Californians turned Medford into a retirement mecca.

Now a Texas magazine is making a pitch sure to excite Rogue Valley real estate agents and builders.

Where to Retire magazine profiles five American cities in each of its bi-monthly editions. The editors liked the pear city so much when they visited in 1998 that they came back for seconds.

The March-April issue fairly gushes about the mellow city of Medford for eight pages, highlighting the slower pace newcomers can expect in the Rogue Valley.

"We’ve been aware that Medford has been popular," says Where to Retire Editor Mary Lu Abbott. "It’s been on our radar for a long time"

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The magazine also details open space in Jackson Hole, Wyo., the high-tech pleasure of Dunedin on Florida’s Gulf Coast, the college connection at Fayetteville, Ark., and the undiscovered haven of rural Sussex County in southern Delaware.

The magazine knew its target audience well enough to unleash a Los Angeles refugee, Carole Jacobs, to detail the California/Southern Oregon contrasts.

"For many who are looking to get out of the fast lane, Medford has proven the right exit to a less hectic lifestyle in retirement," Jacobs writes. "It’s easygoing, and its weather surprises many who think all the Pacific Northwest is soggy."

Climate and outdoor recreation top the list of attractions, but from the California perspective it doesn’t end there.

"California urbanites (are) eager to trade in a high-stress lifestyle for a slower pace, friendly neighbors, beautiful scenery, exceptional medical care and housing prices far lower than pricey California."

No Rogue Valley native could appreciate that final line, but the magazine isn’t written for long-time locals.

The article leads with Carole Allen, 61, a native of Oakland who most recently lived in Marin County.

"Carole says she enjoys being close to forests and mountains and she likes to drive through the countryside. ‘It’s so neat to be able to hop on all these scenic highways, and you’re the only one on the road.’ "

Real estate agent Melinda Peterson notes not everyone thinks local houses are a bargain.

"Folks coming from places like Idaho, Washington, Montana and Colorado are actually quite shocked by our prices," Peterson told the magazine "We don’t have the industry or high-paying jobs to sustain housing prices at that level."

East Coast natives Walt and Madeline Swain moved from Victorville, Calif., to Medford last October. They enjoy the sense of community but lament that flying out of Medford costs more than in San Francisco or Portland.

Again, that’s a perspective that might not be shared by residents who remember really high fares when the city was served by two airlines instead of four.

The article details climate, taxes, education, transportation and senior housing as well.

Reach reporter Greg Stiles at 776-4463 or e-mail business@mailtribune.com.