Oregon

Oregon
State
Flag Seal
Nickname: The Beaver State
Motto(s): Alis volat propriis (English: She flies with her own wings)
Anthem:Oregon, My Oregon
Map of the United States with Oregon highlighted
Country	United States
Before statehood	Oregon Territory
Admitted to the Union	February 14, 1859; 165 years ago(1859-02-14)(33rd)
Capital	Salem
Largest city	Portland
Largest county or equivalent	Multnomah
Largest metroandurbanareas	Portland
Government
•Governor	Tina Kotek(D)
•Secretary of State	LaVonne Griffin-Valade(D)[a]
Legislature	Legislative Assembly
•Upper house	State Senate
•Lower house	House of Representatives
Judiciary	Oregon Supreme Court
U.S. senators	Ron Wyden(D) Jeff Merkley(D)
U.S. House delegation	4 Democrats 2Republicans(list)
Area
• Total	98,381 sq mi (254,806 km2)
• Land	95,997 sq mi (248,849 km2)
• Water	2,384 sq mi (6,177 km2) 2.4%
• Rank	9th
Dimensions
• Length	360 mi (580 km)
• Width	400 mi (640 km)
Elevation	3,300 ft (1,000 m)
Highest elevation ( Mount Hood [1] [2] [b])	11,249 ft (3,428.8 m)
Lowest elevation (Pacific Ocean [2])	0 ft (0 m)
Population (2023)
• Total	4,233,358[3]
• Rank	27th
• Density	39.9/sq mi (15.0/km2)
• Rank	39th
•Median household income	$71,562[4]
• Income rank	18th
Demonym	Oregonian
Language
•Official language	De jure: none[5] De facto:English
Time zones
most of state	UTC−08:00(Pacific)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−07:00(PDT)
majority ofMalheur County	UTC−07:00(Mountain)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−06:00(MDT)
USPS abbreviation	OR
ISO 3166 code	US-OR
Traditional abbreviation	Ore.
Latitude	42° N to 46°18′ N
Longitude	116°28′ W to 124°38′ W
Website	oregon.gov
ASN	1798

State symbols of Oregon

List of state symbols
Flag of Oregon
Seal of Oregon
Motto	She Flies With Her Own Wings[6]
Living insignia
Bird	Western meadowlark(Sturnella neglecta)
Butterfly	Oregon swallowtail(Papilio machaon oregonia)
Crustacean	Dungeness crab (Metacarcinus magister)
Fish	Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)
Flower	Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium)
Grass	Bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata)
Insect	Oregon swallowtail (Papilio oregonius)
Mammal	American beaver (Castor canadensis)
Mushroom	Pacific golden chanterelle (Cantharellus formosus)
Tree	Douglas-fir
Inanimate insignia
Beverage	Milk
Dance	Square dance
Food	Pear (Pyrus)
Fossil	Metasequoia
Gemstone	Oregon sunstone
Rock	Thunderegg
Shell	Oregon hairy triton (Fusitriton oregonensis)
Soil	Jory soil
Other	Nut:Hazelnut
State route marker
State quarter
Released in 2005
Lists of United States state symbols

Oregon(/ˈɒrɪɡən,-ɡɒn/^ⓘORR-ih-ghən,-⁠gon)^[7][8]is astatein thePacific Northwestregion of the United States. It is a part of theWestern U.S., with theColumbia Riverdelineating much of Oregon's northern boundary withWashington, while theSnake Riverdelineates much of its eastern boundary withIdaho. The42° north paralleldelineates the southern boundary withCaliforniaandNevada. The western boundary is formed by thePacific Ocean.

Oregon has been home to manyindigenousnations for thousands of years. The first European traders, explorers, and settlers began exploring what is now Oregon's Pacific coast in the early to mid-16th century. As early as 1564, theSpanishbegan sending vessels northeast from thePhilippines, riding theKuroshio Currentin a sweeping circular route across the northern part of the Pacific. In 1592,Juan de Fucaundertook detailed mapping and studies of ocean currents in the Pacific Northwest, including the Oregon coast as well as thestraitnow bearing his name. TheLewis and Clark Expeditiontraversed Oregon in the early 1800s, and the first permanent European settlements in Oregon were established by fur trappers and traders. In 1843, an autonomous government was formed in theOregon Country, and theOregon Territorywas created in 1848. Oregon became the 33rd state of the U.S. on February 14, 1859.

Today, with 4.2 million people over 98,000 square miles (250,000 km²), Oregon is theninth largestand27th most populousU.S. state. The capital,Salem, is the third-most populous city in Oregon, with 175,535 residents.^[9]Portland, with 652,503, ranks as the 26th among U.S. cities. ThePortland metropolitan area, which includes neighboring counties in Washington, is the 25th largest metro area in the nation, with a population of 2,512,859. Oregon is also one of the most geographically diverse states in the U.S.,^[10]marked by volcanoes, abundant bodies of water, dense evergreen and mixed forests, as well ashigh desertsand semi-aridshrublands. At 11,249 feet (3,429 m),Mount Hoodis the state's highest point. Oregon's only national park,Crater Lake National Park, comprises thecalderasurroundingCrater Lake, the deepest lake in the U.S. The state is also home to the singlelargest organismin the world,Armillaria ostoyae, a fungus that runs beneath 2,200 acres (8.9 km²) of theMalheur National Forest.^[11]

Oregon's economy has historically been powered by various forms of agriculture, fishing, logging, andhydroelectricpower. Oregon is the toplumberproducer of thecontiguous U.S., with the lumber industry dominating the state's economy during the 20th century.^[12]Technology is another one of Oregon's major economic forces, beginning in the 1970s with the establishment of theSilicon Forestand the expansion ofTektronixandIntel. Sportswear companyNike, Inc., headquartered inBeaverton, is the state's largest public corporation with an annual revenue of $46.7 billion.^[13]

The origin of the state's name is uncertain. The earliest geographical designation "orejón" (meaning "big ear") comes from the Spanish historical chronicleRelación de la Alta y Baja California(1598),^[14]written by Rodrigo Montezuma ofNew Spain; here it refers to the region of theColumbia Riveras it was encountered by the first Spanish scouts. The "j" in the Spanish phrase "El Orejón" was eventually corrupted into a "g".^[15]

Another possible source is the Spanish wordoregano, which refers to a plant that grows in the southern part of the region.

It is also possible that the area around the Columbia River was named after a stream inSpaincalled "Arroyo del Oregón", located in the province ofCiudad Real.

Another early use of the name, spelledOuragon, was by MajorRobert Rogersin a 1765 petition to theKingdom of Great Britain. The term referred to the then-mythical River of the West (the Columbia River). By 1778, the spelling had shifted toOregon.^[16]Rogers wrote:

...from the Great Lakes towards the Head of the Mississippi, and from thence to the River called by the Indians Ouragon...^[17]

One suggestion is that this name comes from the French wordouragan("windstorm" or "hurricane"), which was applied to the River of the West based on Native American tales of powerfulChinook windson the lower Columbia River, or perhaps from first-hand French experience with the Chinook winds of theGreat Plains. At the time, the River of the West was thought to rise in western Minnesota and flow west through the Great Plains.^[18]

Another suggestion comes fromJoaquin Miller, who wrote inSunsetmagazinein 1904:

The name, Oregon, is rounded down phonetically, fromOuve água—Oragua, Or-a-gon, Oregon—given probably by the same Portuguese navigator that named the Farallones after his first officer, and it literally, in a large way, means cascades: "Hear the waters." You should steam up the Columbia and hear and feel the waters falling out of the clouds ofMount Hoodto understand entirely the full meaning of the nameOuve a água, Oregon.^[19]

Yet another account, endorsed as the "most plausible explanation" in the bookOregon Geographic Names, was advanced byGeorge R. Stewartin a 1944 article inAmerican Speech. According to Stewart, the name came from an engraver's error in a French map published in the early 18th century, on which theOuisiconsink (Wisconsin) Riverwas spelled "Ouaricon-sint", broken on two lines with the-sintbelow, so there appeared to be a river flowing to the west named "Ouaricon".

