Oregon Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Oregon, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in Oregon. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Oregon. The estimated population of Oregon is 4,207,177 people, with a median age of 39.6.

We can look at the total population in Oregon over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
4,207,177
+0.74%
+4.52%
2020
4,176,346
+1.13%
-
2019
4,129,803
+1.17%
-
2018
4,081,943
+1.41%
-
2017
4,025,127
 - -

Population of Oregon by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
74.1%
76.5%
 -3.14%
Black/African American
1.8%
1.8%
 0.00%
Native
0.8%
0.9%
 -11.11%
Hispanic
13.6%
12.7%
 +7.09%
Asian
4.4%
4.1%
 +7.32%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0.4%
0.4%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
4.7%
3.6%
 +30.56%
Other
0.3%
0.1%
 +200.00%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of Oregon by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 39.6 +0.25% 38.8 +0.78% 40.5 -0.25%
2020 39.5 +0.51% 38.5 +0.52% 40.6 +0.74%
2019 39.3 +0.26% 38.3 +0.26% 40.3 0%
2018 39.2 0% 38.2 +0.26% 40.3 +0.25%
2017 39.2 - 38.1 - 40.2 -

The median age of Oregon gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 242,007 -1.24% 232,627 -2.9% 239,016 225,912
10 to 19 250,888 +4.03% 236,947 +4.48% 261,105 247,711
20 to 29 276,542 +1.81% 265,892 +2.82% 281,480 273,406
30 to 39 277,733 +8.8% 274,564 +6.81% 302,994 293,726
40 to 49 258,465 +6.55% 252,141 +5.59% 275,756 266,522
50 to 59 257,831 +0.74% 270,558 -4.61% 259,718 258,316
60 to 69 243,311 +5.52% 262,564 +6.74% 257,004 280,593
70+ 187,045 +16.26% 236,012 +11.62% 219,356 264,562

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Oregon is $70,084.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for Oregon.

  • Under 25
    $37,990.00
  • 25 to 44
    $79,576.00
  • 45 to 64
    $82,833.00
  • 65 and over
    $52,895.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in Oregon, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Oregon, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of Oregon is currently $94,034.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

8.40% of households in Oregon are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of Oregon against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    16.23%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    19.49%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    17.45%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    13.48%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    17.06%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    7.89%
  • $200,000 or more
    8.40%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Oregon is $37,816.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of Oregon by the total population of Oregon.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Oregon, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Oregon to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    15.73%
  • Bachelor's degree
    36.81%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    13.71%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    30.78%
  • Less than high school diploma
    2.97%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in Oregon that are over the age of 16.

The total population of Oregon over the age of 16 is 3,434,262.

Of those people, a total of 62.60% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in Oregon is 59.00%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 200,829 40.30% 17.00%
20 to 24 years 262,037 77.30% 10.10%
25 to 29 years 292,849 83.40% 5.70%
30 to 34 years 299,939 83.30% 5.00%
35 to 44 years 575,671 83.50% 4.50%
45 to 54 years 517,524 81.30% 4.30%
55 to 59 years 263,898 71.50% 4.20%
60 to 64 years 278,390 55.40% 4.30%
65 to 74 years 461,354 24.20% 4.40%
75 years and over 281,771 6.10% 6.30%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Oregon. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 2,827,533 61.50% 5.50%
Black or African American 60,865 65.60% 6.70%
American Indian and Alaska Native 36,109 60.40% 9.10%
Asian 157,028 65.90% 4.80%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 13,595 71.90% 4.60%
Other 114,823 73.10% 5.70%
Two or more races 224,309 67.90% 7.30%
Hispanic or Latino 394,553 72.70% 5.90%
Not Hispanic or Latino 2,638,260 60.70% 5.50%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Oregon as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Oregon is 2,026,107, with median earnings of $41,387.00.

