Орегон штатының Джефферсон округі

County in Oregon, United States

Jefferson County is one of the 36 counties in the U. S. state of Oregon. At the 2020 census, the population was 24,502. The county seat is Madras. The county is named after Mount Jefferson, the second tallest mountain in Oregon.

Jefferson County was created on December 12, 1914, from a portion of Crook County. The county owes much of its agricultural prosperity to the railroad, which links Madras with the Columbia River, and was completed in 1911, and to the development of irrigation projects in the late 1930s. The railroad was completed despite constant feuds and battles between two lines working on opposite sides of the Deschutes River. Madras was incorporated in 1911, and has been the permanent county seat since a general election in 1916. The first (temporary) county seat was Culver, which was selected by a three man commission appointed by the governor. Due to repeated tie votes over several days (with one vote each cast for Culver, Metolius and Madras). The deadlock was eventually broken by allowing the Metolius Commissioner to post the tie breaker, by voting for Culver. Rapid development in adjacent Deschutes County during the 1990s had farmers in Jefferson County concerned that they might be priced out of their own farmlands, which could be replaced by destination resorts, golf courses and other amenities for recent arrivals.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1791 square miles (4,639 km2), of which 1781 square miles (4,613 km2) is land and 10 square miles (26 km2) (0.6%) is water.

As of the 2000 census, there were 19,009 people, 6,727 households and 5,166 families living in the county. The population density was There were 8,319 housing units at an average density of The racial make up was 68.98% White, 0.26% Black or African American, 15.68% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.22% Pacific Islander, 11.32% from other races, and 3.23% from two or more races. 17.74% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 13.6% were of German, 9.5% English, 8.7% American and 5.3% Irish ancestry. 82.2% spoke English, 15.5% Spanish and 1.0% Sahaptian as their first language. There were 6,727 households, of which 35.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.50% were married couples living together, 10.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.20% were non families. 18.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.16. 29.80% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 26.90% from 25 to 44, 23.20% from 45 to 64, and 12.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 101.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.80 males. The median household income was $35,853 and the median family income was $39,151. Males had a median income of $31,126 and females $22,086s. The per capita income was $15,675. About 10.40% of families and 14.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.20% of those under age 18 and 5.90% of those age 65 or over.

Agriculture is the predominant source of income in the county, with vegetable, grass and flower seeds, garlic, mint and sugar beets cultivated on some of irrigated land. Jefferson County also has vast rangelands and until 2016 had an industrial base related to forest products. The Warm Springs Forest Products Industry, a multimillion dollar complex owned by the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs — partially located in the northwestern corner of the county — was the single biggest industry. With 300 days of sunshine and a low yearly rainfall, fishing, hunting, camping, boating, water skiing and rock hunting are major tourist activities. The major landowners in the county are the Forest Service, which manages National Forest System Lands the comprise 24% of the lands within the county boundaries, and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Warm Springs Reservation, which owns and manages 21% of the lands within the county boundaries.