
Sherwood is a city in
Washington County,
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 ...
, United States. Located in the southeast corner of the county, it is a residential community in the
Tualatin Valley
The Tualatin Valley is a farming and suburban region southwest of Portland, Oregon. The valley is formed by the meandering Tualatin River, a tributary of the Willamette River at the northwest corner of the Willamette Valley, east of the Northe ...
, southwest of
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 ...
. The population was 20,450 at the
2020 census.
Sherwood was first incorporated in 1893 as a town. Originally named Smockville after its founder, James Christopher Smock, the town was given its current name by local businessman Robert Alexander in 1891. The name "Sherwood" may have come from
Sherwood, Michigan
Sherwood is a village in Branch County of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 285 at the 2020 census. The village is located within Sherwood Township.
History
The community was originally called Hazenville when it was formed from ...
or the
Sherwood Forest
Sherwood Forest is the remnants of an ancient royal forest, Royal Forest in Nottinghamshire, within the East Midlands region in England. It has association with the legend of Robin Hood. The forest was proclaimed by William the Conqueror and ...
in England.
History

The name "Sherwood" came either after
Sherwood Forest
Sherwood Forest is the remnants of an ancient royal forest, Royal Forest in Nottinghamshire, within the East Midlands region in England. It has association with the legend of Robin Hood. The forest was proclaimed by William the Conqueror and ...
in England or
Sherwood, Michigan
Sherwood is a village in Branch County of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 285 at the 2020 census. The village is located within Sherwood Township.
History
The community was originally called Hazenville when it was formed from ...
In 1885, the Smocks gave a right-of-way on their property to the
Portland and Willamette Valley Railway
The Portland and Willamette Valley Railway was incorporated on 19 January 1885 to continue construction of a narrow-gauge railroad line between Portland, Oregon, Portland and Dundee, Oregon, United States, which had been started a few years earlie ...
. The Smocks platted the town in 1889, the same year rail service began. Tradition has it that no one, not even the town's founders, liked the name "Smock Ville," and so a public meeting was held to rename the town. Robert Alexander, who was both a local resident and prominent businessman, suggested the name "Sherwood." According to post office records, Alexander was from
Sherwood, Michigan
Sherwood is a village in Branch County of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 285 at the 2020 census. The village is located within Sherwood Township.
History
The community was originally called Hazenville when it was formed from ...
, and also said the forest which surrounded the city was like
Sherwood Forest
Sherwood Forest is the remnants of an ancient royal forest, Royal Forest in Nottinghamshire, within the East Midlands region in England. It has association with the legend of Robin Hood. The forest was proclaimed by William the Conqueror and ...
in England. The U.S. Postal Department began sending mail to the Town of Sherwood, Oregon, on July 5, 1891. Smock was the first postmaster. The Town of Sherwood was incorporated under Oregon Senate Bill 36 in 1893.
The main industry in the 1890s was a pressed brick yard which closed in 1896, a victim of
the financial recession of 1893. The
Klondike Gold Rush of 1897 revived Sherwood's economy. In 2014, ''
Money
Money is any item or verifiable record that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts, such as taxes, in a particular country or socio-economic context. The primary functions which distinguish money are: m ...
'' ranked Sherwood fifth among the top fifty best places to live in the United States.
The population of the city in 1911 was 350 within a city limit. The city has since expanded to nearly .
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 land.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the
2020 census, there were 20,450 people and 6,829 households in the city.
2010 census
As of the
2010 census, there were 18,194 people, 6,316 households, and 4,857 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 6,569 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 88.5%
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 ...
, 0.8%
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 ...
, 0.5%
Native American, 3.5%
Asian, 0.3%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 2.7% from
other races, and 3.7% 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 7.0% of the population.
There were 6,316 households, of which 49.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.5% 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, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 23.1% were non-families. 19.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.88 and the average family size was 3.31.
The median age in the city was 34.3 years. 33.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 32.9% were from 25 to 44; 21.6% were from 45 to 64; and 6.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.9% male and 51.1% female.
The
median income
The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways of unde ...
for a household in the city was $82,579, and the median income for a family was $90,492. Males had a median income of $66,052 versus $47,013 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 $31,047. About 2.2% of families and 4.1% 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 3.8% of those under age 18 and 1.0% of those age 65 or over.
2000 census
As of the
2000 census, there were 11,791 people, 4,253 households, and 3,300 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 4,412 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 92.36% White, 0.43% African American, 0.51% Native American, 2.22% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.76% from other races, and 2.67% from two or more ethnicity. Hispanic or Latino of any ethnicity were 4.72% of the population.
There were 4,253 households, out of which 46.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.7% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.4% were non-families. 17.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 31.7% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 41.2% from 25 to 44, 16.4% from 45 to 64, and 5.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $62,518, and the median income for a family was $67,277. Males had a median income of $47,920 versus $33,657 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 $25,793. About 1.5% of families and 2.7% 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 2.0% of those under age 18 and 11.7% of those age 65 or over.
