Jefferson County, Oregon

Jefferson County
Jefferson County
County
	Jefferson County Courthouse in Madras
	Location within the U.S. state of Oregon
	Oregon's location within the U.S.
	Coordinates: 44°38′N 121°10′W / 44.63°N 121.17°W
Country	United States
State	Oregon
Founded	December 12, 1914
Named for	Mount Jefferson
Seat	Madras
Largest city	Madras
Area
• Total	1,791 sq mi (4,640 km2)
• Land	1,781 sq mi (4,610 km2)
• Water	10 sq mi (30 km2) 0.6%
Population (2020)
• Total	24,502
• Estimate (2023)	25,454
• Density	12/sq mi (5/km2)
Time zone	UTC−8 (Pacific)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−7 (PDT)
Congressional districts	2nd, 5th
Website	www.co.jefferson.or.us

Jefferson County is one of the 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. At the 2020 census, the population was 24,502.^[1] The county seat is Madras.^[2] The county is named after Mount Jefferson, the second tallest mountain in Oregon.^[3]

History

Jefferson County was created on December 12, 1914, from a portion of Crook County. The county owes much of its agricultural prosperity to the railroad, which links Madras with the Columbia River, and was completed in 1911, and to the development of irrigation projects in the late 1930s. The railroad was completed despite constant feuds and battles between two lines working on opposite sides of the Deschutes River.

Madras was incorporated in 1911, and has been the permanent county seat since a general election in 1916. The first (temporary) county seat was Culver, which was selected by a three-man commission appointed by the governor. Due to repeated tie votes over several days (with one vote each cast for Culver, Metolius and Madras). The deadlock was eventually broken by allowing the Metolius Commissioner to post the tie-breaker, by voting for Culver.^{[citation needed]}

Rapid development in adjacent Deschutes County during the 1990s had farmers in Jefferson County concerned that they might be priced out of their own farmlands, which could be replaced by destination resorts, golf courses and other amenities for recent arrivals.^{[citation needed]}

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,791 square miles (4,640 km²), of which 1,781 square miles (4,610 km²) is land and 10 square miles (26 km²) (0.6%) is water.^[4]

Adjacent counties

Marion County (northwest)
Wasco County (north)
Wheeler County (east)
Crook County (south)
Deschutes County (south)
Linn County (west)

National protected areas

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1920	3,211		—
1930	2,291		−28.7%
1940	2,042		−10.9%
1950	5,536		171.1%
1960	7,130		28.8%
1970	8,548		19.9%
1980	11,599		35.7%
1990	13,676		17.9%
2000	19,009		39.0%
2010	21,720		14.3%
2020	24,502		12.8%
2023 (est.)	25,454	^[5]	3.9%
U.S. Decennial Census^[6] 1790–1960^[7] 1900–1990^[8] 1990–2000^[9] 2010–2020^[1]

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 21,720 people, 7,790 households and 5,646 families living in the county.^[10] The population density was 12.2 per square mile (4.7/km²). There were 9,815 housing units at an average density of 5.5 per square mile (2.1/km²).^[11] The racial make-up was 69.0% white, 16.9% American Indian, 0.6% black or African American, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 9.1% from other races, and 3.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 19.3% of the population.^[10] In terms of ancestry, 15.0% were German, 9.4% were Irish, 8.3% were English, and 4.9% were American.^[12]

Of the 7,790 households, 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.6% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 27.5% were non-families, and 22.2% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.11. The median age was 39.6 years.^[10]

The median household income was $41,425 and the median family income was $48,818. Males had a median income of $37,370 and females $30,047. The per capita income was $20,009. About 13.5% of families and 20.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.6% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.^[13]

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 19,009 people, 6,727 households and 5,166 families living in the county. The population density was 11 per square mile (4.2/km²). There were 8,319 housing units at an average density of 5 per square mile (1.9/km²). The racial make-up was 68.98% White, 0.26% Black or African American, 15.68% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.22% Pacific Islander, 11.32% from other races, and 3.23% from two or more races. 17.74% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 13.6% were of German, 9.5% English, 8.7% American and 5.3% Irish ancestry. 82.2% spoke English, 15.5% Spanish and 1.0% Sahaptian as their first language.

