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Benton County, Oregon
Map
Location in the state of Oregon
Oregon's location in the U.S.
Statistics
Founded	1847
Seat	Corvallis
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	679 sq mi (1,759 km²) 676 sq mi (1,751 km²) 3 sq mi (8 km²), 0.37%
Population  - (2000)  - Density	78,153 117/sq mi (45/km²)
Website: www.co.benton.or.us

Benton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The county was named after Thomas Hart Benton, a U.S. senator who advocated U.S. control over the Oregon Country. In 2000, the county's population was 78,153. It is coextensive with the Corvallis Metropolitan Statistical Area. Its county seat is Corvallis.

Economy

Along with Oregon State University, agriculture, lumber, wood products, and some printing technology research and development 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 679 square miles (1,759 km²), of which, 676 square miles (1,752 km²) of it is land and 3 square miles (6 km²) 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 census^[1] of 2000, there were 78,153 people, 30,145 households, and 18,237 families residing in the county. The population density was 116 people per square mile (45/km²). There were 31,980 housing units at an average density of 47 per square mile (18/km²). 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. 18.2% were of German, 11.6% English, 8.9% Irish and 7.0% American ancestry. 91.1% spoke English, 4.1% Spanish and 1.0% Chinese as their first language.

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). ^[2]

History

Founding

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 Kalapuyas 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 Benton County in its present form.

The city of Marysville, later renamed Corvallis, 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.

21st century same-sex marriage controversy

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 Benton 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, 2006 to force it to resume issuing marriage licenses; the hearing was scheduled for July 12, 2006.

Politics

The current Benton County Sheriff is Diana Simpson. She was elected on November 7, 2006 as the first woman sheriff of Benton County and the first elected female sheriff in Oregon.^{[citation needed]}

Communities

Incorporated cities

Lewisburg

• Adair Village
• Albany, (small portion, most in Linn County)
• Corvallis
• Monroe
• Philomath

Unincorporated communities

References

External links

• Benton County Government website

v • d • e Municipalities and communities of Benton County, Oregon County seat: Corvallis Cities Adair Village | Albany‡ | Corvallis | Monroe | Philomath Unincorporated communities Alder | Alpine | Alsea | Bellfountain | Blodgett | Dawson | Flynn | Glenbrook | Greenberry | Hoskins | Kings Valley | Lewisburg | Noon | Summit | Wren Footnotes ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

v • d • e   State of Oregon Salem (capital) Topics History | Geography | People | Flag | Governors | Government | Constitution | Law | Congress | Ballot measures | Parks | Fair | Flower | Tree | Bird | Oregon Trail | Rivers | Visitor Attractions | Misc. Regions The Cascades | Central Oregon | Columbia Gorge | Columbia Plateau | Columbia River | Eastern Oregon | Harney Basin | Inland Empire | Mount Hood Corridor | Oregon Coast | Palouse | Portland Metro | Rogue Valley | Southern Oregon | Treasure Valley | Tualatin Valley | Western Oregon | Willamette Valley Metros Bend-Redmond | Eugene-Springfield | Medford-Ashland | Portland | Salem-Keizer Cities Albany | Astoria | Baker City | Beaverton | Brookings | Coos Bay | Corvallis | Florence | Grants Pass | Gresham | Hillsboro | Hood River | Independence | Klamath Falls | La Grande | Lake Oswego | Lakeview | Madras | McMinnville | Milwaukie | Monmouth | Newberg | Newport | Ontario | Oregon City | Pendleton | Prineville | Roseburg | Sandy | The Dalles | Tigard | Tillamook | Tualatin | Umatilla | West Linn | Wilsonville Counties Baker | Benton | Clackamas | Clatsop | Columbia | Coos | Crook | Curry | Deschutes | Douglas | Gilliam | Grant | Harney | Hood River | Jackson | Jefferson | Josephine | Klamath | Lake | Lane | Lincoln | Linn | Malheur | Marion | Morrow | Multnomah | Polk | Sherman | Tillamook | Umatilla | Union | Wallowa | Wasco | Washington | Wheeler | Yamhill

Coordinates: 44°29′25″N 123°25′57″W / 44.49028, -123.4325

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