Lane County | |
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![Lane County Courthouse in Eugene, built in 1898 and demolished in 1959[1]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fwikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3a1898_Lane_County_Courthouse_(Lane_County%2c_Oregon_scenic_images)_(lanD0040a).jpg) Lane County Courthouse in Eugene, built in 1898 and demolished in 1959[1] | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofOregon | |
 Oregon's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:43°57′N122°53′W / 43.95°N 122.88°W /43.95; -122.88 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Oregon |
| Founded | January 29, 1851 |
| Named after | Joseph Lane |
| Seat | Eugene |
| Largest city | Eugene |
| Area | |
• Total | 4,722 sq mi (12,230 km2) |
| • Land | 4,553 sq mi (11,790 km2) |
| • Water | 169 sq mi (440 km2) 3.6% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 382,971 |
• Estimate (2023) | 381,181 |
| • Density | 81/sq mi (31/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−8 (Pacific) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (PDT) |
| Congressional district | 4th |
| Website | www |
Lane County is one of the36 counties in theU.S. state ofOregon. As of the2020 census, the population was 382,971,[2] making it the fourth-most populous county in Oregon. Thecounty seat isEugene, the state's second most populous city.[3] Itis named in honor ofJoseph Lane, Oregon's first territorial governor. Lane County comprises the Eugene, ORMetropolitan Statistical Area. It is the third-largest MSA in Oregon, and the 144th-largest in the country.[4][5]
Lane County was established on January 29, 1851. It was created from the southern part ofLinn County and the portion ofBenton County east ofUmpqua County. It was named after theterritory's firstgovernor,Joseph Lane.[6] Originally it covered all of southern Oregon east to theCascade Mountains and south to theCalifornia border. When the Territorial Legislature created Lane County, it did not designate a county seat. In the 1853 election, four sites competed for the designation, of which the "Mulligan donation" received a majority vote; however, since it was contiguous to the "Skinner claim" both became part of the new county seat known asEugene.
In 1846,Elijah Bristow and his wife, the former Susannah Gabbart, had become the first white settlers to build a claim cabin within the present-day boundaries of Lane County, nearPleasant Hill. They had crossed the plains to California in the previous year, and came north withEugene F. Skinner, Captain Felix Scott, and William Dodson.[7] As their party entered the valley between theCoast Fork andMiddle Fork of theWillamette River, Bristow gazed around and exclaimed, "What a pleasant hill! Here is my home!"[8]
In 1852, John Diamond and William Macy led an exploration party to survey a shortcut for theOregon Trail across theCascade Range. The shortcut over theWillamette Pass became known as the Free Emigrant Road. Around 250 wagons with 1,027 people left the usual Oregon Trail route atVale, Oregon, and followed Elijah Elliott through the centralOregon high desert. This became known as theElliott Cutoff. When they reached what is nowBend, they sent scouts to the south to look for the road. Once settlers in theWillamette Valley discovered the emigrants were coming, a huge rescue effort was launched as the emigrants were out of supplies and in dire condition. The emigrants of this wagon train doubled the population of Lane County in 1853.[9]
The county has been vastly reduced from its original size by several boundary changes. One of the first changes gave it access to the Pacific Ocean, when it acquired the northern part of Umpqua County in 1853. With the creation ofWasco County in 1854, it lost all of its territory east of the Cascade Mountains. Minor boundary changes occurred withDouglas County in 1852, 1885, 1903, 1915, and 1917; with Linn County in 1907 and with Benton County in 1923.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 4,722 square miles (12,230 km2), of which 4,553 square miles (11,790 km2) is land and 169 square miles (440 km2) (3.6%) is water.[10] Lane County is one of two Oregon counties that extend from thePacific Ocean to theCascades (the other isDouglas County.)[11] A portion of theUmpqua National Forest is in Lane County. Portions of the Willamette, McKenzie, and Siuslaw rivers run through the county.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 4,780 | — | |
