15 Reasons Not to Move to Bend Oregon

Bend, Oregon receives a lot of well-deserved attention, but rarely do you hear about the cons of living here. Although there aren't many negatives about Bend, I wanted to cover a few that I hear about pretty consistently. Enjoy, and comment down below if you have any questions!

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My name is Brett Williams and every week I post content on YouTube and Instagram ALL about living and breathing in Central Oregon!

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About Bend, Oregon:

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[TeresaMom]

Lived in Central Oregon since I was a young child and then lived in Bend for over 40 years. Raised our kids in Bend. We recently moved to Redmond which is 15 miles from Bend and it's the best move we ever did. Bend is nothing like it used to be. Bend was an amazing place to live in the 80's & 90's before everything started to change. It was like the word got out about how nice it was, no crime, cheap to live here, not crowded, and then more & more people began to move to Bend and many of them brought there large city ideas with them. Housing & shopping started to be built on every empty space, older businesses began to disappear and new ones took their places. Which then caused a housing shortage and rent & home prices increased so much that no one can afford to live there anymore which is why we bought our home in Redmond. Bend homes are now so expensive that your average income family can't afford to buy a home in Bend. Bend now caters only to the wealthy rich and it's really sad.

[Jessica-zhjh]

Grew up and still live in Bend. Roughly 42 years now. This town was absolutely amazing at one point. And was the fastest growing small town in the US for a little bit. After the spike in new residents, it went downhill and fast. It is now extremely expensive, people aren’t as nice as they once were. And if you want to go on any hiking trail, lake, really anywhere outdoors there are a TON of people and no parking. Smith Rock comes to mind. Every single person that I was friends with in high school have all moved out of Bend due to the high cost of living. I definitely miss old Bend.

[homesteadcolorado]

Bendifornia! Smoke from fires, bad traffic, high prices, rude people, crowded hiking trails, and a homeless crisis. As a native Oregonian it is sad to see this happen. Moving out of Bend was the best decision.

[rhondajordan]

Born in Bend 55 years ago, I'm 3rd generation out of 6 generations, Bend is not what is was 😥, over crowded, so much homelessness, prices are outrageous, rent for a 1 bd is $1, 400/$1, 600....Absolutely ridiculous here now !

[Smeewithatwist]

Bend is a tourist trap. Filled with people from big city's who wanted to move to a small town. But cause of the fact that moved to bend they are slowly destroy what they loved about the town. It's also has become a very toxic place.

[opulentlilt]

Once upon a time Bend was so wonderful. I was lucky to have experienced it in the 90's trail riding, white water rafting, hiking, camping, and skiing. Those days will always be in my heart, even if it's broken now.

[OscarmfRoth]

I lived under a bridge in bend for years on and off between couches & many seasons camping while working. 10 years back it was okay 12 it was amazing... the bay moved in and its California now...

[pael]

I am a Floridian who moved to Bend with my family literally on a whim. We just got tired of the low pay and ghetto attitude around us. The craziest thing is all those things you say are true about Bend, especially the high rent, yet it was the easiest time I have ever had making a living. We stayed in a nice hotel in the Old Mill area with a kitchen for $500 a week, which at that time I thought was expensive. I doubt that you can find a deal like that now. We eventually found a nice home to rent near the Butte off Bear Creek. Our landlord was great and our rent was actually reasonable considering. We arrived right at the beginning of the pandemic, so I did Instacart. It was a ghost town at that time so I was banking, working half days. The river was fun but cold. The people are a lot nicer than I’m used to, but they are very generous and kind for the most part. I got a midnight job at a convenience store so I met a lot of people, and most of the China Hat homeless. Homelessness is a huge problem there and needs to be addressed. Meth is really bad as is heroine. I did manage to greatly reduce the number of people using the bathroom as a shooting gallery. Day one i took a picture of over 20 used needles in the trash can. Believe it or not, some of the best people I met were homeless, and even worked with some. Yes, some work full time jobs. We have since moved back to Florida, and yes, Florida is as bad, if not worse than the crazy stories you hear. All in all, I would have to say that my Bend experience was a good one. The only reason we left was the politics. I am Apolitical, at least on the national level, and was kind of disturbed at the general level of trust that many there, give to politicians. I will leave it at that since I am not interested in politics or arguments over such. However, it was the reason we came home. We would have eventually anyway. Overall though, Bend is a very nice place, but the locals do have a right to be a lil more than irritated at the influx of people. I don’t blame ‘em.

[williamprochazka]

I've lived in Bend for many, many years. A decade ago the town was amazing and I paid 585 for a one bedroom. Now that same apartment is 1875 and I've had to move several times to the point I'll have to leave Bend soon as I simply can not afford the rent anymore. Working 3 jobs and still struggling. You're right internet here is garbage and BBB is the devil. 😆

[melvacrump]

Very informative. You definitely cured me of wanting to move to Oregon, especially Bend lol.

[Melgizmo]

I’ve been a Bend resident going on 30 years now. Just over the last 5 -10 years (more so the last couple) the growth and housing developments popping up all around me is not only terrifying, it’s more importantly unsustainable. Our infrastructure can not handle the influx of cars, nor the strain on all the beautiful trails, lakes and rivers that previously you could visit without seeing another soul. I know change is inevitable, but enough is enough!
To give you an idea of the surge.. We played the “license plate game” with people from work, You know the one played on road trips? Well we played that here in Bend… And one of our employees got all 50 states.. over the weekend!
So to anybody looking for a new beginning, please come to visit, we love tourists, just please don’t stay!

