Central Oregon
Central Oregon is a geographic region in the U.S. state of Oregon comprising Crook, Deschutes, and Jefferson counties.[1] The region lies on a high desert plateau east of the Cascade Range, which acts as a rain shadow barrier limiting precipitation and fostering semi-arid conditions, with landscapes featuring volcanic formations, ponderosa pine forests, and rivers like the Deschutes and Crooked.[2] Notable natural features include the Newberry National Volcanic Monument's caldera and lava flows, the Ochoco Mountains, and Mount Bachelor, a prominent ski destination.[3] Bend, the largest city and economic center with a population exceeding 100,000, anchors the region alongside smaller cities like Redmond, Prineville, and Madras.[4] The three counties collectively house over 250,000 residents as of recent estimates, with Deschutes County alone surpassing 208,000 in 2023 and exhibiting rapid growth rates exceeding the state average.[5][6] The economy has transitioned from historical reliance on lumber milling and agriculture to dominance by tourism and outdoor recreation, which employs over 10,000 and generates substantial impacts, supplemented by sectors like construction, healthcare, and technology.[7][8] This shift reflects adaptation to the arid environment's constraints on traditional resource extraction while capitalizing on abundant recreational opportunities such as skiing, fly fishing, and hiking.[2]Geography
Boundaries and Extent
Central Oregon is a geographic and cultural region in the U.S. state of Oregon, traditionally defined as comprising Deschutes, Jefferson, and Crook counties.[9][10] This tri-county delineation is employed by state agencies, economic development organizations, and metropolitan statistical area classifications for the Bend-Redmond region.[11] The area totals approximately 7,833 square miles (20,290 km²) of land, positioning it at the convergence of the Cascade Range to the west, the Ochoco Mountains and Blue Mountains to the east, and the northern Basin and Range Province to the south.[9] The boundaries follow county lines established through historical subdivisions from larger parent counties like Wasco and Crook. Deschutes County, formed in 1916 from Crook County, anchors the southern and central portions with Bend as its hub. Jefferson County, separated from Crook in 1914, forms the northern expanse, while Crook County extends eastward into more arid terrains. Collectively, the western edge aligns with the crest of the Cascade Range, separating the region from wetter Willamette Valley counties such as Lane and Linn; the northern perimeter interfaces with Wasco and Wheeler counties near the Deschutes River's upper reaches; the eastern frontier abuts Grant and Harney counties along the John Day River basin and high desert plateaus; and the southern limit meets Klamath County amid volcanic highlands.[12][13] This extent encompasses elevations ranging from about 2,000 feet in eastern valleys to over 9,000 feet at South Sister in the Cascades, reflecting a compact yet topographically varied high desert plateau. While administrative boundaries provide precision, informal extensions sometimes incorporate adjacent areas like parts of Klamath County for tourism or economic contexts, though the core three-county model prevails in official usage.[9]Physical Features
Central Oregon comprises a high desert plateau on the eastern slope of the Cascade Range, with average elevations between 4,000 and 6,000 feet (1,200 to 1,800 meters) above sea level.[14] The terrain reflects extensive Miocene to Holocene volcanism, featuring broad lava plateaus, basalt flows, and pumice deposits across the Bend 30' x 60' quadrangle, which spans 4,430 square kilometers of volcanic and sedimentary strata deposited over the past 35 million years.[15] Topographic relief varies dramatically, from the 10,358-foot (3,158-meter) summit of South Sister to 1,940-foot (591-meter) floors along the Deschutes and Crooked Rivers.[15] Prominent volcanic features include the Newberry shield volcano, a 400,000-year-old structure covering over 54,000 acres within the Newberry National Volcanic Monument, characterized by a 4-by-5-mile caldera containing Paulina and East Lakes, lava tubes, and cinder cones such as Lava Butte.[16] [15] The western boundary rises to the High Cascades, with stratovolcanoes like the Three Sisters—North Sister (10,085 feet), Middle Sister (10,047 feet), and South Sister (10,358 feet)—forming snow-capped peaks amid andesitic and basaltic compositions.[17] To the east, the region transitions into the drier Ochoco Mountains and High Lava Plains, with additional cinder cones and obsidian flows shaping the arid landscape.[2] Hydrologically, the area is dominated by the northward-flowing Deschutes River basin, which drains approximately 7,833 square miles across Deschutes, Jefferson, and Crook counties, supported by tributaries including the Little Deschutes, Crooked, and Metolius Rivers.[9] [18] The Metolius emerges fully from groundwater springs at the base of Black Butte, exemplifying the region's karst-like volcanic aquifers that maintain steady river flows despite the semiarid surface.[19] Deep canyons incise the plateau, such as those along the Deschutes and Crooked Rivers, exposing layered basalt and ignimbrite sequences from recurrent eruptions.[15]Climate
