Benton County, Oregon
Encyclopedia : B : BE : BEN : Benton County, Oregon
Benton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The county was named after Thomas Hart Benton, a US senator who, with his colleague Lewis F. Linn, advocated the extension of US control into the Oregon Country. As of 2000, the population was 78,153. The county seat of Benton County is Corvallis.
Economy
Along with Oregon State University, agriculture, lumber, and wood products form the economic base of the county. A substantial portion of the nation's research in forestry, agriculture, engineering, education and the sciences takes place at OSU.Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,759 km² (679 mi²). 1,752 km² (676 mi²) of it is land and 6 km² (3 mi²) of it (0.37%) is water.Adjacent counties
- Polk County, Oregon - (north)
- Lincoln County, Oregon - (west)
- Linn County, Oregon - (east)
- Lane County, Oregon - (south)
Demographics
As of the census² of 2000, there were 78,153 people, 30,145 households, and 18,237 families residing in the county. The population density was 45/km² (116/mi²). There were 31,980 housing units at an average density of 18/km² (47/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 89.16% White, 0.84% Black or African American, 0.79% Native American, 4.49% Asian, 0.24% Pacific Islander, 1.92% from other races, and 2.56% from two or more races. 4.66% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.There were 30,145 households out of which 28.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.40% were married couples living together, 7.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.50% were non-families. 26.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the county, the population was spread out with 21.30% under the age of 18, 20.20% from 18 to 24, 26.70% from 25 to 44, 21.40% from 45 to 64, and 10.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 99.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $41,897, and the median income for a family was $56,319. Males had a median income of $42,018 versus $29,795 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,868. About 6.80% of families and 14.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.60% of those under age 18 and 4.90% of those age 65 or over.
Benton County has the lowest church attendance per capita of any county in the nation (25% attendance).
History
Benton County was created from Polk County by an act of the Provisional Government of Oregon in 1847. The county was created out of an area originally inhabited by the Klickitat, who rented it from the Kalapooias for use as hunting grounds. All Indian claims to land within Benton County were ceded in the Treaty of Dayton in 1855.At that time, the boundaries began at the intersection of Polk County and the Willamette River, extended south as far as the California border and as far west as the Pacific Ocean. Later, portions of Benton County were taken to form Coos, Curry, Douglas, Jackson, Josephine, Lane and Lincoln Counties, leaving it in its present form.
The city of Marysville, later renamed Corvallis, Oregon, was made the county seat in 1851. In 1862 Corvallis became the site of the Oregon State Agricultural College, known today as Oregon State University.
Following their decision that the Oregon Constitution required them to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, a decision Oregon attorney general Hardy Myers opposed in a letter to them, the County Commissioners voted to stop issuing marriage licenses a week later on March 22, 2004. Although the County Court in Multnomah County, Oregon ruled on the matter April 20, the county did not resume issuing marriage licenses. A Monroe couple sued the county June 23 to force it to resume issuing marriage licenses; the hearing was scheduled for July 12.
Cities and towns
References
External Links
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