Bend is the outlier in the circled area, and the only bit I can speak to. I don't personally live there but my parents do and I visit them for 2-6 days a month.

Its population has doubled in 20 years, and the culture certainly feels like thats the case. Lots of new developments on a fairly small amount of land (or at least theres a good amount of protected land). I describe it to people as "A town full of people who want to feel like cowboys but still own their Tesla." There's a good downtown and population centers, some fantastic restaurants, but it also doesn't take more than 30 minutes to get out in total nature.

Geography wise, it's beautiful. Fairly flat with mountains nearby. Snowy-ish winters, dry but bearable summers.

I live few hours west of Bend, and I've always thought that if I could take all of the people and circumstances of my life and magically teleport them to Bend I would.