Oregon population: who lives in the state and how it is changing

By population Oregon is the 5th largest in the West, larger than Idaho and Nevada; smaller than California and Washington, and holds 1.25% of the US population. Its July 2025 estimate is the highest on record, about 10.3 times¹ the 413,536⁹ people counted in 1900. This page covers the state as a whole; figures for cities such as Bend and Portland are published in the Census Bureau's QuickFacts.

What percent of Oregon is white, and what percent is Black

The answer depends on how race is counted. The American Community Survey puts the non-Hispanic white share at 67.8% in 2025, 12.8 percentage points above the US figure (55.0%)². Counting everyone who reported white as their only race, including Hispanic residents, the Census Bureau's population estimates give 82.2%¹⁰; adding people who reported white together with another race, the survey gives 84.5%¹¹.

Single group (adds to 100%)Alone or in combination with other races

White, not Hispanic67.8% 84.5%

Hispanic or Latino (any race)16.2%

Two or more races, not Hispanic7.4%

Asian, not Hispanic4.8% 7.5%

Black, not Hispanic2.0% 3.5%

American Indian and Alaska Native, not Hispanic0.8% 5.1%

Some other race, not Hispanic0.6%

Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, not Hispanic0.5% 1.1%

Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B03002; Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B02009. The dark bars are mutually exclusive and add to 100%. The light bars count everyone who reported the race, alone or with another race and of any ethnicity, so they overlap and add to more than 100%.

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Group	Share (single group)	MOE	Alone or in combination
White, not Hispanic	67.8%	±0.2	84.5%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	16.2%		–
Two or more races, not Hispanic	7.4%	±0.3	–
Asian, not Hispanic	4.8%	±0.2	7.5%
Black, not Hispanic	2.0%	±0.1	3.5%
American Indian and Alaska Native, not Hispanic	0.8%	±0.1	5.1%
Some other race, not Hispanic	0.6%	±0.1	–
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, not Hispanic	0.5%		1.1%

Among the states, Oregon sits in the middle on this measure. On the population estimates its non-Hispanic white share, 69.8%, ranks 23rd highest: higher than California, Nevada and Washington; lower than Idaho. That share was down from 73.2% in 2020, a drop of 3.4 percentage points in five years. Over the same period the Hispanic or Latino share was up from 14.0% in 2020 and now stands at 16.2%, the 14th highest¹⁰. Most Hispanic Oregonians are of Mexican origin: 11.5% of all residents in 2020–2024, the 8th highest¹³ share among the states.

The Black population is small. Non-Hispanic Black residents were 2.0% of Oregonians in 2025, 9.7 percentage points below the US figure (11.7%)². Counting Black residents of any ethnicity who reported one race, the share is 2.5%, the 8th lowest in the country and higher than Idaho; lower than California, Nevada and Washington¹⁰. Including people who are Black and another race raises it to 3.5%¹².

United States14.5% ±0.0

Nevada12.8% ±0.3

California7.1% ±0.0

Washington6.4% ±0.1

Oregon3.5% ±0.1

Idaho1.8% ±0.1

Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B02009. Whiskers show the 90% margin of error. Period: 2025.

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State	Black or African American (alone or in combination)	MOE
United States	14.5%	±0.0
Nevada	12.8%	±0.3
California	7.1%	±0.0
Washington	6.4%	±0.1
Oregon	3.5%	±0.1
Idaho	1.8%	±0.1

Oregonians are more likely than Americans overall to report more than one race. Non-Hispanic residents of two or more races were 7.4%, 2.4 percentage points above the US figure (5.0%)². The most common combinations were white with American Indian (2.5%, the 5th highest share) and white with Asian (1.9%¹⁴, the 4th highest¹⁵), apart from white with "some other race".

A decade of growth, then a near standstill

Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses Oregon grew by 10.6%, 3.2 percentage points above the US figure (7.4%)⁶, and it gained a sixth seat in the US House after the 2020 Census (+1¹⁶). Since the April 2020 census base the state has grown 0.86%, 2.2 percentage points below the US figure (3.10%) and higher than California; lower than Idaho, Nevada and Washington. The July 2022 estimate, 4,245,964, was lower than the July 2021 estimate of 4,254,691¹; the state has edged up each year since.

OregonWashingtonIdahoCaliforniaUnited States

Source: Census Bureau, Intercensal Estimates of the Resident Population for States, 2000-2010; Census Bureau, Intercensal Estimates of the Resident Population for States, 2010-2020; Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025. July 1 estimates: intercensal series for 2000–2019, Vintage 2025 for 2020–2025.

