Moving from Florida to Coos Bay area....need advice about area! (Bend: low income, to rent)

[Lmbezares]

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! We are a military family suddenly relocating to the Coos Bay area.......from North Florida. I've read some concerning things about Coos Bay, never having been to the West Coast or this area I don't know what to expect.

I also see the North Bend area is close...is it better? Or perhaps I need to look further away....? Strongly concerned about schools, high school and elementary.

Thank you for any advice or help,

[Nell Plotts]

My guess is that you are in the Coast Guard. Were I you I would contact the station and ask your peers for advice.

[Random_Walk]

Agreed.

Not sure about the USCG, but the USAF and USN both had extensive on-base programs where new arrivals were 'sponsored' by someone stationed there. The sponsor would help the new person and his/her family figure out where the shopping is, where the schools are, what restaurants were awesome and which sucked, what places are good to rent versus not worth it, etc.

Reach out to the destination base/station's MWR Officer, Chief's office, First Sergeant (or whichever applies), and ask 'em to hook you up.

[tbro]

Regardless of anything negative said about the area, (and I am sure there are plenty) living around here is what you make of it. I live about 8 miles North of North Bend currently and love it here. Prior to living here I lived up in Newport for 11 years. I find Coos Bay/North Bend to be a pleasant experience.

There are more then plenty of amenities and places to shop (albeit it is the Oregon Coast). There are scenic and recreational areas very close by in all directions. Personally I don't care to live in CB or NB proper as there are plenty of very nice places to live within easy driving distance, though there are nice enough places in town. Rents are more affordable here than in Newport, there are good restaurants, though I don't eat out that often.

This is not a major hub of culture or activity, but if you like living in a small town without traffic hassles, and all the basic amenities then you'll enjoy it here. Coos Bay and North Bend are more or less one town. There is no real distinction between one or the other as far as I am concerned. As you drive South through North Bend you enter Coos Bay without really noticing where the boundary is.

The real treasures of this area are the outlying areas and scenic beauty. I have no information as far as schools are concerned, though I spent a winter down here in 2004 and my children attended schools in Coos Bay and I had no complaints and they didn't either, though they were much younger then. Mingus Park is a beautiful park located in the heart of the city not far from downtown, when I spent the winter down here previously I lived just across the street from it and found the neighborhood, clean, quiet and beautiful and the neighbors friendly.

I currently live on private acreage North of town with a private lake surrounded by pines and many Canadian geese, ducks, cranes and other waterfowl to view from my living room window. Occasionally deer will wander through the yard and raccoons are frequent visitors as well. As i said I prefer the quiet of the countryside and you do not have to drive far from Coos Bay or North bend to find it.

[Steve Pickering]

If you are at Charleston you will need to watch out for the methheads and keeping your property yours. Schools .... your only choice will be Marshfield or Northbend for high school. They are only a few miles apart. Small town issues and you don't have a lot of choices. North Bend and Coos Bay share city limits and much more. Basicly the same city with two governments to waste taxpayers resources. If you are at Empire, well more meth issues and part of Coos Bay. If at the airstation you will be in North Bend. Drive a few blocks and you are in Coos Bay.

[Hawk J]

Lately some nice bass have been c & released at ten mile lake in a tourney.

[hamellr]

Read any of my posts about Coos Bay. I like to think I'm even handed, but it's not an area I'd want to be moving too at all, even with family down there.

[Steve Pickering]

And the same with mine.

[Griffis]

I've only spent a brief amount of time around North Bend/Coos Bay. There is a lot of beauty, but for coastal Oregon towns I'd much prefer Lincoln City or Newport. I know that isn't an option for you so not much help...I just think those towns have a little more going on and a little better vibe than N. Bend/Coos Bay. Just my opinion and I really haven't been around there enough to make a terribly informed comment.

[nardoman]

Just moved away from Coos County. I was not living in Coos Bay or North Bend, but spent a lot of time there and did a lot of business there. Don't see why anyone would be concerned about living there. Most of my customers seemed happy and had positive things to say about living there. I was looking for a place to rent there recently, but decided to move on for other reasons. Sure, it is a rural area and there is not a lot to do there. It is beautiful, uncrowded and it rains a lot. Sure some of the folks there use meth, but it is a rural, low income drug which you will find everywhere. I just don't see why anyone would be concerned about the area. It is a very low population uncrowded rural Oregon area. Not my favorite place, but I've seen worse. I don't know about the schools, so that may be a legitimate concern, but I wouldn't let the posts here frighten you.