Oregon’s population pattern is defined by a sharp west-to-east contrast, but the detailed maps add more structure than that simple description suggests. The Portland area forms the state’s largest concentration in the northwest. Farther south, Salem, Albany, Corvallis, Eugene, and Springfield create a sequence of substantial population centers through western Oregon. Bend and Redmond stand out in the central part of the state, while Medford and Grants Pass form another cluster in the southwest. Much of eastern Oregon remains very lightly populated by comparison.
The supplied 2024 ACS 5-year estimates place Oregon’s population at 4,254,293. The county-density map reports about 95,997 square miles of land and a statewide average near 44 people per square mile. That average masks an enormous internal range. Multnomah County averages more than 1,800 people per square mile, while several eastern and central counties average fewer than two. The map set is most useful when current totals, density, small-area settlement, and 2010–2020 population change are treated as separate measures.
Table of Contents
Portland is the dominant tract-level concentration, but western Oregon contains several other dense clusters
The Portland metropolitan area contains the broadest collection of dark tracts. High-density settlement extends across Multnomah County and into Washington County to the west and northern Clackamas County to the south. Beaverton, Hillsboro, Aloha, Tigard, Gresham, and nearby communities appear as part of a larger continuous urban pattern rather than isolated points. No other part of Oregon has a tract-level concentration as extensive.
South of Portland, the map shows separate but recurring density clusters around Salem and Keizer, Albany and Corvallis, and Eugene and Springfield. These concentrations do not merge into one uniformly dense band, yet they create a clear western sequence of population centers. On the coast, only smaller localized clusters appear. In southwestern Oregon, Medford and Grants Pass stand out distinctly against the surrounding low-density tracts.
Central Oregon is different again. Bend forms a visible island of higher density with Redmond nearby, while the surrounding tracts remain very lightly populated. Most of eastern Oregon lies in the 0–50 people-per-square-mile class, with only small settlements interrupting that pattern. The census-tract layer is important here because county averages can hide how sharply residents are concentrated in a few towns within very large counties.
Portland’s place population is far larger than any other Oregon city
Portland has 641,165 residents in the supplied census-place data. Eugene is second at 179,591 and Salem is almost identical at 178,865. Gresham has 112,378 residents, Hillsboro 108,231, Bend 103,390, Beaverton 97,812, and Medford 86,315. Springfield has 61,499, Corvallis 59,960, Albany 56,839, Tigard 56,011, and Aloha 52,389. Lake Oswego, Grants Pass, Keizer, Oregon City, Redmond, and McMinnville form the next tier.
The proportional circles represent total place population, not density. Portland’s circle is large because the census place contains far more residents than any other place shown. It should not be read as a direct people-per-square-mile comparison. The more useful geographic lesson is that several of Oregon’s largest places cluster around Portland, while other major cities are separated along western Oregon or sit as isolated centers in central and southern parts of the state.
Bend is a particularly useful example. Its 103,390 residents put it among Oregon’s larger cities, yet the surrounding census tracts are much less dense than those around Portland. City population and regional density therefore tell different stories even when both maps emphasize the same named place.
Multnomah and Washington counties account for the two largest county populations
Multnomah County has 801,477 residents, the largest county population in the supplied data. Washington County follows with 603,947, and Clackamas County has 423,975. Together, those three counties dominate the Portland-area portion of the county map. Lane County has 384,207 residents, Marion 349,244, Jackson 222,645, and Deschutes 206,334.
Linn County has 130,706 residents, Douglas 112,072, Yamhill 108,734, Benton 96,303, Polk 89,662, and Josephine 88,179. At the opposite end, Wheeler County has only 1,485 residents, Sherman 1,938, and Gilliam 1,971. The large east-west contrast is therefore visible in total county population as well as in the tract-density pattern.
A large county circle does not imply a high density because the circles ignore land area. Deschutes County, for example, has more than 200,000 residents but covers much more land than Multnomah County. The county-density layer changes the ranking substantially once land area is included.
