A Tale of Two Oregons
Bruce Weber, Director, Rural Studies Program. Oregon State University
Sheila Martin, Director, Institute of
Portland Metropolitan Studies
A Tale of Two Oregons:
Common Aspirations, Different Contexts, and Critical
Interdependencies in Urban & Rural Oregon
Sheila Martin, Director, Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies, Portland
State University
Bruce Weber, Director, Rural Studies Program, Oregon State University
Urban and rural Oregonians hope for
the same things…
• Good jobs, food and shelter
• Strong friendships and families
• Good health and healthy environment
•Vibrant communities and neighborhoods
How are we different?
• Density and distance
• How we make our money (and how much
of it we make)
• How fast our populations grow
• The faces we see around us
• What we do with our land
• Who owns the land
• Access to services
Defining Urban and Rural
“Arugula is how I define cities. I go to a
grocery store, and either
you can get arugula or you can’t.”
--Cindy Crawford
Oregon’s Metropolitan Areas
Population Density
Oregon’s Core and Periphery
Metro population grew faster since 1969
3,500,000
3,000,000
2,000,000
1,500,000
1,000,000
500,000
Metro Pop Growth
Non Metro Pop Growth
20
05
20
03
20
01
19
99
19
97
19
95
19
93
19
91
19
89
19
87
19
85
19
83
19
81
19
79
19
77
19
75
19
73
19
71
0
19
69
Population
2,500,000
Core population stagnant since 1969
2,500,000
2,000,000
Population
1,500,000
1,000,000
500,000
Core Population
Suburban Population
Periphery
20
05
20
03
20
01
19
99
19
97
19
95
19
93
19
91
19
89
19
87
19
85
19
83
19
81
19
79
19
77
19
75
19
73
19
71
19
69
0
Metro jobs grew faster since 1969
2,000,000
1,800,000
1,600,000
1,200,000
1,000,000
800,000
600,000
400,000
200,000
Metro Job Growth
Non Metro Job Growth
20
05
20
03
20
01
19
99
19
97
19
95
19
93
19
91
19
89
19
87
19
85
19
83
19
81
19
79
19
77
19
75
19
73
19
71
0
19
69
Employment
1,400,000
Core job growth stagnant since 1969
1,400,000
1,200,000
800,000
600,000
400,000
200,000
Core Jobs
Suburban Jobs
Periphery Jobs
20
05
20
03
20
01
19
99
19
97
19
95
19
93
19
91
19
89
19
87
19
85
19
83
19
81
19
79
19
77
19
75
19
73
19
71
0
19
69
Employment
1,000,000
Commute times high in metro /non-metro
Map: Average commute times (census)
Metro jobs more specialized in services,
non-metro in natural resources and government
25.0%
20.0%
15.0%
10.0%
5.0%
0.0%
.
at
N
Re
s
&
g
in
n
i
M
ns
o
C
n
io
t
uc
tr
a
M
f
nu
in
ur
t
ac
e,
d
a
Tr
g
.
s
an
r
T
&
U
e
iti
til
s
o
nf
n
io
t
a
rm
n
Fi
ce
n
a
I
.
of
Pr
Metro
&
Bu
S
s.
c
vi
r
e
Nonmetro
es
s
Ed
&
ed
M
s
Le
e
ur
s
i
&
H
p.
os
G
ov
en
m
n
er
t
Source: OR Employment Dept,
QCEW
But farm production highest in some metro counties
Per Capita Income higher and grew faster in
metro counties
$40,000
$35,000
$30,000
$25,000
$20,000
$15,000
$10,000
$5,000
Metropolitan
Nonmetropolitan
05
20
03
20
01
20
99
19
97
19
95
19
93
19
91
19
89
19
87
19
85
19
83
19
81
19
79
19
77
19
75
19
73
19
71
19
19
69
$0
Source: BEA
Average Wage Per Job higher and grew faster in metro counties
$45,000
$40,000
$35,000
$30,000
$25,000
$20,000
$15,000
$10,000
$5,000
Metropolitan
Nonmetropolitan
05
20
03
20
01
20
99
19
97
19
95
19
93
19
91
19
89
19
87
19
85
19
83
19
81
19
79
19
77
19
75
19
73
19
71
19
19
69
$0
Source: BEA
Transfer payments critical to non-metro
Poverty rates higher in non-metro
Racial-ethnic diversity in metro/non-metro
More non-metro land owned by government
8th Grade Students Meeting Reading Standards in metro/nonmetro
How are we Interdependent?
• population movements between urban and rural
areas
• market-driven trade in goods and services, both
across and within industry clusters
• public sector taxes and spending
• public and private infrastructure [finance,
information, transportation, communications,
utilities, healthcare, education, human services,
administration of government]
• environmental goods and services
Operating Expenditures/Student 2006-07
School Districts on 4-day Weeks
Freshman Participation Rates 2006*
Community Colleges
Source: OUS Institutional Research and the Department of
Community Colleges and Workforce Development
*As a percentage of Public High School Graduates 2005-2006
Freshman Participation Rates 2006*
OUS University System
Source: OUS Institutional Research
*As a percentage of Public High School Graduates 2005-2006
Medically Underserved Areas/Populations
Non-metro Oregon generates most power
Terrestrial Carbon Sequestration Potential