There were 6,727 households, of which 35.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.50% were married couples living together, 10.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.20% were non-families. 18.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.16.

29.80% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 26.90% from 25 to 44, 23.20% from 45 to 64, and 12.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 101.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.80 males.

The median household income was $35,853 and the median family income was $39,151. Males had a median income of $31,126 and females $22,086s. The per capita income was $15,675. About 10.40% of families and 14.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.20% of those under age 18 and 5.90% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

Culver
Madras (county seat)
Metolius

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Politics

United States presidential election results for Jefferson County, Oregon^[14]
Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
Year	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	7,189	60.35%	4,393	36.88%	331	2.78%
2016	5,483	57.97%	2,980	31.50%	996	10.53%
2012	4,642	56.78%	3,301	40.38%	232	2.84%
2008	4,402	52.92%	3,682	44.27%	234	2.81%
2004	4,762	58.68%	3,243	39.96%	110	1.36%
2000	3,838	55.65%	2,681	38.87%	378	5.48%
1996	2,634	42.52%	2,555	41.24%	1,006	16.24%
1992	1,962	33.22%	2,161	36.59%	1,783	30.19%
1988	2,509	50.23%	2,346	46.97%	140	2.80%
1984	3,283	62.94%	1,920	36.81%	13	0.25%
1980	2,523	53.26%	1,654	34.92%	560	11.82%
1976	1,810	47.92%	1,769	46.84%	198	5.24%
1972	1,816	56.38%	1,229	38.16%	176	5.46%
1968	1,669	55.26%	1,160	38.41%	191	6.32%
1964	1,197	40.74%	1,739	59.19%	2	0.07%
1960	1,413	53.75%	1,214	46.18%	2	0.08%
1956	1,356	54.83%	1,117	45.17%	0	0.00%
1952	1,488	67.12%	723	32.61%	6	0.27%
1948	622	50.69%	559	45.56%	46	3.75%
1944	419	57.95%	297	41.08%	7	0.97%
1940	423	47.21%	467	52.12%	6	0.67%
1936	253	31.51%	514	64.01%	36	4.48%
1932	253	33.03%	477	62.27%	36	4.70%
1928	481	59.31%	308	37.98%	22	2.71%
1924	374	39.00%	242	25.23%	343	35.77%
1920	623	61.56%	300	29.64%	89	8.79%
1916	581	36.13%	904	56.22%	123	7.65%

Political orientations in Jefferson County, Oregon (2009)

Though Jefferson County is located in central Oregon, politically it falls in line with the eastern side of the state. The majority of registered voters who are part of a political party in Jefferson County, as well as most counties in eastern Oregon, are members of the Republican Party.^[15] No Democrat has won the majority of the votes in Jefferson County since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964; the last Democrat to carry the county in a presidential election was Bill Clinton in 1992. In the 2008 presidential election, 51.47% of Jefferson County voters voted for Republican John McCain, while 43.05% voted for Democrat Barack Obama and 5.46% of voters either voted for a Third Party candidate or wrote in a candidate.^[16] These numbers show a small shift towards the Democratic candidate as well as a Third Party candidate when compared to the 2004 presidential election, in which 58.7% of Jefferson Country voters voted for George W. Bush, while 40% voted for John Kerry, and 1.3% of voters either voted for a Third Party candidate or a write-in candidate.^[17]

Economy

Agriculture is the predominant source of income in the county, with vegetable, grass and flower seeds, garlic, mint and sugar beets cultivated on some 60,000 acres (240 km²) of irrigated land. Jefferson County also has vast rangelands and until 2016 had an industrial base related to forest products. The Warm Springs Forest Products Industry, a multimillion-dollar complex owned by the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs — partially located in the northwestern corner of the county — was the single biggest industry. With 300 days of sunshine and a low yearly rainfall, fishing, hunting, camping, boating, water-skiing and rock hunting are major tourist activities.

The major landowners in the county are the Forest Service, which manages National Forest System Lands the comprise 24% of the lands within the county boundaries, and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs-Warm Springs Reservation, which owns and manages 21% of the lands within the county boundaries.