Encyclopedia > Clackamas County, Oregon
Clackamas County, Oregon
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Economy Since the county's creation, agriculture, timber, manufacturing, and commerce have been the principal economic activities. Mount Hood, the only year-round ski resort in the United States and the site of Timberline Lodge National Historic Landmark, is a major attraction for recreaton and tourism. The mountain and its rivers and forests offer outdoor recreation activities, from skiing and rafting to fishing and camping.
Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 4,867 km² (1,879 mi²). 4,839 km² (1,868 mi²) of it is land and 28 km² (11 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.58% water.
Demographics As of the census of 2000, there are 338,391 people, 128,201 households, and 91,663 families residing in the county. The population density is 70/km² (181/mi²). There are 136,954 housing units at an average density of 28/km² (73/mi²). The racial makeup of the county is 91.27% White, 0.66% African American, 0.71% Native American, 2.45% Asian, 0.17% Pacific Islander, 2.28% from other races, and 2.46% from two or more races. 4.95% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 128,201 households out of which 34.20% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.60% are married couples living together, 9.00% have a female householder with no husband present, and 28.50% are non-families. 22.00% of all households are made up of individuals and 7.80% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.62 and the average family size is 3.07.
In the county, the population is spread out with 26.20% under the age of 18, 8.00% from 18 to 24, 28.70% from 25 to 44, 26.00% from 45 to 64, and 11.10% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 38 years. For every 100 females there are 97.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 94.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county is $52,080, and the median income for a family is $60,791. Males have a median income of $43,462 versus $30,891 for females. The per capita income for the county is $25,973. 6.60% of the population and 4.60% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 7.60% are under the age of 18 and 5.10% are 65 or older.
History Clackamas County was one of the four original Oregon counties created by the Provisional Legislature on July 5, 1843 along with Twality (later Washington), Champooick (laterMarion, and Yamhill counties. The four districts were redesignated as counties in 1845. At the time of its creation, Clackamas County covered portions of four present-day states and one Canadian province. The Columbia River became the northern boundary of the county in 1844.
Oregon City was also the site of the only federal court west of the Rockies in 1849, when the city of San Francisco was platted. The plat was filed in 1850 in the first plat book of the first office of records in the West Coast and is still in Oregon City.
In contrast with the more liberal and cosmopolitan Multnomah County to the north, and the more affluent Washington County to the west, Clackamas county has espoused a blue-collar, yet conservative political outlook. It is the headquarters of Lon Mabon[?], whose Oregon Citizens Alliance[?] has worked to pass a number of anti-homosexual initiatives, and where Bill Sizemore[?], who has championed various anti-government initiatives for most of the 1990s, has his base.
- Barlow
- Canby
- Clackamas
- Estacada
- Gladstone
- Happy Valley
- Jennings Lodge
- Johnson City
- Lake Oswego
- Milwaukie
- Molalla
- Mount Hood Village
- Oak Grove
- Oatfield
- Oregon City
- Portland
- Rivergrove
- Sandy
- Sunnyside
- Tualatin
- West Linn
- Wilsonville
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