Name: Lakeview, OR
Rating: 0.0

( 6 Ratings )

Living in Lakeview, OR

Ranks better than 74% of areas Follow

Population

2,559

Median Age

44.0 Years

Lakeview Area Facts

Lakeview has a Livability Score of 74_/100, which is considered excellent
Lakeview crime rates are 46% lower than the Oregon average
Cost of living in Lakeview is 17% lower than the Oregon average

What do the locals think about Lakeview?

75%

Family friendly

25%

Public transit is accessible

25%

Walkable to grocery stores

25%

Yards are well-kept

25%

Lots of parks

50%

Walkable to restaurants

Friendly neighbors

Safe at night

Pet friendly

Streets have sidewalks

50%

A quiet area

50%

Sense of community

Based on 4 votes from AreaVibes users. Take the poll

New Real Estate Listings in Lakeview Area

For Sale For Rent

Search

Search Homes for Sale in Lakeview, OR

See How Much House You Can Afford. Get Pre-Approved Today

Lakeview Reviews

Write a review about Lakeview Tell people what you like or don't like about Lakeview…

Another viewpoint on Lakeview 4 rating By Anonymous ( Feb 09, 2020) As a resident for almost 34 years, I've had some good times and a few not-so-good times in Lakeview. I'm compelled to write in defense of the place because the one other review, while quite wordy and with some truth, seems to have been written by someone who definitely did or do ...Read More es not have a very good time here.
For some perspective, perhaps I can mention that I spent my teens and 20s in the urban and suburban Puget Sound area, my 30s in rural Eastern WA, so I've had a variety of living experiences. I was a musician and music teacher; I'll say right off that the arts are not generally one of Lakeview's strong points, but I'll also say that the place is a great deal what an individual puts into it.
I thought briefly of titling my review "It's not so bad", partly to counter the negativity of the other review, partly to be humorous and also, frankly truthful. There are some drawbacks to living here. There's no music store, for one thing, although that might not bother you unless you'd like to have kids be able to go somewhere and rent or buy a band instrument. Or a guitar, for that matter.
It's true: there is only one big grocery store, a Safeway, and even it is smallish compared to ones in other places. There now is also a Dollar General, which people seem to like. The other review mentioned the plight of vegans and such. It's probably true that their choices are somewhat limited here, but what do they need besides stuff from the produce aisle?
The closest bigger town is Klamath Falls, 100 miles away. If you're that desperate for whatever and it's worth it to you to go that far (gas, time), that's what you do. We do have a lumber yard which is usually adequate, a really nice Ace Hardware, good builders and plumbers. Electricians are needed here at this time; often there's more work than the ones we have can get to as soon as you might like.
Night life: it's true that there's not much. There's an old movie theater which a local civic group has bought and has going on a limited basis. I don't know about nightclub-type places; there used to be more taverns and bars but I think they closed up largely because they weren't being used much any more. There are a couple still going. I frankly don't know what the average person does here of an evening --- unless there's a high school sporting event. Then, by golly, that's where a lot of them'll be.
There are, for the town's size, quite a number of eating places, I think. There could maybe be more variety; there's burgers, etc., Mexican, Chinese, pizza, Subway, and general fare. There's one or two a bit classier places.
There are quite a few hunters here. There's a nice ski hill maybe 10 minutes from town, Warner Canyon Ski Area; we were just there. It is wry inexpensive compared to bigger places and seems quite adequate for local enthusiasts. It has a chair lift and real nice people running it. Lakeview even had an Olympic medalist skier come out of here years ago.
There is a good hospital here and good doctors.
The other review said something about the Ruby Pipeline offering to run natural gas into town at no charge. I'm not sure that's true. It certainly would have been an expense to homeowners to switch over.
Another debatable point is wood heat. Wood is, unlike other heat mentioned, a renewable resource. With a modern, high efficiency wood stove, pollution is greatly reduced. True, there are some inefficient stoves still being used, and from where we live west of town there are sometimes days when there is quite a pall of smoke of smoke to be seen over town. Those days are rare.
Cowboys exist. Contrary to the other reviewer, they are not from days long gone. They are here now. The other reviewer is also mistaken about "the mentality of most of the Lakeview population." It is undeniably true that it is a largely-conservative town politically, but I for one am not among them and believe that the ratio is probably 3 or 4 to 1 "conservative " to "liberal" or independent. More important is the fact that we work together.
The dating scene (I don't recall how the other reviewer addressed that, but) I came here as a single parent, a widower. There was someone here for me, it turned out. I know of others who have also found their mate here. Maybe you won't; so go somewhere else.
The schools here do a good job, for the most part. I came here to teach music, especially band. It was difficult for some time, but during my best years I had some great students who were also athletes and scholars, whose parents were professional people and very supportive. The school system, afterna while, was also supportive. I have to admit that I'm not necessarily seeing that right now; if your kid is musically talented, the program would really appreciate them and you, and teachers would do their best for them, but on the other hand you might be better served elsewhere. The program is in a building phase.
The high school has the Daly Fund to offer, a scholarship which several kids earn each year that pays college tuition for up to four years. There are a couple of similar scholarships plus other smaller local ones. The school offers a basic curriculum with not too many frills but turns out well prepared graduates. Our grownup kids include two RNs, a web designer, a math teacher and a future attorney, all Lakeview HS grads.
We have a very nice library ?. We have good internet providers.
It has been fun to think about Lakeview's pros and cons! Yes, it has limitations. It is not a very diverse population, which is too bad, but it is largely nice people. I realized after a couple of years here that, when I'd walk down the street, my hand was often up, waving at an acquaintance also walking or driving by. As I said earlier, the town is largely what you put into it. So if you think you'd come here and just whine about what isn't here, don't come.
Or order it from Amazon! We have that. Read Less

