County population in 2012: 30,630 (52% urban, 48% rural); it was 31,615 in 2000 County owner-occupied with a mortgage or a loan houses and condos in 2010: 3,862 County owner-occupied free and clear houses and condos in 2010: 2,639 County owner-occupied houses and condos in 2000: 6,519 Renter-occupied apartments: 3,910 (it was 3,702 in 2000)
% of renters here:
36%
State:
38%
Land area: 9887 sq. mi. Water area: 42.9 sq. mi.
Population density: 3 people per square mile
(very low).
Mar. 2012 cost of living index in Malheur County: 84.9 (less than average, U.S. average is 100)
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Industries providing employment: Educational,health and social services (23.6%), Agriculture,forestry,fishing and hunting, and mining (13.3%), Retail trade (11.0%).
Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units with mortgages in 2009: $1,118 (0.8%) Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units with no mortgage in 2009: $867 (0.8%)
Percentage of residents living in poverty in 2009: 17.2%
(12.7% for White Non-Hispanic residents, 40.7% for Black residents, 28.4% for Hispanic or Latino residents, 25.8% for American Indian residents, 0.0% for Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander residents, 22.2% for other race residents, 14.4% for two or more races residents) Median age of residents in 2010: 36 years old
(Males: 35 years old, Females: 37 years old)
(Median age for: White residents: 39 years old, Black residents: 35 years old, American Indian residents: 32 years old, Asian residents: 58 years old, Hispanic or Latino residents: 22 years old, Other race residents: 23 years old)
Residents with income below the poverty level in 2009:
This county:
18.6%
Whole state:
11.6%
Residents with income below 50% of the poverty level in 2009:
This county:
7.1%
Whole state:
5.0%
Fair market rent in 2006 for a 1-bedroom apartment in Malheur County is $445 a month. Fair market rent for a 2-bedroom apartment is $542 a month. Fair market rent for a 3-bedroom apartment is $784 a month.
Notable locations in this county outside city limits:
Notable locations in Malheur County: McRae Homestead (A), Spring Creek Camp (B), Leslie Gulch Camp (C), McEwen Ranch (D), Dry Creek Camp (E), Bully Creek Campground (F), Malloy Ranch (G), Mallett (H), Beulah Reservoir Ramp (I), Ontario State Park Boat Ramp (J), Dunaway (K), Richland (L), Oasis RV Park Boat Ramp (M), White Settlement (N), Loveland Horse Camp (O), Lone Tree Ranch (P), Lodge Ranch (Q), Levanger Well (R), Lawrence Ranch (S), Leslie Gulch Boat Ramp (T). Display/hide their locations on the map
Cemeteries: Owyhee Cemetery (1), Watson Cemetery (2), Pioneer Cemetery (3), Valley View Cemetery (4), Agency Valley Cemetery (5), Fairview Cemetery (6), Westfall Cemetery (7). Display/hide their locations on the map
Lakes and reservoirs: Hat Butte Waterhole (A), Head of the Creek Waterhole (B), Hole in the Rock (C), Lake Bed Waterhole (D), Lakebed Waterhole (E), Long Water Holes (F), Lookout Lake (G), Mouse Lake (H). Display/hide their locations on the map
Streams, rivers, and creeks: Howard Creek (A), Bradley Creek (B), Hog Creek (C), High Horn Creek (D), Jaca Creek (E), Gold Creek (F), O'Keefe Creek (G), Meadow Creek (H), Corbin Creek (I). Display/hide their locations on the map
Parks in Malheur County include: Crooked Creek State Park (1), Lake Owyhee State Park (2), V W McCormack Area (3), Big Bend Park (4), Owyhee Dam Park (5), Chukar Park (6), Succor Creek State Park (7), Cow Lakes Recreation Area (8). Display/hide their locations on the map
Current college students: 1,349 People 25 years of age or older with a high school degree or higher: 71.0% People 25 years of age or older with a bachelor's degree or higher: 11.1%
Number of foreign born residents: 2,599 (29% naturalized citizens)
Malheur County:
8.2%
Whole state:
8.5%
Year of entry for the foreign-born population
1995 to March 2000: 657
1990 to 1994: 507
1985 to 1989: 435
1980 to 1984: 282
1975 to 1979: 141
1970 to 1974: 127
1970 to 1974: 120
1965 to 1969: 330
Mean travel time to work (commute): 17.7 minutes
Percentage of county residents living and working in this county: 84.2%
Housing units in structures:
One, detached: 7,254
One, attached: 314
Two: 360
3 or 4: 344
5 to 9: 279
10 to 19: 255
20 or more: 298
Mobile homes: 2,086
Boats, RVs, vans, etc.: 43
Housing units in Malheur County with a mortgage: 2,613 (218 second mortgage, 238 home equity loan, 3 both second mortgage and home equity loan) Houses without a mortgage: 1,312
Here:
66.6% with mortgage
State:
74.3% with mortgage
