Corvallis, Oregon - Info request

[EagleKeeper]

May be looking at a position in the area with a small startup shop.
With the RAH-66 Comanche being shut down by the Army (see other threads on this in ATOT & P&NLink Link Link), hired guns are no longer in demand here. I have a lead on a position in the corvallis area from a startup technology company (ex HP people).

Cost and Quality of living advice?

Comparison:
Las Vegas - 2 bd apt $800-$1K Housing $150K starting Fuel $1.80 No Income Tax Nice warm climate / Casinos
Indianapolis - 2bd apt $650 - $800 Housing $90K starting Fuel ? Income Tax Moderate weather / Sports - Colts/Pacers/Indy500
Philadelphia - 2bd apt $700 - $1K Housing $200K starting Fuel $1.70 Income Tax Moderate weather / Sports - 76's/Eagles/Phillis/Flyers

Salaries for S/W Engineers with 10-20+ years experience?

 

[SpazzyChicken]

Hmmmmmm........I'll try to offer some info, but I'm no expert!

Housing in Corvallis is a little more expensive than other places in the area due to OSU, especially 2-4 bedroom housing within the city. Much cheaper if go a little outside of the city (Lebanon, tanget, albany, monmouth......).

Gas is at about $1.80 right now. No sales tax. Income tax. As far as sports go, unless you are into the colleges, the only other thing is the jailblazers. There is some good minor league baseball though.

Anyway, hope I could be of a little help.

 

[DT4K]

I grew up 45 miles south in Eugene and I would never ever live in Corvallis. Just thinking about it depresses me.
There is really nothing there except the university.
Actually it is kind of an odd mix because it is basically a hick/farming town with a university in the middle of it.
So at least the university brings some culture to it. But not much.

I had two friends go to school there. Both of them liked OSU but hated Corvallis. One of them moved back to Eugene and ended up commuting 3 days a week for school.

Where are you moving from?
The weather sucks. Plenty of rain and clouds. You can go for weeks in the winter without ever seeing the sun. At least for me, that kind of weather gets to be very depressing.

One good thing is that it is only about an hour's drive to Portland, so it's an easy drive if you want to do or see something in a large city.

EDIT: Do you not have a job prospect there?
Why are you thinking about moving?
The university may be somewhere to look, I believe HP has some operations there, and there are a couple of small software companies. But overall, it's a small town and finding a job may be a big challenge. The tech job market in Oregon sucks now. And with so many out of work programmers in Portland, there will be lots of competition for any job openings you may find.

 

[Huz]

In Corvallis you're likely going to find housing to cost about the same as Vegas on your list there. Maybe slightly cheaper, but around the university I would imagine that's probably about right. Outside of Corvallis, like the other poster said, I bet you could get something really cheap.

Man I wouldn't live in Corvallis unless you're going to OSU. There's nothing else there. =(

 

[Vic]

Looking to get a job at HP? That and the University are about the only thing there.

Corvallis is a smallish university town (~50,000) with a large upper-middle class demographic. Most of the population work at good-paying jobs either for the university or at HP (or they are students at the university). Politics lean so far to the left that everyone there walks with a limp. Home prices tend to be on the high side, I think the median is $180k.
The countryside is beautiful. Hiking and fishing are nearby. The coast, the mountains, and Portland (Blazers) are all about an hour's drive away. And much more afforable housing can be found in Corvallis' blue-collar sister city, Albany (~40,000), which is about a 15 minute drive away (median about $120k).
There is no sales tax in Oregon. State income tax is 7-9%, property tax rate varies by county but is roughly $12 per $1,000. The Spirit Mountain Indian Casino (very large) is about a 40 minute drive from Corvallis.

 

[RossMAN]

Damn another person moving to Oregon, what's wrong with these people?

Welcome to Ohr-e-gun

 

[bleeb]

There are some hot ladies in OSU.

 

[Bryophyte]

Originally posted by: bleeb
There are some hot ladies in OSU.

I was one of them many moons ago.

I grew up outside of Philomath, went to OSU, so I spent about 27 out of 35 years around that town. It's similar to many college towns.

Edit: fixed a number

 

[bleeb]

Originally posted by: Bryophyte

Originally posted by: bleeb
There are some hot ladies in OSU.

I was one of them many moons ago.

I grew up outside of Philomath, went to OSU, so I spent about 29 out of 35 years around that town. It's similar to many college towns.

You'll have to substantiate and provide evidence! (i.e. PICS!)

 

[ViRGE]

Originally posted by: RossMAN
Damn another person moving to Oregon, what's wrong with these people?

Welcome to Ohr-e-gun

At least he's not from California; I'd hate to kick him out.

 

[Eli]

Oregon rules.

I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

Well, except Alaska.

 

[Bryophyte]

Vic--HP is all but shut down now. They used to be the biggest private employer in town, but no longer.

