Santa Clara is a community in

Lane County, Oregon Lane County is one of the 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2020 census, the population was 382,971, making it the fourth-most populous county in Oregon. The county seat is Eugene. It is named in honor of Joseph Lane, Orego ...

, United States, part of which is a neighborhood of the city of Eugene, but most of which is an unincorporated area. Prior to a number of partial annexations by the city between 1990 and 2005, Santa Clara was an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

and

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...

in Lane County. Its current population is approximately 13,000. According to U.S. Census Bureau figures, the racial composition of Santa Clara's population is 91 percent white, 0.8 percent black, 1.2 percent American Indian, 1.2 percent Asian, 0.2 percent Pacific Islander, 2.2 percent some other race, and 3.4 percent two or more races. Latinos, who may be of any race, form 4.7 percent of Santa Clara's population.

Geography

Santa Clara is located on the banks of the

Willamette River The Willamette River ( ) is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States. Flowing northward b ...

. Its northern boundary is considered to be Beacon Drive in Eugene, the southern boundary is

Oregon Route 569 Oregon Route 569 is an Oregon state highway serving as an outer quarter-loop in Eugene and Springfield. OR 569 comprises part of the Beltline Highway No. 69 (see Oregon highways and routes). It is long and runs east–west. OR 569 is not a com ...

(Randy Pape Belt Line Road), its western boundary is the Northwest Expressway, and its eastern boundary is the river. Santa Clara has an elevation of 388 feet (118 m). Approximately 40 percent of the land area of Santa Clara lies within the city limits of Eugene, while the remaining 60 percent is unincorporated. Santa Clara, along with the River Road neighborhood, are extremely car-dependent. However, EMX's Moving Ahead initiative will create a dedicated bus rapid transit lane as well as more regular service to reduce the region's dependence on personal motor vehicles.

Geography

References

See also