Religion statistics:
Percentage of population affiliated with a religious congregations: 46.14%
Here
46.1%
USA
50.2%
Total adherents: 14,586 Total congregations: 58
Adherents
Breakdown of population affiliated with a religious congregations
Name
Catholic Church
LDS (Mormon) Church
Church of the Nazarene
United Methodist Church
Christian Churches and Churches of Christ
Adherents
6,450 (44.2%)
3,229 (22.1%)
725 (5.0%)
600 (4.1%)
477 (3.3%)
Congregations
7 (12.1%)
10 (17.2%)
4 (6.9%)
5 (8.6%)
3 (5.2%)
Name
Assemblies of God
Charismatic Churches Independent
Lutheran Church
Episcopal Church
Other
Adherents
374 (2.6%)
350 (2.4%)
309 (2.1%)
299 (2.0%)
1,773 (12.2%)
Congregations
5 (8.6%)
1 (1.7%)
1 (1.7%)
3 (5.2%)
19 (32.8%)
Source: Jones, Dale E., et al. 2002. Congregations and Membership in the United States 2000. Nashville, TN: Glenmary Research Center.
Average size of farms: 924 acres Average value of agricultural products sold per farm: $182,134 Average value of crops sold per acre for harvested cropland: $586.13 The value of livestock, poultry, and their products as a percentage of the total market value of agricultural products sold: 52.09% Average total farm production expenses per farm: $156,535 Harvested cropland as a percentage of land in farms: 16.11% Irrigated harvested cropland as a percentage of land in farms: 96.16% Average market value of all machinery and equipment per farm: $106,943 The percentage of farms operated by a family or individual: 86.56% Average age of principal farm operators: 54 years Average number of cattle and calves per 100 acres of all land in farms: 16.27 Milk cows as a percentage of all cattle and calves: 2.66% Corn for grain: 12826 harvested acres All wheat for grain: 31998 harvested acres Vegetables: 14,269 harvested acres Land in orchards: 97 acres
Tornado activity:
Malheur County historical area-adjusted tornado activity is slightly above Oregon state average. It is 40.1 times below overall U.S. average.
Earthquake activity:
Malheur County-area historical earthquake activity is significantly below Oregon state average. It is 88% smaller than the overall U.S. average.
On 10/27/1994 at 03:35:53, a magnitude 4.0 (3.6 ML, 4.0 ML, Depth: 6.2 mi, Class: Light, Intensity: IV - V) earthquake occurred 86.1 miles away from the county center On 10/4/2002 at 00:56:04, a magnitude 3.8 (3.8 ML, Depth: 3.1 mi, Class: Light, Intensity: II - III) earthquake occurred 85.1 miles away from the county center On 9/29/2005 at 13:50:15, a magnitude 3.8 (3.8 MW, 3.7 ML, Depth: 3.1 mi) earthquake occurred 93.1 miles away from the county center On 9/28/2005 at 05:27:32, a magnitude 3.8 (3.8 MW, Depth: 3.1 mi) earthquake occurred 95.1 miles away from Malheur County center On 10/2/2005 at 01:10:01, a magnitude 3.8 (3.8 MW, 3.8 ML, Depth: 3.1 mi) earthquake occurred 95.1 miles away from the county center On 9/28/2005 at 23:20:45, a magnitude 3.8 (3.8 MW, 3.5 ML, Depth: 3.1 mi) earthquake occurred 95.7 miles away from the county center Magnitude types: local magnitude (ML), moment magnitude (MW)
Most recent natural disasters:
Oregon Hurricane Katrina Evacuation, Incident Period: August 29, 2005 to October 1, 2005, Emergency Declared (EM-3228): September 7, 2005, FEMA Id: FEMA-EM-3228, Natural disaster type: Hurricane
Oregon Severe Winter Storms, Incident Period: December 26, 2003 to January 14, 2004, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared (DR-1510): February 19, 2004, FEMA Id: FEMA-DR-1510, Natural disaster type: Winter Storm
Oregon Drought, Incident Period: April 29, 1977, Emergency Declared (EM-3039): April 29, 1977, FEMA Id: FEMA-EM-3039, Natural disaster type: Drought
Oregon Heavy Rains & Flooding, Incident Period: December 24, 1964, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared (DR-184): December 24, 1964, FEMA Id: FEMA-DR-184, Natural disaster type: Flood, Heavy Rain
The number of natural disasters in Malheur County (4) is a lot smaller than the US average (12). Major Disasters (Presidential) Declared: 2 Emergencies Declared: 2
Other production occupations including supervisors (5%)
Other sales and related workers including supervisors (5%)
Law enforcement workers including supervisors (4%)
Electrical equipment mechanics and other installation, maintenance, and repair occupations including supervisors (4%)
Secretaries and administrative assistants (5%)
Agricultural workers including supervisors (4%)
Preschool, kindergarten, elementary and middle school teachers (4%)
Other teachers and instructors, education, training, and library occupations (4%)
