Bend ‘best city in Oregon,’ new ranking says

Bend is the best city in Oregon, according to a ranking released Wednesday by a California-based online real estate brokerage that weighed factors far beyond housing.

Spokesman Nick Johnson said they based their list on factors from amenities and cost of living to crime, education, employment and distance to hiking and skiing.

The full list can be read at: http://www.movoto.com/blog/top-ten/the-10-best-cities-in-oregon/

What the researchers said about Bend should be familiar to those who have seen the city’s ranking in other such lists.

“This city certainly didn’t have to bend over backward to make it to the top of our list—it won outright,” they wrote. “Bend is not only just a few miles away from some of the best hiking trails and ski resorts in Oregon, but it also has a stellar education system, with a high school graduation rate 10 percent higher than the state average, and some of the highest home values in the state as well.”

Movoto’s own Bend real estate listings have a median house price of $320,000, or $157 per square foot.

“Over the past five years, Bend’s population has been booming,” they wrote. “Outdoor enthusiasts flock from far and wide for parks like Pilot Butte State Scenic Viewpoint, skiers to Mount Bachelor, and runners to the Haulin’ Aspen Trail Marathon. It truly is a wonderful place to raise a family—or at least, raise your heart rate.”

So, do you agree or not? Weigh in in the comments below.