CENTRAL OREGON AREA & CITY INFORMATION
The Western United States region of Central Oregon is one of America’s fastest growing, and most visited hot-spots. Central Oregon, which includes the cities of Bend, Redmond, Sisters, Madras, and Sunriver, as well as smaller locations such as Terrebonne and LaPine, is a four-season playground offering everything from world-class skiing- at ski resorts such as Mt. Bachelor and Hoodoo, to year-round golfing and tennis in first-rate luxury resorts such as EagleCrest.
Central Oregon boasts over 300 days of sunshine a year- making it an oasis of outdoor recreation opportunities for area visitors and residents alike. Over the last few years, this region has seen incredible growth. Bend was named the hottest real estate market in the country in 2005-2006, and other Central Oregon cities, such as Redmond and Sisters are not far behind. Still, this region offers sprawling, wide-open spaces of High Desert terrain populated by Pine and Juniper trees guaranteeing the region a strong growth potential heading into the future.
BEND, OREGON:
 The city of Bend, Oregon had humble origins. Originally founded as a home base for local loggers, no one could have predicted what it would become. Ever since the late 1980’s Bend has seen steady growth. From the period of 2000 to 2006 that growth has been phenomenal. Real estate values have sky-rocketed during this time-span as people, primarily from California, as well as other locales from all across the nation, moved into the area. People have been drawn here because of the sunny and generally moderate climate, the small town sense of community, and the stunning beauty of the surrounding area. Bend has recently been voted as one of America’s top ski resort towns. The Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort, just 15 minutes away, enjoys a growing reputation as a top ski vacation destination offering premium snow conditions and an unusually long ski season.
REDMOND, OREGON
 The neighboring Central Oregon city of Redmond OR is now experiencing some of the same growth pains and rewards that Bend began to experience several years ago. Redmond, located 20 minutes to the North of Bend along Highway 97, is a logical choice for people wanting to move to Central Oregon, but intimidated by the skyrocketing home prices in Bend proper. Redmond is a city with a population size about a quarter of Bend’s, but with over half the landmass to work with. So while growth has been incredible in Redmond since 2005, the city has a lot of room to grow into. Sitting some 500 feet below Bend, Redmond is popular for people wanting a slightly milder winter climate- and for people who enjoy outdoor recreation has seen explosive growth in the last several years- doubling in size since 2004.
SISTERS, OREGON:
 Nicknamed by locals as “the little town that could”, Sisters, Oregon has recently emerged as a top resort village destination in its own right. As with Bend, Sisters sits at the easternmost edge of the Cascades mountain range. This means that it receives a heavier snowfall than that of Redmond or Madras. Sisters enjoys a small-town village atmosphere but is experiencing its own growth challenges as a result from “the Bend spillover effect”. The main drawing point to Sisters is indicated in its namesake. The village is named after the Three Sisters, a triune of volcanoes that rise majestically to the south of the village. Like Bend, Sisters also enjoys a rich arts and entertainment culture. Sisters hosts numerous jazz shows, art shows, quilting shows, and village festivals throughout the year.
SUNRIVER, MADRAS, TERREBONNE, LAPINE, OREGON:
 Central Oregon also generally includes the cities of Madras, the northernmost city in the region, Terrebonne, a smaller community directly north of Redmond that serves as a gateway to the spectacular Smith Rock State Park, and Sunriver OR, a charming, intimate resort village located 20 minutes south of Bend, that services skiers and mountain vacation enthusiasts exploring the alpine wonders of Mt. Bachelor. Like Bend, Sunriver has seen real estate prices skyrocket in recent years. Today many of the people who work in the Sunriver Village cannot possibly afford to live in the area. This is just one of the challenges faced by this and other Central Oregon destinations learning to deal with such growing popularity. Another emerging Central Oregon community is LaPine. This is a small village located at a higher elevation south of Bend; that offers close proximity to Bend's attractions- with much lower home values.
Without a doubt the “secret” that is Central Oregon has gotten out. No longer a refuge for longtime locals, this spectacular area is now recognized across the nation as a top vacation destination offering inspiring, volcano-laden scenery, impressive outdoor recreation opportunities, and 300 days of sunshine a year. If you're planning a Central Oregon getaway be sure to check out our Central Oregon hotels page for quality accommodation options for Bend, Redmond, Sisters, and Sunriver. While this entire area is learning to deal with this sudden outside interest- that shows up in thousands of new residents every year as well as a bourgeoning, four season tourism industry. But with thousands and thousands of acres of remaining spectacular High Desert terrain still undeveloped, Central Oregon promises to show strong growth potential for years to come. The vibrancy of Bend, Redmond, Sisters, Sunriver and other Central Oregon cities is only set to gain momentum heading into the future. |
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