Bend No. 2 ‘centrist city’ – and No. 4 ‘beer town’

In its latest monthly ranking, a national Website that “explores what makes small to mid-sized cities great places to live, work and visit” looks at the political spectrum – and finds Bend No. 2 on its list of “centrist” cities, behind Spokane Valley, Wash.

Coincidentally (?) — Bend also just took No. 4 on the USA Today readers/10Best list of the top 10 “Beer Towns” in America.

First, here’s Livability.com’s news release:

We have become a more polarized nation, living in areas heavily concentrated with people who think, or at least vote alike. Today, more than half of us live in counties where the presidential vote is essentially predetermined. With this in mind, Livability.com has named the Best Places for Liberals, Conservatives and Centrists, 2014.

Our editors, working with advisory board member Kevin Stolarick, Ph.D, (the founding research director of the Martin Prosperity Institute at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management) and using data from several geographies, gauged the ideological skew of the congressional representation of a city.

They utilized nonpartisan watchdog GovTrack’s analysis of the members of the House of Representatives on a conservative/liberal spectrum.

Then, using data from Esri, editors looked at how residents of each city self-report their own political leanings on a five-point scale from very liberal to very conservative. The last piece of the political puzzle was the splits in the vote during the 2012 presidential election.

In addition, our editors asked Experian Marketing Services to help create a basket of goods — one restaurant, one automotive brand, one magazine, one retailer and one TV show – that are heavily favored by one end of the political spectrum or another. They then backtracked and found areas where people uses those goods and services to a high degree.

“Research has shown that we increasingly live in areas with people who vote the same way we do,” says Matt Carmichael, editor of Livability.com. “A best place to live is about more than just politics, so we expanded our scope a little.

“We found cities where people not only are likely to vote together, but drive the cars, shop in the stores, watch the shows, and read the magazines that liberals, conservatives or centrists most love. Whatever your politics, you should be able to find a city on one of these lists where you’ll feel completely at home.”

10 Best Cities for Liberals, 2014
1. Berkeley, CA
2. Hoboken, NJ
3. Somerville, MA
4. Boulder, CO
5. Evanston, IL
6. College Park, MD
7. Ann Arbor, MI
8. Mercer Island, WA
9. Alexandria, VA
10. Newport, RI

10 Best Cities for Conservatives, 2014
1. Alabaster, AL
2. Crestview, FL
3. Clinton, UT
4. Bristol, TN
5. Odessa, TX
6. Yukon, OK
7. Slidell, LA
8. Olive Branch, MS
9. Peachtree City, GA
10. Benton, AR

10 Best Cities for Centrists, 2014
1. Spokane Valley, WA
2. Bend, OR
3. Indio, CA
4. Gainesville, FL
5. Albany, GA
6. Boise, ID
7. Muncie, IN
8. Sparks, NV
9. Oregon, OH
10. Wildwood, MO

And here’s what they say about Bend (with a place to post comments):

Voters in Bend, Ore., typically back Republican candidates in major elections, yet many residents hold more liberal views when it comes to the environment, health care and civil rights, such as marriage equality. Many residents are quick to tell visitors that political views in Bend tend to hold the middle ground. Oregon consistently ranks among the top liberal states in the country. The state’s 2nd Congressional District, which includes Bend, has largely supported the GOP.

U.S. Rep. Greg Walden has held the district’s seat since 1999. He is the only Republican member of Congress from Oregon. The conservative group Club for Growth criticized Walden in 2013, saying he had a “liberal record.” Walden wrote and helped pass bipartisan legislation to protect forests. Yet, Walden has supported traditional conservative values such as opposing same-sex marriage and deregulation of marijuana.

Residents here are likely to …
drive a Subaru.
shop at REI.
watch The Bachelorette.
read Good Housekeeping.

HIGHLIGHTS:
-Romney won 52 percent of the vote here
-U.S. Representative Greg Walden, Republican
-Walden supports a federal shield law for reporters

Meanwhile, readers of USA Today and 10Best picked their favorite “Beer Towns,” and Bend came in fourth, featuring a photo of beer-lovers pedaling away on the Cycle Pub.

“When it comes to beer, it’s Portland’s little sister,” beer journalist Tara Nurin is quoted as saying. “Lots of early and strong breweries doing innovative stuff and a hefty beer culture. Oh yeah, and the hops.”

Grand Rapids, Mich., was No. 1., followed by Tampa, Fla., and Asheville, N.C.