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One of the most important choices a family moving to Bend can make is which school is right for their growing children – and that means finding a neighborhood that works for everyone!

Overall, Bend has 17 elementary schools, seven middle schools, and four primary public high schools – and new schools are continuing to open. Keep in mind there are also private schools, independent schools, and other options in the city. How do you choose the right option? Here’s where to begin.

1. Know Your Location Needs

Bend has a number of excellent elementary and middle schools throughout its neighborhoods, which means finding the right school for your younger children doesn’t have to be difficult! It’s best to look at elementary schools and neighborhoods at the same time, so you can get a good idea of school options, how near schools are, and which are your favorite. Pine Ridge Elementary and Juniper Elementary are two traditionally popular options, but newer schools have great campuses and are worth a visit, too! The goal is to find a neighborhood with a matching school that works for your entire family. If you’re brand new to Bend, this can be a challenge, but Moving To Bend is happy to help out with resources, advice, and valuable services.

It’s also a good idea to check out school bus routes when looking for the right home, although this is a more flexible consideration.

2. Understand School Types

Schools in Bend include several different types available throughout the city. Public schools and charter schools (independently operated public schools that often offer specializations) are two of the most common. There are also magnet schools in the area, which are public schools with a particular focus and a lottery application process to attend. Private schools and independent schools also offer options throughout the city and registering for homeschooling is always a possibility!

Finally, if you are considering higher education in Bend, your primary two in-person options are COCC (Central Oregon Community College) and Oregon State University Cascades Campus.

3. Understand School Areas

Middle and high school students are generally assigned a school based on regional attendance areas and your address. For example, high schoolers within city limits go to Bend High (central locations), Summit (western Bend), Mountain View (northern Bend) or Caldera (southern Bend) based on their home address and school zone boundaries. Additional high schools like Skyline and Bend Tech Academy also provide alternatives. Bend schools give parents useful handbooks and maps for easier planning, so it’s important to always check your potential home address while looking for schools in Bend.

4. Start Applications Early If Necessary

Choice options for a specific school and lotteries for magnet schools require a thorough application process and request form. It’s important to start this process ASAP, since these applications generally open around the beginning of the year and quickly fill up.

5. Be Aware of Important Changes

Even school districts and options can change, sometimes quickly. For example, this will be the first year that Caldera High School will be open, which required a significant redrawing of Bend’s school district boundaries (including middle school boundaries). It’s important to keep up on these changes and always refer to the latest information when moving to Bend.

Remember, Moving To Bend can help you with school enrollment, finding the right neighborhood, and other important steps to make your move to Bend as smooth as possible.

 

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Bend and Deschutes Country continue to handle the COVID-19 pandemic well: Thanks to the measures taken locally and by the state, the county’s cases have been limited to around 600 at this time. However, it’s important to understand current mask requirements, especially for people moving to Bend – to help prevent cases from spiking any further! Let’s take a look at what everyone should know.

Mask Mandates are In Full Effect

Central Oregon is currently in stage 2 of the state’s reopening plan. That means, as of July 24^th, face coverings are required for ages 5 and up, both indoors and in outdoor spaces where physical distancing is not required. Capacity for places like gyms or concert halls are reduced to 100 people at this time. Otherwise, everyone should also stay at least six feet away from each other.

Establishments in Bend follow these rules carefully. Restaurants, for example, have reorganized or blocked off their tables to enforce the six-foot for all participants. Plentiful stickers and signs show people where to stand or wait.

The good news for Bend is that summer weather has been particularly fine, and many restaurants and pubs are able to provide spread-out outdoor seating, which offers more space and cuts the risk of spreading the virus in more strictly regulated indoor spaces. This is bound to change as cooler temperatures develop in the fall and winter, but for now Bend’s food, drink, and entertainment scenes remain active.

Fines Do Apply Locally

Disregarding mandates is a bad idea in Bend – the city council has approved a $500 fine for those caught not following mask orders. Additionally, the city has closed public access to city facilities (except the police department lobby).

Hiking and Nature Activities Are Possible, Within Limits

Currently, Bend parks and recreational centers are open, including playgrounds and sports courts (except for basketball courts). Individual centers may have their own requirements for social distancing, and masks may be required.

