Bend Oregon has colorful background:

Until the winter of 1824, this area was known only to Native Americans who hunted and fished here. Members of a fur trapping party led by Peter Skeen Ogden were the earliest visitors. John Fremont and other Army survey parties arrived next. The pioneers heading further West came through and forded the Deschutes River at "Farewell Bend". Just around the bend, a small community began to develop on the river and in 1905 the city of Bend was incorporated with less than 500 citizens.

In 1911 the Oregon Trunk Railroad was completed and the community of Bend began to grow. The year 1914 brought two major lumber companies and timber became the mainstay of the local economy. Growth was gradual until the Mt. Bachelor ski area became the catalyst for the burgeoning tourist business and it simultaneously generated industrial, commercial and population growth. Wood products coupled with manufacturing is still the leading economic factor with tourism as a very important growth industry. Other diversified industries developing include micro- breweries, technology, medical and telecommunications.

Climate:

Bend enjoys the predominately dry climate of the Great Basin. There is an average of 265 days of sunshine a year. Sunny days, low humidity and cool nights provide the most common weather pattern. The average annual precipitation in Bend is less than 12 inches. Over half falls between November and February, most of which is snow. The average annual snowfall for the past six years has been 33.8 inches. Snow rarely accumulates to beyond a few inches in depth, nor is it on the ground for any extended period of time; however, if you talk with any Central Oregonian who survived the winter of 1992, you will find the accumulated snowfall that winter in Bend was approximately 75 inches and Mt. Bachelor received almost 350 inches. Quite an impressive winter for skiers and snow-mobilers. Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort is located 22 miles southwest of Bend where skiers enjoy a ski season often extending into July. There is an average of 10 days a year where temperatures exceed 90°, but rarely a day when 100° is reached. During the winter it is estimated that half the nights are freezing or lower, with below zero readings usually occurring about three times a year. Because of the summer frost potential, the average growing season is about 82 days.

Population:

The current population count for the City of Bend, according to the Bend Chamber of Commerce, is approximately 75,213 people. Deschutes County, which includes a number of smaller surrounding communities, has a population count in the 150,000 range, according to the same source. Because Bend is the County Seat of Deschutes County, it is the "hub" for all of Central Oregon.

Tourism:

The population of Deschutes County is not large, but the influx of tourists visiting the area year around is. The Central Oregon Visitors Association which reports 4.5 million overnight tourists visit the area annually. Drawn by the popularity of both the winter and summer activities, these visitors frequent the area throughout the year. Not only is Central Oregon home to Mt. Bachelor, it has one of the highest per capita number of golf courses in the country. These tourists spend a large amount of money on dining, lodging and in retail shopping.

Why relocate to Bend?

Deschutes and Jefferson Counties in Central Oregon showed the largest rates of growth in Oregon.

Among large Oregon cities, Bend had the biggest growth, up 65 percent during a period of time from 1990 to 1997.

Bend's population has exploded through a recent annexation from 20,447 in 1990 to more than 50,000 today. The city's total assessed value has swelled from $639 million in 1990 to $3.6 billion today.

In the last five years, Deschutes County population has grown better than twice the rate of the State overall, 19.9%.

Oregon employment economists project the rate of population growth in Deschutes County will be nearly 18% during the next 5 years, 2 ½ times the expected 6.6% growth for the State as a whole.

Sales and Marketing Management ranked Deschutes County seventh in retail sales last year among Oregon's 36 counties. On a per capita basis, Deschutes County ranked second, with $13,126 in sales for every resident. Only Washington County ranked higher. Within Washington County resides the highest demographic part of Portland, and Washington Square Mall, the highest grossing Mall within Portland.

Bend is a regional, retail hub servicing all of Central and Eastern Oregon. Bend's retail trade area easily comprises a 50-mile radius from the center of the city. That pushes the population base up to approximately 50,000.

Bend's significant annual tourism of over 5,000,000 people contributes significantly to the economic strength of the area. The total tourism economic impact (expenditures plus wages) in Central Oregon will exceed $432 million.

Click here to read Central Oregon's latest Economic Profile