The beautiful coastlines, lush woods, and lively cities like Portland are what Oregon is known for when it comes to its landscapes. But growth isn’t happening everywhere in the state. Some towns are having problems with their economies, high costs of living, and other issues, which is making people leave for better chances. Check out these seven Oregon places that people are leaving as soon as possible, along with some of the reasons behind this trend.
1. Coos Bay
Coos Bay is on the southern coast of Oregon. It used to be a busy place for the fishing and logging businesses. But as these businesses have gone out of business, the town has had trouble with its finances. Many people have left because of high unemployment rates, few job chances, and an economy that isn’t diverse enough. People in the town are also addicted to drugs, and there aren’t many features for families or young workers to enjoy.
2. Klamath Falls
The southern Oregon city of Klamath Falls has had trouble with its economy because of the decline of the timber business and water disputes that have hurt farming. Many people who live in areas with high poverty rates and few job chances have moved to places with better economic prospects. The town is also less appealing to new residents because it is in a remote area and has hard winters. Tourism and renewable energy have been tried to help the country grow, but they have had mixed results.
3. Grants Pass
Grants Pass is known for its beautiful scenery and outdoor activities, but the number of people living there has been going down because of economic problems. The wood industry used to be important to the town, but now that it’s going out of business, many people don’t have stable jobs. A lack of job chances and high housing costs have caused many people to look for work in other places. There is some economic action from tourism, but not enough to keep the people living there, so they keep leaving.
4. Medford
The number of people living in Medford, Oregon, has gone down because of rising costs of living and economic problems. The city’s retail and healthcare businesses are pretty strong, but they don’t offer enough high-paying jobs to support a growing population. Crime and homelessness problems, along with the high cost of housing, have caused many people to leave in search of cheaper and safer places to live in other parts of the state or country.
5. Astoria
Astoria is a historic town at the mouth of the Columbia River. It is known for its Victorian buildings and maritime history. But problems with the economy, like the fishing and logging businesses going out of business, have made it hard to find work and caused unemployment rates to be high. The town is also very far away, and the cost of living is very high, which makes it hard for many people to stay. Even though tourism is good for the business, it is not enough to stop the population loss.
6. Pendleton
Pendleton is known for its yearly rodeo and woolen mills, but the town’s economy has been bad lately. Manufacturing and farming aren’t doing as well as they used to, which has caused people to lose their jobs and move to find better ones. The population loss has also been caused by high rates of poverty and limited access to schooling and health care. The town has tried to bring in new businesses and industries, but it is still having trouble keeping its people.
7. Roseburg
The decline on the timber business has had an effect on Roseburg, which is in the southwestern Oregon. The economy has stayed the same and the population has gone down. There are a lot of unemployed people in the town, not many job openings, and not enough economic diversity. The high cost of living and lack of amenities also make it less appealing for families and young workers. Even though people are still working to bring in new businesses and improve the downtown area, the rebuilding process has been slow.
Conclusion
A lot of things, like economic downturns, high unemployment, and high living costs, are making it hard for people to move to these Oregon places. It takes time for some towns to make changes that will help their economies grow and make life better for everyone. To change these trends and make sure these communities and their people have a better future, we need to deal with these problems by focusing on targeted economic growth, investing in education, and improving infrastructure.