Introduction
Hood River County vs. Oregon
Hood River County:
2022 Population = 24,048
2022 Percent of State = 0.57%
Oregon:
2022 Population = 4,240,137
2022 Percent of U.S. = 1.27%
Attracting and retaining people to live, work, raise a family, and retire underlies the economic vitality of any region. Population growth is both a cause--and a consequence--of economic growth. Patterns of population growth and change reflect differences among regions to attract and retain people both as producers and consumers in their economy.
The following graphs offer a broad overview of trends in the pattern of population growth and change of Hood River County with comparisons to Oregon and the nation at large. This analysis features alternative approaches toward discussing, diagnosing and comparing Hood River County vs. Oregon's population growth over 1969-2022. The data used are those compiled by the Regional Income and Product Divisions of the Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce.
Page 2 of 13
Population, 1969-2022
Population, 1969-2022
Figure 1.
Figure 1 traces Hood River County's annual population for the period 1969-2022 to illustrate population patterns over time. During this 54-year period, Hood River County's population rose from 13,349 in 1969 to 24,048 in 2022, for a net gain of 10,699, or 80.15%.
NOTE: The county and state population totals reported by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) are from the Bureau of Census midyear (July 1) estimates. These estimates may differ from those prepared independently in some states by various agencies and/or universities.
Page 3 of 13
Population, 1969-2022
Population, 1969-2022
Figure 2.
Figure 2 tracks Oregon's annual population for the period 1969-2022 to illustrate population patterns over time. During this 54-year period, Oregon's population rose from 2,062,000 in 1969 to 4,240,137 in 2022, for a net gain of 2,178,137, or 105.63%.
NOTE: The county and state population totals reported by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) are from the Bureau of Census midyear (July 1) estimates. These estimates may differ from those prepared independently in some states by various agencies and/or universities.
Page 4 of 13
Population Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Population Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Figure 3.
Figure 3 shows Hood River County's population growth in a broader context by offering direct comparisons across time with Oregon, the United States. The growth indices shown here express each region's population in 1969 as a base figure of 100, and the populations in later years as a percentage of the 1969 base figure. This method allows for more direct comparison of differences in population growth between regions that may differ vastly in size.
Hood River County's overall population growth was 80.15% over 1969-2022 trailed Oregon's increase of 105.63%, and topped the United States' increase of 65.57%.
Page 5 of 13
Population as a Percent of the Oregon Total: 1969-2022
Population as a Percent of the Oregon Total: 1969-2022
Figure 4.
Another interesting and insightful way of highlighting the population growth of Hood River County is to trace its individual percentage contributions to Oregon's statewide population over time, as shown in Figure 4. A rising share means a region's population grew faster, or declined less, than Oregon's population, while a declining share shows it grew more slowly.
In 1969, Hood River County's population comprised 0.65% of Oregon's population, while in 2022 it equated to 0.57% thereby yielding a -0.08% share-shift.
   
 
Population Share-Shift
2022 vs. 1969
 
Share-
Shift*
 
2022
vs.
1969
-0.08%
=
0.57%
-
0.65%
 
   
Page 6 of 13
Hood River County Population:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Hood River County Population:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Figure 5.
Figure 5 highlights the short-run pattern of Hood River County's population growth by tracking the year-to-year percent change over 1970-2022. The average annual percent change for the entire 53-year period is also illustrated on this chart to provide a benchmark for gauging periods of relative high--and relative low--growth against the backdrop of the long-term average.
On average, Hood River County's population grew at an annual rate of 1.13% over 1970-2022. The county recorded its highest growth in 1975 (4.49%) and posted its lowest growth in 1980 (-2.97%). In 2022, Hood River County's population declined by -0.19%
Page 7 of 13
Hood River County Population:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Hood River County Population:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Figure 6.
Over the past five decades some counties have experienced extreme swings in growth, and often such swings have tended to coincide with the decades themselves. Figure 6 again shows the annual percent change in Hood River County's population since 1970, but this time they are overlayed with average growth rates for the decade of the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020-2022.
During the 1970s, Hood River County's annual population growth rate averaged 2.06%. It averaged 0.31% during the 1980s, 1.84% in the 1990s, 0.87% during the 2000s, 0.85% in the 2010s, 0.14% thus far this decade (2020-2022).
Page 8 of 13
Population Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change by Decade
Population Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change by Decade
Figure 7.
Figure 7 compares the decade average growth rates for Hood River County noted in the previous graph with the corresponding decade averages for Oregon and the nation. As the chart reveals, Hood River County's average annual population growth trailed Oregon's average during the 1970s (2.06% vs. 2.26%), fell below Oregon's average during the 1980s (0.31% vs. 0.80%), trailed Oregon's average in the 1990s (1.84% vs. 1.98%), recorded under Oregon's average during the 2000s (0.87% vs. 1.16%), posted below Oregon's average throughout the 2010s (0.85% vs. 1.02%), and recorded under Oregon's average over the 3 year period of the current decade, 2020-2022 (0.14% vs. 0.19%).
Finally, relative to nationwide population growth trends, Hood River County outpaced the nation during the 1970s (2.06% vs. 1.10%), lagged the nation in the 1980s (0.31% vs. 0.95%), outgained the nation over the 1990s (1.84% vs. 1.23%), fell below the nation over the 2000s (0.87% vs. 0.95%), exceeded the nation in the 2010s (0.85% vs. 0.74%), and lagged the nation over 2020-2022 (0.14% vs. 0.31%).
   
