Gresham, Oregon
Encyclopedia
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 90,205 people, 33,327 households, and 22,695 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 4,071.6 people per square mile (1,572.4/km²). There were 35,309 housing units at an average density of 1,593.8 per square mile (615.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 82.72% White, 3.33% Asian, 1.89% African American, 0.94% Native American, 0.27% Pacific Islander, 7.02% from other races, and 3.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.90% of the population.
There were 33,327 households out of which 36.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. Out of all households, 24.3% were made up of individuals and 7.8% had someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.17.
In the city, the population was spread out with 27.5% under the age of 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $43,442, and the mean income for a family was $51,126. Males had a median income of $37,701 versus $27,744 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $19,588. About 8.4% of families and 12.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.2% of those under the age of 18 and 6.7% of those 65 and older.
2005-2007 American Community Survey Estimates
- 83.9% - White (71.1 non-Hispanic White)
- 18.3 - Hispanic or Latino (of any race)
- 5.1% - Asian
- 5.1% - Some other race
- 4.7% - American Indian or Alaska Native
- 3.7% - African American or Black
- 0.3% - Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
Government
The City of Gresham operates under the council-managerCouncil-manager government
The council–manager government form is one of two predominant forms of municipal government in the United States; the other common form of local government is the mayor-council government form, which characteristically occurs in large cities...
form of government. The mayor and city council are elected to be the legislative and policy-making body for the city.
The council appoints a professional city manager who is responsible for day-to-day city operations. As of 2008, the city manager of Gresham is Erik Kvarsten, who is a professional city manager with 20 years of experience. Kvarsten was appointed to the position on August 1, 2004.
The city council consists of the mayor and six councilors, all of whom serve four-year terms. Elections are held in November of even-numbered years. In elections in years divisible by four, (e.g. 2000, 2004, 2008), three councilors are elected. In elections in years not divisible by four, (e.g. 1998, 2002, 2006), the other three councilors and the mayor are elected.
Mayor and council
- Shane BemisShane BemisShane Bemis is the mayor of Gresham, Oregon in the United States. Bemis was elected mayor in 2006, at the age of 34, becoming the youngest mayor in Gresham's history. Prior to serving as mayor, Bemis served as a city councilor for Gresham starting in 2003....
, Mayor - David Widmark,since 2007 - current Council President
- Paul Warr-King,since 2005
- Josh Fuhrer, since 2009
- Karylinn Echols, since 2011
- John H. Kilian, since 2011
- Lori Stegmann, since 2011
Education
Gresham is served by three school districts: CentennialCentennial School District (Oregon)
Centennial School District is a school district in the U.S. state of Oregon. It serves the cities of Gresham and southeast Portland, with an enrollment of approximately 6,700 students.-Demographics:...
, Gresham-Barlow
Gresham-Barlow School District
Gresham School District is a school district in the U.S. state of Oregon. It serves the cities of Boring, Damascus and Gresham.-Demographics:In the 2009 school year, the district had 145 students classified as homeless by the Department of Education, or 1.2% of students in the district.-Elementary...
, and Reynolds
Reynolds School District (Oregon)
The Reynolds School District is a school district in the U.S. state of Oregon and serves the cities of Portland, Gresham, Fairview, Wood Village and Troutdale, with an enrollment of 10,700 students.- Board :...
. Mount Hood Community College
Mount Hood Community College
Mt. Hood Community College is a public community college in Gresham, Oregon, United States, named after Mount Hood. Opened in 1966, MHCC enrolls nearly 26,000 students each year and offers classes at the main campus in Gresham, the MHCC Maywood Park Center, and evening education centers at area...
is also located in Gresham.
Highways
Gresham is accessed from Interstate 84Interstate 84 in Oregon
In the U.S. state of Oregon, Interstate 84 travels east–west, following the Columbia River and the rough path of the old Oregon Trail from Portland east to Idaho. For this reason, it is also known as most of the Columbia River Highway No. 2 and all of the Old Oregon Trail Highway No. 6 . It...
and U.S. Route 26
U.S. Route 26 in Oregon
In the U.S. state of Oregon, U.S. Route 26 is a major cross-state state highway, connecting U.S. Route 101 on the Oregon Coast near Seaside with the Idaho state line east of Nyssa. Local highway names include the Sunset Highway No. 47, Mount Hood Highway No. 26, and John Day Highway No...
.
Mass transit
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The city of Gresham is serviced by TriMet
TriMet
TriMet, more formally known as the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon, is a public agency that operates mass transit in a region that spans most of the Portland metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Oregon...
