Lane County, Oregon#Metropolitan Statistical Area

Lane County was established on January 29, 1851. It was created from the southern part of Linn County and the portion of Benton County east of Umpqua County. It was named after the territory's first governor, Joseph Lane.{{Cite book |last=Gannett, Henry |url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ |title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States |publisher=Government Printing Office |year=1905 |page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n179 180]}} Originally it covered all of southern Oregon east to the Cascade Mountains and south to the California 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 as Eugene.

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, near Pleasant Hill. They had crossed the plains to California in the previous year, and came north with Eugene F. Skinner, Captain Felix Scott, and William Dodson.{{Cite book |last=Walling |first=Albert G. |url=http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~orlane/history/histbris.htm |title=Illustrated History of Lane County Oregon |publisher=Printing house of A. G. Walling |year=1884 |location=Lane County, Oregon |page=476 |asin=B009QBROJE}} As their party entered the valley between the Coast Fork and Middle Fork of the Willamette River, Bristow gazed around and exclaimed, "What a pleasant hill! Here is my home!"{{Cite book |last=Friedman |first=Ralph |url=https://archive.org/details/insearchofwester00frie |title=In Search of Western Oregon |publisher=Caxton Press |year=1990 |isbn=0-87004-332-3 |location=Caldwell, Idaho |page=[https://archive.org/details/insearchofwester00frie/page/707 707] |quote=Elijah Bristow. |url-access=registration}}

In 1852, John Diamond and William Macy led an exploration party to survey a shortcut for the Oregon Trail across the Cascade Range. The shortcut over the Willamette Pass became known as the Free Emigrant Road. Around 250 wagons with 1,027 people left the usual Oregon Trail route at Vale, Oregon, and followed Elijah Elliott through the central Oregon high desert. This became known as the Elliott Cutoff. When they reached what is now Bend, they sent scouts to the south to look for the road. Once settlers in the Willamette 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.{{Cite book |last=Sullivan |first=William L. |title=Exploring Oregon's Wild Areas |publisher=The Mountaineers Books |year=2002 |editor-last=Thurman, Paula |edition=3rd}}

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 of Wasco County in 1854, it lost all of its territory east of the Cascade Mountains. Minor boundary changes occurred with Douglas County in 1852, 1885, 1903, 1915, and 1917; with Linn County in 1907 and with Benton County in 1923.

File:Lane County.svg

Image:Heceta Head angled.jpg on the coastline of Lane County]]

File:Eugene Springfield aerial 02.jpg

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of {{convert|4722|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|4553|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|169|sqmi}} (3.6%) is water.{{Cite web |date=August 22, 2012 |title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files |url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_41.txt |access-date=February 26, 2015 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}} Lane County is one of two Oregon counties that extend from the Pacific Ocean to the Cascades (the other is Douglas County.){{Cite web |title=About Lane County |url=http://www.co.lane.or.us/About/default.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081016104412/http://www.co.lane.or.us/About/default.htm |archive-date=October 16, 2008 |publisher=Official Lane County web site}} A portion of the Umpqua National Forest is in Lane County. Portions of the Willamette, McKenzie, and Siuslaw rivers run through the county.

• Lincoln County (northwest)
• Benton County (north)
• Linn County (northeast)
• Deschutes County (east)
• Klamath County (southeast)
• Douglas County (south)

• Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge (part)
• Siuslaw National Forest (part)
• Umpqua National Forest (part)
• Willamette National Forest (part)

{{US Census population

|1860= 4780

|1870= 6426

|1880= 9411

|1890= 15198

|1900= 19604

|1910= 33783

|1920= 36166

|1930= 54493

|1940= 69096

|1950= 125776

|1960= 162890

|1970= 213358

|1980= 275226

|1990= 282912

|2000= 322959

|2010= 351715

|2020= 382971

|estyear=2024

|estimate=382396

|estref={{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html|title=County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 15, 2025}}

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{Cite web |title=U.S. Decennial Census |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |access-date=February 26, 2015 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}
1790–1960{{Cite web |title=Historical Census Browser |url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu |access-date=February 26, 2015 |publisher=University of Virginia Library}} 1900–1990{{Cite web |date=March 27, 1995 |editor-last=Forstall |editor-first=Richard L. |title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/or190090.txt |access-date=February 26, 2015 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}
1990–2000{{Cite web |date=April 2, 2001 |title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150226035610/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=February 26, 2015 |access-date=February 26, 2015 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}} 2010–2020

}}

As of the census{{Cite web |title=U.S. Census website |url=https://www.census.gov |access-date=January 31, 2008 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}} of 2000, there were 322,959 people, 130,453 households, and 82,185 families living in the county. The population density was {{convert|71|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people |people|}}. There were 138,946 housing units at an average density of {{convert|30|/mi2|/km2|adj=pre|units }}. The racial makeup of the county was 90.64% White, 0.78% Black or African American, 1.13% Native American, 2.00% Asian, 0.19% Pacific Islander, 1.95% from other races, and 3.32% from two or more races. 4.61% of the population were Hispanic or Latino 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% were married 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. The per capita income for the county was $19,681. About 9.00% of families and 14.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.10% of those under age 18 and 7.50% of those age 65 or over.

