 The OregonState version of the U.S. Quarter featuresCrater Lake. | |
| Statistics | |
|---|---|
| GDP | $331 billion (2024)[1] |
GDP per capita | $70,685 (2024)[2] |
Population belowpoverty line | 15.5% (2008-2012)[3] |
| 0.4586[4] | |
Labor force | 2,204,277 (May 2025)[5] |
| Unemployment | 4.7% (April 2025)[6] |
| Public finances | |
| Revenues | $7,475.135 million[7] |
| Expenses | $5,889 million[8] |
Theeconomy of the U.S. state of Oregon is made up of a number of sectors. During the 1990s and 2000s,Oregon has attempted to transition its economy from one based onnatural resources to one based on a mix of manufacturing, services, and high technology.[9]
In the 1980s, hard times hit Oregon's main resource sectors: timber, fishing, and agriculture. Efforts by the state government to diversify the state economy led to the growth of Oregon's high tech sector, based in the three counties surroundingPortland, Oregon, but rural counties were left out. The tech bust of the early 2000s caused Oregon to lose many of the 43,000 jobs lost between 2000 and 2003[clarification needed]. Between 2004 and 2007, Oregon's and the nation's economies grew based on increases in construction and services. Construction alone added 21,000 jobs during the period.[9]
According to theBureau of Economic Analysis, Oregon'sgross state product in 2024 was$331 billion, ranking 25th largest in the nation.[1]
The state'sper capita personal income in 2021 was $59,484.[10] As of November 2021, the state's unemployment rate is 4.2%. Oregon ranks 37th in the nation for unemployment.[11]
The fur trade was Oregon's first major industry. Beginning in the 1840s, settlers began displacing Native Americans and setting up farms. Though growth was slow for the coastal region there was rapid growth in theWillamette Valley andPortland in particular. With the discovery of gold in 1861–62 inBaker county andGrant County in Eastern Oregon had begun establishing itself as a major shipping hub with a focus on wheat. With the railroad's arrival to Oregon, Portland has sealed its position as the economic center of the state.[12] In the following decades, loggers and salmon fishers joined the miners.[13]
With the coming of the First World War, the state's shipyard industry and timber trades continued to expand rapidly again, especially in Portland. In the 1930s, the Works Projects Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps introduced through the New Deal would construct many projects throughout the state including Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood and many hydroelectric dams along Oregon's rivers.[12] TheBonneville Dam, built from 1933 to 1937 provided low cost electricity that helped fuel development of industries such as aluminum plants, likeWah Chang Corporation located inAlbany. The power, food, and lumber provided by Oregon helped fuel the development of the West, although the periodic fluctuations in the nation's building industry have hurt the state's economy on multiple occasions. That coupled with needs of World War II food production, shipbuilding and the lumber were also greatly enhanced throughout the state.[12]
81,000 manufacturing jobs in Oregon rely on exports which totaled $27.7 billion in 2023 with over $12.9 billion of the total going to countries in Asia.[14]
The largest countries receiving exports from Oregon in 2023 were:[14]
The state's top exports in 2023 by category were:[14]
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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 Missoula in western Montana onto the valley floor.[15] In 2016, the Willamette Valley region produced over 100 million pounds (45 kt) ofblueberries.[16] The industry is governed and represented by theOregon Department of Agriculture.[17]
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 of thewine production in Oregon can 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.[18] Due to regional similarities in climate andsoil, the grapes planted in Oregon are often the same varieties found in the French regions ofAlsace andBurgundy. In 2014, 71 wineries opened in the state. The total is currently 676, which represents growth of 12% over 2013.[19]
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 southernCoos and northernCurry counties, centered around the coastal city ofBandon. In the northeastern region of the state, particularly aroundPendleton, both irrigated and dry land wheat is grown.[20] Oregonfarmers and ranchers also producecattle,sheep, dairy products, eggs andpoultry.