Women in Oregon earning approximately 73.10% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 2,026,107 $41,387.00
Male 1,068,250 $48,000.00
Female 957,857 $35,068.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 227,644 $73,106.00
Business and Financial 108,097 $65,131.00
Computer and Mathematical 66,457 $82,517.00
Architecture and Engineering 53,720 $88,457.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 25,032 $61,688.00
Community and Social Service 42,893 $43,631.00
Legal 22,109 $79,310.00
Educational and Library 114,491 $39,398.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 49,727 $39,167.00
Healthcare Practitioners 120,401 $73,210.00
Healthcare Support 83,003 $26,725.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 20,163 $37,843.00
Law Enforcement 12,283 $78,520.00
Food Preparation and Serving 121,738 $17,523.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 65,725 $24,074.00
Personal Care and Service 49,719 $19,390.00
Sales 189,200 $35,350.00
Office and Administrative Support 224,246 $35,355.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 31,277 $27,284.00
Construction and Extraction 93,767 $44,787.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 54,788 $48,705.00
Production 107,979 $37,820.00
Transportation and Material Moving 68,675 $38,806.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 134,578 $83,257.00 93,066 $61,870.00
Business and Financial 48,842 $75,263.00 59,255 $59,284.00
Computer and Mathematical 49,167 $86,696.00 17,290 $71,603.00
Architecture and Engineering 43,981 $91,252.00 9,739 $78,053.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 13,063 $65,296.00 11,969 $59,049.00
Community and Social Service 14,582 $44,659.00 28,311 $43,151.00
Legal 9,355 $105,477.00 12,754 $64,445.00
Educational and Library 32,195 $54,238.00 82,296 $34,161.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 24,934 $44,509.00 24,793 $31,029.00
Healthcare Practitioners 34,181 $94,171.00 86,220 $66,505.00
Healthcare Support 14,213 $27,024.00 68,790 $26,655.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 14,978 $41,397.00 5,185 $26,345.00
Law Enforcement 10,178 $81,663.00 2,105 $61,193.00
Food Preparation and Serving 53,370 $20,844.00 68,368 $16,057.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 40,103 $27,540.00 25,622 $19,013.00
Personal Care and Service 9,983 $25,561.00 39,736 $18,150.00
Sales 99,670 $46,362.00 89,530 $26,301.00
Office and Administrative Support 61,603 $38,062.00 162,643 $34,553.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 25,241 $29,782.00 6,036 $18,398.00
Construction and Extraction 90,156 $45,229.00 3,611 $33,683.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 51,893 $49,222.00 2,895 $44,753.00
Production 80,584 $41,060.00 27,395 $28,911.00
Transportation and Material Moving 57,745 $42,204.00 10,930 $26,800.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 1,658,091 households in Oregon, with an average household size of 2.49 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 1,037,580 families in Oregon with an average family size of 3.03 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 795,014 78,121 164,445 620,511
Average Household Size 3.12 3.25 3.27 1.37
Total Families 795,014 78,121 164,445 0
Average Household Size 3.07 2.76 2.94 0

Poverty

Of the 1,037,580 families in Oregon, 7.50% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Oregon:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 1,798,864 housing units in Oregon.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 1,658,091 92.17%
Vacant 140,773 7.83%

32.59% of the total 1,798,864 housing units in Oregon are rental units. This is approximately 586,294 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 1,047,165 are occupied by the owner - or 58.21% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Oregon is $1,250.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Oregon that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    24,632
  • Less than $500
    34,865
  • $500 to $999
    141,803
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    220,928
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    124,969
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    43,086
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    11,755
  • $3,000 or more
    8,888

Property Value

The median value of a property in Oregon is $362,200.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in Oregon that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    49,276
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    30,253
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    38,561
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    65,509
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    195,303
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    404,090
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    233,527
  • $1,000,000 or more
    30,646

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in Oregon. The chart below shows the number of properties in Oregon that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    197,940
  • 1940 to 1949
    92,807
  • 1950 to 1959
    140,051
  • 1960 to 1969
    162,452
  • 1970 to 1979
    330,075
  • 1980 to 1989
    194,274
  • 1990 to 1999
    293,362
  • 2000 to 2009
    251,534
  • 2010 to 2013
    132,994
  • 2014 or later
    3,375

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in Oregon that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    117,446
  • 1 vehicle available
    511,666
  • 2 vehicles available
    625,710
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    403,269

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in Oregon get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in Oregon that commute to work in a particular way.

23.7 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Oregon.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    64,287
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    212,456
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    268,687
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    286,136
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    247,052
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    114,063
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    212,932
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    48,196
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    59,653
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    119,549
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    73,524
  • 90 or more minutes
    32,837

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Oregon in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.

Counties in Oregon

We have data for 36 counties in Oregon. Click on a county below to see more information about the demographics of that county, with links to cities and towns within that county.

Zip Codes in Oregon

If you want to find out more about the population and demographics of specific zip codes in Oregon, click on the links below.