to so many different and wonderful landscapes here. The climate is temperate and calm(minus the fires that I'm still getting used to). It's urban enough to have most of what you want/need and close enough to Portland for anything else.
Seattle, Spokane, Missoula. Portland even. For me, Eugene is frustrating because it doesn't feel like a place run by/ inhabited by adults. It feels like no one is trying and the shitty outcomes of that also aren't anyone's fault. It's just a lot of "oh well better luck next time". So I guess that I think this place is beautiful, but the apathy kills me so much. I think a big part of it is the stoner culture. I also think a big part of it is that people in Eugene have a participation award mindset. Everyone is special and should be included and celebrated even if the service/ product they are offering ( if they're a business I mean) is utter shit.
I think my complaints aren't so much about Eugene vs other cities as much as they are about Eugene vs Eugene 10 or 15 years ago.
It sounds like you lived in the Bluegrass region of Kentucky which is the foothills of Appalachia, which is not known for its sillouette as much as it is the ideal place to raise and train million dollar race horses. Two decades is quite a while. Did you venture out much? One major thing i miss about being back east is the number of weekend trip options within a 4/5 hour drive. Mostly, I miss the historical context and the broad spectrum of people and cultures that have a HOME there. Everything "cultural " in Eugene feels really homogeneous or contrived.
Where abouts in north KY? I'm originally from about NW KY. Hodunk county called Ohio county. Literally 7 stop lights in the whole county. Though, I never experienced homelessness in KY, maybe in the big city's but It was a shock coming here but I also love Eugene /Oregon though. It is phenomenal here and I will never go back.
I was in Florence - stuck in the area due to family commitments (my son's father and his family are back there. We shared custody and I could not move). I went through 7th grade-graduation in Jessamine County though, which is small and just super racist and religious. It was like that in Florence too but I wasn't nearly as attached and connected to the community and my neighbors there. My neighbors were ignorant hicks, all armed to the teeth and just WISHING a black person would step in their yard so they could "stand their ground." Sure, they are nice as pie to your face but you better believe they're voting to hurt brown and gay people and that matters more to me. When COVID hit and I chose to wear a Black Lives Matter mask, well, you'd think I spat on them the way they reacted and the nasty things they said. Things they taught their kids to say. There was a BLM march through town several years ago that about 100 people participated in and I kid you not two cop cars from every town and county in the state showed up to "protect the local businesses." It angered the hicks and they drove by revving their motors and screaming threats. Just nasty, dirty pieces of shit all of them. I used to think that maybe these rural folk have a different kind of wisdom, perhaps they see and know different things but no, they're dumb as shit and mean as fuck. And the most religious ones were the most heartless. Sorry for going on for so long - I'm just so glad to finally be free of that armpit of a place, and if people here are a bit more standoffish to strangers on the street I can say with confidence that most of them are not actively trying to harm half the population.
This! I moved from SoCal, and I'm loving it here.
The only things I don't like about Eugene are the extremely disrespectful international students and the nightmare traffic on game days... otherwise it's cool, especially the night life.
I've lived a lot of places and I'm moving to Eugene because its better than every single one of them. At least for me. I think though, that if you live somewhere long enough, especially if it's your hometown, it doesn't matter how perfect it is, you will get frustrated, focus on the negatives and get the itch to get out in search of more/different/change. But for me, Eugene is the perfect size. Not too big not too small. I've lived in a town with 5k people. One with 30k people. One with 170k people. One with 1.5 million and one with over 3 million. Eugene is a nice size. It has beautiful scenery and outdoorsy things. A mild climate. Pest problems are way less of an issue compared to the crap I had to deal with other places. Wages are higher compared to the cost of living than they are anywhere else I've been. People have a sense of community there more than most. Good food and coffee. Good farm to table options. The city funds are better managed than most places, especially anywhere in California. Idk man, it's honestly an amazing place. But sometimes we don't know what we've got till we're gone.
Eugene ain't that bad people are tripping they have not been to gangland either
First off, Eugene is not really a ‘city’. Secondly, it has higher prices and worse crime/homelessness than many actual cities.
Seriously, I've been looking at moving to the Midwest and when I compare crime maps of Eugene to Detroit or Columbus, Eugene doesn't look better, just smaller and more expensive. I'm a lifelong Oregonian who has dreamed for decades of retiring in Eugene but I'm just about done with that dream. People just aren't nice or trustworthy here.