Multnomah is by far the densest county, while several eastern counties average fewer than two people per square mile
Multnomah County has the highest average density at about 1,859.5 people per square mile. Washington County is second at about 833.9. Marion averages about 295.8, Clackamas 226.6, Yamhill 151.9, Benton 142.6, and Polk 121.0. Lane is about 84.4, Columbia 81.2, Jackson 80.0, and Deschutes 68.4 people per square mile.
The sparsest county averages are dramatically lower. Harney County is about 0.74 people per square mile, Wheeler 0.87, Lake 1.02, Grant 1.59, and Gilliam 1.64. Multnomah’s county-average density is therefore more than two thousand times Harney’s. Oregon’s statewide average of about 44 people per square mile compresses this enormous internal difference into a single number.
| Measure | Leading area | Value in supplied data |
|---|---|---|
| State population | Oregon | 4,254,293 |
| Largest county population | Multnomah County | 801,477 |
| Highest county density | Multnomah County | about 1,859.5/sq mi |
| Fastest 2010–2020 growth | Deschutes County | +25.7% |
| Largest 2010–2020 decline | Grant County | -2.8% |
Central Oregon led percentage growth during the 2010s
Deschutes County recorded the fastest percentage increase in the supplied decade data. Its population rose from 157,733 in 2010 to 198,253 in 2020, an increase of about 25.7%. Neighboring Crook County grew from 20,978 to 24,738, or 17.9%. Polk County increased 16.0%, Washington 13.3%, Jefferson 12.8%, Clackamas 12.1%, and Benton 11.2%.
Multnomah County also grew substantially, increasing about 10.9%, but its percentage gain was well below Deschutes and Crook. The change map therefore separates Oregon’s current population center from its fastest growth area. Portland remains the state’s largest and densest concentration, while central Oregon shows the strongest 2010–2020 county growth.
Grant County is the clearest decline, falling from 7,445 residents in 2010 to 7,233 in 2020, or about -2.8%. Wheeler grew only 0.7%, Malheur 0.8%, Harney 1.0%, and Union 1.7%. Most of eastern Oregon therefore did not show major losses in the supplied decade map, but several counties changed very little. These percentages belong specifically to the 2010–2020 decennial-census period and should not be described as changes in the 2024 ACS estimate.
Oregon’s current population core and its fastest growth area are not the same place
The strongest conclusion from the map set is the difference between concentration and growth. Portland is the largest census place, and Multnomah County leads both county population and county-average density. Washington and Clackamas add major population and density around that core. Salem, Eugene, Corvallis, Albany, Medford, and other western cities create a broader chain of population centers beyond the Portland metro.
The historical change map points elsewhere for the fastest percentage growth. Deschutes and Crook in central Oregon grew faster than the large Portland-area counties during the 2010s. That is why place totals, county totals, county density, tract density, and historical change should remain separate measures. Together, they show both where most Oregonians live today and which parts of the state changed most rapidly during the decade.
Download the Oregon population map collection
The ZIP includes detailed census-tract density, major cities and urban areas, county population totals, 2010–2020 county population change, and county population density.
FAQ
Which Oregon county has the largest population?
Multnomah County is the largest in the supplied 2024 ACS 5-year estimates, with 801,477 residents. Washington County has 603,947 and Clackamas County 423,975.
Which Oregon county has the highest population density?
Multnomah County has the highest county-average density at about 1,859.5 people per square mile. Washington County is about 833.9 and Marion County about 295.8 people per square mile.
Which Oregon county grew fastest from 2010 to 2020?
Deschutes County grew about 25.7%, followed by Crook County at 17.9%, Polk County at 16.0%, and Washington County at 13.3%. These percentages compare the 2010 and 2020 decennial censuses.
Related Maps
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey (ACS): 2024 5-year population and density estimates
- U.S. Census Bureau — TIGER/Line Shapefiles: 2024 state, county, census tract, place geography and mapped boundaries
- U.S. Census Bureau — Decennial Census: 2010 and 2020 county population comparison
Green Map creates custom-edited map images using open geographic data sources such as geoBoundaries, Natural Earth, OpenStreetMap, and government open data.
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