kids encyclopedia robot

Lane County, Oregon facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Lane County
Lane County Courthouse in Eugene, built in 1898 and demolished in 1959
Lane County Courthouse in Eugene, built in 1898 and demolished in 1959
Map of Oregon highlighting Lane County
Location within the U.S. state of Oregon
Map of the United States highlighting Oregon
Oregon's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Oregon
Founded January 29, 1851
Named for 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 Decrease
 • Density 81.104/sq mi (31.314/km2)
Time zone UTC−8 (Pacific)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−7 (PDT)
Congressional district 4th

Lane County is one of the 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is the fourth-most populated county in Oregon. In 2020, about 382,971 people lived here. The main city, or county seat, is Eugene. Eugene is also the second-largest city in Oregon.

Lane County is named after Joseph Lane. He was Oregon's first governor when it was a territory. The county is part of the Eugene Metropolitan Statistical Area. This is the third-largest city area in Oregon.

History of Lane County

Lane County was created on January 29, 1851. It was formed from parts of Linn County and Benton County. It was named after Joseph Lane, who was the first governor of the Oregon Territory.

When it was first made, Lane County was much bigger. It stretched from the Cascade Mountains to the California border. In 1853, people voted for the county seat. The "Mulligan donation" and "Skinner claim" areas won. These areas became the new county seat, which is now Eugene.

Early Settlers and Explorers

In 1846, Elijah Bristow and his wife, Susannah, were the first white settlers in what is now Lane County. They built a cabin near Pleasant Hill. They had traveled from California with other explorers. When Bristow saw the beautiful valley, he said, "What a pleasant hill! Here is my home!"

In 1852, John Diamond and William Macy led a group to find a shortcut for the Oregon Trail. This shortcut went over the Willamette Pass and was called the Free Emigrant Road. About 250 wagons with over 1,000 people used this new route. It was called the Elliott Cutoff.

When these travelers ran out of supplies, people in the Willamette Valley launched a big rescue effort. These new settlers greatly increased Lane County's population in 1853.

Changing Borders

Lane County's size has changed many times. In 1853, it gained land from Umpqua County, which gave it access to the Pacific Ocean. But in 1854, it lost all its land east of the Cascade Mountains to Wasco County.

There were also small changes to its borders with Douglas County, Linn County, and Benton County over the years.

Geography of Lane County

Lane County
Map of Lane County
Heceta Head angled
Heceta Head on the coastline of Lane County
Eugene Springfield aerial 02
Aerial view of the Eugene-Springfield metropolitan area

Lane County covers about 4,722 square miles. About 4,553 square miles are land, and 169 square miles are water. This means 3.6% of the county is water. Lane County is special because it stretches all the way from the Pacific Ocean to the Cascade Range. Douglas County is the only other Oregon county that does this.

Parts of the Umpqua National Forest, Willamette, McKenzie, and Siuslaw rivers are in Lane County.

Neighboring Counties

Lane County shares borders with these other counties:

Protected Natural Areas

Several national protected areas are partly located in Lane County:

Population and People

Historical population
Census Pop.
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 8.4%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790–1960 1900–1990
1990–2000 2010–2020

2010 Population Data

In 2010, Lane County had 351,715 people. There were about 145,966 households. The population density was about 77 people per square mile.

Most people in the county were white (88.3%). Other groups included Asian (2.4%), American Indian (1.2%), and Black (1.0%). About 7.4% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino background. Many people had German, English, or Irish family roots.

About 26% of households had children under 18. The average household had 2.35 people. The average age in the county was 39 years old.

Lane County pop growth
Graph showing how the county's population changed from 1860 to 2010

The average income for a household in 2010 was $42,923. For families, it was $55,817. About 16.7% of the population lived below the poverty line. This included 17.1% of those under 18.

Lane County is the fourth most populated county in Oregon. Its population grew slower than the three larger counties: Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas.

2020 Population Data

In 2020, the population was 382,971. The racial and ethnic makeup was mostly non-Hispanic White (77.9%). Other groups included African American (1.1%), Native American (0.9%), and Asian (2.5%). About 6.9% of people were of mixed race. About 9.9% of the population was Hispanic.

Economy of Lane County

Lane County has a strong economy. In 2022, it had the fifth-largest economy among Oregon's counties. Its total economic output was $17.55 billion.

Tourism is very important to the local economy. In 2023, visitors spent $1.1 billion directly. Total travel spending reached a record $1.4 billion.

PeaceHealth Medical Group is the biggest private employer in Lane County. Other large employers include the University of Oregon, the Eugene 4J School District, and the U.S. Government.

Experts believe that in the future, the economy will shift. It will move away from timber and farming. Instead, it will focus more on services, making transportation equipment, printing, publishing, and high technology.

Communities in Lane County

Eugene Oregon from Skinner Butte
Downtown Eugene
Honeyman Memorial State Park Cleawox Lake
Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park and part of Cleawox Lake, Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, south of Florence

Cities in Lane County

Census-Designated Places

These are areas that are like towns but are not officially incorporated as cities.

Other Communities

Many other smaller communities are in Lane County:

Past Communities

Some communities that used to exist in Lane County are now part of other places or no longer populated:

Education in Lane County

Lane County has many school districts that serve its communities:

  • Alsea School District 7J
  • Bethel School District 52
  • Blachly School District 090
  • Creswell School District 40
  • Crow-Applegate-Lorane Sd 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

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Lane (Oregón) para niños

kids search engine
Lane County, Oregon Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.