[victoriouspauper]

I moved to Bend, Oregon in April of 2009 to be closer to my brother who also had purchased a house there a couple years earlier.
i hiked, biked, skied, did the dog walking, river time, good eats from local places, etc and YES, back then was AWESOME !!!!
But it is NO LONGER THE SAME
So, having lived in BEND for MORE THAN A DECADE !!!! the CHANGES in BEND have MOSTLY been for the BAD !!! very sad.
QUICK THOUGHTS: influx of newbies is NOW INSANE and has DESTROYED the "little town vibe" with OUT - OF - TOWNERS from CA !!!
TRAFFIC is HORRIBLE. I keep in touch with some folks there still and THEY SAY it really really is BAD. ROADS can't handle influx
HOUSING IS INSANELY PRICED ....BOTH FOR PURCHASE, or RENT Move to BEND, prepare to give YOUR money away to live.
The LIBERAL MINDSET of PORTLAND and SEATTLE creeped into BEND & NOW SUCKS .... from the moronic city planners who are too
STUPID too PLAN ACCORDINGLY NOW THE HOMELESS POPULATION HAS EXPLODED IN BEND, Oregon EXPLODED
Instead of the HOMELESS POPULATION living in nearby woods, .... ENTIRE STREETS are now full of TENTS, Broken RV's and TRASH.
VERY UNSIGHTLY and DANGEROUS NOW. DRUG NEEDLES seen a lot now !!!! People work THREE JOBS and STILL can't even find
a reasonable place to RENT !!!! that too is INSANE and the city planners have basically turned a BLIND EYE to that disgrace !!
COST of LIVING IS INSANE City "NON"-planners .... have effectively DESTROYED a once in a dream "LITTLE TOWN".
The "hidden drug problem" in BEND WORSE THAN EVER from all the METH, HEROINE, and COCAINE, + POT smokers !!
And so CRIME IS ON THE RISE but THE POLICE AND CITY PLANNERS are all HUSH HUSH about the growing CRIME RATE.
The CRIME IN BEND NOT truly reported as it all should be. Rather, CRIME RISE IS COVERED UP .... or NOT spoken about !!
People get stuff stolen ALL THE TIME !!!! My brother had his vehicle broken into and 1, 000's of dollars of stuff stolen !!!!
THE BIKE THEFT IS INSANE in BEND The police collect them and have an auction-like sale to MAKE MONEY off of someone else's
STOLEN PROPERTY RATHER THAN TAKE THE EFFORT TO FIND THE CRIMINALS LURKING IN NEIGHBORHOODS INSANE
TRAILS and SKIIING is CROWDED THAN EVER !! More dog poop than EVER .... and MANY do NOT even clean it up after their pooch.

DISGUSTING !!!! Almost like Pelosi's state of COMMIE-FORNIA with poop maps maybe needed in the future That is LIBERALS.
So, having lived there for more than 10 years and seen and experienced the smaller BEND I HAD ENOUGH. I moved.
People that grew up in BEND can barely sustain a living anymore and students mostly move out of BEND. The LOCALS are displaced
by the influx of LIBERALS and other genuinely nice folks that heard of the "NICER and SMALLER BEND".
PLUS one of the LEAST talked about sections of living in BEND is THE CLOSE PROXIMITY TO VOLCANOES
When the CASCADIA VOLCANOES and EARTHQUAKES DO GO OFF SOON BEND WILL BE A GHOST TOWN or DESTROYED.
IF an event like EXPLODING VOLCANOES and EARTHQUAKES go off THE RISING ASH will plummet the HOUSING IN BEND
Imagine if 80 percent of a town .... JUST DISAPPEARS Or if it is so bad of an event .... THAT EVERYONE JUST LEAVES ???
HAS ANYONE ACTUALLY THOUGHT OF THIS EVENT IN BEND SUDDEN DESTRUCTION
there USED TO BE lots of BENEFITS to living in but those days are NO very sad.
YA BEST DO ALOT OF THINKING BEFORE GOING INTO THE HOT ZONE OF A SIESMICALLY ACTIVE ZONE of VISIBLE VOLCANOES.

[HeyRiigby]

Great videos, always enjoy watching them, been here a few months now and love it. Def hit on a lot of the pros and cons and I think you lay them out well.

[suzyashby]

I live out side of that town. I won’t move there it takes me an hour each way for a doc apt. Thanks for your helpful video ❤❤❤❤.

[livetravelwithMaryandMom]

I m currently on vacay in Bend for a week. Bend is tourist town, of course you see tons of crazy people. I wouldn’t mind. The place itself is beautiful. Very easy access to get to places which I like. A short visit is really nice but to live I don’t know. Thanks for the input.

[wplants]

I live in Portland and love to visit Bend in the winter (I’m originally from MN so I crave cold and snow). But now we want to leave portland (too expensive) and will NOT consider moving to Bend. Its in over its head with people moving there.

Instead we are probably going to move to…Salem of all places. Cute town, quiet. Affordable unlike Bend. Plus close to Portland and our fav part of the coast and all the glory of the cascade range.

[jjpurcell]

I went to visit home for the first time in probably 10 years right after Thanksgiving, and I stopped at 7-Eleven to get some food and got out of the car and got blown over in the wind and started slipping on the ice and thought to myself I really miss this?

[scaredsilly]

BRO IN THE THUMBNAIL MY DAD IS A CARPENDER AND HIM AND I BUILT THAT HOUSE

[aprilkillian]

Very interested in knowing where the non family friendly neighborhoods are?

[Kneyos]

Watching from Hawaii, videos/pictures of the area is always helpful! Thanks!