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I see this is quite the debated question for several people. . .
However, after going through every thread I could find having anything to do with either Eugene, OR or Boulder, CO, I don't feel like my questions have been answered. So I figured, "Why not add to the pile?" And then I added a lot... (that's my apology for this post being so ridiculously long )
My delimma: It's time to transfer to a 4-year university. I'm currently 21, living in Austin, TX with my family but have done some moving around in the past. I lived in Portland for almost 2 years, and have driven through Colorado a few times, but never stayed anywhere longer than a day (clearly, not enough to make a judgement).
I LOVE (allow me to reiterate: LOVE) the Oregon climate. Cloudy? Rainy? Chilly? Bring it on! LOVE IT! I see that CO is quite a bit more arid and doesn't see much rain. . . But I can handle that. As far as other climate concerns, I do have allergies, but I think I'm just allergic to the South. I heard it would be awful for someone with Hay Fever in Portland, but I was clear as a bell almost my entire stay... Any ideas about Eugene or Boulder (just in case my Southern Allergy Theory is incorrect ) ?
My biggest consideration is UO in Eugene vs. UoC in Boulder. I'm majoring in Art History, so good museums nearby are a MUST. Any insight as to the Art History programs at either school, or the local art scene is much appreciated. . .
I've done a bit of research on both the schools and cities, but insider information is always better. Each place seems like it has a more small/college town feel than Portland and Austin. Is this legit? (I'm DONE with big cities!!) My heart is set on winding up in Oregon, but my family desperately wants to me be closer while I'm finishing school (i.e. Colorado...) While I am realistic enough to understand that every place has its pros and cons, there are some bigger issues about each place that make me go * . . . *
Eugene: Is it actually that likely that my car/apartment/whatever will be broken into/stolen? I know Portland had an (assuming) equally bad tweak problem, which obviously leades to theft crime, but I never had anything major stolen or broken into. Also, unemployment v. cost of living doesn't look so bright. I know it goes with living anywhere in Oregon, but info on the Eugene job market in comparison to Boulder would be stellar!
Boulder: Is it frickin' freezing all year? How much/often does snowfall occur? Does really dry mean wicked hot summers?. . . does it ever RAIN? Also, I know UoC has higher out-of-state tuition costs and a more rigorous application process. Does this necessarily mean a better quality education? How about Boulder's cost of living v. minimum wage?
I'm ready to rip my hair out trying to make a decision. Any thoughts, comments, concerns, personal experiences, or snide remarks are welcome; but please keep your personal agendas, politics, and FAKE, COOKIE-CUTTER responses to yourself. Mahalo!
I've never been to Eugene, but I've heard good things. I have spent a little bit of time in Boulder, but it was not very extensive. As far as my experience has gone, Boulder is absolutely gorgeous. It's right next to the mountains, and the CU campus is amazing. Outdoor activities like rock-climbing, skiing, white-water rafting, canoeing, etc are all available at your finger-tips.
When I went to Boulder I don't remember it being overly hot (I was there in the summer). It's a dry heat, so it's doesn't feel as hot as it would if you were in a humid climate. However from what I've heard, it does snow a lot there.
I don't know anything about Eugene, but I would definitely say CU Boulder is worth checking out! Before you make any decisions you should visit these places though.
Boulder is wickedly cold and expensive. A lot of upper class, mansions by the mountians, weekend snowboarder type vibe. Eugene is beautiful. Weather's better.
I was told that the neighboring county to Eugene's has been called the "grass allergy capital of the world". Also, I've been told, but haven't seen,that the valley Eugene sits in holds fireplace smoke in during the cold months and the air quality in the winter can be bad.
Good luck.
You lived in Portland? Eugene is a lot like a small town version of Portland. Except a lot smaller. With less going on, and a much less interesting downtown. There is some good cultural resources there which includes mueseums, and the UO offers tons of different things that should keep a student busy, but the town itself is kind of sleepy.
I can't say too much about Boulder except it is much more expensive and yuppy, and seems like it is much more centered around the University. It probably offers more to do, especially with Denver so close by.
Boulder is a nice town, the biggest complaints being the surprisingly high cost of living and a bit of attitude from what some call the "hippieocracy." The cost of living is about in line with similar towns in the northeast, and lower than California, so it depends on where you're coming from. The latter depends on your politics: though there are conservatives in Boulder (actually libertarian conservatives are fairly common there though still a distinct minority), it would probably help if you have liberal leanings as this is a town that is extremely political.
Boulder has about 90k people in town with about 200k people or so surrounding it, so it's not really all about CU as another poster said. In fact I've found that the "student" culture and the Boulder town culture tend to be pretty distinct, the former being much more representative of the rest of Colorado.
While other Coloradans tend to look at Boulder as a "liberal" town -- I'd say it's more unique for two things: a passion (some would say obsession) with fitness and an equal passion for natural lifestyles. If you're passionate about these things you will LOVE this town.
As for the climate: yes, it can be pretty cold and snowy (and sometimes very windy!) in the winter, and occasionally hot in the summer. USUALLY cold blasts or heat waves there are short-lived, though nothing is certain -- some winters (including this one) can be relatively harsh, and others surprisingly mild. Depending on who you ask. The average December high in Boulder is actually a relatively balmy 45 or so, but the average low is a bone-chilling 18. But the standard deviation in winter is extremely high -- highs in the 70s are not unheard of, but lows in the negative single digits happen nearly every winter, and once in a while negative teens for lows. About the only constant in Colorado is aridity (and high elevation) -- so in that sense the climate does feel different than the eastern states.
For your allergies -- it really depends on what your allergies are. It is true that Colorado's semi-arid climate probably means fewer kinds pollens out there, but, for example, some people seem to be set off by ponderosa pine pollens, which would be everywhere during part of the year.
As for CU Boulder -- I personally would absolutely NOT pay out of state tuition just to go to CU. While CU is a good school and usually makes the list of "public ivies," check out the tuition first for out of state. For the price you pay for out of state, I think there's better schools, including a lot of private universities you could consider. Also, you should know that it's not easy to gain in-state residency, particularly if you're in the traditional "college" age of 18-22. Nor is CU known for being very generous with scholarships or financial aid. Unfortunately, there's enough wealthy out of state students whose main plan is to be close to skiing, and they're more than happy to fork out ridiculous amounts of tuition money just to attend CU.
I have been in both cities, and lived in one of them for over a year and would choose Eugene because Oregon is a prettier state than Colorado and if you want to me near a large city, then Eugene is near Portland which is a nicer city than Denver.
I would do the opposite of what Tohobitpeak said! I was born and raised in Oregon (Coos Bay and Roseburg) and have lived all over Colorado. Boulder is the better choice! MUCH MUCH better scenery around Boulder. Better weather. The mindset of the 2 cities is almost identical. Denver is a larger city than Portland. And minus the coast, Colorado has better scenery and skiing!
And as far as portland being a better city than Denver. There was just a forbes or WSJ poll (forget which) and Denver was the Number 1 city people asked wanted to move to. Portland also was not in the top 10.
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But I can handle that. As far as other climate concerns, I do have allergies, but I think I'm just allergic to the South. I heard it would be awful for someone with Hay Fever in Portland, but I was clear as a bell almost my entire stay... Any ideas about Eugene or Boulder (just in case my Southern Allergy Theory is incorrect 
) ?
. . . 
How about Boulder's cost of living v. minimum wage?
Any thoughts, comments, concerns, personal experiences, or snide remarks are welcome; but please keep your personal agendas, politics, and FAKE, COOKIE-CUTTER responses to yourself. Mahalo! 
