Malheur County is a county in Oregon, United States, in the state’s far southeastern corner along the Idaho and Nevada borders. It had a population of 31,571 at the 2020 census and covers 9,888 square miles (25,610 km2) of land, centred near 43°13′N 117°38′W.
Vale is the county seat, and its postal code is 97918. Ontario, on the Idaho line, is the county’s largest city. The county holds 5 incorporated cities and roughly a dozen unincorporated communities, sits mostly in the Mountain Time Zone (a small southern strip runs on Pacific Time), and is the only county in Oregon that keeps Mountain Time year-round.
Towns & Villages in Malheur County
Malheur County has 5 incorporated cities and about a dozen recognized unincorporated communities scattered across its high-desert ranchland. CDP = census-designated place; Unincorp. = unincorporated community with no formal municipal government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario | City | 11,366 | 97914 |
| Vale | City · seat | 1,993 | 97918 |
| Nyssa | City | 3,267 | 97913 |
| Adrian | City | 177 | 97901 |
| Jordan Valley | City | 172 | 97910 |
| Nyssa Heights | Unincorp. | — | 97913 |
| Ontario Heights | Unincorp. | — | 97914 |
| Harper | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Juntura | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Jamieson | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ironside | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Westfall | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Brogan | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Arock | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Danner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rome | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Riverside | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Basque | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Beulah | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Crowley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cairo | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Owyhee | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Willowcreek | Unincorp. | — | — |
The old list also carried an entry named “Dennis” and “Eldorado,” “Sheaville,” and “Annex” and “Bonita” — small historic rail sidings and ranch-road crossings with no verifiable current population or postal designation; they are omitted here rather than left unsourced. Ontario Heights and Nyssa Heights are residential fringe areas adjoining their namesake cities and share those cities’ ZIP codes.
ZIP Codes
- 97918 — Vale (county seat)
- 97914 — Ontario (also serves Ontario Heights)
- 97913 — Nyssa (also serves Nyssa Heights)
- 97901 — Adrian
- 97910 — Jordan Valley
The county’s smaller unincorporated communities are generally served by the post office of the nearest listed town rather than their own ZIP code.
Geography
Malheur County occupies Oregon’s far southeastern corner, a high-desert landscape of sagebrush plateaus, basalt canyons and irrigated valley floor along the Snake and Malheur rivers. The Malheur River, which gave the county its name, joins the Snake River at Ontario. The Owyhee River cuts through the county’s southwest, feeding the Owyhee Reservoir. It has the second-largest land area of any Oregon county, and its terrain rises from irrigated farmland near the Snake River to high desert and mountains toward its western edge.
Malheur County borders Grant County to the northwest, Baker County to the north, Harney County to the west, Washington County, Idaho and Payette County, Idaho to the east, Canyon County, Idaho and Owyhee County, Idaho to the east and southeast, and Humboldt County, Nevada to the south.
Demographics
Malheur County had 31,571 residents at the 2020 census. Ontario, its largest city, holds well over a third of the county population, followed by Nyssa. Median household income in the county runs well below the Oregon median of $80,160 — agriculture and food-processing wages keep local pay lower than the state average. Population density is light, roughly 3 people per square mile, reflecting the county’s vast high-desert ranchland.
Economy & Local Life
Irrigated agriculture drives the county’s economy: onions, potatoes, sugar beets and alfalfa grown along the Snake and Malheur river valleys. Ore-Ida’s Heinz potato-processing plant in Ontario is among the county’s largest employers, alongside the Snake River Correctional Institution, Oregon’s largest prison, also in Ontario. Cattle ranching dominates the county’s drier western and southern reaches. Ontario, straddling the Idaho line, functions as the region’s trade hub for both states.
History
Malheur County was created on February 17, 1887, from part of Baker County. Its name comes from the Malheur River, named by early French-Canadian trappers — “malheur” means misfortune or bad luck in French, reportedly after a cache of furs was stolen or lost near the river. Gold discoveries in the 1860s brought the first wave of settlement, and Basque immigrants arrived in the 1890s to work as sheepherders, leaving a Basque cultural imprint still visible in Ontario today. Irrigation projects in the early 1900s, including the Owyhee Dam completed in 1932, opened the Snake River valley to large-scale farming.
Getting There
Interstate 84 crosses the county through Ontario, with US routes 20, 26, 30 and 95 and Oregon routes 52, 78 and 201 providing the rest of the county’s highway network.
- Boise, Idaho — 60 miles east
- Bend, Oregon — 200 miles west
- Baker City, Oregon — 75 miles north
- Winnemucca, Nevada — 150 miles south
The nearest commercial airport is Boise Airport in Idaho; Ontario Municipal Airport handles general aviation locally.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Malheur County?
It is in the far southeastern corner of Oregon, bordering Idaho and Nevada.
What is the population of Malheur County?
31,571 people at the 2020 census.
How big is Malheur County?
9,888 square miles (25,610 km2) of land, the second-largest land area of any Oregon county.
What is the county seat of Malheur County?
Vale is the county seat; Ontario is the largest city.
How many towns are in Malheur County?
Five incorporated cities — Ontario, Vale, Nyssa, Adrian and Jordan Valley — plus about a dozen unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Malheur County?
Main ZIPs include 97918 (Vale), 97914 (Ontario), 97913 (Nyssa), 97901 (Adrian) and 97910 (Jordan Valley).
Why is it called Malheur County?
It takes its name from the Malheur River, named by French-Canadian trappers — “malheur” means misfortune in French.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Oregon.