As of the 2010 census, there were 351,715 people, 145,966 households, and 86,938 families living in the county.{{Cite web |title=DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US41039 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213022347/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US41039 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |access-date=February 23, 2016 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}} The population density was {{convert|77.2|PD/sqmi}}. There were 156,112 housing units at an average density of {{convert|34.3|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}.{{Cite web |title=Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US41039 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213193633/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US41039 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |access-date=February 23, 2016 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}} 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. In terms of ancestry, 21.8% were German, 14.9% were English, 13.8% were Irish, and 5.3% were American.{{Cite web |title=DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US41039 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213034742/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US41039 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |access-date=February 23, 2016 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}

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.

File:Lane County pop growth.png

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 the poverty line, including 17.1% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.{{Cite web |title=DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US41039 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213030655/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US41039 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |access-date=February 23, 2016 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}

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 and Clackamas.{{Cite news |last=Buri McDonald |first=Sherri |date=February 24, 2011 |title=Low-growth pains |url=http://www.registerguard.com/web/newslocalnews/25926310-41/population-growth-county-oregon-lane.html.csp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130201044428/http://www.registerguard.com/web/newslocalnews/25926310-41/population-growth-county-oregon-lane.html.csp |archive-date=February 1, 2013 |access-date=June 2, 2011 |work=The Register-Guard}}

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 a County commission. Commissioners are elected officials and serve four-year terms. The current commissioners are:

• David Lovell, Springfield
• Ryan Ceniga, West Lane
• Heather Buch, East Lane
• Laurie Trieger, South Eugene
• Pat Farr, North Eugene

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 the Ku 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.{{cite book |last1=Lay |first1=Shawn |title=The Invisible Empire in the West |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-B-TW4_KXhkC |website=google.com/books/ |date=2004 |publisher=University of Illinois Press |isbn=978-0-252-07171-3 |access-date=30 December 2024}}

Lane County is currently one of 11 counties in Oregon in which therapeutic psilocybin is legal.

{{PresHead|place=Lane County, Oregon|whig=no|source1={{Cite web |last=Leip |first=David |title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections |url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS |access-date=April 11, 2018 |website=uselectionatlas.org}}|source2=The leading "other" candidate, Progressive Theodore Roosevelt, received 1,815 votes, while Socialist Eugene Debs received 773 votes, Prohibition candidate Eugene Chafin received 343 votes.}}

{{PresRow|2024|Democratic|77,376|125,775|8,134|Oregon}}

{{PresRow|2020|Democratic|80,336|134,366|7,551|Oregon}}

{{PresRow|2016|Democratic|67,141|102,753|22,056|Oregon}}

{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|62,509|102,652|6,689|Oregon}}

{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|63,835|114,037|5,038|Oregon}}

{{PresRow|2004|Democratic|75,007|107,769|3,096|Oregon}}

{{PresRow|2000|Democratic|61,578|78,583|12,027|Oregon}}

{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|48,253|69,461|22,073|Oregon}}

{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|41,789|74,083|35,990|Oregon}}

{{PresRow|1988|Democratic|47,563|69,883|2,256|Oregon}}

{{PresRow|1984|Democratic|61,493|63,999|360|Oregon}}

{{PresRow|1980|Republican|54,750|52,240|18,614|Oregon}}

{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|46,245|56,479|5,643|Oregon}}

{{PresRow|1972|Republican|47,739|46,177|4,271|Oregon}}

{{PresRow|1968|Republican|39,563|34,521|6,465|Oregon}}

{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|24,139|49,785|276|Oregon}}

{{PresRow|1960|Republican|36,148|32,596|118|Oregon}}

{{PresRow|1956|Republican|35,264|27,534|0|Oregon}}

{{PresRow|1952|Republican|35,693|19,960|266|Oregon}}

{{PresRow|1948|Republican|20,843|15,606|1,260|Oregon}}

{{PresRow|1944|Republican|17,690|14,375|332|Oregon}}

{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|15,349|16,286|255|Oregon}}

{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|8,309|13,926|1,980|Oregon}}

{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|10,547|11,073|2,517|Oregon}}

{{PresRow|1928|Republican|13,647|4,213|345|Oregon}}

{{PresRow|1924|Republican|8,551|3,255|2,469|Oregon}}

{{PresRow|1920|Republican|7,714|3,986|747|Oregon}}

{{PresRow|1916|Republican|7,253|5,880|895|Oregon}}

{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|1,986|2,596|2,931|Oregon}}

{{PresRow|1908|Republican|3,313|2,174|546|Oregon}}

{{PresRow|1904|Republican|3,501|1,166|647|Oregon}}

{{PresRow|1900|Republican|2,521|2,037|187|Oregon}}

{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|2,215|2,594|120|Oregon}}

{{PresRow|1892|Republican|1,902|828|1,431|Oregon}}

{{PresRow|1888|Republican|1,593|1,368|126|Oregon}}

{{PresRow|1884|Republican|1,251|1,232|74|Oregon}}

{{PresFoot|1880|Democratic|1,012|1,092|47|Oregon}}

As of 2022, Lane County has the fifth-largest gross domestic product among Oregon's 36 counties, totaling $17.55 billion.{{cite web | url=https://www.bea.gov/news/2023/gross-domestic-product-county-and-metropolitan-area-2022 | title=Gross Domestic Product by County and Metropolitan Area, 2022 | U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) }}

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.https://marketing.eugenecascadescoast.org/acton/ct/42006/s-02bd-2309/Bct/q-0014/l-000b:57b/ct1_0/1/lu?sid=TV2%3AceTtHq5uL

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.{{cite web | url=https://www.eugenechamber.com/lane-county-principal-employers.html | title=Lane County Principal Employers }}

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.