's bus system and the MAX Light Rail Blue Line
MAX Blue Line
The MAX Blue Line is a 33 mile light rail line in the MAX Light Rail system in the Portland metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Oregon. Operated by TriMet, the line runs between Hillsboro and Gresham, via downtown Portland...
, which includes the following MAX stations:
- East 162nd Avenue
- East 172nd Avenue
- East 181st Avenue
- Rockwood/East 188th Avenue (serving the Rockwood neighborhoodRockwood, Gresham, OregonRockwood is a neighborhood in the northwest section of Gresham, Oregon, bounded on the west by 162nd Avenue, on the north by the Columbia River, on the east by 202nd Avenue/Birdsdale Avenue, and on the south by SE Division...
) - Ruby Junction/East 197th Avenue
- Civic Drive (opened on December 1, 2010)
- Gresham City HallGresham City Hall (MAX station)The Gresham City Hall station is a MAX light rail station in Gresham, Oregon. It serves the Blue Line and is the 24th stop eastbound on the Eastside MAX branch....
- Gresham Central Transit Center
- Cleveland Avenue (Blue Line's eastern terminus)
Gresham is also served by the fareless Sandy Area Metro
Sandy Area Metro
Sandy Area Metro is a small public transit system operated by the city government of Sandy, Oregon.One SAM route provides service between Sandy and the Portland suburb of Gresham, where riders can use TriMet to travel to most of the Portland metropolitan area...
shuttle bus to Sandy, Oregon
Sandy, Oregon
Sandy is a city located in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States, and named after the nearby Sandy River. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 5,385, however the 2006 estimate shows 7,070 people....
.
Notable people
- Randy Alcorn, Christian author
- Shannon BexShannon BexShannon Rae Bex is a singer, professional dancer, anda former member of the musical group Danity Kane.The group was founded by P. Diddy through the MTV reality television series Making the Band 3. Danity Kane's debut album debuted at #1 on August 22, 2006, as did their second album Welcome to the...
, member of girl group Danity Kane - Brian BurresBrian BurresBrian Burres is a Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Burres' best pitch is his changeup, which is highly regarded...
, Major League Baseball pitcher - Randy CoutureRandy CoutureRandy Duane Couture is a retired American mixed martial artist, Greco-Roman wrestler, actor, a three-time former heavyweight champion, two-time former light-heavyweight champion, former interim light heavyweight champion and UFC 13 tournament winner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship...
, mixed martial arts fighter - Mike EkstromMike EkstromMichael Robert Ekstrom is an American Major League Baseball pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays. Drafted by the Padres in the 12th round of the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft, he made his MLB debut on September 10, , striking out Manny Ramirez and pitching two scoreless innings.-College:Ekstrom...
, Major League Baseball pitcher - Nikki FullerNikki FullerNikki Fuller is an American professional female bodybuilder and actress. At her largest, Fuller weighed and her biceps measured...
, professional female bodybuilder - Katie HarmanKatie HarmanKatie Marie Harman-Ebner is a classical vocalist and stage actress who is best known as Miss America 2002 and former Miss Oregon 2001. She is from the city of Gresham in the U.S. state of Oregon.-Road to Miss America:...
, Miss America 2002 - Fred Jones, National Basketball Association player
- Ronald A. MarksRonald A. MarksRonald Anthony Marks is a former senior CIA official and Capitol Hill Staffer. He is an advocate for the use of Open Source Intelligence within the US Intelligence Community and an expert on Homeland Security intelligence.- Personal :...
, former CIA official - Angela ViaAngela ViaAngela Vía is an American singer/songwriter from Texas. Initially marketed as a pop artist, Angela's catalog contains music of a variety of genres in both English and Spanish...
, singer - Stu Weber, Christian author
- William P. YoungWilliam P. YoungWilliam Paul Young is a Canadian author, best known for The Shack, a novel.- Biography :Young was the eldest of four, born May 11, 1955, in Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada, but the majority of his first decade was lived with his missionary parents in the highlands of Netherlands New Guinea , among...
, author
Sister cities
Gresham has sister cities in other countries. They are:Ebetsu
Ebetsu, Hokkaido
is a city located in Ishikari, Hokkaidō, Japan.- History :Ebetsu was settled originally by Japanese people in 1871, that came from the Miyagi Prefecture on Honshu Island. In 1878, militia men began moving into the area. When the Meiji Government, in 1878, designated Hokkaido as part of Japan,...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
- 1977 Sokcho
Sokcho
Sokcho is a city in Gangwon-do province, South Korea. It is located in the far northeast of Gangwon-do. Lying north of the 38th parallel, the city belonged to North Korea from 1945 until the end of the Korean War, when the dividing line between the two Korean states was officially altered....
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
Owerri, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...