National forests are also currently open for business, including places like Crater Lake, and there are no strict regulations for hiking or camping in these locations, or the other trails around central Oregon. However, facilities may be limited or closed, which means you will have to take care of all your own trash and use nature as your restroom. People are encouraged to avoid hikes if the trailhead already seems crowded, and to carry out their own waste when possible.

Large Gatherings Aren’t Happening This Year

While online and small social gatherings are common in Bend (regulations say you have to keep them under 10 people), large groups are effectively canceled. That includes all major concerts, any Bend festivals for the foreseeable future, church gatherings, many in-person business events, and similar situations. However, small bands in Bend’s strong underground music scene are still regularly showing up at pubs and restaurants with proper social distancing, so there are ways to enjoy live music!

Be Practical and Safe

Mask regulations and social distancing can help keep the city safe, but common sense also goes a long way. If you see a lot of activity at your favorite taphouse or park, it may be better to come back during off hours instead. Focus on outdoor plazas and beer gardens where transmission is less likely. Follow your favorite organizations and hangs on social media so they can keep you updated on their hours, social distancing measures, and more!

You don’t have to look far for stories on how young people are willing to live on a sailboat rather than in an apartment if it means affording top-dollar cities like San Francisco. These stories suggest millennials are willing to live in minivans, under someone’s staircase, or even wooden crates if it means achieving urban nirvana.But do they? While it’s true millennials are moving in droves across the U.S., they may be targeting different cities than you think. To take a closer look at their most recent migration patterns, we used 2016 census data to explore the cities and states with the youngest new residents, where millennials make up the largest populations, and the cities turning into hot spots for international audiences. Check out the latest trends below.

Most youthful residents in America

Millennials may not be moving as often as the generations before them, but when it comes to finding the right work opportunities, they’re more than willing to pack up their desks for a change of scenery. One study found 85 percent of millennials were willing to relocate for a job, and 82 percent thought being flexible with where they lived was a necessity if they wanted to be successful. Thankfully, that doesn’t always mean they have to be willing to relocate to some of America’s most expensive states. New residents moving from out of state into North Dakota had the youngest median age on average: just over 23 years old. North Dakota is one of the best states for businesses, so its strong economic climate could be a part of the draw for millennials. Colorado, Iowa, Kentucky, and Nebraska also had the youngest median age range of new residents moving from out of state. And even if they aren’t quite there yet, some states are starting to trend younger compared to years past. The median age of people relocating to Louisiana was nearly 28 years old in 2016, a more than 20-month decrease from the year prior. Nebraska, Illinois, and Washington also trended younger with their newest residents.

Both ends of the age spectrum

In years past, millennials may have wanted the true “big city” experience until they realized how much it was going to cost. Now, the urban vibe is available in many more states, and businesses not being open around the clock may no longer be a drag for young people looking to relocate. Charlotte, North Carolina; Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Nashville, Tennessee – sometimes referred to as “18-hour cities”are just a few places where millennials are finding the city atmosphere (and job opportunities) they want at prices they can afford. In 2016, it was cities including Greensboro, North Carolina; Saint Paul, Minnesota; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Detroit, Michigan, that had the youngest new residents ranging from 23 to 24 years old. Cities like Greensboro are known for their metropolitan energy and thriving communities – and a below-average cost of living. Other cities could be experiencing the opposite effect though. Stockton, California; Newark, New Jersey; and St. Petersburg, Florida, had the oldest new residents, ranging from 34 to 38 years old on average.

States appealing to millennials on the move

Despite skyrocketing costs of living and occasionally overcrowded living conditions, states like California, Michigan, and New York are still popular destinations for millennials on the move. But one state managed to beat them all for the highest percentage of millennial newcomers in 2016: Minnesota. It might get more than a little cold in this Midwest region, but Minnesota’s position as one of the best states in America for quality of life, a booming economic climate, and a strong metropolitan scene made it the premier destination for millennials in 2016. Louisiana, Wisconsin, and Ohio also ranked among the most popular states for millennials recently willing to relocate.

