- Mar 6, 2025
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Eugene is a city in the U.S. state of Oregon (/judin/ yoo-JEEN). It is situated 50 miles (80 km) east of the Oregon Coast in the southernmost point of the Willamette Valley, close to the meeting point of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers.
Eugene had 176,654 residents as of the 2020 United States Census, and the total area was 44.21 square miles (114.5 km2). The second-largest city in Oregon after Portland, Eugene serves as the county seat for Lane County. The third largest in the state after Portland and Salem is the Eugene-Springfield MSA, which ranks 146th in terms of size nationwide. The predicted population of Eugene in 2022 was 179,887.
The University of Oregon, Bushnell University, and Lane Community College are located in Eugene. Along with its history of social upheaval, protests, and environmental activism, the city is renowned for its natural surroundings, recreational activities (particularly biking, running/jogging, rafting, and kayaking), and emphasis on the arts. "A Wonderful City for the Arts and Outdoors" is Eugene's motto. The "Emerald City" and "Track Town, USA" are other names for it. In Eugene, the Nike firm first got its start. The city will play home to the 18th Track & Field World Championships in July 2022.
The city has a total area of 43.74 square miles (113.29 km2), of which 43.72 square miles (113.23 km2) is land and 0.02 square miles (0.05 km2) is water, according to the United States Census Bureau. Eugene is 426 feet above sea level (130 m).
Skinner Butte located to the north of the city center. The Coburg Hills are located northeast of the city. A notable landmark located south of the city is Spencer Butte. Southeast of Eugene, Mount Pisgah is home to the Howard Buford Recreation Area, a Lane County Park, as well as the Mount Pisgah Arboretum. To the south, east, and west, foothills and woodlands surround Eugene; to the north, the landscape flattens down into the Willamette Valley and is largely made up of farmland.
The Willamette and McKenzie Rivers flow through Springfield, a city close by. Amazon Creek, whose origins are close to Spencer Butte, is another significant stream. The Army Corps of Engineers maintains Fern Ridge Reservoir, which receives the creek's discharge from the Long Tom River north, to help with flood management during the winter. Throughout the summer, the Eugene Yacht Club holds sailing competitions and a sailing school at Fern Ridge.
Eugene is located in the Marine West Coast climatic zone, which has Mediterranean traits, like the rest of the Willamette Valley. The warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen: Csb) is what defines Eugene's climate according to the Köppen classification system. With warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters, temperatures can range from cool to warm. With gentle rain occurring for extended periods of time, spring and fall are also damp seasons. The wettest "rain year" was from July 1973 to June 1974, when there was a total rainfall of 75.59 inches (1,920.0 mm), and the driest was from July 2000 to June 2001, when there was a total rainfall of 20.40 inches (518.2 mm). The average annual precipitation has significantly decreased, according to measurements obtained by NOAA during the previous forty years. The reported annual average precipitation from 1981 to 2010 inclusive was 46.1 inches (1,170 mm), however for the 30 years ending in 2020, the average has decreased 5.27 inches (134 mm), to 40.83 inches (1,040 mm). The data from the latter half of that time period, or inclusively from 2006 to 2020, indicated a further decrease of more than 4 inches (102 mm), down to an annual average of 36.58 inches (929 mm).
Winter snowfall does occur, although it is irregular and hardly ever accumulates in significant amounts; the median quantity is zero, compared to the seasonal average of 4.9 inches (12 cm). The record snowfall occurred between January 25 and 29, 1969, when a pineapple express caused an accumulation of 41.7 inches (106 cm). Ice storms are uncommon yet irregular, just like snowfall.
With a regular monthly mean temperature of 67.8 to 67.9 °F (19.9 to 19.9 °C) and an average of 16 days each year topping 90 °F (32 °C), July and August are the warmest months. With a mean temperature of 40.6 °F (4.8 °C), December is the coolest month. There are 52 mornings per year with a low at or below freezing and 2 afternoons with highs that don't get above the freezing point. The freezing point is reached at 32 °F (0 °C), which is the coldest daytime high of the year.
The University of Oregon, the Eugene School District, and PeaceHealth Medical Group are the three biggest employers in Eugene. Manufacturing of wood goods and recreational vehicle production are Eugene's two main industries.
One of the first bars in Oregon was Luckey's Club Cigar Shop. It was one of the first companies Tad Luckey Sr. bought, creating Eugene. For many years, the "Club Cigar," as it was known in the late 19th century, was a men-only establishment. Due in part to Eugene being a "dry town" prior to the repeal of Prohibition, it managed to weather both the Great Depression and the prohibition era.
Both the family-owned supermarket Market of Choice and the employee-owned Bi-Mart firm continue to have their corporate headquarters in Eugene.
The city offers a range of locally focused food options, boasts over 25 breweries, and is surrounded by wineries. The Oregon Truffle Festival is held in Eugene in January and celebrates this region's most famous mushroom, the truffle.
The largest organic produce distributor in the northwest, Organically Grown Company, was founded in Eugene in 1978 as a non-profit co-op for organic growers. Important regional food producers, many of which produce certified organic goods, include Mountain Rose Herbs, Merry Hempsters, Springfield Creamery (Nancy's Yogurt and owned by the Kesey Family), Golden Temple (Yogi Tea), and Merry Hempsters.