Regional Patterns
Central Oregon's climate is predominantly cold semi-arid, marked by low annual precipitation, a pronounced seasonal cycle, and significant diurnal temperature swings due to high elevation (typically 3,000–4,000 feet) and clear skies. The region's position east of the Cascade Range creates a rain shadow effect, where prevailing westerly winds lose moisture ascending the mountains, resulting in arid conditions compared to the wetter coastal and western areas; annual precipitation in key locales like Bend averages 11.0 inches, with Prineville receiving about 9.5 inches.[20][21] Precipitation is unevenly distributed, concentrated in winter (October–March) as a mix of rain and snow, while summers (June–August) are nearly dry, with less than 0.5 inches per month on average.[22][23] Winters are cold and snowy, with January mean temperatures around 30°F in Bend, including frequent freezes and average snowfall of 20–30 inches annually, though accumulations rarely disrupt activity due to dry conditions.[21] Summers are warm and sunny, with July highs averaging 82°F and lows in the 50s°F, fostering low humidity (often below 30%) and over 300 clear days per year across the region.[22][24] Diurnal ranges exceed 30°F daily in summer, driven by intense solar heating and rapid nocturnal cooling in the absence of marine moderation.[25] Spatial patterns show subtle gradients: precipitation and effective moisture increase westward toward the Cascades (e.g., higher in Sisters than in eastern Crook County), while eastern fringes near the Blue Mountains experience marginally cooler summers and more variable winter storms influenced by continental air masses.[20][26] Overall, the climate supports agriculture and recreation but constrains water availability, with streamflows peaking from snowmelt in spring.[27]Variability and Extremes
Central Oregon's climate features pronounced variability in temperature and precipitation, driven by its high-elevation, rain-shadow position east of the Cascade Range, resulting in semi-arid conditions with frequent deviations from seasonal norms. Daily temperature swings often exceed 30°F (17°C) due to clear skies and low humidity, while annual cycles show marked contrasts between dry, hot summers and snowy winters. Long-term records indicate increasing frequency of heat events, as seen in the 2021 Pacific Northwest heat dome, which amplified extremes across the region.[20] Temperature records in Bend underscore these extremes: the highest verified reading is 106°F (41°C) on June 30, 2021, amid a statewide heat wave that pushed systems beyond historical norms.[28] The lowest was -26°F (-32°C) on January 31, 1950, during an Arctic air intrusion that brought subzero conditions persisting for days.[29] Such polarities reflect the region's exposure to both subtropical ridges and polar fronts, with cold snaps occasionally dropping below -20°F (-29°C) and heat waves surpassing 100°F (38°C) multiple days in summer.[30] Precipitation exhibits high interannual variability, with annual totals in Bend averaging 10.6 inches (27 cm) but ranging from drought-level lows under 5 inches to wetter years exceeding 15 inches, largely as winter snow.[31] Tree-ring reconstructions from ponderosa pine reveal multi-decadal droughts, including the most persistent episode in the 1930s Dust Bowl era and the severest single year in 1489, highlighting paleoclimatic precedents for modern water scarcity.[32] Recent decades show amplified drought persistence, with 2020-2022 marking severe conditions tied to reduced snowpack and La Niña influences.[33] Winter snowfall extremes further illustrate variability, with Bend's record annual total of 90.9 inches (231 cm) in 1973 and a one-day maximum of 24.1 inches (61 cm) on November 6, 1973, both from intense Pacific storms overcoming the region's aridity.[34][35] Monthly records include February 2019's 45.8 inches (116 cm), surpassing prior benchmarks and straining infrastructure.[36] These events contrast with low-snow winters below 10 inches, exacerbating flood risks from rapid melt or fire hazards in dry years.[37]Ecology and Environment
Ecosystems and Biodiversity
