Jefferson County is a county in Oregon, United States, on the high desert plateau of the central part of the state, straddling U.S. Route 97. It had a population of 24,502 at the 2020 census and covers 1,791 square miles (4,640 km2), of which 1,781 square miles are land, centred near 44°38′N 121°10′W.
Madras is the county seat, and its postal code is 97741. The county has three incorporated cities, three census-designated places and a scatter of small unincorporated communities; there are no civil townships in Oregon, so places are not grouped that way here. The county sits in the Pacific time zone.
Towns & Villages in Jefferson County
Jefferson County’s population centres split into three incorporated cities, three census-designated places (CDPs — unincorporated but tracked by the Census Bureau), and several smaller unincorporated communities scattered across the high desert. Population figures below are shown only where independently verified; unverified counts are marked with a dash.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madras | City · seat | — | 97741 |
| Culver | City | — | 97734 |
| Metolius | City | — | — |
| Camp Sherman | CDP | — | 97730 |
| Crooked River Ranch | CDP | — | — |
| Warm Springs | CDP | — | 97761 |
| Ashwood | Unincorp. | — | 97711 |
| Gateway | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Geneva | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Grandview | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Grizzly | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Horse Heaven | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kilts | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Opal City | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Willowdale | Unincorp. | — | — |
Warm Springs sits on the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs reservation, which covers most of the county’s western third; Crooked River Ranch straddles the Jefferson–Deschutes county line, with most of its area and population inside Jefferson County.
ZIP Codes
- 97741 — Madras (also serves Metolius, Grandview and most of the eastern county)
- 97734 — Culver
- 97730 — Camp Sherman
- 97761 — Warm Springs (PO Box delivery)
- 97711 — Ashwood
- 97760 — Terrebonne (a Deschutes County post office that also covers part of Crooked River Ranch)
Smaller unincorporated communities such as Gateway, Geneva, Grizzly, Horse Heaven, Kilts, Opal City and Willowdale have no post office of their own and are served by the nearest listed ZIP.
Geography
Jefferson County lies on Oregon’s high desert plateau east of the Cascade Range, in the rain shadow of Mount Jefferson, which gives the county its name. The Deschutes and Crooked rivers cross the county, and Lake Billy Chinook, formed by the confluence of the Deschutes, Crooked and Metolius rivers behind Round Butte Dam, sits in the southeast. Terrain ranges from irrigated farmland around Madras to juniper-covered rangeland and canyon country toward the John Day River.
Jefferson County borders Wasco County to the north, Marion County to the northwest, Linn County to the west, Deschutes County to the south, Crook County to the southeast and Wheeler County to the east.
Demographics
Jefferson County had 24,502 residents at the 2020 census. Madras is the largest community by a wide margin, followed by Warm Springs; Culver and Metolius are much smaller. The county includes part of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs reservation, giving it one of Oregon’s larger Native American populations by share. Median household income runs below the Oregon median of $80,160, reflecting the county’s agricultural economic base. Population density is low, at roughly 14 people per square mile across the county’s 1,781 square miles of land.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture anchors the county economy: roughly 60,000 irrigated acres around Madras grow vegetable seed crops, garlic, mint and sugar beets, supplying seed companies nationally. Tourism and recreation are the second pillar, built on the county’s roughly 300 sunny days a year — fishing, boating and water-skiing on Lake Billy Chinook, camping along the Metolius River near Camp Sherman, and rockhounding in the surrounding high desert. The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs operate Kah-Nee-Ta and other enterprises on the reservation in the county’s west.
History
Jefferson County was created on December 12, 1914, from the northern portion of Crook County, and named for Mount Jefferson, Oregon’s second-highest peak, on its western boundary. Madras was named county seat at organisation. The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs reservation, established by an 1855 treaty, predates the county and today occupies most of its western third.
Getting There
U.S. Route 97 runs north–south through the county via Madras, connecting it to Bend to the south and The Dalles to the north; U.S. Route 26 crosses the county east–west through Warm Springs.
- Bend — about 40 miles south
- Redmond — about 25 miles south
- The Dalles — about 60 miles north
- Prineville — about 30 miles southeast
The nearest commercial airport is Redmond Municipal Airport (RDM), roughly 25 miles south of Madras.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Jefferson County, Oregon?
It is in the central part of the state, on the high desert plateau east of the Cascade Range, along U.S. Route 97.
What is the population of Jefferson County?
24,502 people at the 2020 census.
How big is Jefferson County?
1,791 square miles (4,640 km2), of which 1,781 square miles are land.
What is the Jefferson County seat?
Madras is the county seat.
How many towns are in Jefferson County?
Three incorporated cities (Madras, Culver, Metolius), three census-designated places and several unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Jefferson County?
Main ZIP codes include 97741 (Madras), 97734 (Culver), 97730 (Camp Sherman), 97761 (Warm Springs) and 97711 (Ashwood).
Is Warm Springs part of Jefferson County?
Most of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs reservation, including the community of Warm Springs, lies within Jefferson County’s western third.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Oregon.