Hood River County is one of the
36 counties in the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...
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 ...
. As of the
2020 census, the population was 23,977.
The
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
is
Hood River.
The county was established in 1908 and is
named for the
Hood River, a tributary of the
Columbia River
The Columbia River (Upper Chinook language, Upper Chinook: ' or '; Sahaptin language, Sahaptin: ''Nch’i-Wàna'' or ''Nchi wana''; Sinixt dialect'' '') is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river headwater ...
. Hood River County comprises the Hood River, OR
Micropolitan Statistical Area. The Hood River Valley produces apples, pears, and cherries. Situated between
Mount Hood
Mount Hood, also known as Wy'east, is an active stratovolcano in the Cascade Range and is a member of the Cascade Volcanic Arc. It was formed by a subduction zone on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast and rests in the Pacific N ...
and the
Columbia River
The Columbia River (Upper Chinook language, Upper Chinook: ' or '; Sahaptin language, Sahaptin: ''Nch’i-Wàna'' or ''Nchi wana''; Sinixt dialect'' '') is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river headwater ...
in the middle of the
Columbia River Gorge
The Columbia River Gorge is a canyon of the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Up to deep, the canyon stretches for over as the river winds westward through the Cascade Range, forming the boundary between the state ...
, Hood River County is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts, such as windsurfers, mountain-bikers, skiers, hikers, kayakers, and many more.
History
The first permanent settlers in present-day Hood River County filed a
donation land claim in 1854. The first school was built in 1863 and a road from
The Dalles was completed in 1867. By 1880 there were 17 families living in the valley. By the latter part of the nineteenth century farmers of Japanese, Finnish, German, and French ethnicity had settled in the valley.
At the turn of the twentieth century, the people of the Hood River region in the northwest portion of
Wasco County expressed a desire for political separation from the parent county. The passage of a statewide initiative established Hood River as the thirty-fourth county of the state. It was made official by a governor's proclamation on June 23, 1908. The
Columbia River Highway was completed in 1922 from
Portland
Portland most commonly refers to:
*Portland, Oregon, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon
*Portland, Maine, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine
*Isle of Portland, a tied island in the English Channel
Portland may also r ...
to The Dalles, improving access between both those cities as well as to Hood River.
In response to controversy surrounding county approval of locating a
destination resort at
Cooper Spur ski area on
Mount Hood
Mount Hood, also known as Wy'east, is an active stratovolcano in the Cascade Range and is a member of the Cascade Volcanic Arc. It was formed by a subduction zone on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast and rests in the Pacific N ...
, on November 5, 2003, 62% of the voters approved a
measure requiring voter approval on residential developments of 25 units or more on land
zoned for forest use. Opponents claimed that this measure was not enforceable and would end up in court.
Geography
Hood River County is , of which is land and (2.1%) is water.
It is the second-smallest county in Oregon by area. Elevation ranges from above sea level at Cascade Locks in the northwest to at the summit of Mount Hood, the highest point in Oregon.
The County lies in a transition zone in the
Columbia River Gorge
The Columbia River Gorge is a canyon of the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Up to deep, the canyon stretches for over as the river winds westward through the Cascade Range, forming the boundary between the state ...
between the temperate rain forest of the Cascade range and dry desert of eastern Oregon. Precipitation varies considerably by longitude and elevation. Annual precipitation averages over 76 inches in Cascade Locks, but is less than 31 inches in the City of Hood River.
At the highest reaches of the County on Mount Hood precipitation can be up to 150 inches annually.
The Gorge can have a moderating effect on air temperatures in the County near the Columbia River when maritime air moves in from the west. Major easterly flows, however, can occasionally cause extreme cold conditions as cold air moves west through the Gorge. Winds are generally from the west in the summer, resulting in strong and consistent winds on the Columbia River at Hood River County, making Hood River a world-renowned wind surfing location. Winter winds can blow from either the east or the west and can be of sufficient force to result in widespread damage.
Hood River County contains the entirety of the Hood River watershed, which covers nearly two-thirds of the county. This watershed includes four main sub-basins: the West Fork Hood River, the Middle Fork Hood River, the East Fork Hood River, and the Hood River Mainstem (the lower river and its tributaries).
Sixty percent, or , of the county is federal land managed by the Mount Hood National Forest.
Another , or 8.8 percent, is forestland owned and managed by Hood River County.
The State of Oregon owns within the county.
Weyerhaeuser Company became a major private landowner in 2013 after purchasing Longview Timber LLC, including its forest holdings in Hood River County.
