Hood River is a city in and the county 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 completely unrestricted.
History
Hood River (originally called Dog River) post office was established (named by Mary Coe, who founded the city with her husband Nathaniel 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.
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 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 . Actual precipitation has ranged from in the "rain year" from July 1976 to June 1977, up to between July 1915 and June 1916, while the most in one month has been in December 1996. Snowfall is moderate but heavier than west of the Cascades: the most in one season is between July 1979 and June 1980, of which fell in the record snowy January 1980. In contrast, no measurable snow fell between July 2002 and June 2003, and between July 2024 and June 2025.
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. On average, 21 afternoons reach , two afternoons reach or exceed , seven afternoons do not top freezing, and 79 mornings fall below freezing. The lowest temperature recorded in Hood River was on January 28 and 29, 1957, and the lowest maximum on December 31, 1968, whilst the hottest has been on June 29, 2021.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Hood River had a population of 8,313 people, 3,432 households, and 1,833 families. The population density was . There were 3,921 housing units at an average density of .
The median age was 38.2 years, with 24.5% of residents under the age of 18 and 15.7% aged 65 years or older. For every 100 females there were 91.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 88.2 males.
Of the 3,432 households, 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.7% were married-couple households, 18.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 31.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.0% 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.
There were 3,921 housing units, of which 12.5% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 53.4% were owner-occupied and 46.6% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.3%.
100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while <0.1% lived in rural areas.
+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census Race Number Percent White 6,086 73.2% Black or African American 30 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native 75 0.9% Asian 194 2.3% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 9 0.1% Some other race 760 9.1% Two or more races 1,159 13.9% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 1,951 23.5%
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.
2010 census As of the census of 2010, there were 7,167 people, 2,972 households, and 1,728 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 3,473 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was: 86.9% White 24.4% Hispanic or Latino, 0.5% African American, 0.6% Native American, 1.5% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 7.4% from other races, and 3.0% from two or more races.
There were 2,972 households, of which 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.2% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.9% were non-families. 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.12.
The median age in the city was 36.3 years. 25.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 30.6% were from 25 to 44; 23.5% were from 45 to 64; and 12.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.9% male and 52.1% female.
2000 census As of the census of 2000, there were 5,831 people, 2,429 households, and 1,442 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 2,645 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was:
57.66% White 23.17% Hispanic or Latino 1.15% Asian 0.99% Native American 0.60% African American 0.19% Pacific Islander 13.58% from other races 2.66% from two or more races.
There were 2,429 households, of which 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.1% were married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.6% were non-families. 32.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the city, the population was spread out, with: 26.2% under the age of 18 9.7% from 18 to 24 32.6% from 25 to 44 18.5% from 45 to 64 13.1% 65 years of age or older.
The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,580, and the median income for a family was $35,568. Males had a median income of $31,583 versus $24,764 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,609. About 12.1% of families and 17.3% of the population were below the poverty line including 28.7% of those under age 18 and 14.3% of those age 65 or over. Economy
Hood River's economy has traditionally been based on three industries: agriculture, tourism, and sports recreation, but since the late 1990s, high-tech industries, such as aerospace engineering (e.g. Insitu and Hood Technologies), have become some of the largest employers. Long an agricultural center of the Pacific Northwest, Hood River historically was a hub of logging exports and fruit tree orchards. While lumber was the primary export for Hood River throughout most of its history, with the advent of forest protection measures such as the establishment of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, Hood River has exchanged most of its former tree cutting agricultural ways to focus more heavily on its apple and pear orchards as well as many wineries. Many of these local orchards and wineries, including Hood River-based The Fruit Company, are featured on Hood River's renowned "Fruit Loop".
Hood River first experienced a boom in tourism after being discovered as a site for windsurfing, and more recently kiteboarding. Hood River County also has some of the best kayaking, mountain biking, downhill and Nordic skiing, and hiking areas in the United States.
Situated in the Columbia Gorge, and surrounded by fields, orchards, vineyards, and at the foot of Mount Hood, Hood River is a popular tourist destination.
All of these factors have led to coverage and acclaim in publications such as National Geographic Adventure, Sunset, Outside, Backpacker, Smithsonian, the New York Times travel section, and others. Hood River has received numerous awards from national magazines, such as "coolest small town" to "fifth best ski-town in America". Most recently, Hood River was featured on CNN as one of "11 great riverfront towns" in the United States.
Other industries in the city include Hood River Distillers, Full Sail Brewing Company, and vegetarian food manufacturer Turtle Island Foods, producer of Tofurky. The Hood River Valley is also home to more than a dozen wineries.
Arts and culture
Hood River has become home to a notable concentration of visual and performing artists, writers, design professionals, business creatives, and culinary establishments. On 2018, Hood River was listed as the number four small city in the "Arts Vibrancy Index", released by the National Center for Arts Research at Southern Methodist University.
Among the arts organizations in the city is the Performing Arts Initiative, a non-profit group founded in 2016 with the goal of building a performing arts center in the Columbia River Gorge. The group's chair, Mark Steighner, was the musical director of Hood River Valley High School before retiring to head the PAI.
Also based in Hood River is the Columbia Gorge Orchestra Association (CGOA), a non-profit organization that includes six ensembles. The CGOA initially consisted solely of the Mid-Columbia Sinfonietta, which began performing in 1977 in conjunction with the Chamber Music Society of Oregon. The association was formed in 2004, adding two choirs, a jazz collective, a string quartet, and a theater group throughout the next ten years.
A small city with good walkability, Hood River is home to a public art walking tour and six diverse art galleries all within the small 'downtown' area. BIG ART , the public art walking tour hosted by Art of Community (established in 2014), periodically rotates sculptures and other outdoor art installations throughout the town.
Annual events