| 1870 | 6,426 | 34.4% | |
| 1880 | 9,411 | 46.5% | |
| 1890 | 15,198 | 61.5% | |
| 1900 | 19,604 | 29.0% | |
| 1910 | 33,783 | 72.3% | |
| 1920 | 36,166 | 7.1% | |
| 1930 | 54,493 | 50.7% | |
| 1940 | 69,096 | 26.8% | |
| 1950 | 125,776 | 82.0% | |
| 1960 | 162,890 | 29.5% | |
| 1970 | 213,358 | 31.0% | |
| 1980 | 275,226 | 29.0% | |
| 1990 | 282,912 | 2.8% | |
| 2000 | 322,959 | 14.2% | |
| 2010 | 351,715 | 8.9% | |
| 2020 | 382,971 | 8.9% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 381,181 | [12] | −0.5% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[13] 1790–1960[14] 1900–1990[15] 1990–2000[16] 2010–2020[2] | |||
As of thecensus[17] of 2000, there were 322,959 people, 130,453 households, and 82,185 families living in the county. Thepopulation density was 71 people per square mile (27 people/km2). There were 138,946 housing units at an average density of 30 units per square mile (12/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 90.64%White, 0.78%Black orAfrican American, 1.13%Native American, 2.00%Asian, 0.19%Pacific Islander, 1.95% fromother races, and 3.32% from two or more races. 4.61% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 130,453 households, out of which 28.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.90% weremarried couples living together, 10.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.00% were non-families. 26.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.90% under the age of 18, 12.00% from 18 to 24, 27.50% from 25 to 44, 24.40% from 45 to 64, and 13.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 96.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $36,942, and the median income for a family was $45,111. Males had a median income of $34,358 versus $25,103 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $19,681. About 9.00% of families and 14.40% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 16.10% of those under age 18 and 7.50% of those age 65 or over.
As of the2010 census, there were 351,715 people, 145,966 households, and 86,938 families living in the county.[18] The population density was 77.2 inhabitants per square mile (29.8/km2). There were 156,112 housing units at an average density of 34.3 units per square mile (13.2 units/km2).[19] The racial makeup of the county was 88.3% white, 2.4% Asian, 1.2% American Indian, 1.0% black or African American, 0.2% Pacific islander, 2.8% from other races, and 4.2% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 7.4% of the population.[18] In terms of ancestry, 21.8% wereGerman, 14.9% wereEnglish, 13.8% wereIrish, and 5.3% wereAmerican.[20]
Of the 145,966 households, 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.3% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 40.4% were non-families, and 28.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.87. The median age was 39.0 years.[18]
The median income for a household in the county was $42,923 and the median income for a family was $55,817. Males had a median income of $43,383 versus $32,745 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,869. About 10.0% of families and 16.7% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 17.1% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.[21]
Lane County is the fourth-most populous county in Oregon. It grew more slowly from 2000 to 2010 than did the three larger counties,Multnomah (the most populous Oregon county),Washington andClackamas.[22]
The racial and ethnic make up of the county was 77.9% non-Hispanic White, 1.1% African American, 0.9% Native American, 2.5% Asian, 6.9% mixed race of two or more, and 9.9% Hispanic.
Lane County is governed by aCounty commission. Commissioners are elected officials and serve four-year terms. The current commissioners are:
In presidential elections from the 1950s through the 70s, Lane County mostly leaned towards Republican candidates, but returned to a solidly Democratic county in 1984, coming to often back Democratic candidates in statewide elections by broad margins. It is one of many counties dominated by college towns that swung heavily Democratic in this period.