According to theOregon Tourism Commission, present-day Oregonians/ˌɒrɪˈɡoʊniənz/^[20]pronounce the state's name as "or-uh-gun, never or-ee-gone".^[21]After being drafted by theDetroit Lionsin 2002, formerOregon DucksquarterbackJoey Harringtondistributed "Orygun" stickers to members of the media as a reminder of how to pronounce the name of his home state.^[22][23]The stickers are sold by theUniversity of Oregon Bookstore.^[24]

While there is considerable evidence thatPaleo-Indiansinhabited the region, the oldest evidence of habitation in Oregon was found atFort Rock Caveand thePaisley CavesinLake County. ArchaeologistLuther Cressmandated material from Fort Rock to 13,200 years ago,^[25]and there is evidence supporting inhabitants in the region at least 15,000 years ago.^[26]By 8000 BC, there were settlements throughout the state, with populations concentrated along the lower Columbia River, in the western valleys, and around coastal estuaries.

During theprehistoric period, theWillamette Valleyregion was flooded after the collapse of glacial dams from thenLake Missoula, located in what would later becomeMontana. These massive floods occurred during thelast glacial periodand filled the valley with 300 to 400 feet (91 to 122 m) of water.^[27]

By the 16th century, Oregon was home to many Native American groups, including theChinook,Coquille(Ko-Kwell),Bannock,Kalapuya,Klamath,Klickitat,Molala,Nez Perce,Shasta,Takelma,Umatilla, andUmpqua.^{[28][29][30][31]}

The first Europeans to visit Oregon were Spanish explorers led byJuan Rodríguez Cabrillo, who sighted southern Oregon off the Pacific coast in 1543.^[32]Sailing from Central America on theGolden Hindin 1579 in search of theStrait of Anianduringhis circumnavigation of the Earth, the English explorer and privateer SirFrancis Drakebriefly anchored atSouth Cove, Cape Arago, just south ofCoos Bay, before sailing for what is now California.^[33][34]Martín de Aguilar, continuing separately fromSebastián Vizcaíno's scouting of California, reached as far north asCape Blancoand possibly to Coos Bay in 1603.^[35][36]Exploration continued routinely in 1774, starting with the expedition of the frigateSantiagobyJuan José Pérez Hernández, and the coast of Oregon became a valuable trade route to Asia. In 1778, British captainJames Cookalso explored the coast.^[37]

French Canadians,Scots,Métis, and other continental natives (e.g.Iroquois) trappers arrived in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, soon to be followed by Catholic clergy. Some traveled as members of theLewis and Clarkand Astor Expeditions. Few stayed permanently such as Étienne Lussier, often referred to as the first "European" farmer in the state of Oregon. Evidence of the French Canadian presence can be found in numerous names of French origin such asMalheur Lake, theMalheur,Grande Ronde, andDeschutes Rivers, and the city ofLa Grande. Furthermore, many of the early pioneers first came out West with theNorth West Companyand theHudson's Bay Companybefore heading South of the Columbia for better farmland as the fur trade declined.French Prairieby theWillamette RiverandFrench Settlementby theUmpqua Riverare known as early mixed ancestry settlements.

The Lewis and Clark Expedition traveled through northern Oregon also in search of theNorthwest Passage. They built their winter fort in 1805–1806 atFort Clatsop, near the mouth of the Columbia River, staying at the encampment from December until March.^[38]

British explorerDavid Thompsonalso conducted overland exploration. In 1811, while working for the North West Company, Thompson became the first European to navigate the entire Columbia River.^[39]Stopping on the way, at the junction of the Snake River, he posted a claim to the region forGreat Britainand the North West Company. Upon returning toMontreal, he publicized the abundance of fur-bearing animals in the area.^[40]

Also in 1811, New YorkerJohn Jacob Astorfinanced the establishment ofFort Astoriaat the mouth of the Columbia River as a western outpost to hisPacific Fur Company;^[41]this was the first permanent European settlement in Oregon.

In theWar of 1812, theBritishgained control of all Pacific Fur Company posts. TheTreaty of 1818established joint British and American occupancy of the region west of the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. By the 1820s and 1830s, the Hudson's Bay Company dominated the Pacific Northwest from itsColumbia Districtheadquarters atFort Vancouver(built in 1825 by the district's chief factor,John McLoughlin, across the Columbia from present-dayPortland).

In 1841, the expert trapper and entrepreneurEwing Youngdied leaving considerable wealth and no apparent heir, and no system toprobatehis estate. A meeting followed Young's funeral, at which a probate government was proposed.^[42]DoctorIra BabcockofJason Lee'sMethodist Missionwas elected supreme judge.^[43]Babcock chaired two meetings in 1842 atChampoeg, (halfway between Lee's mission andOregon City), to discusswolvesand other animals of contemporary concern. These meetings were precursors to anall-citizen meetingin 1843, which instituted a provisional government headed by anexecutive committeemade up ofDavid Hill,Alanson Beers, andJoseph Gale.^[44]This government was the first acting public government of theOregon Countrybefore annexation by the government of the United States. It was succeeded by a Second Executive Committee, made up ofPeter G. Stewart,Osborne Russell, andWilliam J. Bailey, and this committee was itself succeeded byGeorge Abernethy, who was the first and only Governor of Oregon under the provisional government.

Also in 1841, SirGeorge Simpson, governor of the Hudson's Bay Company, reversed the Hudson's Bay Company's long-standing policy of discouraging settlement because it interfered with the lucrative fur trade.^[45]He directed that some 200Red River Colonysettlers be relocated to HBC farms near Fort Vancouver, (theJames Sinclairexpedition), in an attempt to hold Columbia District.

Starting in 1842–1843, theOregon Trailbrought many new American settlers to the Oregon Country.Oregon's boundaries were disputedfor a time, contributing to tensions between the U.K. and the U.S., but the border was defined peacefully in the 1846Oregon Treaty. The border between the U.S. andBritish North Americawas set at the49th parallel.^[46]TheOregon Territorywas officially organized on August 13, 1848.^[47]

Settlement increased with theDonation Land Claim Actof 1850 and theforced relocationof the native population toIndian reservations in Oregon.

The first Oregon proposition for a railroad in Oregon was made in 1850 by H. M. Knighton, the original owner of the townsite ofSt. Helens. Knighton asserted that this would fulfill his township's belief that it should be the supreme metropolitan seaport in that area upon the Columbia River, as opposed to Portland. He suggested building a railroad in 1851 from St. Helens, through the Cornelius pass and acrossWashington Countyto the city of Lafayette, which was at the time the big town of the Willamette Valley.^[48][49]

In December 1844, Oregon passed its firstblack exclusion law, which prohibitedAfrican Americansfrom entering the territory while simultaneously prohibitingslavery. Slave owners who brought their slaves with them were given three years before they were forced to free them. Any African Americans in the region after the law was passed were forced to leave, and those who did not comply were arrested and beaten. They received no less than twenty and no more than thirty-nine stripes across the back if they still did not leave. This process could be repeated every six months.^[50]

Slavery played a major part in Oregon's history and even influenced its path to statehood. The territory's request forstatehoodwas delayed several times, as members of Congress argued among themselves whether the territory should be admitted as a "free" or "slave" state. Eventually politicians from the South agreed to allow Oregon to enter as a "free" state, in exchange for opening slavery to the southwest U.S.^[51]

Oregon was admitted to theUnionon February 14, 1859, though no one in Oregon knew it until March 15.^[52]Founded as a refuge from disputes over slavery, Oregon had a "whites only" clause in its original state Constitution.^[53][54]At the outbreak of theAmerican Civil War, regular U.S. troops were withdrawn and sent eastto aid the Union. Volunteer cavalry recruited in California were sent north to Oregon to keep peace and protect the populace. TheFirst Oregon Cavalryserved until June 1865.