Central Oregon features a transition zone between the moist coniferous forests of the eastern Cascade Range and the arid shrub-steppe of the High Desert, creating diverse ecosystems shaped by elevation gradients from approximately 2,000 feet in the Deschutes Basin to over 9,000 feet at Mount Bachelor. Volcanic activity has produced unique habitats, including lava fields and obsidian plateaus, while river canyons and springs support riparian corridors amid predominantly dry landscapes. These ecosystems host a mix of Pacific Northwest wet-forest influences and interior dryland biota, with precipitation varying from 10 inches annually in the east to over 40 inches on western slopes.[38][39] Montane forests dominate the western portions, characterized by open-canopied ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) woodlands at lower elevations, transitioning to denser lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) stands and mixed conifer forests with Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) on moister sites. Higher subalpine zones include noble fir (Abies procera) and whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis), adapted to short growing seasons and heavy snowpack. The eastern slopes of the Cascades form part of the Eastern Cascades Forests ecoregion, where fire-adapted species prevail due to historical frequent low-severity fires, though suppression has led to denser fuels in some areas.[40][41] High-desert ecosystems cover much of the interior, featuring sagebrush steppe with big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata), antelope bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata), and scattered western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis) woodlands, which expand due to fire exclusion and climate shifts. Volcanic badlands and pumice flats, such as those in the Oregon Badlands Wilderness, support sparse vegetation including bunchgrasses and wildflowers like balsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittata). Riparian habitats along the Deschutes, Crooked, and Metolius Rivers contrast sharply, with cottonwood (Populus fremontii) galleries, willows (Salix spp.), and sedge meadows sustaining aquatic and wetland biodiversity.[42][43] Biodiversity is high relative to aridity, with the Deschutes National Forest alone supporting around 265 vertebrate species, including 200 bird species, 70 mammals, and various reptiles and amphibians. Mammalian fauna includes mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus canadensis), black bears (Ursus americanus), cougars (Puma concolor), and smaller species like pikas (Ochotona princeps) in talus slopes and porcupines (Erethizon dorsatum). Avifauna features bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), great horned owls (Bubo virginianus), and sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in shrublands, while rivers host steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus), the latter federally threatened. Native flora encompasses over 1,000 plant species regionally, with endemics like the dark-throated shooting star (Primula poetica) in wet meadows and rare cacti such as Pediocactus nigrispinus in desert fringes. Conservation concerns include habitat fragmentation from development and invasive species like cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), impacting sagebrush obligates.[44][45][46][47]Human Impacts and Management
Intensive logging in the early 20th century profoundly shaped Central Oregon's forests, particularly in the Deschutes National Forest, where operations by companies like Brooks-Scanlon and Shevlin-Hixon harvested millions of board feet of ponderosa pine annually, converting old-growth stands to second-growth and creating extensive road networks.[48] [49] These activities fragmented habitats, increased soil erosion, and altered hydrologic patterns, with logging peaking in the 1920s-1940s before declining due to resource depletion.[49] Road construction from these eras persists, facilitating invasive species spread and elevating wildfire ignition risks by providing access for human activities.[50] Fire suppression policies implemented since the early 1900s disrupted natural low-severity fire regimes in ponderosa pine ecosystems, leading to fuel accumulation and denser, more homogeneous forests vulnerable to catastrophic wildfires.[51] Human-caused ignitions, accounting for the majority of wildfires in the region, have intensified this issue; for instance, 88 such fires occurred in Central Oregon through October 2025, often from recreation, equipment use, and debris burns.[52] [53] Urban growth in areas like Bend exacerbates pressures, with population expansion straining water resources for agriculture and municipal use, fragmenting riparian habitats, and increasing interface fire risks through development in wildland-urban interfaces.[54] [55] Management efforts focus on restoration and resilience-building, including active forest thinning and prescribed burns by the U.S. Forest Service to mimic historical fire patterns and reduce fuel loads in Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests.[51] Nonprofits such as the Deschutes Land Trust and Deschutes River Conservancy have conserved thousands of acres and restored streamflows by acquiring water rights and removing barriers, enhancing fish habitats in the Deschutes Basin.[56] [57] Central Oregon LandWatch advocates for sustainable land-use planning within urban growth boundaries to mitigate sprawl impacts on high-desert ecosystems.[58] These initiatives, combined with public education on firewise behaviors, aim to balance human needs with ecological integrity amid ongoing climate pressures.[59]History
