Varied Eugene

At the center of Oregon's second largest metropolitan area, Eugene is located near the southern end of the fertile Willamette River valley, 100 miles (160 km) south of Portland and 65 miles (100 km) east of the Pacific Ocean. Eugene is a delightful place to live, study, and work, known for Bach oratorios and alternative bands as much as for crafts and natural foods. The crime is low, the air is clean, and the parks, bike paths, river walks, dog runs, and housing are plentiful.

Eugene Area at a Glance:

Economy

Logging and saw mills fuelled the early growth of Eugene and surrounding Lane County--larger than the entire state of Connecticut. Growth brought more business, such as banking and light manufacturing. Lane County leads the country in the production of recreational vehicles from basic campers to luxury coaches.

As the wood products industry fell on hard times throughout Oregon in the 1970s and 80s, the state began to recruit high-tech businesses, such as Symantec, Hynix Semiconductors, Invitrogen, and PSC. Eugene also is an incubator for small and medium-sized businesses, many of which are pioneering not just new products from innovative bicycles to tofu and yurts but also employee cooperatives, family-friendly workplaces, and flexible work arrangements.

As part of a thriving cultural scene Eugene boasts

• The Oregon Bach Festival
• The Oregon Festival of American Music
• Its own symphony orchestra, opera and ballet companies
• Several choral groups as well as theater companies
• The Hult Center for the Performing Arts and numerous other performance venues
• Dozens of blues, jazz, country, and alternative music performances every week
• The First Friday Artwalk
• The Eugene Celebration

Other locations: Portland | Oregon

Top