Oregon Population 2024

Oregon currently has a growth rate of 0.89%, which ranks 22nd in the country. Oregon's 2013 population was estimated to have grown to over 4 million, making Oregon the 27th most populous state in the country.

To establish the Oregon population in 2018, it's important to first look at the numbers from the last official US Census which was carried out in 2010. At that stage, it was confirmed that the Beaver State was home to 3,831,074 residents. That’s a sizable 12% rise in the numbers declared ten years earlier.

Oregon Area and Population Density

The northwestern state of Oregon is the 9th largest in the US in terms of land area, but it has a sparsely spread population by comparison. Geography plays a huge part -- mountain ranges and vast forest areas are just two of the geographical features that have an impact on population density in Oregon.

However, parts of this vast landscape are dominated by geographical features that are unsuitable for major settlement and as a result, there is an average of just 39.9 people living in every square mile of Oregon territory. This makes Oregon only the 39th most densely populated state in the country.

Much of Oregon's population is concentrated in the Willamette Valley from Eugene to the south through Corvallis, Salem, and Portland, the largest city. Portland is home to 630,309. Other major cities include Eugene (163,460), Salem (164,549), Gresham (110,553) and Hillsboro (102,347). Comparatively, the two most populated counties in the state are Multnomah at 807,555 and Washington at 588,957.

Oregon Gender and Religion Statistics

The median age across the population of Oregon is 39.1 years of age. In terms of the ratio of females to males, 50.5% females and 49.5% males is where the population currently stands.

In terms of the most preferred religions in Oregon, 61% of the population is affiliated with a Christian based faith, 7% are affiliated with non-Christian based faiths, and 31% of the population is not affiliated with a religion of any kind.

Oregon Boundary, Census, and Statehood History

The Oregon region was long in dispute with Great Britain, and was jointly occupied by the two countries until definitively acquired by the United States in 1846. Oregon was established as a territory in 1848, including present-day Washington, Idaho, and parts of Montana and Wyoming. It acquired its present boundaries and was admitted as a State on February 14, 1859.

In 1850 the census covered only areas west of the Cascade Mountains; the 1850 total excludes persons enumerated in present-day Washington. In 1860 census coverage included the whole State.

Oregon Population History

Early recorded figures show that in 1850, Oregon had a reasonably healthy population of 12,093. Those numbers were to increase by over 300% over the next ten years, and in 1860 the Oregon population was recorded at 52,465.

That was the largest rise on a decade by decade basis but the overall trend for the rest of the century was one of sustained growth, and by 1900, the population of Oregon was confirmed at 413,536.

Oregon Population Growth

Unlike other parts of the United States, that growth did not slow down for the first half of the 20th century, and by 1950, numbers had increased to 1,521,341. Further healthy growth has seen the population more than double over the past sixty years, and have taken the state to the present day where the population in 2016 has surpassed 4 million.

Oregon Population Projections

There is nothing to presently suggest that population growth in Oregon is set to slow down in the near future. By the time of the 2020 Census, it's estimated that the population will exceed 4.3 million. By 2030, estimates show the population will reach 4.8 million, an increase of over 41% from the 2000 population, while Oregon will reach 5.42 million residents by 2040.

Oregon has one of the lowest population percentages of African Americans in the nation, ranking 41st out of 50 states. The majority of the population -as well as the majority of the state's diversity- is located around the Portland metro area. The state's foreign-born population exceeds 300,000 and accounts for almost 9% of the total population, according to data from 2004.

Oregon's Native American population, in terms of percentage when compared to the state's total population, is ranked as 10th in the nation and tops the national average. Oregon ranks 12th in its percentage of Asian Americans when compared to the total population, and this percentage falls just short of the average of the US as a whole.

The largest ancestry groups in Oregon include: German (22.5%), English (14.0%), Irish (13.2%), Scandinavian (8.4%), American (5.0%), French (3.9%), Italian (3.7%) and Scottish (3.6%). Portland is Oregon's most diverse area, while there are high concentrations of Mexican-Americans in Jefferson and Malheur counties.

• The number of ghost towns located in Oregon surpasses every other US state.
• The first permanent settlement was established by Methodist Missionaries at Willamette Valley in 1834.
• Thousands of pioneers used the Oregon Trail to migrate west. The Oregon Trail was the longest of the trails used during the westward expansion, crossing over 2,000 miles.
• Oregon is home to Crater Lake, the deepest lake in the US that reaches depths of over 1,900 feet.
• Hells Canyon, which is partly located within Oregon, is the deepest river gorge (8,000 feet) in the country.
• The state lacks sales, liquor, and restaurant taxes in Oregon.