Indigenous Peoples and Prehistory
Archaeological evidence indicates human occupation in Central Oregon dating to the early Holocene, approximately 10,500 years before present (BP), with sites near Newberry Volcano yielding artifacts from foraging economies reliant on local plants and game.[60] Earlier evidence from adjacent regions, such as the Fort Rock Basin around 11,500 BP, suggests mobile Paleo-Indian or early Archaic groups adapted to post-glacial environments characterized by grasslands and juniper woodlands, as evidenced by pollen cores from Odell Lake.[60] By 9500 BP, Cascade upland sites show continued human presence, while the Middle Archaic (7000–2000 BP) featured subsistence strategies incorporating deer, antelope, salmon, mussels, and geophytes like lomatiums and camas, supported by trade networks along the Klamath Trail linking Klamath Marsh to the Columbia River.[60] The Late Archaic (2000 BP to Euro-American contact) marked the development of semi-sedentary settlements, including pit houses at Davis Lake and Big Summit Prairie, alongside transitory camps near Fall River with stone tools for processing resources.[60] Projectile point analyses from upland sites confirm cultural continuity and adaptation to arid landscapes, with obsidian tools indicating regional mobility and resource exploitation.[61] This period saw the emergence of ethnolinguistic groups ancestral to historic tribes, including the Northern Paiute's Juniper-Deer-Eater Band near Bend, reflecting specialized hunting of deer and juniper-dependent economies.[60] Prior to Euro-American settlement, Central Oregon's indigenous inhabitants included Sahaptin-speaking Tenino (Warm Springs bands), Chinookan Wasco, and Shoshonean Paiute peoples, whose traditional territories encompassed the Deschutes River basin and surrounding high deserts.[62][63] The Tenino maintained seasonal villages for salmon fishing along rivers, supplemented by game, roots, and berries, while Wasco groups traded processed foods like root bread and salmon meal derived from Columbia River fisheries.[62][64] Northern Paiute bands, such as those in the high plains, pursued nomadic foraging focused on migratory game, adapting to sparse water sources and arid conditions through frequent mobility.[62][60] These groups, later consolidated under the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, utilized the region's volcanic landscapes for tool-making and seasonal resource gathering until mid-19th-century treaties displaced many from ancestral lands.[62][65]Pioneer Settlement and Expansion
Settlement by Euro-American pioneers in Central Oregon began in the early 1860s, driven primarily by opportunities in cattle ranching amid the region's expansive bunchgrass prairies. In 1862, a group of ranchers including Felix Scott Jr., Marion Scott, John Craig, and Robert Millican herded about 900 cattle eastward from the Willamette Valley into the Ochoco Valley, establishing the first sustained non-Indigenous presence in the area. These settlers capitalized on the natural forage and moderate climate, which supported year-round grazing without supplemental feed, though water access remained a limiting factor.[66][67] By the late 1860s, rudimentary communities emerged around key water sources. Francis Barney Prine arrived circa 1868, operating a blacksmith shop and informal trading post that supplied tools and provisions to incoming stockmen. Prineville originated in 1870 when Monroe Hodges platted a townsite on his donation land claim, naming it for Prine, who served as the community's initial postmaster and merchant. This settlement became a focal point for the ranching economy, with the construction of Central Oregon's first schoolhouse in 1868 at the Ochoco and Mill Creeks confluence underscoring growing permanence. Crook County's formation in 1882, with Prineville as its seat, formalized administrative expansion amid rising numbers of homesteaders under the 1862 Homestead Act.[68][67] Pioneer expansion extended northward into the Deschutes Basin during the 1870s, where families like the Hindmans established ranches at sites such as Camp Polk starting in 1869, building substantial barns for hay storage and livestock. By 1877, the first enduring land claim in the future Deschutes County was filed near Farewell Bend, signaling broader dispersal. Cattle drives from California and open-range practices dominated, with herds swelling to thousands by the 1880s as sheep ranching gained traction despite occasional herder conflicts. Arid conditions constrained dryland agriculture, confining crop production to irrigated meadows for hay, while the lack of rail access until 1911 kept population density low—fewer than 1,000 residents across the region by 1900. This era's growth relied on adaptive grazing strategies rather than intensive farming, reflecting the high-desert landscape's causal constraints on settlement patterns.[69][70]Industrial and Modern Eras
