Outdoorsy city with scenic surroundings in Central Oregon
The growing mountain town of Bend, Oregon, is central Oregon’s largest city, with a population nearing 100,000. Numic, Wana Lama and Wasq’u native Americans inhabited the city’s land for centuries until Oregon Territory pioneers arrived in the 1850s. The railroad and lumber industry became the city’s main economic driver, and today, residents can shop and eat in the same brick and industrial buildings in the Old Mill District. Leading industries now are smaller-scale tech and pharmaceuticals, and major employers include St. Charles Health System, Bright Wood Corporation and local tourism, thanks to the area’s beautiful high desert landscape. Chief operating officer for the city of Bend, Russell Grayson says the consistent views of the Cascade Mountain range, well-rated schools and active lifestyle are what bring young families, working professionals and retirees to the city. “We have people who go Nordic skiing before they go to work,” he says. “We are a little spoiled. We live in a big ponderosa pine forest, east of us is the desert and then you can be by the coast in about four hours.” Grayson —who’s been a resident for 13 years—says people show up for major events and take pride in their community. “I always thought it was a great place to raise our girls. People wave to each other all the time. A lot of people care about the city’s growth and where it’s going,” he says.
Catch the beauty of Old Farm District. From horses to green space, you won't be disappointed.
Residents of Mountain View in Bend have a view of Pilot Butte, an extinct volcano.
1/2
Multiple styles and a growing housing demand
Bend is filled with a plethora of housing styles in multiple neighborhoods separated into four distinct quadrants: Northwest, northeast, Southeast Bend and Southwest Bend . The median price for a single-family home in Bend is around $760,000, higher than the national median price of roughly $420,000. “It used to be normal for your home to sit there for four to six months. Now, homes stay on the market for 60 to 90 days,” says Faye Phillips, a broker at John L. Scott Real Estate. She explains that demand and prices have both gone up since COVID. Neighborhoods in and around the Old Mill District like Southern Crossing and Century West are popular among homebuyers, with their late 20th and early 21st century Craftsman, modern traditional and Pacific Northwest-styled homes. Midcentury and early 21st-century condos and townhomes are mostly found in areas near downtown and in Summit West and Century West . The median price for a townhome in Bend is about $850,000. Historic bungalows and 1920s Colonial Revivals sit in the coveted Old Bend community near the Deschutes River.
Grayson says homelessness is a prevailing issue as more people come into the city with not enough housing inventory. Initiatives like the Jackstraw Project will bring mixed-use development and multi-family homes near Bend’s Box Factory retail center. In 2023 and 2024, more apartments and affordable housing plans were developed for the Old Mill District, including the 32-acre Timber Yards master plan, which will include 1,600 new units.
Contemporary homes are common in the Awbrey Butte neighborhood of Bend, Oregon.
There are many varieties of architecture to be seen in Century West.
1/2
Trekking up Mt. Bachelor and cooling off in the Deschutes River
Locals have access to 84 parks and open spaces in the community. Mt. Bachelor is about 21 miles west and a go-to place for skiing, snowshoeing or sled dog rides. In the summer, residents hike along scenic trails to its 9,000-foot summit, and in 2024, the multi-use Evergreen Trail was introduced, giving easier hiking and biking routes. The city itself is bursting with natural and paved trails for walking, jogging and biking under tall, skinny pine trees, and the winding Deschutes River draws people in for paddleboarding and kayaking. Located between the Old Bend and River West neighborhoods, Bend Whitewater Park has distinct channels for tubing on gentle rapids or surfing on Eddy’s Wave. The river flows through Drake Park, one of the longest-standing parks in the city, and the 159-acre Pine Nursery Park offers fishing access, pickleball courts and an off-leash dog park.
Perfect day for fly fishing in Deschutes River Woods—nature’s serenity at your doorstep.
Hikers enjoy the trails at Pilot Butte Neighborhood Park in Bend, Oregon.
1/2
Dozens of schools and two post-grad options
The city is served by the Bend-La Pine Schools district, which is rated the third-best school district in Deschutes County by Niche and earns an overall B grade. The district includes 33 schools, plus two charter schools, and families can apply for schools outside their zoned neighborhood during the Choice Options Lottery enrollment period in January. Summit High is one of the largest, and like other high schools in the city, offers career development programs that focus on Cadet Teaching and internships with local businesses. Caldera High was built in 2021 and is known for its performing arts program where students have competed at state-level competitions. Post-grad options in Bend include Central Oregon Community College, rated a B-minus from Niche and the Oregon State University-Cascades campus in the southwestern portion of the city.
