About Corvallis, Oregon

Slideshow: "Corvallis: A Unique Quality of Life"

Corvallis is a beautiful college town nestled in the heart of the Willamette Valley. An hour's drive of the Pacific Coast and two hours from the Cascades and high desert, Corvallis is an ideal site to live and work. Corvallis embodies the spirit of the Northwest, with beautiful natural surroundings, friendly citizens, and an outstanding quality of life. It is one of the safest places to live—clean, friendly, and family-oriented.

But you don't need to take our word for it -- check out the 2004 edition of Sperling's Cities Ranked and Rated. Out of 400 Metropolitan Areas Evaluated in the U.S. and Canada, Corvallis was ranked 10th overall. The categories used for evaluation include economy and jobs, cost of living, climate, education, arts and culture.

Just 90 minutes south of the "Silicon Forest" in the Portland area, Corvallis is located in Benton County, a vital regional center for higher education, industrial technology, engineering, research, commerce, and health care.

Corvallis residents know how to enjoy spectacular beauty and open spaces. Surrounded by forests, mountains, farmland, the Willamette River, meandering streams and the city's greenbelt, recreational activities are endless. Benton County contains more than 50 parks and designated preserves, public and private recreational facilities, four golf courses, more than 60 miles of bike and running paths, and the state's largest bike lane system.

The 500-acre Oregon State University campus is the state's oldest institution of higher education and the center of much of the city's activities. Activities on the park-like campus include theater productions, concerts, films, art exhibits, and college sports. Bookstores, restaurants, and other shops line the edge of campus.

Corvallis has one of the mildest climates in the nation. Spring, fall, and summer temperatures range from the upper 50s to upper 80s, and mid-winter temperatures are typically in the 40s. OK, it rains here. But the average annual precipitation is 40 inches, lower than 32 other states. And sleet or snow of more than one inch happens an average of one day a year or less. The summers are unbeatable!