If you dream of living on the coast with perfect temperatures and impeccable views, the Oregonian city of Coos Bay will fulfill your dream. Coos Bay offers a little bit of city life, a little bit of country life and a whole lot of coastal life! Sitting on the pristine bay, the city offers many opportunities for career choices, recreational activities, and shopping adventures.
It’s the family-friendly environment and charming way of life that typically draws people to the shores of Coos Bay. They often discover that everything they had been missing was waiting for them in this spectacular Oregonian coastal city.
If you will allow me to, I want to walk you through the basic details on everything there is to know about Coos Bay, Oregon. While I cannot possibly cover everything that this fabulous town has to offer, I can show you what you need to know should you decide to uproot everything in your life and move to Coos Bay.
This may sound a bit cliche, but Coos Bay really is a “diamond in the ruff”.
Coos Bay is located on the central Oregon coast. It’s approximately 223 miles soutwest of Portland (3 hours and 50 minute drive) and has an elevation of 30 feet. If you fly into Portland and rent a car, you will have a beautiful drive down I5 through Salem and Eugene, then cutting over to the coast after Eugene.
As I have already clarified, Coos Bay is a special place. It may further interest you to know that Coos Bay is the largest city on the Oregon coast! (Don’t worry; it’s not TOO large of a city. Many areas in the United States would refer to the city’s population as a large town.)
The population of the city has approximately 16,100 people. That isn’t too bad, right? It’s the perfect combination of enjoying the “city life” while not comprising the serene “coastal life”. (And when I refer to “coastal life”, I am not referring to Miami’s coastal life. Think of calm beaches, no crowds, open spaces to roam freely while breathing in the rich, saltwater air while the laidback sound of seagulls fly overhead. This is Oregon’s coastal life; not Florida’s.)
And if you enjoy reading population statistics, I have compiled a list of percentages. As I always say, it’s important to understand your surroundings; especially when you move to a new area.
When I create these lists, I always make sure to include the largest nearby city. In this case, Roseburg is the next largest city in close proximity to Coos Bay. (Also keep in mind that different routes may add miles to the city’s distance.)
Furthermore, the city shares a border with North Bend AND it’s sectioned into four distinct districts: Marshfield, Milner Crest, Eastside, and Empire. The districts of Eastside and Empire were once individual cities until they grew into Coos bay. And honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if North Bend eventually joins Coos Bay as the fifth district since they now share a border.
Coos Bay is, well, located on a bay! It overlooks the giant and vast Pacific Ocean on the Coos Bay Peninsula in southwestern Oregon. In fact, the area is often referred to as Oregon’s Bay Area since it includes several city and town systems. Coos Bay is also rather hilly. Some areas of its landscape may be at sea level while other areas extend 500 feet above sea level. Let’s just say this: Should you enjoy bike riding, you will certainly get a work out riding a bike in Coos Bay!
Within the city limits, there are also a few water systems such as Lake Merritt, Upper Pony Creek Reservoir, and Empire Lakes. (The fishing here is incredible!)
As for the climate, Coos Bay encounters warm summers with some cool days mixed in. Summer temperatures rarely go above 72 degrees Fahrenheit. By definition, Coos Bay has the traditional Mediterranean climate with the exception of plentiful rainfall. Coos bay receives healthy doses of rain every year. It receives, on average, 65 inches of rain per year.
The area also encounters some fierce coastal storms during the wintertime. Sometimes, the gale force from these storms reach the levels of hurricane strength.
Interestingly, unlike most of Oregon, Coos Bay does not receive much snow. In fact, on a yearly basis, it averages less than an inch of snow! Coos Bay is known for its plentiful rainfall and mild temperatures year round.
Before European Americans ventured to the Oregon Coast, members of the Native American tribes lived in the area. These tribes included the Coos, Coquille, Siuslaw and Lower Umpqua. It wasn’t until 1852 that European Americans finally settled in the area. In 1857, the first Methodist church was established. By this point, the settlement was known as Marshfield. By 1871, the post office was set up which brought the Coos Bay Wagon Road. This is when the town really started to grow. The town continued to be called Marshfield until 1944 when its name was changed to Coos Bay. The name change pleased the local residents as it matched the name of the bay.
For hundreds of years, the bay has been a source of commercial activities as it once used to be very difficult to travel by land to Coos Bay. It wasn’t until the development of the railway in the early 1900s that helped bring more traffic into the area. It was also around this time when the town began to prosper in mining and shipping coal and shipbuilding. The ability to travel by way of the Pacific Ocean and by land brought only success for Coos Bay.
Furthermore, if you really desire to move to Coos Bay, I have great news for you! Not only is the cost of living VERY affordable, but the real estate is VERY affordable. In fact, Coos Bay offers some of the most inexpensive home prices in the state.
The median home cost for a single-family, three bedroom and two bathroom house is approximately $191,000! Even better? The home appreciation value is up by 10% in Coos Bay! When you consider the overall home prices in the state of Oregon, this is like finding gold in a bucket of sand. My advice? Take advantage of the opportunity and find your dream home!
In addition to these details, the average house age in Coos Bay is 49 years of age. AND if you’re not quite ready to make a long-term purchase, the rental market in Coos Bay is also very healthy. Nearly 40% of the city’s population chooses to rent rather than buy. You can rent houses and apartments as they’re both available in Coos Bay.
Be sure to also read our Coos Bay Oregon Real Estate Guide.
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