A different type of city life

The go-to cities and states for millennials looking for job opportunities, community atmosphere, and even the scenic outdoors aren’t exclusive to a select number of overpriced locations. In reality, every corner of the country has its own pockets of younger residents who’ve helped imbue the best parts of urban life. Places like Sunnyvale, California (home to tech giants like Google and Facebook), still accounted for a vast majority of millennial relocations on the West Coast, but in the South, it’s a different situation. More than 70 percent of newcomers to Arlington, Virginia, were millennials in 2016, followed by nearly 65 percent in Newport News, Virginia, and over 61 percent in Norfolk. Virginia offers new residents plenty of opportunity for booming locals due to its quality of life and positive business growth. New Haven, Connecticut, saw more millennial movement than Boston or Jersey City, and Madison, Wisconsin, proved more popular than Minneapolis, Cincinnati, or Chicago.

Importing Talent

If there’s one industry that’s had a profound impact on migration patterns it’s technology. While the cities and states enjoying a positive influx of residents and employees have continued to expand, even immigration into the U.S. is owed in a large part to the availability of tech jobs in popular regions. Millennials coming from outside the U.S. were more likely to land in Berkeley, California, than any other city in 2016. Berkeley ”home to the University of California” is just steps away from Silicon Valley. Nearly 74 percent of new international residents moving to Berkeley were millennials. Tempe, Arizona; Omaha, Nebraska; and Durham, North Carolina, saw similar migration patterns from millennials in 2016.

Settling in, not settling down

Millennials may not be moving as often as generations before them, but they know having the best job opportunities can mean being willing to relocate – sometimes thousands of miles away. Instead of flocking to major metropolitan areas where the cost of living has exploded, though, young people are finding their urban communities in new and surprising locations.

Methodology

To compile the data used in this article, we looked at the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2016 population estimates. We calculated the percentage of new millennial residents by finding out the numbers of 20- to 34-year-olds relative to the entire population that moved from out of state. We considered only people who moved from out of state, exclusive of those abroad, unless otherwise noted.

Sources

• http://time.com/money/4669294/millennials-moving-housing-marriage-family/
• https://www.forbes.com/places/nd/
• http://www.businessinsider.com/affordable-cities-for-new-grads-to-start-their-careers-2016-5#-2
• https://www.forbes.com/places/nc/greensboro/
• https://www.cnbc.com/2017/07/11/americas-10-most-expensive-states-to-live-in-2017.html
• https://www.forbes.com/places/mn/
• https://sf.curbed.com/2018/1/4/16851044/google-sunnyvale-new-offices-big-bjarke
• https://www.forbes.com/places/va/
• https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2017/12/08/six-u-s-cities-for-tech-savvy-millennials/#4b058b1f3073
• https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/08/technology/personaltech/why-silicon-valley-wouldnt-work-without-immigrants.html

This article was originally posted on Porch.com.

Arbor Mortgage Group was founded in 2007 in Bend, OR and is the leader of the Central Oregon mortgage industry. Rob Moore is Arbor’s co-founder and President and runs his company alongside his partner, Chris Starling. As business owners, Rob and Chris believe that in order to be the best in the industry, they need to fully understand their clients & partners. The best way to do so is to be active loan officers as well as run the business. This allows them to interact with clients and partners on a daily basis and see firsthand how the industry is behaving, what the real estate trends are and what clients are needing and wanting from their lender.

One thing that all of Arbor’s team members have in common is that they love what they do and also where they live. Several of them have relocated to Central Oregon from other cities, States and countries. This allows them to better understand their customers, as they have been in their shoes before. Moving and purchasing a home in a new area can be both exciting and confusing. Every person’s situation, background and goals are different. Arbor understands that no two houses are the same, no two clients are the same and no two mortgages are the same. With all of that uniqueness, Arbor strives to become a partner to their clients, guiding them through the home loan process and ensuring they both understand and feel comfortable with the transaction.

Since its inception, Arbor’s mission has been (and continues to be) to offer Personal, Positive & Professional service to all their clients and partners and they take great pride in doing just that. Their commitment to the Personal, Positive and Professional home loan experience is evident from the thousands of customers they have helped along the years and the increasing number of repeat clients they get.

If you are interested in purchasing a home or refinancing your existing home, reach out to Arbor Mortgage Group and one of their loan officers will be glad to help you find the right mortgage product for you and your family. Arbor offers conforming mortgages for purchase and refinances as well as FHA loans, VA loans, Oregon VA Loans, USDA Rural Loans, Jumbo Loans, Construction Loans, Homestyle Rehab Loans,  Home Equity Loans and Reverse Mortgages.

Please visit their website www.arbormg.com or call them directly at 541-323-0422.