La Pine is a city in
Deschutes County, Oregon
Deschutes County ( ) is one of the Oregon counties, 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 198,253. The county seat is Bend, Oregon, Bend. The county was created in 1916 out ...
, United States, incorporated on December 7, 2006.
La Pine is part of the
Bend, Oregon
Bend is a city in central Oregon and the county seat of Deschutes County, Oregon, Deschutes County, Oregon, United States. It is located to the east of the Cascade Range, on the Deschutes River.
The site became known by pioneers as a ford (cros ...
Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,512 people as of the
2020 Census. La Pine is in an isolated area of
Central Oregon
Central Oregon is a geographic region in the U.S. state of Oregon and is traditionally considered to be made up of Deschutes, Jefferson, and Crook counties. Other definitions include larger areas, often encompassing areas to the north towards t ...
, consisting of a loose collection of homes and businesses along
U.S. Highway 97 about southwest of Bend. Several peaks of the
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range or Cascades is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington (state), Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as m ...
are prominently visible from the community.
La Pine is in the valley of the
Little Deschutes River, a
tributary
A tributary, or an ''affluent'', is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream (''main stem'' or ''"parent"''), river, or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries, and the main stem river into which they ...
of the
Deschutes River
The Deschutes River ( ) in central Oregon is a major tributary of the Columbia River. The river provides much of the drainage on the eastern side of the Cascade Range in Oregon, gathering many of the tributaries that descend from the drier, easte ...
. The river provides recreational opportunities such as
fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment (Freshwater ecosystem, freshwater or Marine ecosystem, marine), but may also be caught from Fish stocking, stocked Body of water, ...
, swimming,
canoeing
Canoeing is an activity which involves paddling a canoe with a single-bladed paddle. In some parts of Europe, canoeing refers to both canoeing and kayaking, with a canoe being called an 'open canoe' or Canadian.
A few of the recreational ...
and other leisure activities.
History
The area's first European-American settlement was established in the 1800s by
French
French may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France
** French people, a nation and ethnic group
** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices
Arts and media
* The French (band), ...
fur trappers
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of a world fur market in the early modern period, furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the most ...
. La Pine was founded in the 19th century with Huntington Road as the main street. The original name for the community was Rosland. A post office by that name was started in 1897, followed by a townsite in 1900.
Construction on the
Oregon Trunk Railroad
The Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway (SP&S; ) was a railroad in the northwest United States. Incorporated in 1905, it was a joint venture by the Great Northern Railway and the Northern Pacific Railway to build a railroad along the north bank ...
started in 1908 by the
Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway
The Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway (SP&S; ) was a railroad in the northwest United States. Incorporated in 1905, it was a joint venture by the Great Northern Railway and the Northern Pacific Railway to build a railroad along the north bank ...
at 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 ...
.
The route was designed to follow the Deschutes River, and the line later became part of
BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway is the largest freight railroad in the United States. One of six North American Class I railroads, BNSF has 36,000 employees, of track in 28 states, and over 8,000 locomotives. It has three Transcontinental railroad, transcontine ...
.
The line was built to Bend, with the railroad later buying a line owned by the
Shevlin-Hixon Lumber Company that continued to La Pine. What became U.S. 97 was completed in 1917, which used the right of way of the Oregon Trunk Line that had not been built south of Bend.
In 2000, a branch of the Deschutes Public Library was built in the community.
La Pine had remained an
unincorporated community for many years. A measure to
incorporate
Incorporation may refer to:
* Incorporation (business), the creation of a business or corporation
* Incorporation of a place, the creation of municipal corporation such as a city or county
* Incorporation (academic), awarding a degree based on the ...
in the 2000 elections was rejected by a 2–1 ratio. In the
elections of 2006, another incorporation measure was placed on the ballot (one of two such measures in Oregon that year; the other being for
Bull Mountain, Oregon). The measure passed, creating the City of La Pine. The city occupies , and at the time of incorporation in December 2006, had 1,585 residents.
[Population Research Center.]
Portland State University. Retrieved October 5, 2007. Much of the former census-designated area lies outside the city limits.
Government
The city operates under a
council–mayor form of city government. Voters elect four
at-large
At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather tha ...
councilors who serve four-year terms, and a mayor who serves a two-year term. As of 2021, Daniel Richer served as mayor, with the other council members being Karen Morse, Courtney Ignazzitto, Mike Shields, and Cathi Van Damme. Fire services are provided by the La Pine Rural Fire Protection District, and the La Pine Library is a branch of the
Deschutes Public Library System.
At the federal level, La Pine lies in
Oregon's 2nd congressional district
Oregon's 2nd congressional district is the largest of Oregon's Oregon's congressional districts, six districts, and is the List of United States congressional districts, seventh largest district in the nation. It is the second-largest congressi ...
, represented by
Cliff Bentz
Cliff Stewart Bentz (born January 12, 1952) is an American politician and lawyer serving as the United States House of Representatives, U.S. representative for Oregon's 2nd congressional district since 2021. He previously served in the Oregon Sen ...
. In the
State Senate
In the United States, the state legislature is the legislative branch in each of the 50 U.S. states.
A legislature generally performs state duties for a state in the same way that the United States Congress performs national duties at ...
, the city is in District 28, represented by
Dennis Linthicum
Dennis Linthicum (born 1956) is an American politician who served in the Oregon Senate from 2017 until 2025. He is a member of the Republican Party.
Early life and career
Linthicum graduated with a bachelors in economics from University of Cali ...