Beginning in the 1880s, the growth of railroads expanded the state'slumber,wheat, and other agricultural markets, and the rapid growth of its cities.^[55]Due to the abundance of timber and waterway access via the Willamette River, Portland became a major force in the lumber industry of thePacific Northwest, and quickly became the state's largest city. It would earn the nickname "Stumptown",^[56]and would later become recognized as one of the most dangerous port cities in the United States due to racketeering and illegal activities at the turn of the 20th century.^[57]In 1902, Oregon introduceddirect legislationby the state's citizens throughinitiativesandreferendums, known as theOregon System.^[58]

On May 5, 1945, six civilians were killed by aJapanese balloon bombthat exploded onGearhart MountainnearBly.^[59][60]They remained the only people on American soil whose deaths were attributed to an enemy balloon bomb explosion duringWorld War II. The bombing site is now located in theMitchell Recreation Area.

Industrial expansion began in earnest following the 1933–1937 construction of theBonneville Damon the Columbia River.Hydroelectric power, food, and lumber provided by Oregon helped fuel the development of the West, although the periodic fluctuations in the U.S. building industry have hurt the state's economy on multiple occasions. Portland, in particular, experienced a population boom between 1900 and 1930, tripling in size; the arrival of World War II also provided the northwest region of the state with an industrial boom, whereLiberty shipsand aircraft carriers were constructed.^[61]

During the 1970s, the Pacific Northwest was particularly affected by the1973 oil crisis, with Oregon suffering a substantial shortage.^[62]

In 1972, the Oregon Beverage Container Act of 1971,^[63]popularly called the Bottle Bill, became the first law of its kind in the United States. The Bottle Bill system in Oregon was created to control litter. In practice, the system promotes recycling, not reusing, and the collected containers are generally destroyed and made into new containers. Ten states^[64]currently have similar laws.

In 1994, Oregon became the first U.S. state to legalizephysician-assisted suicidethrough theOregon Death with Dignity Act. A measure to legalize recreational use ofmarijuanain Oregon was approved on November 4, 2014, making Oregon only the second state at the time to have legalizedgay marriage, physician-assisted suicide, and recreational marijuana.^[65]

Self service gasoline was banned in Oregon from 1951 until August 2023.^[66][67]Although self-serve is now allowed in Oregon, gas stations are not required to offer it and many currently do not.^[68]

New Jersey is the only state remaining where self serve gas stations are not allowed.^[69]

Oregon is 295 miles (475 km) north to south at longest distance, and 395 miles (636 km) east to west. With an area of 98,381 square miles (254,810 km²), Oregon is slightly larger than theUnited Kingdom. It is the ninth largest state in the U.S.^[70]Oregon's highest point is the summit of Mount Hood, at 11,249 feet (3,429 m), and its lowest point is the sea level of the Pacific Ocean along the Oregon Coast.^[71]Oregon's mean elevation is 3,300 feet (1,006 m).Crater Lake National Park, the state's only national park, is the site of the deepest lake in the U.S. at 1,943 feet (592 m).^[72]Oregon claims theD Riveras the shortest river in the world,^[73]though the state of Montana makes the same claim of itsRoe River.^[74]Oregon is also home toMill Ends Park(in Portland),^[75]the smallest park in the world at 452 square inches (0.29 m²).

Oregon is split into eight geographical regions. InWestern Oregon:Oregon Coast(west of theCoast Range), the Willamette Valley,Rogue Valley,Cascade RangeandKlamath Mountains; and inCentralandEastern Oregon: theColumbia Plateau, theHigh Desert, and theBlue Mountains.

Oregon lies in twotime zones. Most ofMalheur Countyis in theMountain Time Zone, while the rest of the state lies in thePacific Time Zone.

Western Oregon's mountainous regions, home to three of themost prominent mountain peaks of the U.S.including Mount Hood, were formed by thevolcanicactivity of theJuan de Fuca Plate, atectonic platethat poses a continued threat of volcanic activity and earthquakes in the region. The most recent major activity was the1700 Cascadia earthquake.^[76]Washington'sMount St. Helenserupted in 1980, an event visible from northern Oregon and affecting some areas there.^[77]

The Columbia River, which forms much of Oregon's northern border, also played a major role in the region's geological evolution, as well as its economic and cultural development. The Columbia is one of North America's largest rivers, and one of two rivers to cut through theCascades(theKlamath Riverin southern Oregon is the other). About 15,000 years ago, the Columbia repeatedly flooded much of Oregon during theMissoula Floods; the modern fertility of the Willamette Valley is largely the result. Plentifulsalmonmade parts of the river, such asCelilo Falls, hubs of economic activity for thousands of years.

Today, Oregon's landscape varies fromrain forestin the Coast Range to barren desert in the southeast, which still meets the technical definition of afrontier. Oregon'sgeographical centeris further west than any of the other 48 contiguous states (although the westernmost point of the lower 48 states is in Washington).Central Oregon's geographical features range fromhigh desertand volcanic rock formations resulting fromlava beds. TheOregon Badlands Wildernessis in this region of the state.^[78]

Typical of a western state, Oregon is home to a unique and diverse array of wildlife. Roughly 60 percent of the state is covered in forest,^[79]while the areas west of the Cascades are more densely populated by forest, making up around 80 percent of the landscape. Some 60 percent of Oregon's forests are within federal land.^[79]Oregon is the top timber producer of the lower 48 states.^[12][80]

• Typical tree species include theDouglas fir(thestate tree), as well asredwood,ponderosa pine,western red cedar, andhemlock.^[81]Ponderosa pine are more common in the Blue Mountains in the eastern part of the state and firs are more common in the west.

• Many species of mammals live in the state, which include opossums, shrews, moles,little pocket mice,great basin pocket mice,dark kangaroo mouse,California kangaroo rat,chisel-toothed kangaroo rat,ord's kangaroo rat,^[82]bats, rabbits,pikas,mountain beavers,chipmunks, squirrels,yellow-bellied marmots, beavers (thestate mammal),porcupines,coyotes,wolves,foxes^[83]black bears, raccoons, badgers, skunks,antelopes,cougars,bobcats,lynxes, deer, elk, and moose.
• Marine mammals includeseals,sea lions,humpback whales,killer whales,gray whales,blue whales,sperm whales, pacific white-sideddolphins, andbottlenose dolphins.^[84]
• Notable birds includeAmerican widgeons,mallard ducks,great blue herons,bald eagles,golden eagles,western meadowlarks(thestate bird),barn owls,great horned owls,rufous hummingbirds,pileated woodpeckers, wrens,towhees, sparrows, andbuntings.^[85]

Moosehave not always inhabited the state but came to Oregon in the 1960s; theWallowa Valleyherd numbered about 60 as of 2013^[update].^[86]Gray wolveswere extirpated from Oregon around 1930 but have since found their way back; most reside in northeast Oregon, with two packs living in the south-central part.^[87]Although their existence in Oregon is unconfirmed, reports ofgrizzly bearsstill turn up, and it is probable some still move into eastern Oregon from Idaho.^[88]

Oregon is home to what is considered the largest single organism in the world, anArmillaria solidipesfungusbeneath theMalheur National Forestof eastern Oregon.^[11]

Oregon has severalNational Park System sites, includingCrater Lake National Parkin the southern part of the Cascades,John Day Fossil Beds National Monumenteast of the Cascades,Lewis and Clark National Historical Parkon the north coast, andOregon Caves National Monumentnear the south coast.^{[citation needed]}Other areas that were considered for potential national park status in the 20th century include the southern Oregon Coast, Mount Hood, and Hells Canyon to the east.^[89]

Most of Oregon has a generally mild climate, though there is significant variation given the variety of landscapes across the state.^[90]The state's western region (west of theCascade Range) has anoceanic climate, populated by denseevergreenmixed forests. Western Oregon's climate is heavily influenced by the Pacific Ocean; the western third of Oregon is very wet in the winter, moderately to very wet during the spring and fall, and dry during the summer. Therelative humidityof Western Oregon is high except during summer days, which are semi-dry to semi-humid; Eastern Oregon typically sees low humidity year-round.^[91]

The state's southwestern portion, particularly theRogue Valley, has aMediterranean climatewith drier and sunnier winters and hotter summers, similar toNorthern California.^[92]