 

[FoBoT]

my sister was born there, in 1964

 

[RossGr]

Originally posted by: Bryophyte
Vic--HP is all but shut down now. They used to be the biggest private employer in town, but no longer.

All but shut down???? Where to you get that idea? Sure we are down from a peak of about 5k at HP Corvallis, to around 3k, but that is a long ways from shut down!

Put then what would I know. Sitting here at my desk in B3U on a break from working in the new 80M$ clean room.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Well it ain't Cornelius, that's for damn sure. Oregon is good, but whatever you do, stay the fizuck out of CornTown. It blows here.

 

[EagleKeeper]

With the RAH-66 Comanche being shut down by the Army (see other threads on this in ATOT & P&NLink Link Link), hired guns are no longer in demand here. I have a lead on a position in the corvallis area from a startup technology company (ex HP people).

Commutes of 20-40 miles do not bother me. Cost of rental housing is a question until I locate a decent small house and relocate the household (wife & 2 cocker spaniels) from Vegas.
Lived in CA back in the 80's and left San Diego due to gang wars.
One son is in Alaska so that would be convienent, another is in Orlando.

The Corvallis area looks to be about 1 hour from the coast.
Portland is bigger, what is the economic situtation there?

 

[jpeyton]

Corvallis - 2 bd apt $650 Housing $150K starting Fuel $1.75 Income Tax, No Sales Tax

The town itself is quiet everywhere but the areas surrounding the University. There are some nice apartments/townhouses for rent in Witham Hill and near Philomath.

I'm a senior at OSU. I think Corvallis sucks as far as college towns go, but it would be a good place to settle down with a family. One of the more beautiful cities in Oregon; easy access nature (coast, Mary's Peak, wetland reserves, forest parks, etc.); balanced between city & country.

 

[EagleKeeper]

^^

 

[Bryophyte]

Originally posted by: RossGr

Originally posted by: Bryophyte
Vic--HP is all but shut down now. They used to be the biggest private employer in town, but no longer.

All but shut down???? Where to you get that idea? Sure we are down from a peak of about 5k at HP Corvallis, to around 3k, but that is a long ways from shut down!

Put then what would I know. Sitting here at my desk in B3U on a break from working in the new 80M$ clean room.

I'm very surprised to hear that they are still employing that many people. The calculator division left Corvallis, didn't it? Just down to ink cartridges, aren't they? Hmmm...I'm not up on Corvallis news I guess.

 

[RossGr]

Originally posted by: Bryophyte

Originally posted by: RossGr

Originally posted by: Bryophyte
Vic--HP is all but shut down now. They used to be the biggest private employer in town, but no longer.

All but shut down???? Where to you get that idea? Sure we are down from a peak of about 5k at HP Corvallis, to around 3k, but that is a long ways from shut down!

Put then what would I know. Sitting here at my desk in B3U on a break from working in the new 80M$ clean room.

I'm very surprised to hear that they are still employing that many people. The calculator division left Corvallis, didn't it? Just down to ink cartridges, aren't they? Hmmm...I'm not up on Corvallis news I guess.

Just down to ink cartridges!!! LOL, yeah, just down to ink cartridges. Calculators left here years ago, to make room for the ink jet processes. Between about 92 and 2000 the Corvallis site was generating ALL of the HP profits(I think it was around 97 that the ink jet business generated 120% of HP profit) . And that was ALL ink cartridges. Now the production of the mature cartridges have moved off shore (Ireland, Porto Rico and Singapore) Corvallis concentrates on new product development. We are still a 7/24 operation in most areas.

Oh yeah, a little more on topic. I have lived in Corvallis since 1974, I love it. Yes it is about 1hr to the coast and about 2 hrs to Ski slopes. Corvallis is a beautiful town, it is bicycle friendly and has nice Parks and a good library in addion to the University Library. It is probably the largest town in Oregon NOT on I5, and that is one of the draw backs, though now US 34 is 5 lanes all the way to I5 so it flows pretty well. Housing is expensive, though I think it has improved some since 1996 when Real Estate prices peaked. South Corvallis is considerably cheaper then the North side of town. If you want a less expensive short term rental look in the south. That is, anything to the south of the Marys River bridge.


The best time of year is in the summer when most of the college students are home, finally you can easily get into any restaurant at any time. Of course summers are a make it or break it time for new stores.

If you like wine there are many vineyards within a few hours drive through the country. This is a very nice part of the Willamette Valley, though there are much nicer parts of Oregon (Umpqua Valley for example) this area has the jobs.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Originally posted by: RossMAN
Damn another person moving to Oregon, what's wrong with these people?

Welcome to Ohr-e-gun

Not here yet.
1) Requires US Army to determine what theyare going to do with the project.
2) Requires a job offer from the area.