Aurora is a city in

Marion County, Oregon Marion County is one of the Oregon counties, 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. The population was 345,920 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of counties in Oregon, 5th most populous county in Oregon. The ...

, United States. Before being incorporated as a city, it was the location of the Aurora Colony, a religious commune founded in 1856 by William Keil and John E. Schmit. William named the settlement after his daughter. The population was 1,133 at the 2020 Census. It is part of the

Salem Metropolitan Statistical Area The Salem metropolitan statistical area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is a metropolitan statistical area consisting of two counties in western Oregon, Marion and Polk. The principal city is Salem, the state capital, which has a ...

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , all of it land. The Pudding River flows northward, just east of Aurora.

Climate

This region experiences warm (but not hot) and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above . According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

system, Aurora has a

warm-summer Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...

, abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2020, there were 1,133 people, and 336 households in the city. There were 431 housing units. The makeup of the city was 79.3%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 1.3%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 1.5% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 7.1% from other races, and 9.5% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 16.4% of the population. There were 336 households, of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.1% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 17.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 14% had a male householder with no wife present, and 2.3% were cohabitating couple households. 31.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.00. The median age in the city was 42.4 years. 6.7% of the residents were under the age of 5; 20.7% of residents were under the age of 18; and 17.1% were 65 years of age or older. The median income for a household in the city was $90,357, which far exceeds the median income for a household in the State of Oregon of $65,667. The poverty rate of all people in Aurora was 2.4%, which was lower than the poverty rate of all people in Oregon at 12.4%. Source:

2010 census

As of the

of 2010, there were 918 people, 336 households, and 256 families living in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 349 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 89.7%

, 0.5%

, 0.9% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 6.3% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 10.9% of the population. There were 336 households, of which 37.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.0% were

living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 23.8% were non-families. 18.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.12. The median age in the city was 39.6 years. 27.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.5% were from 25 to 44; 31.8% were from 45 to 64; and 10.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 51.6% male and 48.4% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 655 people, 250 households, and 186 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 262 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 94.20% White, 0.46% African American, 0.61% Native American, 1.07% Asian, 1.98% from other races, and 1.68% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.26% of the population. There were 250 households, out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.4% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.6% were non-families. 19.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.01. In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.4% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 27.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.0 males. The median income for a household in the city was $55,938, and the median income for a family was $65,556. Males had a median income of $45,938 versus $29,444 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $24,839. None of the families and 1.6% of the population were living below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including no under eighteens and 7.5% of those over 64.

Education

North Marion School District has a school system with four schools within walking distance: North Marion Primary School, North Marion Intermediate School, North Marion Middle School, and North Marion High School.

Places of Interest

* Old Aurora Museum, about the Old Aurora Colony * Aurora Mills Architectural Salvage, set in the town's historic seed cleaning mill complex built in 1890, it is now the town's largest antique shopping venue. * Mainstreet Mercantile Antiques, one of the town's larger antique shops.

Transportation

Airport

The Aurora State Airport is located northwest of Aurora. The airport is owned by the

State of Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...

and operated by the

Oregon Department of Aviation The Oregon Department of Aviation (ODAV) is an agency of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon chiefly responsible for matters relating to the continuing development of aviation as part of the state's transportation system, and the safety of ...

Economy

Life Flight Network Life Flight Network is a non profit Air medical services, air and ground critical care transport service based in Aurora, Oregon, in the northern Willamette Valley, with services in Oregon, Washington (state), Washington, Idaho, and Montana in th ...

, the nation's largest not-for-profit air ambulance provider is headquartered at the Aurora State Airport. The company provides critical care transport from the scene of an emergency or from one hospital to another via helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft. They also provide emergent and non-emergent ground ambulance services. Life Flight Network has bases of operation throughout Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana and has been saving lives in the region since 1978. The company employs approximately 900 people. Columbia Helicopters is also located in Aurora. The facility provides maintenance, repair, and overhaul services.

References

External links

*
Entry for Aurora
in the ''

Oregon Blue Book The ''Oregon Blue Book'' is the official directory and fact book for the U.S. state of Oregon prepared by the Oregon Secretary of State and published by the Office of the Secretary's Archives Division. The ''Blue Book'' comes in both print and o ...

'' * {{authority control Cities in Oregon Cities in Marion County, Oregon Utopian communities in the United States Populated places established in 1856 Salem, Oregon metropolitan area 1856 establishments in Oregon Territory