Infrastructure and services
Sherwood is within the
Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet),
the
Portland metropolitan area
The Portland metropolitan area is a metropolitan area, metro area with its urban area, core in the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington (state), Washington. It has 5 principal cities, the largest being Portland, Oregon. The U.S. Office of Man ...
's primary transit agency. TriMet bus lines 94 and 97 provide service to Sherwood; line 94 is an express route running through to
downtown Portland
Downtown Portland is the central business district of Portland, Oregon, United States. It is on the west bank of the Willamette River in the northeastern corner of the southwest section of the city and where most of the city's high-rise buildi ...
.
Additionally, the Yamhill County Transit Area's routes 44, 45x and 46s connect Sherwood with
Newberg,
McMinnville, and other points in
Yamhill County,
which are outside the boundaries of the TriMet district.
Fire protection and emergency medical services are provided through
Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue
Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue (TVF&R) is a special-purpose district, special-purpose government fire fighting and emergency services district in the Portland metropolitan area of Oregon. Established in 1989 with a merger between Washington County ...
.
Schools
Sherwood School District has four elementary schools (Hawks View, Middleton, Archer Glen, Ridges), one middle school,
Sherwood Middle School, and one high school,
Sherwood High School. As of the 2023–2024 school year, the total enrollment was 4,659 students. There were between 323 and 666 students attending each of the four elementary schools, 1,120 at Sherwood Middle School, and 1,676 students enrolled at Sherwood High School.
Notable people
*
Del Baker
Delmer David Baker (May 3, 1892 – September 11, 1973) was an American professional baseball player, coach, and manager. During his time as a player, he spent three years (1914–1916) in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a backup catcher for t ...
(1892–1973) — baseball player, coach, and manager with the
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. One of the AL's eight chart ...
*
Jim Benning
James Elmer Benning (born April 29, 1963) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey executive and former player. He formerly served as the general manager of the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Drafted in the first roun ...
(born 1963) — former Canadian ice hockey executive and player
*
Karsen Dorwart -
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
player
*
Dave Edstrom (1938–2019) —
decathlete
The decathlon is a combined event in athletics consisting of 10 track and field events. The word "decathlon" was formed, in analogy to the word "pentathlon", from Greek δέκα (''déka'', meaning "ten") and ἄθλος (''áthlos'', or ἄθ� ...
, gold medal at the
1959 Pan American Games
The 1959 Pan American Games, officially known as the III Pan American Games and commonly known as Chicago 1959, were held in Chicago, Illinois, United States between August 28 and September 7, 1959.
Host city selection
One city initially su ...
*
Rich Fellers (born 1959) — Olympic
equestrian
The word equestrian is a reference to equestrianism, or horseback riding, derived from Latin ' and ', "horse".
Horseback riding (or riding in British English)
Examples of this are:
*Equestrian sports
*Equestrian order, one of the upper classes in ...
*
A.C. Gibbs (1825–1886) — American politician and the second
Governor of Oregon
The governor of Oregon is the head of government of Oregon and serves as the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The title of governor was also applied to the office of Oregon's chief executive during the provisional and U.S. ter ...
*
Iain Harrison — competitive shooter and former British Army captain
*
Glenn Olds (1921–2006) — academic administrator, government official and politician
*
Jiggs Parrott, (1871–1898) — professional baseball player
*
Thomas H. Parrott (1836–1899) — musician
*
Tom Parrott (1868–1932) — professional baseball player
*
Ilsa Paulson (born 1988) — former long-distance runner and winner of the 2009
USA Marathon Championships
The USA Marathon Championships is the annual national championships for marathon running in the United States. The race serves as a way of designating the American national champion for the marathon. The men's race was first contested in 1925 and ...
*
Bud Podbielan
Clarence Anthony Podbielan (March 6, 1924 – October 26, 1982) was an American professional baseball player, a pitcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers (1949–52), Cincinnati Reds/Redlegs (1952–55 and 1957) and Cleveland Indians (1959). He was born ...
(1924–1982) —baseball player for the
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. The Reds compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Divisi ...
*
Adley Rutschman
Adley Stan Rutschman (born February 6, 1998) is an American professional baseball catcher for the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played college baseball for the Oregon State Beavers. He was named the Pac-12 Conference Player ...
(born 1998) — baseball catcher for the
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles (also known as the O's) are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. As one of the America ...
*
Mark Smith — fantasy gamebook author
*
Daniela Solís (born 1993) — Mexican-American footballer
*
Chuck Sun (born 1956) former
motocross
Motocross is a form of off-road motorcycle racing held on enclosed off-road circuits. The sport evolved from motorcycle trials competitions held in the United Kingdom.
History
Motocross first evolved in Britain from motorcycle trials competi ...
racer
See also
*
Sherwood Public Library
*
Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge
*
Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue
Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue (TVF&R) is a special-purpose district, special-purpose government fire fighting and emergency services district in the Portland metropolitan area of Oregon. Established in 1989 with a merger between Washington County ...
References
External links
Listing for Sherwoodin 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
1889 establishments in Oregon
Populated places established in 1889
Cities in Oregon
Cities in Washington County, Oregon
Portland metropolitan area