, over seven percent of the county, is managed as private farmland. As of 2012 there were 554 farms, with a medium farm size of .
Adjacent counties

*
Skamania County, Washington
Skamania County ( ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,036. The county seat and largest incorporated city is Stevenson, although the Carson River Valley CDP is more populous. S ...
- north
*
Klickitat County, Washington - northeast
*
Wasco County - southeast
*
Clackamas County
Clackamas County ( ) is one of the 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2020 census, the population was 421,401, making it Oregon's third-most populous county. Its county seat is Oregon City. The county was named after the na ...
- southwest
*
Multnomah County
Multnomah County is one of the 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2020 census, the county's population was 815,428. Multnomah County is part of the Portland metropolitan area. The state's smallest and most populous county, it ...
- west
National protected areas
*
Badger Creek Wilderness
*
Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness
*
Mount Hood Wilderness
*
Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area
Demographics
2010 census
As of the
2010 census, there were 22,346 people, 8,173 households, and 5,659 families residing in the county.
The population density was . There were 9,271 housing units at an average density of .
The racial makeup of the county was 83.1% white, 1.4% Asian, 0.8% American Indian, 0.5% black or African American, 0.2% Pacific islander, 10.9% from other races, and 3.2% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 29.5% of the population.
In terms of ancestry, 16.7% were
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany, the country of the Germans and German things
**Germania (Roman era)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
, 10.6% were
English, 9.8% were
Irish, and 3.8% were
American.
Of the 8,173 households, 35.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.4% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 30.8% were non-families, and 23.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.14. The median age was 38.0 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $51,307 and the median income for a family was $57,644. Males had a median income of $37,901 versus $31,516 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,930. About 7.5% of families and 9.5% of the population were 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 9.6% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.
2000 census
As of the
2000 census, there were 20,411 people, 11.8 percent of a total of 9,271 housing units were vacant. Of the 8,173 occupied housing units, 62.9 percent were owner-occupied.
Median household income was $51,307 and median income for a family was $57,644.
As of the 2010 census 2,235 persons, or 10.1 percent of the population, lived in
poverty
Poverty is a state or condition in which an individual lacks the financial resources and essentials for a basic standard of living. Poverty can have diverse Biophysical environmen ...
.
Of the 20,258 people in the population that are five years and older, 25.6 percent speak
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas
**Spanish cuisine
**Spanish history
**Spanish culture
...
or
Spanish Creole, and 69 percent of this group speak English less than "very well."
Communities
Cities
*
Cascade Locks
*
Hood River (county seat)
Census-designated places
*
Mount Hood
Mount Hood, also known as Wy'east, is an active stratovolcano in the Cascade Range and is a member of the Cascade Volcanic Arc. It was formed by a subduction zone on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast and rests in the Pacific N ...
*
Odell
*
Parkdale
Unincorporated communities
* Clifton
*
Dee
*
Lenz
* Oak Grove
*
Pine Grove
* Rockford
* Summit
* Trout Creek
* Winans
*
Wyeth
Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc. was a pharmaceutical company until it was purchased by Pfizer in 2009. The company was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1860 as John Wyeth and Brother. Its headquarters moved to Collegeville, Pennsylvania, a ...
Historical communities
*
Bloucher
* Conway
* Dukes Valley
* Holstein
* Viento
Government and infrastructure
Hood River is a home rule county with an administrative style of government. The county is governed by an elected board of five commissioners. Four commissioners are elected from four geographic districts, and the chair is elected at large.
The county operates two campgrounds at Toll Bridge Park and Tucker Park. The Forestry Department manages the 31,000 acre County Forest for timber sale revenue and to develop and maintain recreation trails. In fiscal year 2014 gross revenue from County timber sales was $3,851,646 while Forestry Department expenses where $1,049,648. Property taxes generated $3,071,038 in revenue in the same year.
The Northern Oregon Regional Corrections Facility (Norcor), a short-term jail, serves Hood River,
Gilliam,
Sherman, and
Wasco counties.
[Norcor Home]
." Northern Oregon Regional Corrections Facility. Retrieved on November 22, 2011.
Hood River County is currently one of 11 counties in Oregon in which therapeutic psilocybin is legal.
Presidential and statewide elections
Hood River County is a reliable state bellwether, having voted for Oregon's statewide winner in every presidential election since 1948, along with Benton County. The county can be considered an outlier among other rural counties in the state and across the nation, partly due to its close proximity to Portland.
Starting in 1988, Hood River County has become one of Oregon’s most reliably Democratic strongholds, supporting Democratic candidates for president and for statewide office often by wide margins.
