(Submitted by Lisa Roberts.)
Ah, the good old Pacific Northwest. You’ll rarely find a more scenic region in the US. Whether we’re talking urban or rural landscapes – it doesn’t matter. What matters is that no one can ignore the charm this part of our country undoubtedly possesses. If you’ve read Raymond Carver or watched Twin Peaks, you know what we’re talking about. Today, we’ll talk about the state most commonly associated with the Pacific Northwest – Oregon. More precisely, we’ll compare urban vs. rural Eastern Oregon. Stay tuned if you’re wondering what makes them similar or different.
The great divide
Before we further elaborate on the urban/rural division of Eastern Oregon, let’s look at what makes it different from the western part of the state. If you were to ask your everyday Oregon residents, they’d tell you these two parts of the state are divided by the Cascade Mountains. Of course, the division isn’t strictly geographical. Folks from Western Oregon look down on their eastern fellow state residents a bit. They call Eastern Oregon a backward, cowboy country, where everyone has guns, votes conservative, etc. So, yeah, one might assume Western Oregon is the cooler, more liberal part of the state. While that might be true, it’s pretty naive to think Eastern Oregon has little to offer.
Urban Eastern Oregon
Eastern Oregon is the less-urbanized part of the state. Let’s give you an example. Portland has more citizens than the biggest county in Eastern Oregon (Umatilla County). It’s almost ten times larger. Still, it shouldn’t mean E. O. doesn’t have urban centers. They’re smaller in size, but some folks say they’ve got a bigger heart. That’s why you’ll always see them on the top-places-to-raise-a-family-in-Oregon lists. We might want to take a look at them first. We’ll start from the largest town in this part of the state.
Hermiston, Oregon
This is the kind of place that screams Americana. We’ve mentioned Raymond Carver at the beginning. Well, even though he grew up and lived in other parts of the state, you can say Hermiston is a perfect setting for most of his stories (those unbound to a certain toponym). Like the rest of Eastern Oregon, Hermiston offers its citizens lower living costs, excellent public schools, and low unemployment rates. It’s the kind of place because of which you’d want to hire long-distance movers and leave Portland for good. Hermiston offers the small-town vibe while being cosmopolitan at the same time. Its residents are well-known to have a great sense of humor (like all Oregon folks, we guess). Also, they’re more than hospitable.
Pendleton, Oregon
Alright, this might be the place hipsters from the West might give you as an example of how Eastern Oregon isn’t cool enough. Pendleton is home to one of the fourteen state prisons in Oregon. Also, it has an annual rodeo event. Is that more than enough to write it off as the worst urban settlement in the whole state? Of course not! Even though it sports a prison inside its gates, Pendleton has crime rates that are much lower than the national average. Not to mention the fact many people find it a great place to raise children. Also, the area has a lot to offer to history buffs (some fantastic events like the Happy Canyon Night Pageant have been around for more than a hundred years now).
Rural Eastern Oregon
Okay, so now you’ve seen a glimpse of urban life in Eastern Oregon. It’s a cozy, peaceful, small-town alternative to the more urbanized West. Wondering what the rural parts of the East feel like? Continue reading!
Wheeler County, Oregon
We’ll start the talk about rural Eastern Oregon with the least-populated county in the whole state, Wheeler County. If you’re a fan of fantastic wildlife and nature (and no humans anywhere near), this is the ideal place to start fresh. Most folks living in Wheeler County make a living from agriculture. Also, do you like camping? It’s safe to assume you’ll fall in love with Wheeler Country just by hearing about it. According to the folks at Royal Moving Company, the so-called back-to-the-roots relocation is gaining more popularity. People are getting pretty tired of city life. Who could blame them? If you take a good look at the issue, you’ll notice that this trend is a natural response to the inhumane conditions of a big city.
Malheur County, Oregon
This county isn’t so populous either, but it has almost a ten times larger population than the previous one. Malheur County is regarded as one of the most beautiful counties in Eastern Oregon. Located along the border with Idaho, this county has so much to offer. The Malheur County’s two largest employers are Heinz and Snake River Correctional Institution. The rest of the folks either own/work in small businesses or earn a living by working in agriculture.
A sum-up (Urban vs. Rural Eastern Oregon)
Okay, let’s do a quick summary before we hit the southern margin of this text. As you can see, both urban and rural Eastern Oregon areas have got a lot to offer to their residents and potential newcomers. Also, they’ve got one more thing in common: both are surrounded or immersed in fantastic natural imagery. Nature lovers won’t have to think about where they’ll be for the weekend. They’ll just have to cross a few miles or leave their yards.
Additionally, both rural and urban EO are known as homes to hospitable, friendly communities. So, why are they different since even the urban centers of Eastern Oregon aren’t so populated? You can say urban Eastern Oregon is a transit area for folks giving up on the city life or urban retirees that demand much-needed peace. It ensures gradual adaptation to their new lives.
So, if you are considering urban vs. rural Eastern Oregon, the solution is – either. If you want to make this state your home, you want to make a mistake either way!