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Year	Oregon	Washington	Idaho	California	United States
2000	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0
2001	101.1	101.3	101.6	101.4	101.0
2002	102.4	102.4	103.2	102.6	101.9
2003	103.4	103.3	104.9	103.7	102.8
2004	104.1	104.5	107.1	104.7	103.8
2005	105.4	105.9	109.9	105.4	104.7
2006	107.0	107.8	113.0	106.0	105.7
2007	108.5	109.3	115.8	106.7	106.8
2008	109.9	111.0	118.1	107.7	107.8
2009	111.0	112.8	119.6	108.7	108.7
2010	111.9	114.1	120.9	109.8	109.6
2011	112.9	115.6	122.1	110.8	110.5
2012	113.7	116.8	123.2	111.7	111.4
2013	114.4	118.0	124.6	112.7	112.2
2014	115.6	119.6	126.3	113.7	113.1
2015	117.2	121.5	128.0	114.6	114.1
2016	119.3	123.8	130.6	115.4	115.0
2017	120.9	126.0	133.5	116.0	115.8
2018	122.0	127.7	136.2	116.3	116.4
2019	122.9	129.2	139.2	116.4	117.0
2020	123.7	130.7	142.3	116.3	117.5
2021	124.1	131.0	146.6	115.2	117.7
2022	123.8	131.7	149.5	115.1	118.4
2023	123.9	132.6	151.6	115.3	119.3
2024	124.4	134.1	154.0	115.8	120.5
2025	124.6	135.4	156.2	115.8	121.1

Oregon's place among its neighbors has not changed: in the 2010s, too, its growth was higher than California; lower than Idaho, Nevada and Washington⁶. What changed is its position against the country, from above the national rate in the 2010s to well below it since 2020.

More deaths than births every year since 2020

In each year from July 2020 to June 2025, more Oregonians died than were born: a natural decrease of −2,234 in the first year, −5,853 in the second, −4,660 in the third, −3,686 in the fourth and −3,764 in the year to June 2025, when the state recorded 38,334 births and 42,098 deaths. Natural change from April 2020 to June 2025 totaled −19,463, the lowest in the West and the 8th lowest¹ in the country.

Births+206,366

Deaths−225,829

Net domestic migration−670

Net international migration+56,736

Residual (estimation adjustment)−299

Total change+36,304

Source: Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025. Each bar starts where the previous one ended. The residual is the part of the change the Census Bureau cannot assign to a component.

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Component	People
Births	206,366
Deaths	−225,829
Net domestic migration	−670
Net international migration	56,736
Residual (estimation adjustment)	−299
Total change	36,304

Both sides of that balance set Oregon apart from its neighbors. The birth rate, 9.0 per 1,000 residents, is the lowest in the West and lower than every bordering state (California, Idaho, Nevada and Washington). National vital statistics put Oregon's total fertility rate at 1.36 births per woman in 2024, the 5th lowest in the country and 15% below the US figure (1.60)¹⁹. The death rate, 9.9 per 1,000 residents, is higher than every bordering state (California, Idaho, Nevada and Washington)¹. Life expectancy at birth, by contrast, was 77.7 years in 2022, 0.2 years above the US figure (77.5 years)²⁰.

That leaves migration to do all the work. From April 2020 to June 2025, net international migration added 56,736 people, while moves to and from other states roughly cancelled out (−670). In the year to June 2025, net arrivals from abroad (9,636) equaled 117% of the state's total growth of 8,262¹.

A state of people born somewhere else

Fewer than half of Oregonians were born in the state. In 2025, 42.6% of residents were born in another US state, 15.6 percentage points above the US figure (27.0%), and 46.1% were born in Oregon. Most of them come from elsewhere in the region: 26.4% of all residents were born elsewhere in the West, against 6.9% in the Midwest, 5.7% in the South and 3.6%²¹ in the Northeast.

The Census Bureau's 2024 survey counted 117,874 people moving in from other states and 112,636 moving out, a net figure of 5,238 (±12,200²²) that is too uncertain to call a gain or a loss.

