The city of Hood River is the seat of Hood River County, Oregon, United States. It is a port on the Columbia River, and is named for the nearby Hood River. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 8,313. It is the only city in Oregon where public consumption of alcohol on sidewalks or parks is totally unrestricted.
History
Hood River (originally called Dog River) post office was established (named by Mary Coe) at the site of the present city on September 30, 1868, and the city itself was incorporated in 1895. Originally, the city was part of Wasco County, but it became the seat of Hood River County when the county was first established in 1908.
The Hood River Incident
The Hood River incident involved the removal of 16 Nisei servicemen's names from the county "roll of honor" in Hood River, Oregon, by the local American Legion Post 22. The incident, on November 29, 1944, was part of a string of anti-Japanese actions taken in an attempt to prevent removed Japanese Americans from returning to the area after their release from internment by the United States federal government. National outrage against the community heightened five weeks later when a local Japanese American serviceman died after completing a heroic mission in the Philippines. Under great pressure, the local American Legion post restored Nisei names to the wall of the county courthouse on April 29, 1945.
Geography
Hood River is at the confluence of the Hood River and the Columbia River in the heart of the Columbia River Gorge. The city is about north of Mount Hood, the tallest peak in the state. It is across the Columbia River from White Salmon, Washington. South of the city is the Hood River Valley, known for its production of apples, pears, and cherries.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.
Climate
Located at the transition zone between wet temperate rainforest to the west, and dry shrub-steppe desert to the east, Hood River has a moderate climate with rainy winters and warm summers (Köppen: Csb), although rainfall there is somewhat less than Portland and other nearby areas in the Willamette Valley. Hood River averages around of precipitation a year, while Cascade Locks, west, receives over , and The Dalles, east, less than . The area is known for its consistently high winds channeling down the Columbia River Gorge.
Temperatures for the year as a whole are slightly cooler than in most other low-elevation towns in the region, especially at night because of air drainage off the surrounding mountains.
Demographics
2020 census
The 2020 United States census counted 8,313 people, 3,508 households, and 1,833 families in Hood River. The population density was 3,197.3 per square mile (1,237.1/km). There were 3,934 housing units at an average density of 1,513.1 per square mile (585.4/km). The racial makeup was 73.21% (6,086) white, 0.36% (30) black or African-American, 0.9% (75) Native American, 2.33% (194) Asian, 0.11% (9) Pacific Islander, 9.14% (760) from other races, and 13.94% (1,159) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race was 24.6% (1,909) of the population.
Of the 3,508 households, 26.6% had children under the age of 18; 36.7% were married couples living together; 32.4% had a female householder with no husband present. Of all households, 35.9% consisted of individuals and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.2 and the average family size was 3.0.
21.5% of the population was under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 31.4% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.6 years. For every 100 females, the population had 88.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 95.3 males.
The 2016-2020 5-year American Community Survey estimates show that the median household income was $65,567 (with a margin of error of +/- $12,299) and the median family income $100,764 (+/- $32,078). Males had a median income of $37,428 (+/- $6,330) versus $37,586 (+/- $8,180) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $37,489 (+/- $3,712). Approximately, 2.0% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.8% of those under the age of 18 and 11.0% of those ages 65 or over.