Other sales and related workers including supervisors (4%)
Other office and administrative support workers including supervisors (4%)
Child care workers (4%)
Most common places of birth for the foreign-born residents (%):
Mexico (83%)
Canada (3%)
Japan (2%)
El Salvador (1%)
United Kingdom (1%)
Germany (1%)
China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan (1%)
Most common first ancestries reported in Malheur County (%):
German (14%)
English (10%)
United States or American (8%)
Irish (7%)
Norwegian (2%)
Dutch (2%)
Scottish (2%)
Means of transportation to work:
Drove a car alone: 8,092 (73%)
Carpooled: 1,567 (14%)
Bus or trolley bus: 3 (0%)
Streetcar or trolley car: 9 (0%)
Taxi: 2 (0%)
Motorcycle: 14 (0%)
Bicycle: 12 (0%)
Walked: 494 (4%)
Other means: 90 (1%)
Worked at home: 834 (8%)
Owners and renters by unit type in %
Breakdown of mean house values by ages of householders
People in group quarters in Malheur County, Oregon in 2000:
2,850 people in state prisons
164 people in nursing homes
88 people in local jails and other confinement facilities (including police lockups)
65 people in other group homes
63 people in college dormitories (includes college quarters off campus)
63 people in other noninstitutional group quarters
20 people in other types of correctional institutions
5 people in homes for the mentally ill
2 people in homes or halfway houses for drug/alcohol abuse
People in group quarters in Malheur County, Oregon in 2010:
2,927 people in state prisons
123 people in college/university student housing
89 people in nursing facilities/skilled-nursing facilities
85 people in local jails and other municipal confinement facilities
60 people in group homes intended for adults
36 people in other noninstitutional facilities
24 people in residential treatment centers for adults
7 people in workers’ group living quarters and job corps centers
Average gross adjusted income of non-migrant taxpayers in this county in 2005 was $36,765.
7.59% of this county's 2006 resident taxpayers lived in other counties in 2005 ($29,522 average adjusted gross income)
Here:
7.59%
Oregon average:
8.89%
10 or fewer of this county's residents moved from foreign countries.
1.64% relocated from other counties in Oregon ($6,820 average AGI)
5.95% relocated from other states ($22,702 average AGI)
Malheur County:
5.95%
Oregon average:
4.35%
Percentage of residents relocating from other counties or countries
Top counties from which taxpayers relocated into this county between 2005 and 2006:
8.83% of this county's 2005 resident taxpayers moved to other counties in 2006 ($32,465 average adjusted gross income)
Here:
8.83%
Oregon average:
7.91%
10 or fewer of this county's residents moved to foreign countries.
1.98% relocated to other counties in Oregon ($7,177 average AGI)
6.84% relocated to other states ($25,289 average AGI)
Malheur County:
6.84%
Oregon average:
3.37%
Percentage of residents relocating to other counties or countries
Top counties to which taxpayers relocated from this county between 2005 and 2006:
Births per 1000 population from 1990 to 1999: 17.3 Births per 1000 population from 2000 to 2006: 15.2
Births per 1000 population in Malheur County
Deaths per 1000 population from 1990 to 1999: 9.3 Deaths per 1000 population from 2000 to 2006: 8.9
Deaths per 1000 population in Malheur County
Infant deaths per 1000 live births from 1990 to 1999: 9.5 Infant deaths per 1000 live births from 2000 to 2006: 7.4
Infant deaths per 1000 live births in Malheur County
Persons enrolled in hospital insurance and/or supplemental medical insurance (Medicare) in July 1, 2003: 4,856 (4,237 aged, 619 disabled) Population without health insurance coverage in 2000: 23% Children under 18 without health insurance coverage in 2000: 19%
Short term general hospitals per 100,000 population in 2004: 3.18 Short term general hospital admissions per 100,000 population in 2004: 11252.19 Short term general hospital beds per 100,000 population in 2004: 155.930 Emergency room visits per 100,000 population in 2004: 58949.88
General practice office based MDs per 100,000 population in 2005: 1570.380 Medical specialist MDs per 100,000 population in 2005: 967.120 Dentists per 100,000 population in 1998: 6.38
Total births per 100,000 population, July 2005 - July 2006 : 52.55 Total deaths per 100,000 population, July 2005 - July 2006: 79.8
Limited-service eating places per 100,000 population in 2005 : 6.38
EPA green book nonattainment status in 2004-2006: 1 Crimes per 100,000 population in 1996: 1
Suicides per 1,000,000 population from 2000 to 2006: 132.8. This is less than state average.
