Community theater and vineyards in Talent
Established as an agricultural center in the 1800s, Talent is now a trailblazer in the Rogue River Valley, with trendy farm-to-table restaurants and scenic vineyards below the Siskiyou Mountains. Between Ashland and Medford, this community is within 5 miles of employment hubs, mountain parks and markets. "We now have restaurants, wineries and a cute little theater people are excited about," says Dixie Hackstedde, lifelong resident of Oregon and principal broker at John L. Scott Real Estate, with over 30 years of experience in the Rogue River Valley. "If you're outdoorsy at all, you'll love it. We are surrounded by beauty, with a gorgeous river, the mountains and the coast. It's quiet living with no stress."
Craftsman-style homes with mountain views and West Coast flora
Residential lawns have vibrant gardens with dense West Coast flora. Many areas of Talent have views of the green Siskiyou Mountains, which surround the Rogue River Valley to the north and south. The area's housing styles include single-level traditional and Craftsman-style architecture. Most houses are between 750 and 4,000 square feet. While some homes are from the early 1900s, the most popular decades for construction are the 1990s, early 2000s and 2020s. "It has taken a while for it to come around, but Talent is doing great things," Hackstedde says. "It's growing up a lot, and there's lots of new construction." Home prices range from $240,000 to $650,000. Manufactured homes are a popular housing option, costing between $40,000 and $320,000. Townhouses go for $280,000 to $430,000.
Southern Oregon receives heavy rainfall during the winter, which can cause flooding due to runoff from the mountains and nearby creeks. The summer months are dry, and the region is prone to wildfires, which can affect the local air quality. The Almeda Fire in 2020 damaged nearly a third of properties. However, the community has replaced about 70% of homes lost during the fire and updated them with more sustainable materials. "This is a dry area, and fire could happen just about anywhere here," Hackstedde says. "Talent is not more prone to fire than other places in the valley."
Eclectic restaurants and scenic outdoor wineries
Downtown Talent offers eclectic restaurants, from fine dining to wineries and casual bistros. The Arbor House Restaurant serves farm-to-table soup and seafood dishes in a vintage atmosphere. About a mile north of downtown, tasting rooms such as Paschal Vineyard & Winery serve flights of local wine. "There are three or four wineries here that do wine tasting events, and they're very pretty," Hackstedde says. The community's primary supermarket is Ray's Food Place on Wagner Street. Safeway is another grocery store in Ashland, about 5 miles southeast.
Artists, farmers and actors engage with the community
Talent has a reputation for its local events and art-centered community. The quarterly Talent Art Walk takes pedestrians on a downtown tour of galleries, businesses and wineries. Residents can watch dramatic plays and musicals at the Camelot Theatre, a semiprofessional performing arts venue with an intimate auditorium. The Talent Artisans & Growers Evening Market is a sunset bazaar in Old Town Park, with artisan vendors and locally grown produce from May to August on the fourth Friday of each month.
Community parks and the Bear Creek Greenway
Chuck Roberts Park features athletic facilities like tennis courts and a playground with a splash pad. Also nearby, the Bark Park is a fenced-in, dog-friendly area. Residents north of downtown can easily access the Bear Creek Greenway, a paved 20-mile trail that extends from Ashland to Central Point. It's also a short drive to hiking trails and valley vistas in the Siskiyou Mountains, such as those in Prescott Park, about 10 miles north.
Discovering the outdoors and gaining leadership skills at local schools
Talent Elementary School earns a B-minus grade from Niche. It has an outdoor discovery program with nature-focused learning and community involvement. Talent Middle School has a C, with activities like basketball, wrestling and band. Phoenix High School receives a B-plus and offers a peer-mediation program that trains students in conflict resolution and leadership skills.
Take the RVTD to Ashland or Medford
The Rogue Valley Transportation District provides public transit throughout the valley, with stops in Talent along the Route 10 line. The community has access to Interstate 5 and state Route 99, providing multiple routes to the surrounding cities. Ashland is approximately 5 miles southeast on SR-99, and Medford is about 7 miles northwest. The Rogue Valley International Airport offers passenger flights in Medford, around 12 miles north.
