Gold Beach, Oregon
Gold Beach is a small town on the beautiful southern Oregon coast, just a few miles north of the California border. It has a population of about 1,800 people, the majority of hope are conservative. Acute and primarily working-class, Gold Beach is remote and can’t feel like the ends of the earth, particularly in winter. Yet it has a certain appeal, with its gorgeous ocean views and cool climate. The cost of living is roughly 10% above the national average, and the median home price is about $235,000. The median household income is below the national average, and of the population, 50% is 45 or better.
Gold Beach has been around since the mid-1800s, although it had a different name in its early days. It finally got the name Gold Beach when the precious metal was found in a nearby stream.
Although it is small, Gold Beach has its own hospital, Curry General Hospital, which is a Level IV adult trauma center. It, too, is small, with just 25 beds, but it accepts Medicaid and Medicare patients and meets national averages in nearly all areas.
Quiet and peaceful, Gold Beach does have a few good restaurants, a pharmacy and some specialty shop retailers. The local high school football program is also very active and a social center point for many people.
As might be expected, summers are cool, and winters are chilly. Fog is common, as is wind. The sun shines roughly 190 days of the year.
There is no public transit system, so it is necessary to have a car, although because it is such a small town, nothing is that far out of walking distance.
The town has not been growing, perhaps because of its isolated location, but for retirees seeking a small coastal town off the beaten path, Gold Beach may be just the ticket. It is charming and safe, with a crime rate well below the national average, and it is certainly authentic. Developers and large commercial interests have not yet discovered this seaside village.