 
Population Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change
 
 
 
1.13
2.06
0.31
1.84
0.87
0.85
0.14
-0.19
 
1.37
2.26
0.80
1.98
1.16
1.02
0.19
-0.38
 
0.96
1.10
0.95
1.23
0.95
0.74
0.31
0.38
 
   
Page 9 of 13

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
Hood River County:
Population, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
13,349
100.0
N
0.65
1970
 
13,205
98.9
-1.08
0.63
1971
 
13,367
100.1
1.23
0.62
1972
 
13,760
103.1
2.94
0.63
1973
 
13,651
102.3
-0.79
0.61
1974
 
14,213
106.5
4.12
0.62
1975
 
14,851
111.3
4.49
0.64
1976
 
15,205
113.9
2.38
0.64
1977
 
15,477
115.9
1.79
0.63
1978
 
15,843
118.7
2.36
0.63
1979
 
16,347
122.5
3.18
0.63
1980
 
15,861
118.8
-2.97
0.60
1981
 
15,933
119.4
0.45
0.60
1982
 
16,080
120.5
0.92
0.60
1983
 
16,147
121.0
0.42
0.61
1984
 
16,264
121.8
0.72
0.61
1985
 
16,245
121.7
-0.12
0.61
1986
 
16,143
120.9
-0.63
0.60
1987
 
16,069
120.4
-0.46
0.59
1988
 
16,567
124.1
3.10
0.60
1989
 
16,839
126.1
1.64
0.60
1990
 
16,960
127.1
0.72
0.59
1991
 
17,014
127.5
0.32
0.58
1992
 
17,492
131.0
2.81
0.58
1993
 
17,976
134.7
2.77
0.59
1994
 
18,402
137.9
2.37
0.59
1995
 
18,916
141.7
2.79
0.59
1996
 
19,339
144.9
2.24
0.60
1997
 
19,529
146.3
0.98
0.59
1998
 
19,926
149.3
2.03
0.59
1999
 
20,199
151.3
1.37
0.60
2000
 
20,461
153.3
1.30
0.60
2001
 
20,397
152.8
-0.31
0.59
2002
 
20,615
154.4
1.07
0.59
2003
 
20,621
154.5
0.03
0.58
2004
 
20,835
156.1
1.04
0.58
2005
 
21,022
157.5
0.90
0.58
2006
 
21,200
158.8
0.85
0.58
2007
 
21,276
159.4
0.36
0.57
2008
 
21,589
161.7
1.47
0.57
2009
 
22,015
164.9
1.97
0.58
2010
 
22,462
168.3
2.03
0.59
2011
 
22,515
168.7
0.24
0.58
2012
 
22,683
169.9
0.75
0.58
2013
 
22,775
170.6
0.41
0.58
2014
 
22,934
171.8
0.70
0.58
2015
 
23,255
174.2
1.40
0.58
2016
 
23,487
175.9
1.00
0.57
2017
 
23,872
178.8
1.64
0.58
2018
 
23,758
178.0
-0.48
0.57
2019
 
23,945
179.4
0.79
0.57
2020
 
23,958
179.5
0.05
0.56
2021
 
24,094
180.5
0.57
0.57
2022
 
24,048
180.1
-0.19
0.57
Source: Calculations by the Oregon Regional Economic Analysis Project (OR-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_100_PSN
 
   
Page 10 of 13

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
Oregon:
Population, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
2,062,000
100.0
N
1.02
1970
 