Through much of the mid-1800s and the first half of the 20th century, the region served as a stronghold for the pro-slavery National Democratic Party. In the 1920s the county was considered the state headquarters for theKu Klux Klan. Major Luther I. Powell, a resident of the county and Klan leader, led early efforts to establish the Klan, first in Eugene and then across Oregon.[23]
Lane County is currently one of 11 counties in Oregon in which therapeutic psilocybin is legal.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2024 | 77,376 | 36.62% | 125,775 | 59.53% | 8,134 | 3.85% |
| 2020 | 80,336 | 36.15% | 134,366 | 60.46% | 7,551 | 3.40% |
| 2016 | 67,141 | 34.98% | 102,753 | 53.53% | 22,056 | 11.49% |
| 2012 | 62,509 | 36.37% | 102,652 | 59.73% | 6,689 | 3.89% |
| 2008 | 63,835 | 34.90% | 114,037 | 62.35% | 5,038 | 2.75% |
| 2004 | 75,007 | 40.35% | 107,769 | 57.98% | 3,096 | 1.67% |
| 2000 | 61,578 | 40.46% | 78,583 | 51.64% | 12,027 | 7.90% |
| 1996 | 48,253 | 34.52% | 69,461 | 49.69% | 22,073 | 15.79% |
| 1992 | 41,789 | 27.52% | 74,083 | 48.78% | 35,990 | 23.70% |
| 1988 | 47,563 | 39.73% | 69,883 | 58.38% | 2,256 | 1.88% |
| 1984 | 61,493 | 48.86% | 63,999 | 50.85% | 360 | 0.29% |
| 1980 | 54,750 | 43.59% | 52,240 | 41.59% | 18,614 | 14.82% |
| 1976 | 46,245 | 42.67% | 56,479 | 52.12% | 5,643 | 5.21% |
| 1972 | 47,739 | 48.62% | 46,177 | 47.03% | 4,271 | 4.35% |
| 1968 | 39,563 | 49.12% | 34,521 | 42.86% | 6,465 | 8.03% |
| 1964 | 24,139 | 32.53% | 49,785 | 67.10% | 276 | 0.37% |
| 1960 | 36,148 | 52.49% | 32,596 | 47.34% | 118 | 0.17% |
| 1956 | 35,264 | 56.15% | 27,534 | 43.85% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 35,693 | 63.83% | 19,960 | 35.69% | 266 | 0.48% |
| 1948 | 20,843 | 55.27% | 15,606 | 41.39% | 1,260 | 3.34% |
| 1944 | 17,690 | 54.60% | 14,375 | 44.37% | 332 | 1.02% |
| 1940 | 15,349 | 48.13% | 16,286 | 51.07% | 255 | 0.80% |
| 1936 | 8,309 | 34.31% | 13,926 | 57.51% | 1,980 | 8.18% |
| 1932 | 10,547 | 43.70% | 11,073 | 45.88% | 2,517 | 10.43% |
| 1928 | 13,647 | 74.96% | 4,213 | 23.14% | 345 | 1.90% |
| 1924 | 8,551 | 59.90% | 3,255 | 22.80% | 2,469 | 17.30% |
| 1920 | 7,714 | 61.97% | 3,986 | 32.02% | 747 | 6.00% |
| 1916 | 7,253 | 51.70% | 5,880 | 41.92% | 895 | 6.38% |
| 1912 | 1,986 | 26.43% | 2,596 | 34.55% | 2,931 | 39.01% |
| 1908 | 3,313 | 54.91% | 2,174 | 36.04% | 546 | 9.05% |
| 1904 | 3,501 | 65.88% | 1,166 | 21.94% | 647 | 12.18% |
| 1900 | 2,521 | 53.13% | 2,037 | 42.93% | 187 | 3.94% |
| 1896 | 2,215 | 44.94% | 2,594 | 52.63% | 120 | 2.43% |
| 1892 | 1,902 | 45.71% | 828 | 19.90% | 1,431 | 34.39% |
| 1888 | 1,593 | 51.60% | 1,368 | 44.31% | 126 | 4.08% |
| 1884 | 1,251 | 48.92% | 1,232 | 48.18% | 74 | 2.89% |
| 1880 | 1,012 | 47.05% | 1,092 | 50.77% | 47 | 2.19% |
As of 2022, Lane County has the fifth-largest gross domestic product among Oregon's 36 counties, totaling $17.55 billion.[26]
Tourism has become a key driver of the local economy, with direct visitor spending reaching $1.1 billion in 2023, and total travel spending hitting a record $1.4 billion.[27]
PeaceHealth Medical Group is the largest private employer in Lane County, followed by the University of Oregon, Eugene 4J School District, and U.S. Government.[28]
Growth in the next decades is predicted to shift away from timber and agriculture to services, manufacturing of transportation equipment, printing and publishing, and high technology.
School districts include:[29]
Lane County Courthouse, NE corner of 8th Avenue and Oak Street, Eugene; Lane County Jail on left. Lane County Courthouse was built in 1898 and torn down in 1959. — Catalog Number: CS284
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)Elijah Bristow.
Places adjacent to Lane County, Oregon | |
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Municipalities and communities ofLane County, Oregon,United States | ||
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| Ghost towns | ||
| Indian reservation | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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