Moved to Oregon from

California31,500 ±4,443

Washington20,388 ±3,359

Arizona7,194 ±2,095

Texas6,446 ±1,564

Colorado5,157 ±1,606

Idaho4,397 ±1,638

Left Oregon for

Washington32,341 ±4,186

California17,954 ±4,037

Texas6,248 ±2,133

Arizona4,336 ±1,646

Utah4,293 ±1,764

Idaho4,206 ±1,226

Source: Census Bureau, State-to-State Migration Flows, 2024. People aged 1 and over who lived in another state a year earlier (and the reverse). Survey estimates: whiskers show the 90% margin of error.

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State	Moved in from	Moved out to
California	31,500 ±4,443	17,954 ±4,037
Washington	20,388 ±3,359	32,341 ±4,186
Arizona	7,194 ±2,095	4,336 ±1,646
Texas	6,446 ±1,564	6,248 ±2,133
Colorado	5,157 ±1,606	2,363 ±1,213
Idaho	4,397 ±1,638	4,206 ±1,226
Utah	3,727 ±1,331	4,293 ±1,764

California was the largest source of arrivals, 31,500 people, statistically larger than the flow from Washington. Washington was the largest destination, 32,341, statistically larger than the flow to California²². The domestic balance in the population estimates has swung from 9,670 in the year to June 2021 to −8,946 and −7,370 in the next two years, and back to 2,228¹ in the year to June 2025. Tax returns for 2022 and 2023 show a net change of −4,774 people and −$476 million²³ in income: more people left than arrived, and those leaving reported more income.

Native, Asian and Pacific Islander communities

American Indian or Alaska Native identity, alone or with another race, is reported by 5.1% of Oregonians, 1.9 percentage points above the US figure (3.2%) and higher than every bordering state (California, Idaho, Nevada and Washington)²⁴. In the 2020 Census the largest groups among people who gave one tribal response included the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, the Klamath Tribes, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, alongside Latin American Indian groups such as Aztec and Maya.

The Asian population, 7.5% alone or in combination, is 0.6 percentage points below the US figure (8.1%)²⁶, but some groups stand out. Oregon has the 5th highest Japanese share of any state (0.46%) and the 7th highest²⁷ Vietnamese share (0.79%²⁸). Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander residents are 0.6% of the population on the estimates, a share that ranks tied for 6th highest¹⁰.

Older than every neighboring state

Oregon's median age was 41.3 years in 2025 (±0.2 years), 1.8 years above the US figure (39.5 years) and older than every bordering state (California, Idaho, Nevada and Washington). Allowing for the survey's margins of error, it ranks between 8th and 15th³ oldest among the states.

MenWomenUnited States

MenWomen

85+

80–84

75–79

70–74

65–69

60–64

55–59

50–54

45–49

40–44

35–39

30–34

25–29

20–24

15–19

10–14

5–9

0–4

Source: Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025. Share of the total population in each age group. Vertical ticks: the United States.

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Age	Men (%)	Women (%)	US men (%)	US women (%)
0-4	2.37	2.26	2.76	2.65
5-9	2.64	2.52	2.96	2.83
10-14	2.88	2.74	3.08	2.95
15-19	3.05	2.89	3.31	3.16
20-24	3.22	3.13	3.43	3.28
25-29	3.35	3.27	3.46	3.37
30-34	3.56	3.45	3.41	3.38
35-39	3.62	3.54	3.38	3.40
40-44	3.48	3.44	3.21	3.27
45-49	3.14	3.16	2.93	3.03
50-54	2.92	2.90	2.83	2.96
55-59	2.79	2.85	2.86	3.02
60-64	2.78	3.00	2.96	3.21
65-69	2.79	3.18	2.75	3.08
70-74	2.63	3.07	2.26	2.64
75-79	2.08	2.43	1.71	2.08
80-84	1.18	1.48	1.00	1.32
85+	0.89	1.30	0.78	1.28

The shift since 2020 runs in both directions at once. The number of residents aged 65 and older rose to 898,568, up from 799,753 in 2020, an increase of 98,815 (12.4%). The number of children under 18 fell to 811,814, down from 870,040 in 2020, a loss of 58,226 (6.7%). Older residents now outnumber children. Their share, 21.0%, is the 12th highest and higher than every bordering state (California, Idaho, Nevada and Washington); the share of children under five, 4.6%, is lower than every bordering state (California, Idaho, Nevada and Washington)¹⁰.

OregonUnited States

Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2005-2019 and 2021-2025. ACS 1-year estimates; no standard 1-year release for 2020. Shaded band: 90% margin of error.