Lakeview, Oregon, Established 1873, Not Much Has Changed Since 0.5 rating By Laughable_At_Best ( Dec 17, 2017) The opportunity to write a review about Lakeview, Oregon couldn't be resisted. This review is from the perspective of a well traveled individual who is an idealist, but when it is time to be a realist is equally fair. As stated in the title, Lakeview, Oregon was officially recogn ...Read More ized when the Post Office was established some time in 1873. Having a Post Office was one of the requirements of becoming recognized as a town or city, and established an official date entered in the federal register. The post office was located at Tenbrook Ranch, south of present day Lakeview. Wikipedia has an accurate accounting of historical data (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakeview,_Oregon).There are two major highways intersecting in Lakeview, Oregon. US highway 395 and Oregon highway 140 intersect at the north central area of the town. There are a few restaurants, a hardware store and a grocery store near the intersection. From the intersection the travel options are continue north or south on US Hwy 395, or west on OR Hwy 140. If one travels north on US Hwy 395 approximately 5 miles OR Hwy 140 separates from US Hwy 395 and travels east.As a traveler enters the town it takes micro-moments before one realizes the culture advancements. There are several tall cowboys on each major through fare, stood similar to a billboard toting a cowboy hat, belt buckle, cowboy boots, denim jeans, western shirt, bandanna, and fully equipped ammunition belt with pistol and holster. Make no mistake, this clearly indicates the mentality of most of the Lakeview population. The biggest event is the County Fair which boasts 114,031 attendees. That count is the result of prestidigitation and legerdemain and by no under estimate clearly represents the inner workings of the populace on multiple platforms.The cowboy representation is clearly from days long gone but also clearly marks the resistance to and stubbornness against change. There is a strong dichotomy of classes, those who seem to have a shallow and disproportionate perspective for the future of the town and its inhabitants in order to remain in control, and the few who have been solid community pillars suggesting community change for growth and stability. It is quite evident that a number of poorly executed investments largely influence and haunt the continuing community deficiencies.As one example regarding the mentality of area land owners and politicians, during July 4 - 8 of 2012 the hang glider Festival Of Free Flight was held in the area. The mesa referred to as Sugar Hill was one of the most notable hang gliding cliffs. Rumor has it when the festival was scheduled, land owners/investors built a small, fully equipped Recreational Vehicle park near the town center. That RV park was used ONCE and it was for that particular event. It has sat vacant ever since, going unused for any purpose, and which becomes a tax burden on the community much like any vacant business entity. If you know basic political economic structure you are able to understand how this works (or doesn't work, actually). That lot would be ideal for the Tiny House movement and offer affordable and reliable housing to people who work at several of the federal and state facilities located in or around the area.The housing industry in Lakeview, Oregon is the epitome of insufficient. There are many rentals available, but nowhere near the monthly rates being asked. The houses are old, built at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Many lack foundations, or the foundations are crumbling beneath them. Many of the rental units are a conversion of garages or attics with insufficient insulation for the cold, high desert, winter climate. Many houses are leaky or drafty. There are three types of heating available: oil/kerosene, electric. and wood burning stoves. Sometime around 2014 the Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline project connected the Ruby Pipeline project from Opal, Wyoming to Malin, Oregon and eventually to Coos Bay, Oregon. During that project rumor has it the city was offered to have the pipeline upgraded to divert natural gas to the city perimeter. This was supposedly at no additional fee to the tax payers. Although natural gas is the cheapest and most reliable heating source, the city declined. In 2013 the Pacific Power Oregon Solar Incentive Program provided renewable energy to Lakeview. However, this was at an expense to the tax payers, and the solar project has not reduced rates nor improved electrical failures in the service area. One should take the time to review the benefactors of the solar project versus the pipeline project for a greater understanding.Lakeview, Oregon has previously been identified as a toxic city having been a former uranium-ore processing site with a facility located approximately 1.5 miles north- northwest of the town. The uranium milling process produced radioactive tailings beginning in the 1950's and lasting through the 1960's. In 1976 elevated radioactivity and contaminated-material burial sites were discovered. Remediation of the Lakeview Mill site began in 1986 and concluded in 1989. The groundwater will be monitored biennial until 2013 and afterwards every five years. Following my arrival to Lakeview, Oregon in 2016, unfamiliar with the history, jokingly I asked if there was something in the water that affected peopled. Recently that question was answered.Lakeview is situated in the Goose Lake Valley at the foot of the Warner Mountains and at the edge of Oregon's high desert country. Its economy is based on agriculture, lumber production, and government activities, although the lumber production is residually defunct. Regarding agriculture, that is a passive term for ranchers and rednecks. Please refer to the "Rickets" family of cowboys presented at each of the entrances of the "Tallest Town In Oregon". A small group of residents refer to the annoying cowboys as Rickets family members due to the bow-legged impairment often representative of cowboys.The Warner Creek Correctional Facility is situated north of Lakeview, Oregon. It is a minimum security facility which opened in September 2005. All inmates housed at WCCF are scheduled for release within four years. This facility is most notable for it's energy efficient design that utilizes geothermal energy to provide hot water and heat to the prison. Apparently the State wasn't buying into the local utilities monopoly and instead resorted to the use of mother nature to provide energy to the prison. The area is known for its active geothermal properties and boasts an assortment of hot springs across the region.Lakeview, Oregon hosts several federal agencies: USDA Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and US Fish and Wildlife. The Fremont-Winema National Forest in managed by the USDA Forest Service. The Bureau of Land Management manages public lands, and the Fish and Wildlife manage public wildlife and fishery. Those federal agencies are the top employers in the county. The agencies also provide fire support to south central Oregon and the surrounding area.With little or no surprise, Lakeview and Lake county shot down growth opportunities effectively eliminating growth opportunity from its citizenry once again. Instead of making an investment for the community and tax payers like it had in many previous failed efforts, the cannabis industry had an opportunity to flourish. The councils and boards, being the "Christians" that they claim to be were not interested in being "the one" who brought "devil weed" every street corner of the town. They chose to put a ballot initiative in the election, unlike the arbitrary decisions previously that the same group refused to allow go to a vote. Hypocrites.Eventually The 42nd Group cannabis production facility in Lakeview finally began to move forward following much heated debate involving those who obviously had seen far too many "Refer Madness" type propaganda