Oregon's northeastern portion has asteppe climate, and its high terrain regions have asubarctic climate. LikeWestern Europe, Oregon, and the Pacific Northwest in general, is considered warm for its latitude, and the state has far milder winters at a given elevation than comparable latitudes elsewhere in North America, such as theUpper Midwest,Ontario,QuebecandNew England.^[91]However, the state ranks fifth for coolest summer temperatures of any state in the country, after Maine, Idaho, Wyoming, and Alaska.^[93]

The eastern two thirds of Oregon, which largely comprise highdesert, have cold, snowy winters and very dry summers. Much of the east is semiarid to arid like the rest of theGreat Basin, though theBlue Mountainsare wet enough to support extensive forests. Most of Oregon receives significant snowfall, but the Willamette Valley, where 60 percent of the population lives,^[94]has considerably milder winters for its latitude and typically sees only light snowfall.^[91]

Oregon's highest recorded temperature is 119 °F (48 °C), which was set atPrinevilleon July 29, 1898, and tied atPendletonon August 10, 1898, andPelton Damon June 29, 2021.^[95]The lowest recorded temperature is −54 °F (−48 °C) atSenecaon February 10, 1933.^[96]

Oregon's population is largely concentrated in the Willamette Valley, which stretches fromEugenein the south (home of theUniversity of Oregon) throughCorvallis(home ofOregon State University) andSalem(the capital) to Portland (Oregon's largest city).^[97]

Astoria, at the mouth of the Columbia River, was the first permanent English-speaking settlement west of theRockiesin what is now the U.S.Oregon City, at the end of the Oregon Trail, was the Oregon Territory's first incorporated city, and was its first capital from 1848 until 1852, when the capital was moved to Salem.Bend, near the geographic center of the state, is one of the ten fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the U.S.^{[98][better source needed]}In southern Oregon,Medfordis a rapidly growing metro area and is home to theRogue Valley International–Medford Airport, the state's third-busiest airport. To the south, near the California border, is the city ofAshland.Eastern Oregonis sparsely populated, but is home toHermiston, which with a population of 18,000 is the largest and fastest-growing city in the region.^[99]

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1850	12,093		—
1860	52,465		333.8%
1870	90,923		73.3%
1880	174,768		92.2%
1890	317,704		81.8%
1900	413,536		30.2%
1910	672,765		62.7%
1920	783,389		16.4%
1930	953,786		21.8%
1940	1,089,684		14.2%
1950	1,521,341		39.6%
1960	1,768,687		16.3%
1970	2,091,385		18.2%
1980	2,633,105		25.9%
1990	2,842,321		7.9%
2000	3,421,399		20.4%
2010	3,831,074		12.0%
2020	4,237,256		10.6%
2023 (est.)	4,233,358		−0.1%
Sources: 1910–2020[102]

The2020 U.S. censusdetermined that the population of Oregon was 4,237,256 in 2020, a 10.60% increase over the2010 census.^[3]

Oregon was the nation's "Top Moving Destination" in 2014, with two families moving into the state for every one moving out (66.4% to 33.6%).^[104]Oregon was also the top moving destination in 2013,^[105]and the second-most popular destination in 2010 through 2012.^[106][107]

As of the 2020 census, the population of Oregon was 4,237,256. The gender makeup of the state was 49.5% male and 50.5% female. 20.5% of the population were under the age of 18; 60.8% were between the ages of 18 and 64; and 18.8% were 65 years of age or older.^[108]

According to the U.S.Department of Housing and Urban Development's 2022Annual Homeless Assessment Report, there were an estimated 17,959homelesspeople in Oregon.^[109][110]

Oregon racial composition

Racial composition	1970[111]	1990[111]	2000[112]	2010[113]	2020[114]
Whiteincluding White Hispanics	97.2%	92.8%	86.6%	83.6%	74.8%
Black or African American	1.3%	1.6%	1.6%	1.8%	2%
American Indian and Alaska Native	0.6%	1.4%	1.3%	1.4%	1.5%
Asian	0.7%	2.4%	3.0%	3.7%	4.6%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	–	–	0.2%	0.3%	0.5%
Other race	0.2%	1.8%	4.2%	5.3%	6.3%
Two or more races	–	–	3.1%	3.8%	10.5%
Non-Hispanic White	95.8%	-	-	-	71.7%

According to the 2020 census, 13.9% of Oregon's population was ofHispanic or Latinoorigin (of any race) and 71.7%non-Hispanic White, 2.0%African American, 1.5%Native American, 4.6%Asian, 1.5%Pacific Islander, and 10.5% two or more races.^[115]According to the 2016American Community Survey, 12.4% of Oregon's population were ofHispanic or Latinoorigin (of any race):Mexican(10.4%),Puerto Rican(0.3%),Cuban(0.1%), and other Hispanic or Latino origin (1.5%).^[116]The five largest ancestry groups for White Oregonians were:German(19.1%),Irish(11.7%),English(11.3%),American(5.3%), andNorwegian(3.8%).^[117]

The state's most populous ethnic group,non-Hispanic Whites, decreased from 95.8% of the total population in 1970 to 71.7% in 2020, though it increased in absolute numbers.^[118][119]

As of 2011^[update], 38.7% of Oregon's children under one year of age belonged tominority groups, meaning they had at least one parent who was not a non-Hispanic White.^[120]Of the state's total population, 22.6% was under the age 18, and 77.4% were 18 or older.

Thecenter of populationof Oregon is located inLinn County, in the city ofLyons.^[121]Around 60% of Oregon's population resides within thePortland metropolitan area.^[122]

As of 2009^[update], Oregon's population comprised 361,393 foreign-born residents.^[123]Of the foreign-born residents, the three largest groups are originally from countries in: Latin America (47.8%), Asia (27.4%), and Europe (16.5%).^[123]Mexico,Vietnam,China,Indiaand thePhilippineswere the top countries of origin for Oregon's immigrants in 2018.^[124]

TheRomafirst reached Oregon in the 1890s. There is a substantial Roma population in Willamette Valley and around Portland.^[125]The majority of Oregon's population is predominantly of white (European) ancestry and is American-born. Around one-tenth of Oregon's population is made up of Hispanics. There are also small populations of Asians, Native Americans, and African Americans in state.^[126]

Speakers with limited English proficiency by language, 2022 ^{[127] [128]}

Rank	Language	Number of Speakers
1	Spanish	128,303
2	Vietnamese	16,292
3	Chinese	15,816
4	Russian	8,559
5	Korean	4,903
6	Ukrainian	2,534
7	Arabic	1,480
8	Tagalog	447
9	Marshallese	336
10	Japanese	333
11	Thai	169
12	French	142
13	German	139

Oregon has frequently been cited by statistical agencies for having a smaller percentage of religious communities than other U.S. states.^[130][131]According to a 2009Gallup poll, Oregon was paired withVermontas the two "least religious" states in the U.S.^[132]

In the same 2009 Gallup poll, 69% of Oregonians identified themselves as beingChristian.^[133]The largest Christian denominations in Oregon by number of adherents in 2010 were theRoman Catholic Churchwith 398,738;The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saintswith 147,965; and theAssemblies of Godwith 45,492.^[134]Oregon also contains the largest community of RussianOld Believersto be found in the U.S.^[135]Judaism is the largest non-Christian religion in Oregon with more than 50,000 adherents, 47,000 of whom live in the Portland area.^[136][137]Recently, new kosher food and Jewish educational offerings have led to a rapid increase in Portland's Orthodox Jewish population.^[138]The Northwest Tibetan Cultural Association is headquartered in Portland. There are an estimated 6,000 to 10,000Muslimsin Oregon, most of whom live in and around Portland.^[139]

Most of the remainder of the population had no religious affiliation; the 2008American Religious Identification Surveyplaced Oregon as tied with Nevada in fifth place of U.S. states having the highest percentage of residents identifying themselves as "non-religious", at 24 percent.^[140][141]Secular organizations include theCenter for Inquiry, the Humanists of Greater Portland, and the United States Atheists.

