Oregon, in the country’s Pacific Northwest, is a land of green forests, rugged mountains, quiet seashores, hipster culture, excellent wineries, and plenty of year-round opportunities for outdoor activities. Portland has its bicycles, coffee, farm-to-table restaurants, and microbreweries, but much of the state is covered in National Forests and Parks. For many Oregonians, the outdoors and outdoor activities are central parts of life.

In between the urban and the less-populated areas, there are vibrant communities — a balance of metropolitan cities, small towns, rural farming villages, and some of the best places to live in the country. Logging, fishing, and agriculture ones ruled the Beaver State economy, but today, Oregon’s manufacturing, service, and technology industries are leading the way. Job growth in Oregon is among the nation’s highest; however wage growth is below average.