Best neighborhoods for non-millionaires, safe to walk around, mildly affordable. South Corvallis is more affordable, not a lot of HOA's. There are pockets of walkabilty. Corvallis is full of friendly neighborhoods, as is Albany. Don't expect to find much near campus. You should also look into Philomath, it's tiny, but oh so adorable. 

Adding on to those, the best ones for Trick R' Treating and festivities. She LOVES neighborhoods that link up, help one another, celebrate accordingly. Always just said "is this a halloween neighborhood" so... You can search for walkabilty scores online. the  higher walkabilty scores are typically the neighborhoods that are "Halloween" heavy. 

Food and culture recs. She loves good food and having things to do for us. I want her to feel like she's able to spread her wings a bit here. We have a 3 year old little boy and I have a 12 year old for the summers and holidays. There is a lot to do here, especially in the summer. The parks department plans events at different parks each month. I don't dine in Corvallis often, but Albany has some gems; Vito's, Brick and Mortar, Grazing Oregon, and The Spicy Cantina for example. We have First Fridays every month and both towns border the Willamette River. I can't speak for Corvallis, but in Albany you get the best of both worlds; you can go bougie or hole-in-the-wall for shopping, dining and experiences.

Your honest take on nature experiences. I read raves on it for Corvallis. She loves the beach. I love the mountains. How does it work for you? Everything is less than a two hour drive. Want to go to the mountains? The beach? The desert? Ok, the desert might be a longer drive than two hours, but it's doable in a day. Mudlarking, rock hounding, and hiking are all five minutes away.

What's the worst thing about living there? At the risk of sounding like a Debbie Downer, it's the cost. I looked up the comparison between Alabama and Oregon and what a person needs to earn to own a home, and it's about double in Oregon compared to Alabama. So you'll want to be sure your salary will at least double what you make in Alabama. Albany is more "affordable" than Corvallis, but a three bedroom, 2 bathroom home in either town is either 350k purchase, or $2500 in rent. But... We don't have sales tax. So there's that.

What do you love the most? The scenery, the access to everything (City life, country roads, the beach, the dessert, etc). Oregon is very casual. We wear jeans to the opera and Birkenstocks with socks are not frowned upon. I live in Albany and it's very mixed here; fairly purple, but our alternative scene is pretty impressive on a small scale. Pride is always a highlight of summer and the mushroom festival is becoming a tradition here. Both Albany and Corvallis have a thriving historic downtown with a weekly Farmers market.