2,100,388
101.9
1.86
1.03
1971
 
2,149,890
104.3
2.36
1.04
1972
 
2,195,219
106.5
2.11
1.05
1973
 
2,238,878
108.6
1.99
1.06
1974
 
2,280,956
110.6
1.88
1.07
1975
 
2,324,622
112.7
1.91
1.08
1976
 
2,372,155
115.0
2.04
1.09
1977
 
2,439,355
118.3
2.83
1.11
1978
 
2,509,609
121.7
2.88
1.13
1979
 
2,578,312
125.0
2.74
1.15
1980
 
2,641,218
128.1
2.44
1.16
1981
 
2,667,985
129.4
1.01
1.16
1982
 
2,664,919
129.2
-0.11
1.15
1983
 
2,653,071
128.7
-0.44
1.13
1984
 
2,666,589
129.3
0.51
1.13
1985
 
2,672,648
129.6
0.23
1.12
1986
 
2,683,526
130.1
0.41
1.12
1987
 
2,700,996
131.0
0.65
1.11
1988
 
2,741,297
132.9
1.49
1.12
1989
 
2,790,579
135.3
1.80
1.13
1990
 
2,860,375
138.7
2.50
1.15
1991
 
2,928,507
142.0
2.38
1.16
1992
 
2,991,755
145.1
2.16
1.17
1993
 
3,060,367
148.4
2.29
1.18
1994
 
3,121,264
151.4
1.99
1.19
1995
 
3,184,369
154.4
2.02
1.20
1996
 
3,247,111
157.5
1.97
1.21
1997
 
3,304,310
160.2
1.76
1.21
1998
 
3,352,449
162.6
1.46
1.22
1999
 
3,393,941
164.6
1.24
1.22
2000
 
3,429,708
166.3
1.05
1.22
2001
 
3,467,937
168.2
1.11
1.22
2002
 
3,513,424
170.4
1.31
1.22
2003
 
3,547,376
172.0
0.97
1.22
2004
 
3,569,463
173.1
0.62
1.22
2005
 
3,613,202
175.2
1.23
1.22
2006
 
3,670,883
178.0
1.60
1.23
2007
 
3,722,417
180.5
1.40
1.24
2008
 
3,768,748
182.8
1.24
1.24
2009
 
3,808,600
184.7
1.06
1.24
2010
 
3,837,611
186.1
0.76
1.24
2011
 
3,872,655
187.8
0.91
1.24
2012
 
3,900,071
189.1
0.71
1.24
2013
 
3,924,064
190.3
0.62
1.24
2014
 
3,965,387
192.3
1.05
1.24
2015
 
4,018,466
194.9
1.34
1.25
2016
 
4,093,179
198.5
1.86
1.26
2017
 
4,147,186
201.1
1.32
1.27
2018
 
4,183,414
202.9
0.87
1.27
2019
 
4,215,976
204.5
0.78
1.28
2020
 
4,244,795
205.9
0.68
1.28
2021
 
4,256,301
206.4
0.27
1.28
2022
 
4,240,137
205.6
-0.38
1.27
Source: Calculations by the Oregon Regional Economic Analysis Project (OR-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_100_PSN
 
   
Page 11 of 13

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
United States:
Population, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
201,298,000
100.0
N
1970
 
203,798,722
101.2
1.24
1971
 
206,817,509
102.7
1.48
1972
 
209,274,882
104.0
1.19
1973
 
211,349,205
105.0
0.99
1974
 
213,333,635
106.0
0.94
1975
 
215,456,585
107.0
1.00
1976
 
217,553,859
108.1
0.97
1977
 
219,760,875
109.2
1.01
1978
 
222,098,244
110.3
1.06
1979
 
224,568,579
111.6
1.11
1980
 
227,224,719
112.9
1.18
1981
 
229,465,744
114.0
0.99
1982
 
231,664,432
115.1
0.96
1983
 
233,792,014
116.1
0.92
1984
 
235,824,907
117.2
0.87
1985
 
237,923,734
118.2
0.89
1986
 
240,132,831
119.3
0.93
1987
 
242,288,936
120.4
0.90
1988
 
244,499,004
121.5
0.91
1989
 
246,819,222
122.6
0.95
1990
 
249,622,814
124.0
1.14
1991
 
252,980,941
125.7
1.35
1992
 
256,514,224
127.4
1.40
1993
 
259,918,588
129.1
1.33
1994
 
263,125,821
130.7
1.23
1995
 
266,278,393
132.3
1.20
1996
 
269,394,284
133.8
1.17
1997
 
272,646,925
135.4
1.21
1998
 
275,854,104
137.0
1.18
1999
 
279,040,168
138.6
1.15
2000
 
282,162,411
140.2
1.12
2001
 
284,968,955
141.6
0.99
2002
 
287,625,193
142.9
0.93
2003
 
290,107,933
144.1
0.86
2004
 
292,805,298
145.5
0.93
2005
 
295,516,599
146.8
0.93
2006
 
298,379,912
148.2
0.97
2007
 
301,231,207
149.6
0.96
2008
 
304,093,966
151.1
0.95
2009
 
306,771,529
152.4
0.88
2010
 
309,378,433
153.7
0.85
2011
 
311,841,632
154.9
0.80
2012
 
314,344,331
156.2
0.80
2013
 
316,735,375
157.3
0.76
2014
 
319,270,047
158.6
0.80
2015
 
321,829,327
159.9
0.80
2016
 
324,367,742
161.1
0.79
2017
 
326,623,063
162.3
0.70
2018
 
328,542,157
163.2
0.59
2019
 
330,233,102
164.1
0.51
2020
 
331,511,512
164.7
0.39
2021
 
332,031,554
164.9
0.16
2022
 
333,287,557
165.6
0.38
Source: Calculations by the Oregon Regional Economic Analysis Project (OR-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_100_PN
 
   
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