List of counties in Oregon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Counties of Oregon |
|
|---|---|
| Location | State of Oregon |
| Number | 36 |
| Populations | 1,436 (Wheeler) – 789,698 (Multnomah) |
| Areas | 435 square miles (1,130 km2) (Multnomah) – 10,135 square miles (26,250 km2) (Harney) |
| Government | County government |
| Subdivisions | cities, towns, townships, unincorporated communities, indian reservations, census designated place |
Oregon is a beautiful state in the United States. It has 36 special areas called counties. Think of counties like smaller parts of the state, each with its own local government. These counties help manage things like roads, schools, and public safety for the people living there.
The way counties are set up in Oregon is a bit unique. The state's main rulebook, the Oregon Constitution, says that county leaders should have their offices in specific places and do their jobs as the law says. This helps make sure everything runs smoothly across the state.
You can learn more about how Oregon's places got their names in a book called Oregon Geographic Names. Oregon's short code is OR.
Understanding Oregon's Counties
Each county in Oregon has a special code called a FIPS code. The United States government uses these codes to identify counties. You can use a FIPS code to find information about a specific county, like its population.
Oregon County Details and History
Here is a list of all 36 counties in Oregon. You can see when each county was created and how it got its name. Many counties are named after important people, Native American tribes, or natural features like rivers and mountains.
| County |
FIPS code | County seat | Est. | Origin | Etymology | Population | Area | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baker County | 001 | Baker City | 1862 | Eastern part of Wasco County | Named for Edward Dickinson Baker, an Oregon senator who died in the American Civil War. | 16,912 | 3,068 sq mi (7,946 km2) |
 |
| Benton County | 003 | Corvallis | 1847 | Polk County | Named for Thomas Hart Benton, a U.S. senator who wanted the U.S. to control the Oregon Country. | 97,713 | 676 sq mi (1,751 km2) |
 |
| Clackamas County | 005 | Oregon City | 1843 | One of Oregon Country's first four districts | Named for the Clackamas Indians, a Native American tribe from the area. | 423,173 | 1,868 sq mi (4,838 km2) |
 |
| Clatsop County | 007 | Astoria | 1844 | Northern and western parts of the original Twality District | Named for the Clatsop tribe of Native Americans who lived near the Pacific Ocean. | 41,102 | 827 sq mi (2,142 km2) |
 |
| Columbia County | 009 | Saint Helens | 1854 | Northern half of Washington County | Named for the Columbia River, which forms the county's northern border. | 53,880 | 657 sq mi (1,702 km2) |
 |
| Coos County | 011 | Coquille | 1853 | Western parts of Umpqua and Jackson Counties | Named for the Coos Tribe of Native Americans who lived in this region. | 64,212 | 1,600 sq mi (4,144 km2) |
 |
| Crook County | 013 | Prineville | 1882 | Southern part of Wasco County | Named for George Crook, a U.S. Army officer who served in the American Civil War and Indian Wars. | 26,952 | 2,980 sq mi (7,718 km2) |
 |
| Curry County | 015 | Gold Beach | 1855 | Coos County | Named for George Law Curry, a governor of the Oregon Territory. | 23,296 | 1,627 sq mi (4,214 km2) |
 |
| Deschutes County | 017 | Bend | 1916 | Southern part of Crook County | Named for the Deschutes River. Its French name means "River of the Falls." | 208,513 | 3,018 sq mi (7,817 km2) |
 |
| Douglas County | 019 | Roseburg | 1852 | Part of Umpqua County east of the Coast Range | Named for Stephen A. Douglas, a U.S. Senator who supported Oregon becoming a state. | 112,435 | 5,037 sq mi (13,046 km2) |
 |
| Gilliam County | 021 | Condon | 1885 | Eastern third of Wasco County | Named for Cornelius Gilliam, a pioneer who led forces after the Whitman massacre. | 2,026 | 1,204 sq mi (3,118 km2) |
 |
| Grant County | 023 | Canyon City | 1864 | Parts of old Wasco and old Umatilla counties | Named for Ulysses S. Grant, a general in the American Civil War and later President of the United States. | 7,215 | 4,529 sq mi (11,730 km2) |
 |
| Harney County | 025 | Burns | 1889 | Southern two-thirds of Grant County | Named for William S. Harney, a cavalry officer involved in the Pig War. | 7,440 | 10,135 sq mi (26,250 km2) |
 |
| Hood River County | 027 | Hood River | 1908 | Northwest part of Wasco County | Named for the Hood River, which flows through the county. | 23,745 | 522 sq mi (1,352 km2) |
 |
| Jackson County | 029 | Medford | 1852 | Southwestern Lane County and unorganized area south of Douglas and Umpqua Counties. | Named for Andrew Jackson, the seventh President of the United States. | 220,768 | 2,785 sq mi (7,213 km2) |