During much of the 1990s, a group of conservative Christians formed theOregon Citizens Alliance, and unsuccessfully tried to pass legislation to prevent "gay sensitivity training" in public schools and legal benefits for homosexual couples.^[142]

Live births by single race/ethnicity of mother

Race	2013[143]	2014[144]	2015[145]	2016[146]	2017[147]	2018[148]	2019[149]	2020[150]	2021[151]	2022[152]
White	40,219 (89.1%)	40,634 (89.2%)	40,484 (88.7%)	...	...	...	...	...	...	...
>Non-Hispanic White	31,998 (70.8%)	32,338 (71.0%)	32,147 (70.4%)	31,057 (68.2%)	29,232 (67.0%)	28,265 (67.0%)	27,639 (66.0%)	26,256 (65.9%)	26,662 (65.2%)	23,034 (58.3%)
Asian	2,696 (6.0%)	2,811 (6.2%)	2,895 (6.3%)	2,354 (5.2%)	2,376 (5.4%)	2,260 (5.4%)	2,376 (5.7%)	2,112 (5.3%)	2,106 (5.1%)	2,151 (5.4%)
Black	1,331 (2.9%)	1,333 (2.9%)	1,463 (3.2%)	944 (2.1%)	994 (2.3%)	959 (2.3%)	1,007 (2.4%)	973 (2.4%)	1,065 (2.6%)	1,007 (2.5%)
American Indian	909 (2.0%)	778 (1.7%)	813 (1.8%)	427 (0.9%)	429 (1.0%)	388 (0.9%)	402 (1.0%)	378 (0.9%)	378 (0.9%)	370 (0.9%)
Pacific Islander	...	...	...	315 (0.7%)	300 (0.7%)	309 (0.7%)	341 (0.8%)	278 (0.7%)	337 (0.8%)	374 (0.9%)
Hispanic(of any race)	8,448(18.7%)	8,524(18.7%)	8,518(18.6%)	8,467(18.6%)	8,275(19.0%)	7,993(18.9%)	8,180(19.5%)	7,923(19.9%)	8,334(20.4%)	8,510(21.5%)
Total	45,155(100%)	45,556(100%)	45,655(100%)	45,535(100%)	43,631(100%)	42,188(100%)	41,858(100%)	39,820(100%)	40,914(100%)	39,493(100%)

• Since 2016, data for births ofWhite Hispanicorigin are not collected, but included in oneHispanicgroup; persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race.
• Births in table do not sum to 100% because Hispanics are counted both by their ethnicity and by their race.

Religious affiliation in Oregon (2014) ^[153]

Affiliation	% of Oregon population
Christianity	59	59
Protestant	43	43
Evangelical Protestant	29	29
Mainline Protestant	13	13
Black Protestant	1	1
Catholic	12	12
Mormon	4	4
Orthodox	1	1
Jehovah's Witnesses	0.5	0.5
Other Christianity	1	1
Judaism	2	2
Islam	1	1
Buddhism	0.5	0.5
Hinduism	0.5	0.5
Other faiths	3	3
No religion	31	31
Agnostic	1	1
Total	100	100

Projections from the U.S. Census Bureau show Oregon's population increasing to 4,833,918 by 2030, an increase of 41.3% compared to the state's population of 3,421,399 in 2000.^[154]The state's own projections forecast a total population of 5,425,408 in 2040.^[155]

As of 2015^[update], Oregon ranks as the 17th highest inmedian household incomeat $60,834.^[4]The gross domestic product (GDP) of Oregon in 2013 was $219.6 billion, a 2.7% increase from 2012; Oregon is the 25th wealthiest state by GDP. In 2003, Oregon was 28th in the U.S. by GDP. The state'sper capita personal income(PCPI) in 2013 was $39,848, a 1.5% increase from 2012. Oregon ranks 33rd in the U.S. by PCPI, compared to 31st in 2003. The national PCPI in 2013 was $44,765.^[156]

Oregon's unemployment rate was 5.5% in September 2016,^[157]while the U.S. unemployment rate was 5.0% that month.^[158]Oregon has the third largest amount of food stamp users in the nation (21% of the population).^[159]

Oregon's diverse landscapes provide ideal environments for various types of farming. Land in the Willamette Valley owes its fertility to theMissoula Floods, which deposited lake sediment fromGlacial Lake Missoulain western Montana onto the valley floor.^[160]In 2016, the Willamette Valley region produced over 100 million pounds (45 kt) ofblueberries.^[161]The industry is governed and represented by theOregon Department of Agriculture.^[162]

Oregon is also one of four major world hazelnut (Corylus avellana) growing regions, and produces 95% of the domestic hazelnuts in the United States. While the history ofwine production in Oregoncan be traced to beforeProhibition, it became a significant industry beginning in the 1970s. In 2005, Oregon ranked third among U.S. states with 303 wineries.^[163]Due to regional similarities in climate andsoil, the grapes planted in Oregon are often the same varieties found in the French regions ofAlsaceandBurgundy. In 2014, 71 wineries opened in the state. The total is currently 676, which represents a growth of 12% over 2013.^[164]

In the southern Oregon coast, commercially cultivated cranberries account for about 7 percent of U.S. production, and the cranberry ranks 23rd among Oregon's top 50 agricultural commodities. Cranberry cultivation in Oregon uses about 27,000 acres (110 square kilometers) in southernCoosand northernCurrycounties, centered around the coastal city ofBandon. In the northeastern region of the state, particularly aroundPendleton, both irrigated and dry land wheat is grown.^[165]Oregonfarmersand ranchers also producecattle,sheep, dairy products, eggs andpoultry.

Caneberries(Rubus) are farmed here.^[166]: 25Stamen blight(Hapalosphaeria deformans) is significant here and throughout thePNW.^[166]: 25Here it especially hinders commercialdewberries.^[166]: 25

Phytophthora ramorumwas first discovered in the 1990s on theCalifornia Central Coast^[167]and was quickly found here as well.^[168]P. ramorumis of economic concern due to its infestation ofRubusandVacciniumspp. (includingcranberryandblueberry).^[168]

Peaches grown in theWillamette Valleyare mostly sold directly and do not enter the more distant markets.^[169]OSU Extensionrecommended severalpeachandnectarinecultivars for Willamette.^[169]

Vast forests have historically made Oregon one of the nation's majortimber-producing and logging states, but forest fires (such as theTillamook Burn), over-harvesting, and lawsuits over the proper management of the extensive federal forest holdings have reduced the timber produced. Between 1989 and 2011, the amount of timber harvested from federal lands in Oregon dropped about 90%, although harvest levels on private land have remained relatively constant.^[170]

Even the shift in recent years towards finished goods such as paper and building materials has not slowed the decline of the timber industry in the state. The effects of this decline have includedWeyerhaeuser's acquisition of Portland-basedWillamette Industriesin January 2002, the relocation ofLouisiana-Pacific's corporate headquarters from Portland toNashville, and the decline of former lumbercompany townssuch asGilchrist. Despite these changes, Oregon still leads the U.S. insoftwoodlumber production; in 2011, 4,134 million board feet (9,760,000 m³) was produced in Oregon, compared with 3,685 million board feet (8,700,000 m³) in Washington, 1,914 million board feet (4,520,000 m³) inGeorgia, and 1,708 million board feet (4,030,000 m³) inMississippi.^[171]The slowing of the timber andlumber industryhas caused high unemployment rates in rural areas.^[172]

Oregon has one of the largestsalmon-fishing industries in the world, although oceanfisherieshave reduced the river fisheries in recent years.^[173]Because of the abundance of waterways in the state, it is also a major producer of hydroelectric energy.^[174]

On June 30, 2022, anemerald ash borerinfestation was found inForest Grovein 2022, the first forWestern North America.^{[175][176][177][178]}

Tourism is also a strong industry in the state. Tourism is centered on the state's natural features – mountains, forests, waterfalls, rivers, beaches and lakes, includingCrater Lake National Park,Multnomah Falls, thePainted Hills, the Deschutes River, and theOregon Caves. Mount Hood andMount Bacheloralso draw visitors year-round forskiingand other snow activities.^[179]