In the
Oregon House of Representatives
The Oregon House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oregon Legislative Assembly, the upper house being the Oregon State Senate. There are 60 members of the House, representing 60 districts across the state, each with a population of ...
, Hood River County is included in the 52nd House District, represented by
Jeff Helfrich. In the
Oregon State Senate
The Oregon State Senate is the upper house of the State legislature (United States), statewide legislature for the US state of Oregon. Along with the lower chamber Oregon House of Representatives it makes up the Oregon Legislative Assembly. Ther ...
, it is located within the 26th Senate District, which is represented by
Daniel Bonham. Both Helfrich and Bonham are registered Republicans.
Economy

Health Care and Social Assistance was the largest major
NAICS industry sector in Hood River County in 2013, with 14 percent of earnings. Manufacturing, at 12 percent, was the second largest sector. Farm Earnings combined with Forestry, Fishing and Related Activities represented nearly 11 percent of earnings. The Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services sector, while accounting for seven percent of earnings in 2013, was the fastest growing sector between 2002 and 2013, growing at an average annual rate of over 11 percent, and increasing its relative share of total earnings by 6.45 percent. Earnings in the Health Care and Social Assistance sector grew at an average of over five percent per year during that period.
Despite a relatively small share of total earnings, farming, forestry and tourism are all important economic drivers in Hood River County. In 2013, Farm Earnings and Forestry, Fishing and Related Activities had
location quotients of 8.57 percent and 12.09 percent, respectively, indicating an outsized concentration of these sectors within the county. The Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation industry, while comprising less than four percent of total earnings, had a location quotient of 3.27 percent, the highest of any county in the State of Oregon, indicating a highly concentrated tourism sector.
Agriculture, timber, lumber and recreation are important sources of revenue and industry. Fruit grown in the fertile valley is of such exceptional quality the county leads the world in Anjou pear production. A 1997 census recorded of commercial orchards growing pears, apples, cherries and peaches. Hood River County also has two ports and two boat basins, one serving local barge traffic, a steel boat manufacturing firm and Mid-Columbia yachting interests.
The
Columbia River
The Columbia River (Upper Chinook language, Upper Chinook: ' or '; Sahaptin language, Sahaptin: ''Nch’i-Wàna'' or ''Nchi wana''; Sinixt dialect'' '') is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river headwater ...
, which runs right by the city of Hood River, has become a premier
windsurfing
Windsurfing is a wind-propelled water sport that is a combination of sailing and surfing. It is also referred to as "sailboarding" and "boardsailing", and emerged in the late 1960s from the Californian aerospace and surf culture. Windsurfing gain ...
destination, attracting windsurfers from throughout the United States and around the world. Cool, moist coastal air is drawn through the
Columbia River Gorge
The Columbia River Gorge is a canyon of the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Up to deep, the canyon stretches for over as the river winds westward through the Cascade Range, forming the boundary between the state ...
as the desert to the east heats up on warm days, creating winds between 15 and 35 knots most days in the summer. With the current in the Columbia River flowing from east to west, and the wind blowing from west to east, large swells are created on the river that windsurfers enjoy riding like waves. Windsurfing has affected the local economy in many ways: windsurfing-oriented businesses and upscale restaurants catering to visiting windsurfers have reinvigorated the downtown area, many people who first visited Hood River in search of wind and waves have settled in the area and become an integral part of the community, and the local economy has been infused with much needed tourist dollars.
The Mount Hood Railroad provides freight service, connecting with the Union Pacific at Hood River, Oregon, and operates excursion trains and dinner trains on a rail line running from Hood River to
Parkdale. The line was completed in 1909, and operated as an independent company until acquired by
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad is a Railroad classes, Class I freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Pacific is the second largest railroad in the United Stat ...
in 1968. In 1987 a local group of investors purchased the line for $600,000, naming it the
Mount Hood Railroad. In 2008 Mount Hood Railroad was acquired by
Iowa Pacific Holdings
Iowa Pacific Holdings was a holding company that owned railroad properties across North America and the United Kingdom, as well as providing services such as railcar repairs, leasing, management and consulting services to other operators. The comp ...
, based in
Chicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
. The company leases storage on its lines for excess freight cars, in addition to, or at times in place of, operating recreational rides.
See also
*
Notes
External links
Hood River County, Oregon(official website)
Hood River Countylisting 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 ...
References
{{authority control
1908 establishments in Oregon
Populated places established in 1908
Columbia River Gorge