The USA Cycling Masters Road National Championships held in Bend in the past two years may have attracted more than just visitors.

They may have also attracted future residents, according to a study released by Visit BendTuesday.

Nearly 900 people participated in the road-cycling championships held Sept. 5-9, according to the survey conducted for Visit Bend and USA Cycling by RRC Associates of Boulder, Colo. About two-thirds of them completed the survey.

Approximately 97 percent of the participants came from outside the region, with the largest percentage of out-of-state visitors from California, followed by Washington. Nearly half of those surveyed said they would consider relocating to Bend.

“A remarkably high 47 percent of those who had participated in the 2012 Masters Championships or another previous event in Bend had considered moving to Bend or purchasing real estate in Bend,” the study said.

In 2009, Visit Bend released a comparable survey conducted on competitors in a USA Cycling championship race. When asked whether they would consider moving or buying real estate in Bend as a result of their visits for the championships, 9 percent of event attendees answered “definitely yes,” and 45 percent answered “possibly yes.”

Doug La Placa, Visit Bend CEO and president, said the 2012 survey took the idea of relocating to Bend a step further by asking participants if they had taken action to move to Bend.

The report said 68 percent had pursued the idea in one or more ways including: looking at or purchasing real estate, checking job postings and discussing the idea with friends and family.

In the next survey, La Placa said Visit Bend would like to add the question, “Would you relocate your business to Bend?”

Carolyn Eagan, business advocate for the city of Bend, said the research company may have thought the percentage of people who would relocate to Bend was high, but she thinks it’s the norm.

“These events bring people whose interest and hobbies are what’s in line and easily accessible here,” Eagan said. “But we find anybody who comes to Bend, whether it’s to ski or just enjoy restaurants and breweries, will say, ‘Wow, I wish I could move to Bend.’ ”

While many want to move here, she said, they often can’t, in particular because there aren’t enough jobs.

“There’s so much opportunity for Bend to attract good, smart, interesting people,” she said. “It’s my job to figure out how to create the jobs so those people can start moving here.”

Referencing the report, she said 27 percent of the competitors earned an annual household income of $200,000 or more.

Deschutes County’s median household income last year was $46,894, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The total economic impact of the USA Cycling Masters Road National Championships in Central Oregon was $1.27 million.

Competitors averaged a five-night stay, with the majority booking lodging in Bend. They spent, on average, about $115 per person per day, the survey said.

“The larger your city gets, the more you can offer to tourists,” Eagan said. “Adding residents increases activity in town, so that adds to the value of coming to Bend for tourists.”