File:Eugene Oregon from Skinner Butte.JPG

File:Honeyman Memorial State Park Cleawox Lake.JPG and part of Cleawox Lake, Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, south of Florence]]

{{div col|colwidth=22em}}

• Coburg
• Cottage Grove
• Creswell
• Dunes City
• Eugene (county seat)
• Florence
• Junction City
• Lowell
• Oakridge
• Springfield
• Veneta
• Westfir

{{div col end}}

{{div col|colwidth=22em}}

• Cheshire
• Dexter
• Elmira
• Heceta Beach
• Jasper
• Mapleton
• Marcola
• River Road
• Santa Clara (former)
• Trent

{{Div col end}}

{{div col|colwidth=12em}}

• Ada
• Alpha
• Alvadore
• Austa
• Belknap Springs
• Blachly
• Blue River
• Camp Creek
• Canary
• Cedar Flat
• Cheshire
• Cloverdale
• Crow
• Culp Creek
• Cushman
• Deadwood
• Deerhorn
• Dexter
• Disston
• Dorena
• Elmira
• Finn Rock
• Glenada
• Glenwood
• Goldson
• Goshen
• Greenleaf
• Heceta
• Horton
• Indiola
• Inlow
• Jasper
• Lancaster
• Latham
• Leaburg
• Linslaw
• London Springs
• Lorane
• Low Pass
• Mabel
• Malabon
• Mapleton
• Marcola
• McKenzie Bridge
• Minerva
• Mohawk
• Nimrod
• North Beach
• Noti
• Pleasant Hill
• Rainbow
• Riverview
• Saginaw
• Santa Clara
• Searose Beach
• Siltcoos
• Swisshome
• Tide
• Tiernan
• Trent
• Triangle Lake
• Unity
• Vaughn
• Vida
• Walden
• Walker
• Walterville
• Walton
• Wendling
• Westlake
• Wildwood

{{div col end}}

• Alma
• Bethel, now part of Eugene
• Black Butte
• Bohemia City
• Divide
• Irving, now part of Eugene
• Luper
• McCredie Springs
• Natron
• Thurston, now part of Springfield

School districts include:{{cite map|author=Geography Division|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st41_or/schooldistrict_maps/c41039_lane/DC20SD_C41039.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Lane County, OR|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|date=December 18, 2020|access-date=2024-12-24}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st41_or/schooldistrict_maps/c41039_lane/DC20SD_C41039_SD2MS.txt Text list]

{{div col|colwidth=30em}}

• Alsea School District 7J
• Bethel School District 52
• Blachly School District 090
• Creswell School District 40
• Crow-Applegate-Lorane School District 66
• Eugene School District 4J
• Fern Ridge School District 28J
• Harrisburg School District 7J
• Junction City School District 69
• Lincoln County School District
• Lowell School District 71
• Mapleton School District 32
• Marcola School District 79J
• McKenzie School District 68
• Monroe School District 1J
• Oakridge School District 76
• Pleasant Hill School District 1
• Siuslaw School District 97J
• South Lane School District 45J
• Springfield School District 19

{{div col end}}

{{Portal|Oregon}}

• Lane Education Service District
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Lane County, Oregon

{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

• {{Cite book |last=Velasco |first=Dorothy |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/12313097 |title=Lane County: an illustrated history of the Emerald Empire |date=1985 |publisher=Windsor Publications |others=Donovan, Dianne. Lane County Historical Society |isbn=9780897811408 |location=Northridge, California |oclc=12313097}}

{{Commons category|Lane County, Oregon}}

{{wikisource|The Beginnings of Lane County}}

• {{Official website|http://www.co.lane.or.us|name=Official Lane County Website}}
• [http://www.VisitLaneCounty.org Convention and Visitors Association of Lane County, Oregon]
• [https://www.lchm.org/ Lane County History Museum]—information on the history of Lane County

{{Geographic location

|Centre = Lane County, Oregon

|North = Lincoln County, Benton County & Linn County

|Northeast =

|East = Deschutes County

|Southeast = Klamath County

|South = Douglas County

|Southwest =

|West = Pacific Ocean

|Northwest =

}}

{{Lane County, Oregon}}

{{Oregon}}

{{Authority control}}

{{coord|43.95|-122.88|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-OR_source:UScensus1990}}

Category:1851 establishments in Oregon Territory

Category:Populated places established in 1851