Hynix Semiconductor America ran a sizable semiconductor manufacturing facility in west Eugene until July 2008. South Korean company Uni-Chem revealed its plans to buy the Hynix solar cell manufacturing facility in late September 2009. Nevertheless, this transaction failed, and as of late 2012, it was no longer anticipated. Broadcom, a maker of semiconductors, bought the facility in 2015 with the intention of renovating and reopening it. In November 2016, the business abandoned these intentions and placed it up for sale.
Eclectic Products, based in Eugene, creates the shoe repair solution Shoe Goo.
Eugene was also the birthplace of Run Gum, an energy chew designed for runners. Track athlete Nicholas Symmonds and track & field coach Sam Lapray developed Run Gum in 2014.
Burley Design LLC, which makes bicycle trailers, was established in 1978 in Eugene by Alan Scholz as a stand at the Saturday Market. Green Gear Cycling, a Bike Friday bicycle maker, was founded in Eugene and calls it home.
In Eugene, numerous global corporations were established. The most well-known of these are Nike, Taco Time, and Brderbund Software.
Due to its expanding tech sector, the Eugene metro area was given the nickname Silicon Shire in 2012.
"Track Town USA" is how Eugene markets itself. The Oregon Track Club, which runs the successful track & field program at the University of Oregon, and Nike, Inc., which was established by University of Oregon track athlete Phil Knight and his coach Bill Bowerman, have a tight relationship.
One of the largest park systems in the country, Eugene has miles and miles of running routes. Pre's Trail at Alton Baker Park, Rexius Trail, Adidas Oregon Trail, and Ridgeline Trail are notable trails. Moreover, there is a vast network of paths along the Willamette River, which flows through Springfield, and along Amazon Creek in the western and southern areas of the city.
Through Eugene, Bill Bowerman—the author of the best-selling book "Jogging" and the coach of the University of Oregon's renowned track and cross-country teams—brought jogging to the United States from New Zealand. Bowerman's "Men of Oregon" won 24 individual NCAA championships during his leadership, including victories in 15 of the 19 events that were competed in. Bowerman coached the track teams at Oregon for 24 years. During that period, his teams placed top 10 at the NCAA championships 16 times, winning four team titles (1962, 1964, 1965, 1970) and two second-place medals. Moreover, his teams had a 114-20 dual meet record.
At Eugene, Bowerman also created the waffle sole for running shoes. He also co-founded Nike with fellow Duck Phil Knight. There are numerous running clubs in the city. The weather is mild and pleasant, perfect for running and setting records. The University of Oregon's Hayward Field track is located in Eugene, where it regularly stages collegiate and amateur track and field competitions, most notably the Prefontaine Classic. The 1988 World Masters Games track and field competitions, the 2004 AAU Junior Olympic Games, the 1989 World Masters Athletics Championships, the 2006 Pacific-10 Track and Field Championships, the 1971, 1975, 1986, 1993, 1999, 2001, 2009, and 2011 USA Track & Field Outdoor Championships, and the 1972, 1976, 1980, 2008, 2012, and 2016 U.S. Olympic trials were all held at Hayward Field. The postponed 2021 World Athletics Championships will take place in Eugene. The city barely lost out to Doha, Qatar in the bid for the 2019 tournament.
The Pac-12 Conference's Oregon Ducks are based in Eugene (Pac-12). Particularly well-liked is American football, which features fierce rivalries between the Oregon Ducks, Oregon State Beavers, and University of Washington Huskies. The home of Duck football is Autzen Stadium, which can hold 54,000 spectators seated and over 60,000 standing. McArthur Court, a basketball court, was constructed in 1926. In the latter part of 2010, the Matthew Knight Arena took its place.
The Oregon Classic golf tournament is held at Shadow Hills Country Club, just north of Eugene. With the exception of 2001, when it was scheduled to start the day after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the event has been held every year since 1998. The top 20 Nationwide Tour competitors advance to the PGA Tour for the following season.
The Eugene Emeralds are a Class A short-season baseball team based in Eugene. The University of Oregon baseball team also calls PK Park home, where the "Ems" play their home games. The Lane County Ice Center is home to the Eugene Jr. Generals, a Tier III Junior "A" ice hockey club in the Northern Pacific Hockey League (NPHL), a league with eight teams in Oregon and Washington. The 2013-founded Lane United FC plays their home matches at Civic Park and competes in the USL League Two's Northwest Division.
Oregon's Lane County is home to the city of Eugene. It serves as Lane County's county seat as well. It is the 151st largest city in the United States and the second largest city in Oregon with a population of 182,795 in 2023. Eugene's population has grown by 3.48% from the most recent census, which showed a population of 176,654 in 2020, and is now rising at a pace of 1.13% yearly. Eugene's population density per square mile is 4,141 and it spans over 44 miles.
With a poverty rate of 22.74%, Eugene's average household income is $72,070. The median monthly cost of rent in recent years has been, and the median value of a home is. In Eugene, the median age is 35 years, with 34.1 years for men and 36.2 years for women.
Oregon's state capital is the city of Eugene. It serves as Lane County's county seat. The outdoor activities and artistic culture of this city are its main draws. "A Wonderful City for the Arts and Outdoors" is its motto.
