Jordan Valley, Oregon

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Coordinates: 42°58′35″N, 117°3′19″W
Jordan Valley, Oregon
Nickname: "Heart of the Owyhees"
Location in Oregon
County	Malheur County
Incorporated	1911
Mayor	Jake Roe
Area
- City	5.4 km² (2.1 sq mi)
- Land	5.4 km² (2.1 sq mi)
- Water	0 km² (0 sq mi)
Elevation	1,336.55 m (4,385 ft)
Population
- City (2000)	239
- Density	44.4/km² (114.6/sq mi)
Time zone	Pacific (UTC-8)
- Summer (DST)	Pacific (UTC-7)
Website: www.cityofjordanvalley.com

Jordan Valley is a city in Malheur County, Oregon, United States. The city was named after Jordan Creek, a tributary of Owyhee River, which runs through the town; the creek is named for a 19th century prospector, Michael M. Jordan. The population was 239 at the 2000 census.

1 History
2 Geography
3 Demographics
4 External links

[edit] History

Jordan Valley was incorporated as a city in 1911.

In the center of town stands a pelota fronton, built in 1915 by Basque settlers, many of whom had been recruited from Spain to herd sheep. Their descendants are a noticeable presence today in Malheur county.

[edit] Geography

Jordan Valley is located at 42°58′35″N, 117°3′19″W (42.976439, -117.055277)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.4 km² (2.1 mi²), all land.

Jordan Valley's most prominent landmark is the blunt plateau adjacent to town, named Pharmacy Hill.

Jordan Valley's main occupations are cattle ranching and sheep herding. People in those occupations typically live far from town on homesteads, but still use Jordan Valley as their cultural and economic center. People within Jordan Valley primarily provide a number of services to tourists passing through on US Highway 95, which is the primary road from Boise, Idaho to Reno, Nevada.

Jordan Valley is known for its excellent hunting and fishing as well as its proximity to Jordan Craters, an extinct volcanic field. Other popular areas nearby include Leslie Gulch, Cow Lakes, Antelope Reservoir, and the Three Forks rivers to the South.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 239 people, 109 households, and 66 families residing in the city. The population density was 44.4/km² (114.6/mi²). There were 140 housing units at an average density of 26.0/km² (67.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.72% White, 0.42% Asian, 0.42% Pacific Islander, 1.67% from other races, and 3.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.09% of the population.

There were 109 households out of which 20.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.5% were married couples living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.4% were non-families. 36.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.85.

In the city the population was spread out with 22.6% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 20.9% from 25 to 44, 30.5% from 45 to 64, and 20.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 88.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $25,313, and the median income for a family was $37,500. Males had a median income of $32,917 versus $16,750 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,501. About 13.5% of families and 20.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.0% of those under the age of eighteen and 8.9% of those sixty five or over.