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Year	Oregon	United States
2005	37.0 ±0.1	36.4 ±0.2
2006	37.6 ±0.2	36.4 ±0.2
2007	37.9 ±0.2	36.7 ±0.1
2008	38.0 ±0.2	36.9 ±0.1
2009	38.0 ±0.2	36.8 ±0.1
2010	38.5 ±0.2	37.2 ±0.1
2011	38.7 ±0.2	37.3 ±0.1
2012	38.9 ±0.1	37.4 ±0.1
2013	39.1 ±0.2	37.5 ±0.1
2014	39.3 ±0.2	37.7 ±0.1
2015	39.1 ±0.2	37.8 ±0.1
2016	39.2 ±0.2	37.9 ±0.1
2017	39.3 ±0.2	38.1 ±0.1
2018	39.6 ±0.2	38.2 ±0.2
2019	39.7 ±0.2	38.5 ±0.1
2021	40.1 ±0.2	38.8 ±0.1
2022	40.5 ±0.2	39.0 ±0.1
2023	40.7 ±0.2	39.2 ±0.1
2024	40.8 ±0.2	39.2 ±0.1
2025	41.3 ±0.2	39.5 ±0.1

For every 100 working-age adults there are 35.1 people aged 65 and older, 11% above the US figure (31.5)¹⁰. The median age is 42.3 years for women and 40.3 years³ for men, and women outnumber men by 51,106 (±6,672³⁰).

Space and settlement

With 95,997 square miles of land, the 10th largest³¹ area of any state, Oregon has 44.5 people per square mile, 54% below the US figure (96.7 people per square mile). It is the 12th least densely populated³² state. Yet the share of residents living in urban areas, 80.5% at the 2020 Census, is close to the national 80.0%³³.

Income, prices and housing

The median household income was $86,953 in 2025 (±$1,920), $2,173 (3%) above the US figure ($84,780) and not statistically different from $87,462 in 2024 (in 2025 dollars). It is lower than California and Washington; not statistically different from Idaho and Nevada⁴. Other income measures put Oregon below the national level: per capita personal income from the Bureau of Economic Analysis was $73,283, $3,745 (5%) below the US figure ($77,028)³⁴, and after adjusting for state price levels the 2024 figure, $55,451, was 15th lowest³⁵.

Prices are also higher than average. The bureau's 2024 price level for Oregon was 103.4 (US = 100), 3% above the US figure (100.0), with goods at 105.3, the 7th most expensive³⁵ of any state. Housing stands out most: the median value of an owner-occupied home was $507,900, the 9th most expensive and $136,800 (37%) above the US figure ($371,100)³⁶. Only 63.1% of households own their home, 2.2 percentage points below the US figure (65.3%)³⁷, and 33.4%³⁸ of owners with a mortgage spend 30 percent or more of their income on housing.

The official poverty rate, 11.7% (±0.6 percentage points), is not statistically different from the US figure (11.8%). By age the picture differs. Poverty among working-age adults, 11.8%, is 1.0 percentage points above the US figure (10.8%) and higher than every bordering state (California, Idaho, Nevada and Washington), while child poverty (13.4%) and poverty among people 65 and older (10.0%⁵) are both below the national rates. The Supplemental Poverty Measure, which counts benefits and taxes and adjusts for local housing costs, averaged 11.0% over 2023 to 2025, 2.0 percentage points below the US figure (13.0%)³⁹.

Among the least churched states

Oregon's congregations counted 33.2% of residents in the 2020 U.S. Religion Census, the 3rd lowest share and lower than every bordering state (California, Idaho, Nevada and Washington). Asked as "what percent of Oregon is Christian", the answer from this source is 31.9%, also the 3rd lowest⁴⁰.

The Catholic Church is the largest body (11.3%), followed by non-denominational churches (6.6%) and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (3.6%, the 10th highest⁴⁰ share). These figures count people on congregation lists; residents who believe but do not belong, and churches that did not report, are missing, so a low rate does not mean a low share of believers (religion overview).

Food assistance and health coverage reach far

In fiscal year 2025, an average of 770,894 Oregonians received SNAP food benefits each month, 18.0% of the population and the 3rd highest share after New Mexico and the District of Columbia⁴¹. The American Community Survey agrees: 16.7% of households received SNAP in the past 12 months, the 2nd highest share and higher than every bordering state (California, Idaho, Nevada and Washington)⁴².

