The largest city in Southern Oregon has long been a gateway to a dizzying bounty of America’s northern West Coast greatest hits—from Crater Lake to the northeast, the theater lovers’ pilgrimage to the city of Ashland and, more recently, the vineyards of the Rogue Valley. With more than 200 days of annual sunshine, easy access to the wild Rogue River, striking waterfalls and lush rainforest, Medford was always happy to be basecamp for the legions of mountain bikers, hikers, golfers and fishing enthusiasts. The volume of sites is surely a reason why the city ranks #27 for Connectivity. The Medford Airport has been growing steadily and topped 1 million passengers last year. But the city offers myriad reasons to stay a while—maybe permanently. The area’s economic development leaders are increasingly talking about being a Pacific Northwest business hub, while recent resident and actor Jim Belushi is helping restore the city’s historic Holly Theater into a 1,000-seat venue that will reignite the city’s downtown.