Household type by relationship:
Households: 27,962
In family households: 23,975 (5,215 male householders, 1,934 female householders)
5,377 spouses, 8,867 children (8,158 natural, 219 adopted, 490 stepchildren), 738 grandchildren, 255 brothers or sisters, 202 parents, 424 other relatives, 783 non-relatives
In nonfamily households: 3,987 (1,530 male householders (1,213 living alone)), 1,732 female householders (1,496 living alone)), 725 nonrelatives
In group quarters: 3,351 (3,101 institutionalized population)
Size of family households: 3,048 2-persons, 1,413 3-persons, 1,175 4-persons, 773 5-persons, 408 6-persons, 332 7-or-more-persons.
78.9% of residents of Malheur County speak English at home.
19.3% of residents speak Spanish at home (58% speak English very well, 19% speak English well, 14% speak English not well, 9% don't speak English at all).
0.8% of residents speak other Indo-European language at home (65% speak English very well, 27% speak English well, 7% speak English not well).
0.8% of residents speak Asian or Pacific Island language at home (43% speak English very well, 30% speak English well, 23% speak English not well, 5% don't speak English at all).
0.3% of residents speak other language at home (91% speak English very well, 3% speak English well, 6% speak English not well).
In fiscal year 2004:
Federal Government expenditure: $163,708,000 ($5209 per capita) Department of Defense expenditure: $4,286,000 Federal direct payments to individuals for retirement and disability: $67,910,000 Federal other direct payments to individuals: $32,890,000 Federal direct payments not to individuals: $5,463,000 Federal grants: $42,719,000 Federal procurement contracts: $3,071,000 ($36,000 Department of Defense) Federal salaries and wages: $11,655,000 ($1,424,000 Department of Defense) Federal Government direct loans: $8,407,000 Federal guaranteed/insured loans: $15,530,000 Federal Government insurance: $41,266,000
Population change from April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2005:
Births: 2,475
Here:
79 per 1000 residents
State:
65 per 1000 residents
Deaths: 1,458
Here:
47 per 1000 residents
State:
44 per 1000 residents
Net international migration: +579
Here:
+18 per 1000 residents
State:
+20 per 1000 residents
Net internal migration: -1,844
Here:
-59 per 1000 residents
State:
+21 per 1000 residents
Population growth in Malheur County
Total withdrawal of fresh water for public supply: 5.56 millions of gallons per day (47% from ground, 53% from surface)
Median number of rooms in houses and condos:
Here:
5.9
State:
6.1
Median number of rooms in apartments:
Here:
4.2
State:
4.0
Year house built
2005 or later: 177
2000 to 2004: 502
1990 to 1999: 1,348
1980 to 1989: 1,464
1970 to 1979: 2,372
1960 to 1969: 1,241
1950 to 1959: 1,629
1940 to 1949: 1,095
1939 or earlier: 1,677
Rooms in houses/apartments in Malheur County, Oregon
53% of Malheur County residents lived in the same house 5 years ago. Out of people who lived in different houses, 49% lived in this county. Out of people who lived in different counties, 47% lived in Oregon.
Malheur County:
53.0%
State average:
48.0%
Place of birth for U.S.-born residents:
This state: 13784
Northeast: 206
Midwest: 2023
South: 2135
West: 10688
Median price asked for vacant for-sale houses in 2000: $85,700
Housing units lacking complete plumbing facilities: 1%
Housing units lacking complete kitchen facilities: 1%
Year Householders Moved Into Unit:
Most commonly used house heating fuel in Malheur County
36.0 years
38.0 years
(54.2%)
(45.8%)
, Humboldt County, Nevada 
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