Caneberries (Rubus) are farmed here.[21]: 25 Stamen blight (Hapalosphaeria deformans) is significant here and throughout thePNW.[21]: 25 Here it especially hinders commercialdewberries.[21]: 25
Phytophthora ramorum was first discovered in the 1990s on theCalifornia Central Coast[22] and was quickly found here as well.[23]P. ramorum is of economic concern due to its infestation ofRubus andVaccinium spp. (includingcranberry andblueberry).[23]
Peaches grown in theWillamette Valley are mostly sold directly and do not enter the more distant markets.[24]OSU Extension recommended severalpeach andnectarine cultivars for Willamette.[24]
AnEmerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis) infestation has been sighted inForest Grove, the first forWestern North America.[25][26] On June 30, 2022, an off-dutyinvasion biologist noticed an infested tree and the Emerald Ash Borer Readiness and Response Plan for Oregon[27] – finalized in March of the previous year – was quickly enacted by state departments.[25] The public is asked to report[28] sightings to thestate Department of Agriculture.[25]
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.[29]
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 Industries in January 2002, the relocation ofLouisiana-Pacific's corporate headquarters from Portland toNashville, and the decline of former lumbercompany towns such asGilchrist. Despite these changes, Oregon still leads the United States insoftwood lumber 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.[30] The slowing of the timber andlumber industry has caused high unemployment rates in rural areas.[31]
Oregon has one of the largestsalmon-fishing industries in the world, although oceanfisheries have reduced the river fisheries in recent years.[32] Because of the abundance of waterways in the state, it is also a major producer of hydroelectric energy.[33]
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 Bachelor also draw visitors year-round forskiing and other snow activities.[34]
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.[35] TheInternational Rose Test Garden is 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 Report andCNN.[36][37] Oregon is home tomany breweries, and Portland has the largest number of breweries of any city in the world.[38]
The state's coastal region produces significant tourism as well.[39] TheOregon Coast Aquarium comprises 23 acres (9.3 ha) alongYaquina Bay inNewport, and was also home toKeiko the orca whale.[40] It has been noted as one of the top ten aquariums in North America.[41]Fort Clatsop inWarrenton features a replica ofLewis and Clark's encampment at the mouth of the Columbia River in 1805. TheSea Lion Caves inFlorence are the largest system of sea caverns in the United States, and also attract many visitors.[42]
In Southern Oregon, theOregon Shakespeare Festival, held inAshland, is also a tourist draw, as is theOregon Vortex and theWolf Creek Inn State Heritage Site, a historic inn whereJack London wrote his 1913 novelValley of the Moon.[43]
Oregon has also historically been a popular region forfilm shoots due to its diverse landscapes, as well as its proximity toHollywood.[44]Movies filmed in Oregon include: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.[45] Additionally, several television shows have been filmed throughout the state includingPortlandia,Grimm,Bates Motel, andLeverage.[46] TheOregon Film Museum is located in the old Clatsop County Jail inAstoria. Additionally, thelast remaining Blockbuster store is located in Bend.[47]
High technology industries located inSilicon Forest have been a major employer since the 1970s.Tektronix was the largest private employer in Oregon until the late 1980s.Intel's creation and expansion of several facilities in easternWashington County continued the growth that Tektronix had started. Intel, the state's largest for-profit private employer,[48][49] operates four large facilities, with Ronler Acres, Jones Farm and Hawthorn Farm all located inHillsboro.[50]
The spinoffs and startups that were produced by these two companies led to establishment of the so-calledSilicon Forest. The recession anddot-com bust of 2001 hit the region hard; many high technology employers reduced the number of their employees or went out of business.Open Source Development Labs made news in 2004 when they hiredLinus Torvalds, developer of theLinux kernel. In 2010,biotechnology giantGenentech opened a $400 million facility inHillsboro to expand its production capabilities.[51] Oregon is home to several largedatacenters that take advantage of cheap power and a climate conducive to reducing cooling costs.Google operates a large datacenter inThe Dalles, andFacebook built a large datacenter nearPrineville in 2010.Amazon opened a datacenter nearBoardman in 2011, and a fulfillment center inTroutdale in 2018.[52][53]
For health insurance, as of 2018Cambia Health Solutions has the highest market share at 21%, followed byProvidence Health.[54] In the Portland region,Kaiser Permanente leads.[54] Providence and Kaiser are verticallyintegrated delivery systems which operate hospitals and offer insurance plans.[55] Aside from Providence and Kaiser, hospital systems which are primarily Oregon-based includeLegacy Health mostly covering Portland,Samaritan Health Services with five hospitals in various areas across the state, andTuality Healthcare in the western Portland metropolitan area. InSouthern Oregon, Asante runs several hospitals, includingRogue Regional Medical Center. Some hospitals are operated by multi-state organizations such asPeaceHealth andCommonSpirit Health. Some hospitals suchSalem Hospital operate independently of larger systems.
Oregon Health & Science University is a Portland-based medical school that operates two hospitals and clinics.
TheOregon Health Plan is the state'sMedicaid managed care plan, and it is known for innovations.[56] The Portland area is a maturemanaged care and two-thirds of Medicare enrollees are inMedicare Advantage plans.[56]
Oregon'sbiennial state budget, $2.6 billion in 2017, comprisesGeneral Funds,Federal Funds, Lottery Funds, and Other Funds.[57]
Oregon is one ofonly five states that have nosales tax.[58] Oregon voters have been resolute in their opposition to a sales tax, voting proposals down each of the nine times they have been presented.[59] The last vote, for 1993's Measure 1, was defeated by a 75–25% margin.[60]
The state also has a minimum corporate tax of only $150 a year,[61] 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.[62][better source needed] As a result, the state relies onproperty and 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.[63]
A few local governments levy sales taxes on services: the city of Ashland, for example, collects a 5% sales tax on prepared food.[64]
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.[65]
The State of Oregon also allows transit district to levy an income tax on employers and the self-employed. The State currently collects the tax forTriMet and theLane Transit District.[66][67]
Oregon is one of six states with a revenue limit.[68] 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.[69] Since the enactment of the law in 1979, refunds have been issued for seven of the eleven biennia.[70] 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.[71]
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.[72]
Oregon is also the home of large corporations in other industries. The world headquarters ofNike is 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 automation located inWilsonville and employs roughly 4,500 people worldwide.
Adidas Corporations American Headquarters is located in Portland and employs roughly 900 full-time workers at its Portland campus.[73] 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.[74]Intel Corporation employs 22,000 in Oregon[49] 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.[75]
| # | 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.
Companies based in Oregon that are in theFortune 1000 are Nike (90), Lithia Motors (124),The Greenbrier Companies (843),Portland General Electric (853),Columbia Sportswear (863),Radius Recycling (976), andKinderCare Learning Centers (1000).[77]
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