Salem : Oregon

Salem, located on the Willamette River in the northwest part of the state, is the capital of Oregon.  This growing city depends on state government and agriculture for economic support.  This city of over 157,000 always has something going on - a festival, museum show, or some entertainment from the several colleges hosted in Salem. It has a park system with 46 parks encompassing over 1800 acres. The climate is ideal for retirees, relatively mild winters and great access to outdoor activities. The Pacific Ocean and the Cascade Mountains are close. Photo of Willamette College Library courtesy of and per license of Wikipedia and Cacophony.

There are 19 different neighborhood associations in the City. in addition there are some active adult and 55+ communities in Salem (see link at top right).  The National Association of Realtors reports the median price of homes in the first quarter of 2016 to be $221,800, with a steady rise from $193,900, in the first quarter in 2015. 

Property taxes are high because much of the land is government (federal, state, county, city) owned and not taxed.  Salem is one of the cloudiest and rainiest places in the country. While it is the capital it doesn't seem to have the life that Eugene or Portland have.