[oregon] Everyone's A Little Bigger, saith the Councilor

705 Interesting stuff from the Councilor.

He cites a new population estimate from PSU that marks the graduation of the charming town of Fishburg into the 15,000-up club. There's been a lot of growth out that way; a more than twofold increase since 1990.

Some of our old Portland area maps show a very modest, postage-stampy Troutdale with plenty of room between it and Stark Street. We have indeed come so far.

What interested me the most is the population of the places I've lived. I was born, the record will show, in Silverton, that town 15 miles east and 10 years behind Salem; when I was born there the population was 4,750, and it seemed stuck there for an eternity. Today? 8,900. Almost 10,000.

Something like that makes me feel much older than I actually am...or is that world-weariness, Oregonized?

Other interesting figures were that for Salem (149,305), especially vice Eugene City (148,595). I was a teenager in Salem during the days when the population went up to about 98,000 and seemed stuck there; I was so looking for that Rubicon "1" to affix itself to the city limits sign. Also, I remember all those years of being Oregon's third city; I feel vindicated that little ol' Snailem is Oregon's second city now. Eugene City was always way too uppity, anyway.

And I'm pulling for little old Gresham...at 97,745, we are --->this<--- close to having four Oregon cities with 100,000+. The drawback, of course, is that it's Gresham, the only city of its size with no downtown building over 4 stories, and therefore retains its position as the silliest major city in Oregon.

We also notice that the corporation in Oregon reputed to have no actual residents, Greenhorn, has experienced explosive growth-to 2, a 200% growth rate, certainly surpassing that of that shrinking violet, Bend.

You have more neighbors. Welcome to 2007, Oregon!

Links to your own copies of the reports can be found at the good Councilor's site: clicky!

Tags: Oregon Cities, Oregon Population