New Mexico21.9%

District of Columbia20.3%

Oregon18.0%

Louisiana17.7%

Oklahoma16.8%

West Virginia15.4%

Massachusetts15.2%

Nevada15.1%

Pennsylvania15.0%

Illinois14.9%

Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), SNAP Monthly State Participation and Benefit Summary, Fiscal Year 2025. Period: FY2025 (October 2024 to September 2025).

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State	SNAP participants (% of residents)
New Mexico	21.9%
District of Columbia	20.3%
Oregon	18.0%
Louisiana	17.7%
Oklahoma	16.8%
West Virginia	15.4%
Massachusetts	15.2%
Nevada	15.1%
Pennsylvania	15.0%
Illinois	14.9%

The high rate is not matched by a high poverty rate, and the households receiving SNAP look different from the national mix. Only 36.6% of households below the poverty line received benefits, 5.4 percentage points below the US figure (42.0%), and smaller shares of recipient households include children (35.0%, 7.3 percentage points below the US figure (42.3%)) or someone aged 60 or older (40.2%, 4.9 percentage points below the US figure (45.1%)⁴²).

Health coverage follows a similar pattern. Medicaid and CHIP enrolled 1,269,346 people in June 2026, 29.7% of residents and the 5th highest⁴³ share, according to administrative records. In the survey, 41.1% of residents had some form of public coverage, 5.7 percentage points above the US figure (35.4%)⁴⁴. The share without health insurance, 5.4%, is lower than every bordering state (California, Idaho, Nevada and Washington)⁴⁵.

Homelessness: the third-highest rate

On one night in January 2025, local counts found 27,202 people experiencing homelessness in Oregon, 63.7 per 10,000 residents. Only the District of Columbia (74.2 per 10,000 residents) and New York (72.8 per 10,000 residents) had higher rates. The count was up 18.9% from 22,875 a year earlier, while the national count changed by −3.3%⁴⁶.

District of Columbia74.2

New York72.8

Oregon63.7

Vermont52.4

Hawaii47.6

California46.2

Washington39.8

Massachusetts39.6

Alaska36.0

Nevada30.3

Source: HUD Office of Policy Development and Research, 2025 AHAR. Period: January 2025 (one night).

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State	Homelessness per 10,000 residents
District of Columbia	74.2
New York	72.8
Oregon	63.7
Vermont	52.4
Hawaii	47.6
California	46.2
Washington	39.8
Massachusetts	39.6
Alaska	36.0
Nevada	30.3

Most were outside the shelter system: 60.7% were found unsheltered, against 35.7% nationally. The count included 10,207 people experiencing chronic homelessness and 2,536⁴⁶ children. These are point-in-time counts reported to the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Work, schooling and households

The unemployment rate averaged 5.2% in 2025, tied for 4th highest among the states and 0.9 percentage points above the US figure (4.3%); in September 2026 it was 5.0%⁴⁷. Remote work is common: 15.1% of workers mostly worked from home, 2.2 percentage points above the US figure (12.9%), though that was down from 17.1% in 2024⁴⁸.

Among adults aged 25 and older, 92.2% have at least a high school diploma, 1.6 percentage points above the US figure (90.6%), and 36.6% hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 0.8 percentage points below the US figure (37.4%)⁴⁹. The four-year graduation rate in public high schools was 81% for the class of 2022, 6.0 percentage points below the US figure (87%) and tied for 5th lowest⁵⁰ among the states.

Households are smaller, and less often families, than in any neighboring state. Only 60.6% of households are families, lower than every bordering state (California, Idaho, Nevada and Washington), and 30.0%⁵¹ are people living alone. Average household size is 2.39, smaller than every bordering state (California, Idaho, Nevada and Washington)⁵². Among people 15 and older, 12.1% are divorced, 1.9 percentage points above the US figure (10.2%)⁵³.

Ancestry and languages

German, English and Irish are the most common ancestries reported in Oregon. Several smaller northern European ancestries are more common than in most states: Scottish (3.5%) has the 7th highest share and Norwegian (2.6%⁵⁴) the 9th highest⁵⁵.

About one resident in ten was born abroad (10.0%, 4.7 percentage points below the US figure (14.7%)²¹), and 15.8% of residents aged five and older speak a language other than English at home. Spanish is by far the most common, spoken by 9.5%⁵⁶. Russian is spoken at home by 0.43%⁵⁷, the 5th highest⁵⁸ share of any state.