Oregon
Oregon seniors outnumber children for the first time, creating a looming demographic challenge
Oregon has more residents over 65 than it does people under 18, a striking demographic reversal that has enormous implications for the state’s economy.
“We are an aging population,” state economist Carl Riccadonna told Oregon legislators at a committee hearing earlier this month, where he presented figures showing the state’s population has been racking up the years.
As recently as 1985, Oregon had more than twice as many children as seniors. But the state’s birth rate has fallen sharply — it’s among the nation’s lowest — and most baby boomers are now in retirement age.
The result is that the number of older adults has overtaken the number of kids. The Oregon Office of Economic Analysis estimates the state has nearly 900,000 people over 65, compared to 832,000 under 18 in 2024 and an estimated 821,000 now.
State economists expect that the number of seniors will continue rising while the number of children continues falling. By 2035, they forecast Oregon will have 40% more seniors than kids.
“Based solely on the demographics of Oregon, demand for public services geared towards children and young adults will likely decline or increase only at a slower pace, whereas demand for elderly care and services geared towards the elderly will increase rapidly,” state forecasters wrote in their quarterly economic report.
Fewer kids will eventually mean fewer workers, too, unless Oregon can become a more attractive destination for migrants.
Oregon’s aging population mirrors similar trends across the U.S. and in other developed countries. But those trends are especially pronounced in Oregon.
Just 1 in 5 Oregonians is under 18, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That’s the smallest share of children in any state west of the Mississippi River. The number of school-aged Oregon children has been falling since 2021.
Many factors contribute to Oregon’s relatively aged population.
Migrants who arrived in the 1970s and ‘90s have stayed and grown older. Housing costs are higher than in other parts of the country and so fewer people have families. Oregon’s education rates are high and college-educated people tend to have fewer kids. Oregon also has a less diverse population than other West Coast states, and white people tend to have smaller families.
Regardless of the reasons, the significance of Oregon’s aging population is clear.
“Demographics are destiny,” Riccadonna told lawmakers. “And if you have a slower growth rate in your population, that means you’re going to have a slower growth rate in your economy, all else being equal.”
This is Oregon Insight, The Oregonian‘s weekly look at the numbers behind the state’s economy. View past installments here.
— Mike Rogoway covers Oregon technology and the state economy. Reach him at mrogoway@oregonian.com.
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CENTRAL OREGON (KTVZ) — New rules approved by Oregon regulators aimed at how utilities charge large energy users are expected to have implications beyond Portland General Electric, including for Central Oregon customers served by Pacific Power.
The Oregon Public Utility Commission approved changes allowing Portland General Electric to charge higher rates to large energy users such as data centers. The goal is to ensure those customers pay for the cost of expanding the power grid, rather than shifting those costs onto smaller or household ratepayers.
The move comes after six consecutive years of rate increases for Oregon customers, driven in part by what PGE describes as an unprecedented rise in electricity demand, with data centers as a major factor.
Under the new rules, large energy use facilities must pay 100% of the cost to expand distribution systems needed to serve them. They must also use at least 90% of their contracted power capacity, with requirements for contract lengths and penalties for exceeding usage or exiting early.
The rules define large energy users as facilities capable of drawing more than 20 megawatts of power at a time. A separate category for “very large loads” — those exceeding 100 megawatts — includes a 1 cent per kilowatt-hour surcharge, with funds going toward reducing energy burden for vulnerable customers.
The order also includes a queue system to ensure new large users can only connect when enough zero-emission energy is available to meet demand under House Bill 2021.
While the decision directly applies to PGE, Pacific Power is proposing a similar approach for customers in Central Oregon.
PacifiCorp exclusively sent a statement to KTVZ News, saying utilities have seen a growing number of extremely large new load requests in recent years, requiring significant investments in transmission and generation infrastructure.
The company has filed a proposed tariff with the Oregon Public Utility Commission under House Bill 3546 to create a new rate schedule for “New Large Energy Use Facilities.” Under the proposal, large energy users such as data centers would be required to cover the costs of infrastructure upgrades needed to serve them.
PacifiCorp said the approach would allow the utility to meet the needs of large energy users while continuing to invest in infrastructure and protecting affordability for other customer classes.
PGE has until June 3 to file a new pricing system to implement the order, which would take effect June 10. The utility is also required to begin annual reporting on large energy users starting June 1, 2027.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — The Oregon Department of Forestry is asking Oregonians to be careful when disposing of yard debris this spring.
READ MORE | High pressure brings 48-hour warmup to western Oregon as temps near 90 Tuesday
“There have already been 23 escaped debris burns for a total of 83 acres reported on ODF-protected land in 2026,” the agency said.
The agency said that at this time last year, it had responded to 37 escaped burns.
“More than 70% of wildfires every year in Oregon are human-caused, with escaped debris burns topping the list,” ODF said. “With record-low snowpack and an abnormally warm winter, forecasters are anticipating a hotter and drier summer than usual.”
The Central Oregon District of ODF has already declared the start of fire season.
On May 14, fire restrictions will go into effect for all Bureau of Land Management lands in Oregon and Washington.
“We are increasingly concerned that 2026 could rival the most extreme years on record for heat and dryness in the Pacific Northwest,” said Jeff Fedrizzi, assistant chief of operations for the Pacific Northwest, U.S. Wildland Fire Service. “Every visitor must understand that even one small spark can lead to a costly and destructive fire in these high-impact conditions.”
Officials say the restrictions will help reduce the risk of human-caused fires. BLM officials say anyone who violates the prohibition could be fined up to $100,000 and/or face up to 12 months in prison.
More information on fire season is available on the ODF website.
The Bureau of Land Management website has additional information on fire restrictions and closures.
The Oregon Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at May 10, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Pick 4 numbers from May 10 drawing
1PM: 8-2-8-4
4PM: 5-1-2-6
7PM: 1-5-9-6
10PM: 8-6-5-1
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Oregon Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 7:59 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 7:59 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 4: 1 p.m., 4 p.m., 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. daily.
- Win for Life: 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Megabucks: 7:29 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Oregon editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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