The arrival of major railroads in the early 1910s transformed Central Oregon's economy by enabling large-scale lumber extraction and transport. Competing lines backed by James J. Hill and E.H. Harriman reached the region around 1910-1911, with the Timberman journal describing it as an "invasion" that facilitated industrial expansion.[71] These rail connections supplanted earlier reliance on wagon roads and local consumption, allowing timber from vast ponderosa pine stands to be shipped to distant markets. The lumber industry peaked with the establishment of major sawmills in Bend, including the Brooks-Scanlon Lumber Company, which began construction of its facility on the Deschutes River in September 1915 and commenced operations in April 1916.[72][73] Rival Shevlin-Hixon opened its mill in March 1916, employing thousands and driving rapid urbanization; Bend's population stood at just 258 in 1901 before surging with mill-related influxes.[74][75] In Prineville, lumber enterprises expanded in the 1930s, contributing to local fortunes amid the Great Depression.[76] Rail-dependent logging railroads, such as those operated by Brooks-Scanlon's 2-6-2 locomotives, extended into forests, with the City of Prineville Railway emerging as the oldest continuously operated municipal short line in the U.S.[77][78] Post-World War II, the industry declined due to depleting private timber holdings and federal forest management restrictions, leading to mill closures; Brooks-Scanlon's Bend operations wound down, with its site sold to private investors in 1993 for redevelopment.[79][80] By the late 20th century, Central Oregon transitioned toward diversified economies emphasizing tourism and recreation, leveraging natural assets like the Deschutes River and Cascade Mountains.[81] In the modern era, population growth has fueled economic resilience, with Deschutes County adding 9,308 residents in the year ending 2023 at a 2.1% rate, and regional counties like Crook experiencing 2.5% annual increases.[82][83] Tourism emerged as the dominant sector, generating $1.3 billion in visitor spending in 2024 and employing over 10,000 residents through outdoor activities and hospitality.[84][85] Emerging industries include technology, healthcare, and biosciences, with Bend outpacing state averages in these areas, alongside manufacturing like microchips, reducing reliance on cyclical construction and seasonal tourism.[86][87] This diversification reflects adaptation to environmental limits on resource extraction while capitalizing on migration drawn to lifestyle amenities.[88]Demographics
Population Trends and Growth
Central Oregon, encompassing Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson counties, has experienced robust population growth over the past decade, outpacing Oregon's statewide average and driven primarily by net domestic in-migration. From 2010 to 2024, the combined population of these counties increased from approximately 200,288 to 264,407, reflecting a growth rate of about 32%.[89][90][91] This expansion has been led by Deschutes County, home to Bend, which saw its population rise from 157,744 in 2010 to 211,535 in 2024, a 34% increase, fueled by its role as a regional economic hub.[89] Crook and Jefferson counties followed with gains of 31% and 18%, respectively, reaching 27,336 and 25,536 by 2024.[90][91]| County | 2010 Population | 2020 Population | 2024 Population | Growth Rate (2010-2024) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deschutes | 157,744 | 198,253 | 211,535 | 34% |
| Crook | 20,882 | 24,739 | 27,336 | 31% |
| Jefferson | 21,662 | 24,578 | 25,536 | 18% |
| Total | 200,288 | 247,570 | 264,407 | 32% |
Ethnic and Social Composition
