Best small towns in Oregon
Pacific City Oregon
It is hard to try to figure out where to live in the US. Everyone has a different idea of what the best means. Someone in their 20s might have different needs than a retiree.
Oregon is filled with small towns that vary in size. Some of our favorite small towns (under 10,000 in population) are spread around the state. Our top three small towns each have different attributes and there are many great smaller towns still around the state. You can take the quiz to find out more!
If you want to live on the coast and have proximity to the gorgeous sea rocks that are all over the Oregon coast, then Astoria is where you want to consider. Astoria has a much more older historic town vibe to it as it is an older city in Oregon.
To live in an Oregon coastal town, have to be okay with a lot of rain and wind as the Oregon coast is not called the beach for a reason. It is more rugged terrain as you head down the south and even in the summer a hoodie and jeans are wise choices for clothing. Astoria is dedicated to city parks and has the most city park acreage for Oregon’s small towns.
One of our other favorite small Oregon towns is Prineville. Located in Central Oregon, Prineville is located in the high desert part of Oregon so if you want a hotter and less wet location than Astoria, consider Prineville. It is also dedicated to city parks for its residents and has excellent proximity to lakes and state parks for hiking, rock climbing, cross-country and downhill skiing, and hunting.
If you head along the Columbia River, you will find Hood River. Hood River often makes top city lists as it is a cute small town with great brewpubs and food. It is about an hour from Portland along 84, which in the winter time can get very gusty and icy, so it isn’t great for daily commuting, but it can be done. It has access to the Mt. Hood Wilderness so hiking, biking, and skiing are all close by.
If you need a place to start in finding the best small towns in Oregon try
- Astoria
- Prineville
- Hood River
Maybe you are thinking that none of these sound just right. It is why we created the NextDiggs quiz so that you can decide what features are “the best” features just for you. So go ahead and take the quiz and find your best small town in Oregon.
