Central Oregon counties, cities see slow but steady growth in new Portland State University estimates
Barney Lerten
(Update: Added Video)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Portland State University’s Population Research Center just released their July 1st annual population estimates for the state and its counties and cities, with most numbers showing small but steady growth.
PSU produces the yearly estimates as directed by state law, using various data, from births and deaths to school enrollment, driver’s licenses and housing-unit surveys of city and counties. They play a role in how revenue is distributed and other government actions.
Preliminary estimates are released in mid-November and local jurisdictions get a chance to review them and seek any revisions before the estimates are certified in mid-December.
Overall, the estimates show that Oregon’s population grew by 15,157 residents, to total 4,300,422, a small increase of just over one-third of a percent.
Deschutes County’s population rose by 2,764 residents to an estimated 213,886 in the past year, for an increase of 2,764 residents, or 1.3%. While a fairly small number, it’s still a higher growth rate than the state as a whole.
PSU’s Crook County July 1 population estimate of 26,760 is 271 residents more than a year earlier, growth of about 1%.
Jefferson County, meanwhile, is not far behind Crook, with 25,768 residents as of July 1, which added 137 people, or just over a half-percent from mid-2024.
Looking at the region’s cities, PSU estimates Bend added 1,527 residents in the past year, for a new estimate of 107,079, an increase of 1.46%.
Bend Senior Planner Damian Syrnyk told KTVZ News the latest PSU estimate reflects slower recent population growth than had been forecast earlier by both the city and PSU. City planners had projected a 2025 population of over 109,000, while PSU’s 2025 forecast, made three years ago, was for Bend to grow to 111,062 residents by now.
Syrnyk also noted that Bend’s population growth of 1,527 people represented 55% of the county’s growth over the past year.
Elsewhere, Redmond’s new population estimate of 37,460 residents is a rise of 572 people, or 1.55%.
PSU said Sisters had a July 1 estimated population of 3,834 residents, a modest increase of 71 people, or 1.92%.
La Pine grew by 101 people in the past year, for a region-leading 3.38% growth rate and a total population of 3,223 residents, the new estimates show.
Prineville added 124 residents, or just over 1%, for a new estimated population of 11,716 people.
Madras grew by about the same number – 125 people, or 1.53 percent, to an estimated 8,242 residents. Elsewhere in Jefferson County, Culver added a dozen residents, or .72%, for a population of 1,661.