Pacific Crest Middle School serves grades 6-8 in the Century West neighborhood of Bend, Oregon.
High Lakes Elementary School is a public school serving grades K-5 in Summit West.
1/2
A budding art scene and several events in Bend
While exploring nature is a major focus in Bend, the city also has an active arts and culture scene. Bronze and colored sculptures are placed sporadically throughout town as part of the Roundabout Art Route; they showcase the city’s mill industry history and passion for the environment. In the summer, residents flock to Hayden Homes Amphitheater in the Old Mill District for concerts, and the city is also home to several art galleries and theaters including the 1940-built Tower Theatre, a prominent place for movies, plays and events. The annual Bend Film Festival—one of the top indie film festivals in the U.S.—takes place in Tower Theater along with other downtown venues. The High Desert Museum, just south of the city, includes rotating exhibits on the area’s animals, history and even Sasquatch. Bend is also a major dog-lover city, and on Independence Day, people bring their pups, goats and ponies near Drake Park for the July 4th Pet Parade.
The pilot gives a thumbs up as they take off at Balloons Over Bend in the Old Farm District.
Large crowds gather to enjoy the live music and food at Munch & Music in Old Bend.
1/2
Biking paths on Twin Bridges Loop and access to major highways
Bend is bisected by U.S. 97 and intersected by U.S. Route 20 which connect to nearby cities like Sunriver and Eugene. Phillips says residents sometimes complain about traffic congestion since more people are moving in. “You get people coming in who are from a big city, and they say, ‘This is nothing, normally it takes me 45 minutes to go five blocks.’ It’s all about perspective,” she says. A web of bike and pedestrian paths spread throughout the city, and locals frequently road cycle on popular routes like Twin Bridges Loop and Mt. Bachelor/Cascades Lakes Loop.
Bend has its own municipal airport that hosts two flight training schools, and Redmond Municipal Airport is about 17 miles northeast of Bend offering flights to major western cities like Seattle and Las Vegas.
Shopping and hanging out at the Old Mill District
At the heart of Bend is the Old Mill District, an assembly of historic mill buildings transformed into breweries, restaurants and different shops. “We have more restaurants than we normally would have in this size of town because of the tourism here,” Grayson says. The Old Mill is also surrounded by miles of paved trails near the Deschutes River, so shoppers can take in the view as they walk between stores. Downtown Bend also hosts the First Friday Art Walk and Bend Farmers Market. For more big box stores and major retail chains, Bend Factory Stores and the Cascade Village Shopping Center are both just off U.S. Highway 97 in the Old Farm District . At the end of 2024, the city opened a new, highly anticipated Costco in Boyd Acres , replacing the east Bend one that was there for more than 30 years.
Lone Crow Bungalow is Bend's beloved gift shop and is located just minutes from Awbrey Butte.
Humane Society Thrift Shop is a popular place for Larkspur residents to find their next haul.
1/2
Mild summers and snowy winters in Bend
According to Bend Police Department’s 2023 Crime Report, crimes against people and crimes against property decreased slightly from the previous year. Bend’s violent crime rate and property crime rate remains relatively low according to FBI statistics. Grayson says the police department does have a successful response time with any public safety emergencies, and there are regular public committees that work with the police. The department tries to stay involved in the city by attending local high school football games and patrolling downtown on foot through its Community Enhancement Program.
Bend reportedly receives around 300 days of sunshine a year, but because of its high desert climate, nights can be very cool. Residents experience all four seasons in Bend, and it usually snows in the winter. The city’s climate does make it more prone to wildfires from July to October, especially on the outskirts. Smoke from wildfires in neighboring states and Canda can settle in the area, causing air quality to worsen at times.
On average, homes in Bend, OR sell after 60 days on the market compared to the national average of 49 days. The median sale price for homes in Bend, OR over the last 12 months is $761,115, consistent with the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
I love Central Oregon, and helping my clients realize their dreams through real estate. With a finance and real estate background, I get to use my resources, business experience and network to add value to people's lives! It's a fun place and a fun business! I'd love to meet you and see how we can help reach your goals.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
