North Plains, Oregon Facts for Kids

North Plains is a small city in Washington County, Oregon, United States. It is located just off U.S. Route 26, on the northwest edge of the Portland metropolitan area. In 2020, the city had a population of 3,441 people.

History of North Plains
Geography and Climate
- Location and Land Area
- Understanding the Climate
Population and People (Demographics)
Images for kids
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History of North Plains

Early Settlers and City Planning

The first pioneer settlers arrived in the North Plains area during the 1840s. They built homes and started farms in this new territory.

The land that would become the city of North Plains was officially mapped out in September 1910. This happened after James J. Hill planned to extend the United Railways train line to the area. A company from Portland, the Ruth Trust Company, bought land there.

Becoming an Official City

On June 25, 1963, the people of North Plains voted to become an official city. The vote was 90 in favor and 56 against. At that time, about 500 people lived in North Plains. This step helped the community grow and manage its own services.

Local Attractions and Events

Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club is located just outside North Plains. It has hosted important golf tournaments, including the U.S. Women's Open in 1997 and 2003.

Horning's Hideout, another place in the North Plains area, hosted the Faerieworlds Festival in 2004. This festival was a popular event for fans of fantasy and folk music.

Geography and Climate

Location and Land Area

North Plains is a small city in terms of size. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city covers an area of about 0.90 square miles (2.33 square kilometers). All of this area is land, with no large bodies of water inside the city limits.

Understanding the Climate

The climate in North Plains is known as a warm-summer Mediterranean climate. This type of climate is often called "Csb" on climate maps.

This means that North Plains has warm and dry summers. The average temperatures in summer are usually below 71.9°F (22.2°C). However, it can get very hot, with temperatures sometimes going above 100°F (38°C) for a few days each year. Winters are generally mild and wet.

Population and People (Demographics)

How the Population Has Grown

The word "demographics" refers to the study of a population. It looks at things like how many people live somewhere, their ages, and their backgrounds.

North Plains has seen its population grow over the years:

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1970	690	—
1980	715	3.6%
1990	972	35.9%
2000	1,605	65.1%
2010	1,947	21.3%
2020	3,441	76.7%
U.S. Decennial Census

North Plains in 2010

According to the census taken in 2010, there were 1,947 people living in North Plains. This was a 21.3% increase from the year 2000. There were 706 households and 511 families in the city.

The city had about 2,163 people per square mile (835 people per square kilometer). There were 749 homes, with about 832 homes per square mile (321 homes per square kilometer).

Most of the people living in North Plains were White (89.0%). Other groups included African American (0.4%), Native American (1.2%), Asian (1.8%), and Pacific Islander (0.6%). About 3.1% of the population identified as another race, and 3.7% were from two or more races. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up 11.0% of the population.

Households and Age Groups

Out of the 706 households in 2010, 40.8% had children under 18 living with them. Most households (58.5%) were married couples living together. About 9.3% had a female head of household with no husband present, and 4.5% had a male head of household with no wife present. About 27.6% of households were not families.

About 21.8% of all households were made up of individuals living alone. Of these, 9.2% were people aged 65 or older living by themselves. The average household had 2.75 people, and the average family had 3.21 people.

The median age in North Plains in 2010 was 36.5 years. About 27.5% of residents were under 18 years old. About 9.2% were 65 years or older. The population was almost evenly split between males (49.6%) and females (50.4%).

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The North Plains Library is a community hub.

North Plains, Oregon facts for kids

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