Eugene remained Oregon’s second largest city in 2010 according to U.S. Census data released late last month, increasing its lead over Salem from 900 residents to more than 2,000. Other population data reveals, however, that Eugene is well above state and national averages for poverty levels. 
Eugene and Salem have remained remarkably close in size for the last several years. And, since 2000, each has spent time as the more populous city. Although Portland’s population of 583,776 people is clearly the largest in Oregon — bigger than both Eugene and Salem combined — the virtual tie for second is a recurring point of interest in annual census results.
According to Risa Proehl, a program manager at Portland State University’s Population Research Center, one of the main reasons Eugene has maintained its lead over the Capitol is due to its large student population.
“It’s really, really close,” Proehl said, “but due to a larger number of people residing in group corridors, the primary source of which is student housing like dormitories, Eugene has been able to stay the larger city.”
Nevertheless, Proehl said the continued growth of Eugene over the next decade is not certain, especially considering the large number of local organizations warning of the consequences of an expanding population.
“Eugene has traditionally had more public involvement and concern over population size,” Proehl said. “Therefore, it’s hard to tell if Eugene will continue the same growth rate in the future.”
Other statistics also reveal that, despite its rising number of inhabitants, Eugene remains one of the poorer areas in Oregon. According to the American Community Survey, a five-year study affiliated with the U.S. Census, more than 20 percent of its individuals live below the poverty line. That number, which has risen by almost 4 percent since 2000, is well above the national average of 13 percent and the even lower state average of 11 percent. Some experts believe the larger poverty rate is a common feature among cities as large as Eugene.
“My guess is that the poverty has more to do with the urban condition,” said Scott Maier, a University journalism professor who specializes in database research. “Cities tend to draw people who need special services or those who are not necessarily ‘making it.’ In that sense, Eugene is like most cities.”
Still, other experts suggest the high poverty rate is common among cities with a university. Eugene shares a unique correlation with many other college towns in Oregon: Despite a remarkably high percentage of the population with bachelor’s degrees, a large segment of the population is poor.
In both Corvallis and Ashland, home to Oregon State University and Southern Oregon University respectively, more than half of their populations hold degrees, compared to 25 percent nationally; meanwhile, 20 percent of citizens or more fall below the poverty line. The same is true for Monmouth, the home of Western Oregon University, with 24 percent of its residents living in poverty despite 39 percent having degrees.
Proehl notes that, in Eugene at least, the city’s high poverty level may correlate to its strong student presence. She said though individual poverty remains high, child poverty remains lower than average, leading her to believe poor individuals are more likely to be young singles — often students — than parents of whole families.
“Poverty rates have gone up everywhere across the state,” Proehl said, “but I suspect the reason it is higher in Eugene than it is in other parts of the state is because of the student population.”
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