Monmouth, OR

Monmouth is a Willamette Valley city best known as the home of Western Oregon University. Its founding story is unusually direct: early settlers set aside land to build both a city and a college under the auspices of the Christian Church, and the university still gives Monmouth its defining rhythm. The city is served by the Central School District and sits near Independence, Salem, and the farm country of Polk County. Monmouth feels like a small college town with valley roots.