Winchester Bay, formerly Umpqua City, is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a parcel of land that is not governed by a local general-purpose municipal corporation. (At p. 178.) They may be governed or serviced by an encompassing unit (such as a county) or another branch of the state (such as th ...

in Douglas 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. For statistical purposes, 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 ...

has defined Winchester Bay as a

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), 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 counte ...

(CDP). The census definition of the area may not precisely correspond to local understanding of the area with the same name. The population of the CDP was 382 at the 2010 census. The community of Umpqua City was established in 1850.

Geography and climate

According to the

, the CDP has a total area of , of which is land and , or 26.24%, is water.

Demographics

2000 Census data

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 2000, there were 488 people, 238 households, and 139 families residing in the CDP. The population density was . There were 362 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the CDP was 96.11%

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 ...

, 1.43% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 0.20% from other races, and 1.84% 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 1.43% of the population. There were 238 households, out of which 16.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.8% 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, 4.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.2% were non-families. 36.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.01 and the average family size was 2.57. In the CDP, the population was 16.8% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 18.9% from 25 to 44, 27.5% from 45 to 64, and 29.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50 years. For every 100 females, there were 116.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 120.7 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $30,139, and the median income for a family was $37,292. Males had a median income of $30,625 versus $22,321 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 CDP was $17,307. About 17.9% of families and 21.3% 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 38.1% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

The local Winchester Bay Merchant Association promotes economic development in the community.

Tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the Commerce, commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. World Tourism Organization, UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as ...

is a significant component of the economy with recreational vehicle use on the nearby sand dunes, tours of the Umpqua River Lighthouse, and crabbing in the bay as the primary attractions. Winchester Bay, formerly referred to as Whistling Basin by the small Native American population, has seen a marked increase in tourism despite being a sparsely populated outpost. The merchant association has dubbed the community as the "Crab Capital of the World." The largest annual activity is the annual Dune Fest, usually a five-day event. In recent years, Siuslaw National Forest enforcement of alcohol consumption and under-age drinking was enacted to improve safety for participants. Medical care is available at Lower Umpqua Hospital in nearby Reedsport.Your Caring Neighbor in Coastal Douglas County – Lower Umpqua Hospital
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References

External links

{{authority control Census-designated places in Oregon Oregon Coast Bays of Oregon Unincorporated communities in Douglas County, Oregon Census-designated places in Douglas County, Oregon 1850 establishments in Oregon Territory Unincorporated communities in Oregon Populated coastal places in Oregon Bodies of water of Douglas County, Oregon