Portland is home to theOregon Museum of Science and Industry, thePortland Art Museum, and theOregon Zoo, which is the oldest zoo west of theMississippi River.^[180]TheInternational Rose Test Gardenis another prominent attraction in the city. Portland has also been named the best city in the world for street food by several publications, including theU.S. News & World ReportandCNN.^[181][182]Oregon is home tomany breweries, and Portland has the largest number of breweries of any city in the world.^[183]

The state's coastal region produces significant tourism as well.^[184]TheOregon Coast Aquariumcomprises 23 acres (9.3 ha) alongYaquina BayinNewport, and was also home toKeikothe orca whale.^[185]It has been noted as one of the top ten aquariums in North America.^[186]Fort ClatsopinWarrentonfeatures a replica ofLewis and Clark's encampment at the mouth of the Columbia River in 1805. TheSea Lion CavesinFlorenceare the largest system of sea caverns in the U.S., and also attract many visitors.^[187]

In Southern Oregon, theOregon Shakespeare Festival, held inAshland, is also a tourist draw, as is theOregon Vortexand theWolf Creek Inn State Heritage Site, a historic inn whereJack Londonwrote his 1913 novelValley of the Moon.^[188]

Oregon has also historically been a popular region forfilm shootsdue to its diverse landscapes, as well as its proximity toHollywood.^[189]Movies filmed in Oregoninclude:Animal House,Free Willy,The General,The Goonies,Kindergarten Cop,One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, andStand By Me. Oregon nativeMatt Groening, creator ofThe Simpsons, has incorporated many references from his hometown of Portland into the TV series.^[190]Additionally, several television shows have been filmed throughout the state includingPortlandia,Grimm,Bates Motel, andLeverage.^[191]TheOregon Film Museumis located in the old Clatsop County Jail inAstoria. Additionally, thelast remaining Blockbuster storeis located in Bend.^[192]

High technology industries located inSilicon Foresthave been a major employer since the 1970s.Tektronixwas the largest private employer in Oregon until the late 1980s.Intel's creation and expansion of several facilities in easternWashington Countycontinued the growth that Tektronix had started. Intel, the state's largest for-profit private employer,^[193][194]operates four large facilities, with Ronler Acres, Jones Farm and Hawthorn Farm all located inHillsboro.^[195]

The spinoffs and startups that were produced by these two companies led to the establishment of the so-called Silicon Forest. The recession anddot-com bust of 2001hit the region hard; many high technology employers reduced the number of their employees or went out of business.Open Source Development Labsmade news in 2004 when they hiredLinus Torvalds, developer of theLinux kernel. In 2010,biotechnologygiantGenentechopened a $400 million facility inHillsboroto expand its production capabilities.^[196]Oregon is home to several largedatacentersthat take advantage of cheap power and a climate conducive to reducing cooling costs.Googleoperates a large datacenter inThe Dalles, andFacebookbuilt a large datacenter nearPrinevillein 2010.Amazonopened a datacenter nearBoardmanin 2011, and a fulfillment center inTroutdalein 2018.^[197][198]

Oregon is also the home of large corporations in other industries. The world headquarters ofNikeis located nearBeaverton. Medford is home toHarry and David, which sells gift items under several brands. Medford is also home to the national headquarters ofLithia Motors. Portland is home to one of the West's largest trade book publishing houses,Graphic Arts Center Publishing. Oregon is also home toMentor Graphics Corporation, a world leader inelectronic design automationlocated inWilsonvilleand employs roughly 4,500 people worldwide.

Adidas CorporationsAmerican Headquarters is located in Portland and employs roughly 900 full-time workers at its Portland campus.^[199]Nike, located in Beaverton, employs roughly 5,000 full-time employees at its 200-acre (81 ha) campus. Nike's Beaverton campus is continuously ranked as a top employer in the Portland area-along with competitor Adidas.^[200]Intel Corporationemploys 22,000 in Oregon^[194]with the majority of these employees located at the company's Hillsboro campus located about 30 minutes west of Portland. Intel has been a top employer in Oregon since 1974.^[201]

Largest Public CorporationsHeadquartered in Oregon (December 2016) ^[202]

#	Corporation	Headquarters	Market cap(billions US$)
1.	Nike	Beaverton	91.35
2.	FLIR Systems	Wilsonville	4.77
3.	Portland General Electric	Portland	4.05
4.	Columbia Sportswear	Beaverton	4.03
5.	Umpqua Holdings Corporation	Portland	3.68
6.	Lithia Motors	Medford	2.06
7.	Northwest Natural Gas	Portland	1.7
8.	The Greenbrier Companies	Lake Oswego	1.25

The U.S. Federal Government and Providence Health systems are respective contenders for top employers in Oregon with roughly 12,000 federal workers and 14,000 Providence Health workers.

In 2015, a total of seven companies headquartered in Oregon landed in theFortune 1000: Nike, at 106;Precision Castparts Corp.at 302; Lithia Motors at 482;StanCorp Financial Groupat 804;Schnitzer Steel Industriesat 853;The Greenbrier Companiesat 948; andColumbia Sportswearat 982.^[203]

Oregon'sbiennialstate budget, $2.6 billion in 2017, comprisesGeneral Funds,Federal Funds, Lottery Funds, and Other Funds.^[204]

Oregon is one ofonly five statesthat have nosales tax.^[205]Oregon voters have been resolute in their opposition to a sales tax, voting proposals down each of the nine times they have been presented.^[206]The last vote, for 1993's Measure 1, was defeated by a 75–25% margin.^[207]

The state also has a minimum corporate tax of only $150 a year,^[208]amounting to 5.6% of the General Fund in the 2005–07 biennium; data about which businesses pay the minimum is not available to the public.^{[209][better source needed]}As a result, the state relies onpropertyand income taxes for its revenue. Oregon has the fifth highest personal income tax in the nation. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Oregon ranked 41st out of the 50 states in taxes per capita in 2005 with an average amount paid of 1,791.45.^[210]

A few local governments levy sales taxes on services: the city of Ashland, for example, collects a 5% sales tax on prepared food.^[211]

The City of Portland imposes an Arts Education and Access Income Tax on residents over 18—a flat tax of $35 collected from individuals earning $1,000 or more per year and residing in a household with an annual income exceeding the federal poverty level. The tax funds Portland school teachers, and art focused non-profit organizations in Portland.^[212]

The State of Oregon also allows transit districts to levy an income tax on employers and the self-employed. The State currently collects the tax forTriMetand theLane Transit District.^[213][214]

Oregon is one of six states with a revenue limit.^[215]The "kicker law" stipulates that when income tax collections exceed state economists' estimates by two percent or more, any excess must be returned to taxpayers.^[216]Since the enactment of the law in 1979, refunds have been issued for seven of the eleven biennia.^[217]In 2000, Ballot Measure 86 converted the "kicker" law from statute to theOregon Constitution, and changed some of its provisions.

Federal payments to county governments that were granted to replace timber revenue when logging in National Forests was restricted in the 1990s, have been under threat of suspension for several years. This issue dominates the future revenue of rural counties, which have come to rely on the payments in providing essential services.^[218]

55% of state revenues are spent on public education, 23% on human services (child protective services, Medicaid, and senior services), 17% on public safety, and 5% on other services.^[219]

Oregon has had a $15 bicycle tax for each new bicycles over $200 since 2018. Oregon is the only state in the nation with a bicycle excise tax.^[220][221]

For health insurance, as of 2018Cambia Health Solutionshas the highest market share at 21%, followed byProvidence Health.^[222]In the Portland region,Kaiser Permanenteleads.^[222]Providence and Kaiser are verticallyintegrated delivery systemswhich operate hospitals and offer insurance plans.^[223]Aside from Providence and Kaiser, hospital systems which are primarily Oregon-based includeLegacy Healthmostly covering Portland,Samaritan Health Serviceswith five hospitals in various areas across the state, andTuality Healthcarein the western Portland metropolitan area. InSouthern Oregon, Asante runs several hospitals, includingRogue Regional Medical Center. Some hospitals are operated by multi-state organizations such asPeaceHealthandCommonSpirit Health. Some hospitals suchSalem Hospitaloperate independently of larger systems.