, and in the
House
A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air c ...
, it lies in District 55, represented by
Vikki Breese-Iverson.
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.
Transportation
The main road in the city is U.S. Route 97, which runs north–south through the entire city.
Oregon Route 31
Oregon Route 31 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Oregon that runs between the Central Oregon cities of La Pine and Lakeview. OR 31 traverses most of the Fremont Highway No. 19 of the Oregon state highway system, named after ...
's northern terminus is approximately south of the city limits. A rail line of
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway
BNSF Railway is the largest freight railroad in the United States. One of six North American Class I railroads, BNSF has 36,000 employees, of track in 28 states, and over 8,000 locomotives. It has three transcontinental routes that provide ra ...
also runs through La Pine, parallel to U.S. 97.
Demographics
2020 Census
As of the
2020 Census there were 2,512 people, 1,226 housing units, and 1,220 households. During the 2020 Census, th
2020 American Community Surveywas also collected from a subset of Census-taking households.
Population
83.3% of people were 18 years of age and older; 20.4% of people were age 65 and older; 16.7% of people were under 18 years of age, and 5.0% percent of people were under 5 years of age. The median age was 48.8 years, older than the Oregon-wide median age of 39.5 years.
In 2020, 6.2% of people had moved to La Pine from within the same county; 3.6% had moved from a different county within Oregon; 1.5% had moved from a different state; 0.2% had moved to La Pine from beyond the United States.
28.3% of people in La Pine claimed Irish ancestry; 26.9% claimed German ancestry; 6.2% claimed English ancestry; 3.1% claimed Norwegian ancestry; 2.0% claimed Italian ancestry; 1.7% claimed French ancestry; 1.5% claimed Scottish ancestry, and 0.2% claimed Polish ancestry. 8.9% of people spoke a language other than English at home, compared to the Oregon-wide average of 15.3%.
Educational attainment
9.6% of people had completed a bachelor's degree or higher, compared to the all-Oregon average of 34.4%; 13.1% had completed an associate degree; 28.5% had attended some college without completing a degree; 31.6% had earned a high school diploma or equivalent; 3.0% of people had earned a graduate or professional degree. 78.6% of students currently enrolled were enrolled in kindergarten through 12th grade; 18.0% were enrolled in an undergraduate program; 3.4% were enrolled in a graduate or professional program.
Veterans
11.6% of people in La Pine claimed status as United States military veterans, compared to the all-Oregon average of 8.3%
Employment
The employment rate was 44.2%, compared to the all-Oregon average of 59.1%. The median household income was $37,979, compared to the Oregon-wide median household income of $65,667.
78.0% of workers were employees of private companies; 4.0% of workers worked for the local, state or federal government, compared to the all-Oregon average of 13.8%; 2.9% of workers were self employed in their own incorporated business; 12.7% of people were self-employed in their own not-incorporated business or were unpaid family workers. The number of women workers in industries such as Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting; as well as in Computer, Engineering and Science Occupations, was statistically 0.0% at the time of the Census, compared to the all-Oregon averages of 20.0% and 27.5%, respectively.
Health and wellness
The average travel time to work for people living in La Pine was 28.8 minutes, compared to the all-Oregon average of 23.9 minutes. 86.3% of people drove alone to work, while 7.6% took carpool, and 5.1% of workers worked from home.
Poverty
14.8% of people in La Pine were considered to be living in poverty, compared to the all-Oregon average of 12.4%, including more than 1 out of every 10 of seniors. Of those experiencing poverty at the time of the Census, 21.0% of people experiencing poverty were under the age of 18; 14.2% of people experiencing poverty were between 18 and 64 years of age; and 11.7% were 65 years of age or older.
2010 census
At the
2010 census, there were 1,653 people in 698 households, including 412 families, in the city. The population density was . There were 942 housing units at an average density of . The
racial makeup of the city was 93.5% White, 0.2% African American, 1.1% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.8% from other races, and 3.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.8% of the population.
Of the 698 households 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.6% were married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.0% were non-families. 31.2% of households were one person and 15.5% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.87.
The median age was 43.6 years. 22.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.7% were from 25 to 44; 30.4% were from 45 to 64; and 17.8% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.
2000 census
At the
2000 census, there were 5,799 people, 2,331 households, and 1,699 families in the CDP. The population density was . There were 2,975 housing units at an average density of . The
racial makeup of the CDP was 95.84% White, 0.09% African American, 1.28% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 0.55% from other races, and 1.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.22% of the population.
Of the 2,331 households 26.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.3% were married couples living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.1% were non-families. 20.8% of households were one person and 10.3% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.82.
The age distribution was 23.0% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 22.5% from 25 to 44, 28.8% from 45 to 64, and 20.7% 65 or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.7 males.
The median household income was $29,859 and the median family income was $33,938. Males had a median income of $30,457 versus $20,186 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $15,543. About 9.5% of families and 13.2% 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 13.4% of those under age 18 and 11.5% of those age 65 or over.
Education
La Pine schools, such as
La Pine Senior High School, are part of the
Bend-La Pine School District
Bend-La Pine Schools is a school district in the U.S. state of Oregon that serves the cities of Bend and La Pine in Central Oregon and the surrounding area, including Sunriver. The district has an enrollment of more than 18,000 students, and ...
.
Deschutes Public Library operates the La Pine Library.
References
External links
Entry for La Pinein 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 Deschutes County, Oregon
Cities in Oregon
Populated places established in 2006
Former census-designated places in Oregon
2006 establishments in Oregon