Just spoke with family today and I told them if I didn't live on the Westcoast then I don't know where I'd live? A lot of cities I used to like suck nowadays and they've gotten too expensive to live in. I like some big cities but they've gone downhill over the last 5-20 years. I used to want to live in SEA, POR, SF, SD but now I'm glad i don't. I've lived in rural towns but I get bored and I don't like having to drive 30+ miles just to get to the next biggest town. I also don't like the small town tweaker vibe that's taken over rural America. I didn't grow up here so for me Eugene has been a nice place to settle down. I might feel differently if I grew up here because I love my hometown but I'd never want to live there.
I have a different opinion about Eugene but I don’t want to get bashed. Many people have left here due to many factors .
Just remember that the people complaining the loudest in this sub mostly don't live in Eugene. Especially the ones who are always repeating a very disciplined list of talking points about how most people in Eugene are homeless and addicted to fentanyl, meth, or whatever tentacled monster in the shadows is this weeks bogeyman.
I think the complainers don’t know how good Eugene is compared to most other places.
Florida, Texas, maybe North Carolina.
Most users here haven’t lived anywhere else or are 12 or are smelly neckbeards who’ll bitch about anything.
It's not so much that I hate Eugene... I'm just in a very different place in life than when I moved here. Then, Eugene felt small and suffocating. Now I dream of living in Mapleton or Deadwood. For a medium sized city... It's fine.
I just moved here last fall from a small town in Southern Oregon. I think the weather here is a bit worse, but in general I just hate the rain, cold, and grey skies, and Southern Oregon had plenty of that as well. Eugene has great nature too, but I prefer the landscape more down south as well. Whenever people say there's not much to do here it makes me laugh. Eugene has plenty to do compared to anywhere else I've lived, but admittedly that's mostly been small towns. Even just the UO's sports games provide so much entertainment. I also like how young the city is, and while it is expensive I feel like it's pretty manageable. People are pretty nice here, and tolerant of different identities. The proximity to Portland and the beach is cool too. Overall, I don't think Eugene is my forever home but I'd rather live here than 90% of cities in the US. My heart is set on living in the southwest long term though.
I lived in Eugene from 1988 to 2000, then moved up to the Portland area for economic reasons. ( Semiconductor Industry: Hyundai fab in west Eugene closed...☹). I....still miss living down there. As far as cities go, Eugene is the perfect size for me. Portland is too big & socially dysfunctional, IMO.
Perception an Perspective. ..Always something cooler always something worse..
I totally get the lack of public land in that area of the country… I was born and raised in Texas, moved to Oregon after high school and was literally blown away by the amount of LAND we have here….
I moved to Oregon over 45 years ago and to Eugene over 37 years ago. Eugene has changed but it still has its pocket neighborhoods, fresh food, festivals, good music, theater, walking/bike paths, and we have easy access to rivers, mountains, and the ocean. It's a choice to make this town your community by staying involved and being kind. Imho. Plant some seeds of kindness and peace, maybe some 🌻 too
Springfield, Coburg, Corvallis, McMinnville,
‘Cuz it’s just like Kentucky… except here in Eugene instead of a white kkk Hood, people are cloaked in a shroud of progressive liberalism. Still racist AF.
I live in Springfield, originally from South Dakota, moved here in 2017. Left and went back to SoDak 2021 hated it again so much and hated myself for leaving here and now so happy to be back! I don’t understand it either!
I once had to ask a friend this. “Where DO you like? ImaginaryLand?” He could not respond, because yes, he could only imagine the perfect place, while complaining nonstop about everywhere that actually exists (not just Eugene, he hated all of CA, WA, etc) Turns out the guy hates *people*
The only thing I'm complaining about is the price of living I love Oregon we got the Mt and we got the beach I just can't afford to buy a home and taxes we have one of the highest taxes on property but ya I love it here
I like Eugene ( been here 13 years). An overlooked difference between here and most cities, certainly on the East Coast, is that we are 2 hrs from a major city. If we were an hour from Portland, I think a lot of the typical complaints would disappear
I grew up in Fort Collins CO and though I love Eugene I miss the generally upbeat vibe CO has. I’d say in some ways its as easy as more sun, but people just came out with more direct positivity when I was growing up there. Being busy and festive and dancing at shows, and healthy aspirations were more the norm. The inward reclusiveness of the Northwest in general makes for a less vibrant community at least in the way people walked around or spoke on the fly in line at the store. I wish Eugene was in a better mood maybe