Oregon Health & Science Universityis a Portland-based medical school that operates two hospitals and clinics.

TheOregon Health Planis the state'sMedicaid managed careplan, and it is known for innovations.^[224]The Portland area is a maturemanaged careand two-thirds of Medicare enrollees are inMedicare Advantageplans.^[224]

In the 2013–2014 school year, the state had 567,000 students in public schools.^[225]There were 197 public school districts, served by 19education service districts.^[225]

In 2016, the largest school districts in the state were:^[226]Portland Public Schools, comprising 47,323 students;Salem-Keizer School District, comprising 40,565 students;Beaverton School District, comprising 39,625 students;Hillsboro School District, comprising 21,118 students; andNorth Clackamas School District, comprising 17,053 students.

Approximately 90.5% of Oregon high school students graduate, improving on the national average of 88.3% as measured from the2010 U.S. census.^[227]

On May 8, 2019, educators across the state protested to demand smaller class sizes, hiring more support staff, such as school counselors, librarians, and nurses, and the restoration of art, music, and physical education classes. The protests caused two dozen school districts to close, which equals to about 600 schools across the state.^[228]

Especially since the 1990 passage of Measure 5, which set limits on property tax levels, Oregon has struggled to fund higher education. Since then, Oregon has cut its higher education budget and now ranks 46th in the country in state spending per student. However, 2007 legislation funded the university system far beyond the governor's requested budget though still capping tuition increases at 3% per year.^[229]Oregon supports a total of seven public universities and one affiliate. It is home to three public research universities: The University of Oregon (UO) in Eugene and Oregon State University (OSU) inCorvallis, bothclassifiedas research universities with very high research activity, andPortland State Universitywhich is classified as a research university with high research activity.^[230]

UO is the state's highest nationally ranked and most selective^[231]public university byU.S. News & World ReportandForbes.^[232]OSU is the state's only land-grant university, has the state's largest enrollment for fall 2014,^[233]and is the state's highest ranking university according toAcademic Ranking of World Universities,Washington Monthly, andQS World University Rankings.^[234]OSU receives more annual funding for research than all other public higher education institutions in Oregon combined.^[235]The state's urban Portland State University has Oregon's second largest enrollment.

The state has three regional universities:Western Oregon UniversityinMonmouth,Southern Oregon Universityin Ashland, andEastern Oregon UniversityinLa Grande. TheOregon Institute of Technologyhas its campus inKlamath Falls. The quasi-publicOregon Health & Science University(OHSU) includes medical, dental, and nursing schools, and graduate programs in biomedical sciences in Portland and a science and engineering school in Hillsboro. The state also supports17 community colleges.

Oregon is home to a wide variety of private colleges, the majority of which are located in the Portland area. TheUniversity of Portland, a Catholic university, is affiliated with theCongregation of Holy Cross.Reed College, a rigorous liberal arts college in Portland, was ranked byForbesas the 52nd best college in the country in 2015.^[236]

Other private institutions in Portland includeLewis & Clark College;Multnomah University;Portland Bible College;Warner Pacific College;Cascade College; theNational University of Natural Medicine; andWestern Seminary, a theological graduate school.Pacific Universityis in the Portland suburb ofForest Grove. There are also private colleges further south in the Willamette Valley. McMinnville is home toLinfield College, while nearby Newberg is home toGeorge Fox University. Salem is home to two private schools:Willamette University(the state's oldest, established during the provisional period) andCorban University. Also located near Salem isMount Angel Seminary, one of America's largest Roman Catholic seminaries. The state's second medical school, theCollege of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Northwest, is located in Lebanon. Eugene is home to three private colleges:Bushnell University,New Hope Christian College, andGutenberg College.

A writer in theOregon CountrybookA Pacific Republic, written in 1839, predicted the territory was to become an independent republic. Four years later, in 1843, settlers of the Willamette Valley voted in majority for a republican form of government.^[237]The Oregon Country functioned in this way until August 13, 1848, when Oregon was annexed by the U.S. and a territorial government was established. Oregon maintained a territorial government until February 14, 1859, when it was grantedstatehood.^[238]

Oregon state government has aseparation of powerssimilar to thefederal government, with three branches:

• alegislative branch(thebicameralOregon Legislative Assembly),
• anexecutive branchwhich includes an "administrative department" andOregon's governoras chief executive, and
• ajudicial branch, headed by theChief Justiceof theOregon Supreme Court.

Governors in Oregon serve four-year terms and are limited to two consecutive terms, but an unlimited number of total terms. Oregon has nolieutenant governor; in case the office of governor is vacated, ArticleV, Section 8a of theOregon Constitutionspecifies that theSecretary of Stateis first in line for succession.^[239]The other statewide officers areTreasurer,Attorney General, andLabor Commissioner.

ThebiennialOregon Legislative Assemblyconsists of a thirty-memberSenateand a sixty-memberHouse. A debate over whether to move to annual sessions is a long-standing battle in Oregon politics, but the voters have resisted the move from citizen legislators to professional lawmakers. Because Oregon's state budget is written in two-year increments and, there being no sales tax, state revenue is based largely on income taxes, it is often significantly over or under budget. Recent legislatures have had to be called into special sessions repeatedly to address revenue shortfalls resulting from economic downturns, bringing to a head the need for more frequent legislative sessions. Oregon Initiative 71, passed in 2010, mandates the legislature to begin meeting every year, for 160 days in odd-numbered years, and 35 days in even-numbered years.

The state supreme court has seven elected justices, currently including the only two openly gay state supreme court justices in the nation. They choose one of their own to serve a six-year term as Chief Justice.

Federally recognized tribes in Oregon

Burns Paiute Tribe Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians Klamath Tribes Coquille Indian Tribe

Oregon's constitution provides forballot initiativesvoted upon by the electorate in general. In the 2002 general election, Oregon voters approved aballot measureto increase the state minimum wage automatically each year according to inflationary changes, which are measured by theconsumer price index(CPI).^[240]In the 2004 general election, Oregon voters passed ballot measuresbanning same-sex marriage^[241]andrestricting land use regulation.^[242]In the2006 general election, voters restricted the use ofeminent domainand extended the state's discount prescription drug coverage.^[243]

In the 2020 general election, Oregon voters approved aballot measuredecriminalizing the possession of small quantities of street drugs such as cocaine and heroin, becoming the first state in the country to do so after the drugs were originally made illegal.^[244]The initiative has been described as a mixed success after three years of implementation, and calls for change arose.^[245][246]Drug overdose deaths continued to rise, in line with other states. Funds allocated to treatment and other services have apparently not increased the success of these alternate outcomes.^[247][248]In 2024, Governor Kotek signed a bill reversing the decriminalization component of the ballot measure while also expanding funding for drug treatment.^[249]

In 2020 the state also approveda ballot measureto create a legal means of administeringpsilocybinfor medicinal use, making it the first state in the country to legalize the drug.^[250]

Like all U.S. states, Oregon is represented by twosenators. Following the1980 census, Oregon had fivecongressional districts. After Oregon was admitted to the Union, it began with a single member in the House of Representatives (La Fayette Grover, who served in the35th U.S. Congressfor less than a month).Congressional apportionmentincreased the size of the delegation following the censuses of1890,1910,1940, and 1980. Following the2020 census, Oregon gained a sixth congressional seat. It was filled in the2022 Congressional Elections.^[251]Adetailed list of the past and present Congressional delegations from Oregonis available.

TheU.S. District Court for the District of Oregonhears federal cases in the state. The court has courthouses inPortland,Eugene, Medford, and Pendleton. Also in Portland is the federal bankruptcy court, with a second branch in Eugene.^[252]Oregon (among other western states and territories) is in the9th Court of Appeals. One of the court's meeting places is at thePioneer Courthousein downtown Portland, aNational Historic Landmarkbuilt in 1869.