Central Oregon exhibits a demographic profile characterized by a strong majority of non-Hispanic White residents, reflecting historical patterns of European settlement and limited large-scale immigration. In Deschutes County, the region's population center with over 200,000 inhabitants as of 2023, non-Hispanic Whites constituted 85.8% of the population in 2022, down slightly from 88.5% in 2010, amid modest diversification.[96] Hispanic or Latino residents, of any race, accounted for about 8.9% in the county, with smaller shares for other groups including 1.0% Asian, 0.5% Black or African American, and 0.8% American Indian and Alaska Native.[97] Crook County mirrors this pattern, with non-Hispanic Whites at 86.9% in 2022, up from lower diversity in 2010, and Hispanic residents around 7%.[98] Jefferson County deviates notably due to the presence of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, resulting in non-Hispanic Whites at 57.3%, American Indian and Alaska Native at 11.1%, and Hispanic groups comprising significant portions of the remainder in a total population under 25,000.[99] Aggregated regional data from health authorities indicate non-Hispanic Whites at roughly 82-85%, with American Indian/Alaska Native at 1.9% overall, though elevated in Jefferson, and limited representation of Black (under 1%), Asian (1%), and other minorities.[100] Socially, the region features a middle-class orientation with median household incomes exceeding state averages in urbanizing areas like Bend, driven by sectors such as tourism and construction, though rural pockets show variability. In Deschutes County, median household income reached approximately $78,000 by recent estimates, supporting a labor force participation rate of 63.1% for those aged 16 and over.[89] Educational attainment aligns with national norms but skews practical, with about 30-35% of adults holding bachelor's degrees or higher in Deschutes, bolstered by institutions like Central Oregon Community College, while vocational training prevails in agriculture and trades elsewhere.[101] Family structures emphasize nuclear households, with lower urbanization fostering community ties rooted in outdoor recreation and self-reliance, though income inequality persists, as Gini coefficients indicate moderate disparity comparable to broader Oregon trends.[102] Religious affiliation remains culturally influential but not dominant, with Protestant and unaffiliated groups predominant, reflecting Oregon's secular leanings tempered by rural conservatism; precise county-level data underscore limited institutional religious density compared to national averages.[103] These traits contribute to a cohesive social fabric, with low poverty rates (around 10% regionally) sustained by economic growth, though tribal communities in Jefferson face disparities in income and health outcomes attributable to historical federal policies and reservation economics.[104]Major Communities and Settlements
Bend is the largest community in Central Oregon and the seat of Deschutes County, with a population of 104,554 according to 2023 American Community Survey estimates.[105] Originally settled in the early 1900s as a logging outpost, it has evolved into the region's economic and administrative hub, benefiting from proximity to natural attractions and a mild high-desert climate that supports year-round outdoor activities.[106] The city's growth rate has averaged over 2% annually in recent years, fueled by in-migration from urban areas seeking lifestyle amenities.[107] Redmond, located approximately 16 miles north of Bend in Deschutes County, had 37,009 residents as of the U.S. Census Bureau's 2023 estimate.[108] Established in 1906 near irrigation canals, Redmond functions as a secondary commercial center, hosting aviation facilities including the region's main airport and manufacturing operations.[109] Its population increased by 616 people from 2022 to 2023, reflecting continued expansion tied to Bend's metropolitan spillover.[108] Prineville, the seat of Crook County, recorded 11,917 inhabitants in 2024 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, up from earlier figures due to data center investments and agricultural stability.[110] Founded in 1868 by pioneers Barney and Elizabeth Prine along the Crooked River, it served as an early trade outpost for ranching and served as the original hub for what is now Central Oregon before county divisions in the early 20th century.[68] The community maintains a rural character while hosting modern facilities like large-scale computing infrastructure.[111] Jefferson County's primary settlement, Madras, supports around 7,649 residents based on recent projections, functioning as a service center for agriculture and the nearby Warm Springs Indian Reservation.[111] Smaller incorporated places include Sisters (approximately 3,000 residents, noted for slight decline in 2023 amid broader regional growth), La Pine (2,540 in 2023), and Metolius (under 1,000).[108][112] These outlying towns emphasize ranching, timber remnants, and proximity to federal lands, contributing to the area's dispersed settlement pattern shaped by aridity and topography.[1]| City/Town | County | 2023 Population Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Bend | Deschutes | 104,554[105] |
| Redmond | Deschutes | 37,009[108] |
| Prineville | Crook | 11,917 (2024)[110] |
| Madras | Jefferson | 7,649[111] |
| La Pine | Deschutes | 2,540[112] |