The charts above come from a story in today's Oregonian about the economic travails that continue to plague Bend:
Once one of the nation's fastest-growing cities, Bend has shed thousands of jobs during the past two years. The number of families receiving food stamps has more than doubled. Last week, the state Employment Department reported Bend's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for December at 14 percent — higher than the statewide average of 11 and the national rate of 10… Bend was among the first places in Oregon to be swamped by the economic storm, but few here expect it will be among the first places coming out. Not real estate agents. Not business owners. Not social service providers. Not city officials. “In my personal opinion, we will be among the last places to recover,” Bend City Manager Eric King says.
The fact that the state now has the highest personal tax rate in the country doesn't inspire start ups or existing small businesses to relocate here, either.
via oregonlive.com