Political opinions in Oregon are geographically split by theCascade Range, withWestern Oregonbeing moreliberalandEastern Oregonbeingconservative.^[253]In a 2008 analysis of the 2004 presidential election, a political analyst found that according to the application of aLikert scale, Oregon boasted both the most liberal Kerry voters and the most conservative Bush voters, making it the most politically polarized state in the country.^[254]The base of Democratic support is largely concentrated in the urban centers of the Willamette Valley. The eastern two-thirds of the state beyond the Cascade Mountains typically votes Republican; in 2000 and2004,George W. Bushcarried every county east of the Cascades. However, the region's sparse population means the more populous counties in the Willamette Valley usually outweigh the eastern counties in statewide elections. In 2008, for instance, Republican Senate incumbentGordon H. Smithlost his bid for a third term, even though hecarried all but eight counties. His Democratic challenger, Jeff Merkley, won Multnomah County by 142,000 votes, more than double the overall margin of victory. Oregonians have voted for theDemocraticpresidential candidate in every election since 1988. In 2004 and 2006, Democrats won control of the State Senate, and then the House. Since 2023, Oregon has been represented by four Democrats and twoRepublicansin theU.S. House of Representatives. Since 2009, the state has had two Democratic U.S. senators,Ron WydenandJeff Merkley. Oregon voters have elected Democratic governors in every election since 1986, most recently electingTina Kotekover RepublicanChristine Drazanand IndependentBetsy Johnsonin the 2022 gubernatorial election.

During Oregon's history, it has adopted many electoral reforms proposed during theProgressive Era, through the efforts ofWilliam S. U'Renand hisDirect Legislation League. Under his leadership, the state overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure in 1902 that created theinitiativeandreferendumfor citizens to introduce or approve proposed laws or amendments to the state constitution directly, making Oregon the first state to adopt such a system. Today, roughly half of U.S. states do so.^[255]

In following years, theprimary electionto selectpartycandidates was adopted in 1904, and in 1908 the Oregon Constitution was amended to include recall of public officials. More recent amendments include the nation's first doctor-assisted suicide law,^[256]called theDeath with Dignity Act(which was challenged, unsuccessfully, in 2005 by theBush administrationin a case heard by theU.S. Supreme Court),legalizationofmedical cannabis, and among the nation's strongestanti-urban sprawland pro-environment laws.^{[citation needed]}More recently,2004's Measure 37reflects a backlash against such land-use laws. However, a further ballot measure in 2007,Measure 49, curtailed many of the provisions of 37.

Of themeasures placed on the ballotsince 1902, the people have passed 99 of the 288 initiatives and 25 of the 61 referendums on the ballot, though not all of them survived challenges in courts (seePierce v. Society of Sisters, for an example). During the same period, the legislature has referred 363 measures to the people, of which 206 have passed.

Oregon pioneered the American use ofpostal voting, beginning with experimentation approved by theOregon Legislative Assemblyin 1981 and culminating with a1998 ballot measuremandating that all counties conduct elections by mail. It remains one of just two states, the other being Washington, wherevoting by mailis the only method of voting.

In 1994, Oregon adopted the Oregon Health Plan, which made health care available to most of its citizens without private health insurance.^[257]

Oregon is the only state that does not have a mechanism to impeach executive officeholders, including the governor.^[258]Removing an executive office holder would require a recall election. It is one of four states that requires two-thirds of members of the House and Senate be present to establish a quorum.^[259]It is one of a minority of states that does not have a lieutenant governor.^[260]The Secretary of State is the first in line of succession to replace the governor in event of a vacancy. This last occurred in 2015, when Gov.John Kitzhaberresigned amid allegation of influence peddling and Secretary of StateKate Brownbecame governor. Brown won a special election in 2016 to retain the position, and won a full four-year term in 2018.

In theU.S. Electoral College, Oregon cast seven votes through the 2020 presidential election. Under apportionment of Congress under the 2020 U.S. census, Oregon added a sixth congressional seat. Under the Electoral College formula of votes equaling the number of U.S. House seats plus the two U.S. Senators, Oregon will cast eight votes in the 2024 election. Oregon has supported Democratic candidates in the last nine elections. Democratic incumbentBarack Obamawon the state by a margin of twelve percentage points, with over 54% of the popular vote in 2012. In the 2016 election,Hillary Clintonwon Oregon by 11 percentage points.^[261]In the2020 election,Joe Bidenwon Oregon by 16 percentage points over his opponent,Donald Trump.^[262]

In a 2020 study, Oregon was ranked as the easiest state for citizens to vote in.^[263]

Oregon retains thedeath penalty. There is currently a gubernatorial hold on executions.^[264]

Oregon is home to three major professional sports teams: thePortland Trail Blazersof theNBA, thePortland Thorns FCof theNWSLand thePortland TimbersofMLS.^[265]

Until 2011, the only major professional sports team in Oregon was the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association. From the 1970s to the 1990s, the Blazers were one of the most successful teams in the NBA in terms of both win–loss record and attendance.^[266]In the early 21st century, the team's popularity declined due to personnel and financial issues, but revived after the departure of controversial players and the acquisition of new players such asBrandon RoyandLaMarcus Aldridge, and still laterDamian Lillard.^[267][268]The Blazers play in theModa Centerin Portland's Lloyd District, which also is home to thePortland Winterhawksof thejuniorWestern Hockey League.^[269]

The Portland Timbers play atProvidence Park, just west of downtown Portland. The Timbers have a strong following, with the team regularly selling out its games.^[270]The Timbers repurposed the formerly multi-use stadium into asoccer-specific stadiumin fall 2010, increasing the seating in the process.^[271]The Timbers operate Portland Thorns FC, a women's soccer team that has played in theNational Women's Soccer Leaguesince the league's first season in 2013. The Thorns, who also play at Providence Park, have won two league championships, in the inaugural2013 seasonand also in2017, and have been by far the NWSL's attendance leader in each of the league's seasons.

Eugene and Hillsboro have minor-league baseball teams: theEugene Emeraldsand theHillsboro Hopsboth play in theHigh-AHigh-A West.^[272]Portland has had minor-league baseball teams in the past, including thePortland BeaversandPortland Rockies, who played most recently at Providence Park when it was known as PGE Park. Salem also previously had aClass A Short SeasonNorthwest Leagueteam, theSalem-Keizer Volcanoesthat was not included in the2021 Minor League Baseball reorganization. The Volcanoes ownership later formed the amateurMavericks Independent Baseball League, which is fully based in Salem.^[273]

TheOregon State Beaversand the University of Oregon Ducks football teams of thePac-12 Conferencemeet annually in theOregon–Oregon State football rivalry. Both schools have had recent success in other sports as well: Oregon State won back-to-backcollege baseball championshipsin 2006 and 2007,^[274]winning a third in 2018;^[275]and the University of Oregon won back-to-backNCAA men's cross country championshipsin 2007 and 2008.^[276]

• FujianProvince,People's Republic of China^[277]
• Taiwan Province,Republic of China (Taiwan)^[277]
• Toyama Prefecture,Japan^[277][278]
• Jeollanam-doProvince,Republic of Korea (South Korea)^[277][278]
• Iraqi Kurdistan,Iraq^[279]

• Outline of Oregon(organized list of topics about Oregon)
• Index of Oregon-related articles
• Bibliography of Oregon history
• Pacific Northwest portal

• OregonatCurlie
• Oregon Encyclopedia
• Oregon State Databasesat theAmerican Library Association

• State of Oregon
• Oregon State Legislature
• Oregon Constitution

• TravelOregon.coman official website of theOregon Tourism Commission
• Oregon State Parks
• Oregon State Factsfrom theUnited States Department of Agriculture

• Oregon Historical Society
• Oregon Blue Book, the online version of thestate's official directory and fact book

• Real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of OregonArchivedDecember 9, 2016, at theWayback Machinefrom theUnited States Geological Survey
• Geographic data related toOregonatOpenStreetMap

Preceded by Minnesota

List of U.S. states by date of statehood Admitted on February 14, 1859 (33rd)

Succeeded by Kansas

44°N121°W / 44°N 121°W /44; -121 (State of Oregon)