Bend, Oregon

There are other places in the great northwest and mountain states with great outdoor lifestyle experiences. We’re just saying Bend is better than any of them. To start, you’re on the Deschutes River so canoeing, kayaking, swimming, and just walking the shores are 10 minutes away. Next, Mt Bachelor, a world class ski resort, is LESS than 10 minutes away. Add to all of these things an amazing biking scene, hiking trails everywhere you look, and 160-165 days of sunshine per year (the most of any city in Oregon) and you’ve got the premier northwest spot for outdoor lovers.

Quotes from Locals: If you like the outdoors this place is like heaven. It's within an hour of some of the best wilderness in the country and a couple hours of even better stuff. It really is an outdoorsman's dream.

This is a tough call but perhaps a tie between population growth (or the popularity of complaining about the growth) and not much of a local business economy. Most of the newbies pouring into Bend are either retirees or those who can work remotely. If you’re looking for a job, other than in the service sector, it’s going to be tough.

Local note: People move here for the quality of life, so they're willing to take lower wages. Also, the economy here is largely driven by tourism and construction, so there are relatively few white collar (high paying) jobs. But there is a large community of 2nd-home owners / retirees willing to pay inflated prices for homes / housing.