films. What is striking to me is how the McFarland Door Factory was included in the original plans then suddenly changed due to the partnership dissolution (of MDF?). Read the Lake County Examiner article "42nd Group plans move forward" (http://www.lakecountyexam.com/news/lake_county/nd-group-plans-move-forward/article_01ba3738-067d-11e6-8380-474746b6bb39.html.If you are a DIY person plan plenty of trips to Klamath Falls or Bend to visit the Home Depot for reasonably priced and accessible supplies. While there, plan on visiting the supermarkets for anything more than very basic, better than minimal quality consumables. If your tools and supplies, or dietary needs are minimal and primarily meat and potatoes or chips and soda look no further than the Lakeview local outlets. Otherwise plan on 4 to 6 hours of road time whenever substantial supplies are necessary.There are plenty of "Greasy Spoon" restaurants in Lakeview. For vegetarian delights, expect nothing more than frozen veg-all to be stuffed in a corn tortilla, microwaved and put on a plate. A three piece vegetable plate at one Diner will cost $13 excluding tip. That is about 6 ounces of frozen carrots, broccoli, beans, peas, or cauliflower, which ever was thawed earlier and placed in a steamer. Only in Lakeview is frozen vegetables considered "fresh" daily vegetables.There are plenty of "Best In Town" opportunities for several eats. There is the "Best In Town" for donuts, chinese, pizza and "broasted chicken". That is simply because those are the only establishments hosting a variety of top notch eats. There is a small establishment serving top-notch Friday night toasted chicken and beef located on the north-west side of town. That place truly has some delicious smoked meats. It is almost enough to make a vegan venture off to an occasional Paleolithic diet.For those who are outdoors types, catch fresh stream and pond fish for food, hunt for food, are minimalists or survivalists, Lakeveiw would probably be quite suitable. There are plenty of outdoor opportunities with state and federal parks to enjoy. The mountains are only a few minutes' drive, as is the high desert. This is an excellent opportunity for those who enjoy living among the creatures. When in the high desert one may likely encounter rattlesnakes, rabbits, coyotes, and other known desert animals. In the forest it is similar expect the encounters may include forest type animals including deer, elk, fishers, coyotes, mountain lions, wolves, and other forest type animals.For those who enjoy gazing at the night sky with or without visual supplements, this is also an excellent opportunity. Practically anywhere outside the city offers complete darkness except the light from heavenly bodies such as the moon, stars, planets, etc.This certainly is a place where one can connect with nature and the meta-physical realm on a deeply profound level.If you are a single person, Lakeview is certainly not recommended if you are interested in meeting a viable partner other than the types referenced above. The common joke is that divorce in Lakeview just means you lost your turn. But don't worry, its a small place. It won't take long before your turn comes up again.Night life in Lakeview, Oregon consists of very little. There are a few (and I mean very few) options. There is an astounding number of people who are daily consumers of alcohol. Many people in Lakeview are overweight to the point of being unhealthily obese. Although it is located in heart of the Warner Mountains, Fremont-Winema National Forest, and national wildlife refuges few take advantage of the health benefits.Lakeview seems to be a relatively safe place to raise a child up to the age of 12 or 13 when they need more exposure to reality outside a cowboy town. Some of the teenagers carry footballs and other instruments that they throw at the wildlife as it wanders through town grazing. The deer roam abundantly through the town and share neighborhoods with the California Quail (Callipepla californa) Read Less

Show All Reviews