POPULATION: 20,078
MEDIAN AGE: 43
MEDIAN ANNUAL SALARY: $38,436
MEDIAN HOME VALUE: $393,300
TOTAL VOTES: 1,154 (5.3%)
It isn’t for a lack of Californians hoping to move in that Ashland has managed to stay small. There just isn’t room. Penned in between the Cascade and Siskiyou ranges in the south end of the Rogue Valley, this Golden State border city has clung to its Northwest roots through sheer, stunning geography. Home prices are hefty, but residents rarely travel more than an hour to find clean rivers, lonely trails, or expert skiing. The 88 Napa-style wineries downvalley have attracted yuppies but also culinary variety in the form of 80 restaurants offering everything from sushi to seven variations of French cuisine. One of them, Chateaulin, is a favorite after-performance spot for actors from the city’s renowned Shakespeare festival.
Staying Power: In 1973, the town passed a law forcing cars to share Main Street with bikes. Thirty years ago, residents voted yes to a no-big-box-store ordinance. And last year they increased the lodging tax by 2 percent to support cultural happenings like the Ashland Independent Film Festival, one of 20 annual events that range from a chocolate fest to mountain-bike races. Growth has been hampered by the recession, but smart startups like Dagoba Organic Chocolate, the bike-mechanic college United Bicycle Institute, and even a smattering of software and tech firms have helped increase job prospects.
Playgrounds: Lift access to Mount Ashland’s 45-degree slopes is 20 miles south of town, mountain bikers and runners connect to the 2,600-mile Pacific Crest trail from a dozen in-town trailheads, and road bikers can easily get lost on the back roads in wine country. For paddlers and fly-fishermen, the Klamath, the Rogue, and the Illinois rivers are an easy drive away.
The Voters Speak: “The entire town is walkable.” “Which do you prefer: life at 100 miles per hour or 100 smiles per hour?” “Where else can you catch a beautiful rainbow trout by day, then catch a Shakespeare play by night?”
Ashland Photographer: Matt Brasier
Comments
lovely article - except i don't know anyone who goes to Chateaulin, especially not the actors: they flock to Martino's after hours...
Flag ThisTry making a living in this paradise.
Flag ThisBeautiful place, great weather, absolutely no jobs, after 2 years of trying, guess it's time to try my luck in Bend.
Flag ThisBeautiful place, great weather, absolutely no jobs, after 2 years of trying, guess it's time to try my luck in Bend.
Flag ThisBeautiful place, great weather, absolutely NO jobs. After 2 years, guess it's time to try my luck in Bend.
Flag ThisBeautiful place, great weather, absolutely NO jobs. After 2 years, guess it's time to try my luck in Bend.
Flag ThisBecause Oregonians don't want Californians or Washingtonians moving in, they've established a system of Urban Growth Boundaries and Development Impact Fees that limit population, housing, and economic growth. Your only hope for a job that makes money in Ashland is with Southern Oregon University, the Forest Service, or in nearby Medford it's mostly a service economy - try Lithia Auto Group or Talk Radio Network as their headquarters are there. Fortunately, rents are cheap, although housing is very expensive. Or, work as a nursing assistant for the Retirement Communities. Ashland and Bend are great places if you are an entrepreneur, writer, artist, or telecommuter, and then you will enjoy some of the best outdoor recreation on the West Coast. The people are shy, introverted, and suspicious of outsiders anywhere in Oregon, so it's hard to break in. The beauty of the Siskiyous and Central Oregon's High Desert is incredible.
Flag ThisAlso, the City of Ashland itself is incredibly charming. I am not aware of any other downtown area that is as relaxed as downtown Ashland. We have been through there several times, and compared to places like Boulder, Flagstaff, and Bend, there's an atmosphere of community that is "unique." However, somethings creates tension ... and it's a subject of local debate ... there are the so-called well dressed "rich liberals" who like Shakespeare, and, the so-called "hippies," and they don't necessarily like each other. Also, if you are artistically inclined, then you already know that the City's location against Lithia Park and national forest lands creates a direct interface between a dense urban center, and a wild national forest with 3200 species of native plants. Within a 15 minute walk from downtown (or, less time if you're a trail runner!), you are in the middle of wilderness - in the middle of nowhere. And, unlike Chautauqua Park in Boulder, the trails aren't crowded with thousands of people! Finally, in my view Ashland has Yin energy whereas Boulder, Flagstaff, and Bend have Yang energy.
Flag ThisFor those of us who have further questions about Ashland, I just found this great link to a City of Ashland web site with public messages between their City Council and Residents, among many other topics. This City certainly has set a precedence in open government and public relations by placing City Council communications on line. Here's one message from the City Administrator discussing how the list works: http://list.ashland.or.us/pipermail/comment_to_the_council/2011-February/001303.html Index page: http://list.ashland.or.us/ City Council: http://list.ashland.or.us/
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