 |
| Jefferson County | 031 | Madras | 1914 | Crook County | Named for Mount Jefferson, which was named for Thomas Jefferson. | 25,454 | 1,781 sq mi (4,613 km2) |
 |
| Josephine County | 033 | Grants Pass | 1856 | Western half of Jackson County | Named for Virginia "Josephine" Rollins, the first white woman to live in this county. | 87,821 | 1,640 sq mi (4,248 km2) |
 |
| Klamath County | 035 | Klamath Falls | 1882 | Western part of Lake County | Named for the Klamath tribe, who have lived here for 10,000 years. | 70,003 | 5,945 sq mi (15,397 km2) |
 |
| Lake County | 037 | Lakeview | 1874 | Jackson and Wasco Counties | Named for its many lakes and hot springs. | 8,293 | 7,940 sq mi (20,565 km2) |
 |
| Lane County | 039 | Eugene | 1851 | Southern Linn County and part of Benton County east of Umpqua County | Named for Gen. Joseph Lane, the first governor of Oregon Territory. | 381,181 | 4,554 sq mi (11,795 km2) |
 |
| Lincoln County | 041 | Newport | 1893 | Western part of Benton County and Polk County | Named for Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth President of the United States. | 50,821 | 980 sq mi (2,538 km2) |
 |
| Linn County | 043 | Albany | 1847 | Southern part of Champoeg (later Marion) County | Named for U.S. Senator Lewis F. Linn, who helped settlers get free land in the West. | 131,496 | 2,291 sq mi (5,934 km2) |
 |
| Malheur County | 045 | Vale | 1887 | Southern part of Baker County | Named for the Malheur River. Its French name means "Unfortunate River" because trappers lost their furs there. | 32,044 | 9,888 sq mi (25,610 km2) |
 |
| Marion County | 047 | Salem | 1843 | One of the original four districts of the Oregon territory | Named for Francis Marion, a general in the Revolutionary War. | 346,741 | 1,185 sq mi (3,069 km2) |
 |
| Morrow County | 049 | Heppner | 1885 | Western Umatilla County and a small part of eastern Wasco County | Named for Jackson L. Morrow, a state representative who helped create the county. | 12,302 | 2,033 sq mi (5,265 km2) |
 |
| Multnomah County | 051 | Portland | 1854 | Eastern Washington and northern Clackamas counties | Named for the Native American village of Multnomah. The name likely means "downriver." | 789,698 | 435 sq mi (1,127 km2) |
 |
| Polk County | 053 | Dallas | 1845 | Yamhill District | Named for James Knox Polk, President of the United States when the county was created. | 89,805 | 741 sq mi (1,919 km2) |
 |
| Sherman County | 055 | Moro | 1889 | Northeast corner of Wasco County | Named for William Tecumseh Sherman, an American Civil War general. | 1,951 | 823 sq mi (2,132 km2) |
 |
| Tillamook County | 057 | Tillamook | 1853 | Clatsop, Yamhill and Polk Counties | Named for the Tillamook Native American people. | 27,417 | 1,102 sq mi (2,854 km2) |
 |
| Umatilla County | 059 | Pendleton | 1862 | Central part of Wasco County | Named for the Umatilla River. Its name may mean "laughing waters" in the Sahaptin language. | 80,053 | 3,215 sq mi (8,327 km2) |
 |
| Union County | 061 | La Grande | 1864 | Baker County | Named for the town of Union. The town was named by its founders to support the "Union" during the Civil War. | 25,944 | 2,037 sq mi (5,276 km2) |
 |
| Wallowa County | 063 | Enterprise | 1887 | Eastern part of Union County. | Named for the Nez Perce word wallowa, meaning a tripod used for fish nets. This area was important for the Chief Joseph band of the Nez Perce. | 7,674 | 3,145 sq mi (8,146 km2) |
 |
| Wasco County | 065 | The Dalles | 1854 | Parts of Clackamas, Lane, Linn and Marion counties | Named for the Wasco Native American tribe. | 26,333 | 2,381 sq mi (6,167 km2) |
 |
| Washington County | 067 | Hillsboro | 1843 | One of the original four districts of the Oregon Country (as Twality District) | Named for George Washington, the first President of the United States. | 598,865 | 724 sq mi (1,875 km2) |
 |
| Wheeler County | 069 | Fossil | 1899 | Grant County, Gilliam County, and Crook County | Named for Henry H. Wheeler, who ran the first mail stage line from The Dalles to Canyon City. | 1,436 | 1,715 sq mi (4,442 km2) |
 |
| Yamhill County | 071 | McMinnville | 1843 | One of the original four districts of the Oregon Country | Named for the Yamhelas, a group of Kalapuya Native Americans who lived along the Yamhill River. | 108,644 | 716 sq mi (1,854 km2) |
 |
See also
In Spanish: Anexo:Condados de Oregón para niños
- Umpqua County, Oregon (a historic county)
- Lists of Oregon-related topics
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
List of counties in Oregon Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.