Overview

Introduction to La Grande, Oregon

La Grande, Oregon, in Union county, is 79 miles SE of Kennewick, Washington and 223 miles E of Portland, Oregon.

La Grande History

La Grande is the county seat of Union County, which was founded on October 14, 1864. The city was named after the river valley. Benjamin Brown was the first permanent settler in the city of La Grande. It was originally named "Brownsville." La Grande was incorporated in 1865, and the first railroad entered the area in 1884.

La Grande and nearby Attractions

  • Catherine Creek State Park
  • Hilgard Junction State Park
  • Umatilla County Historical Society
  • John Day Fossil Beds National Monument
  • Gangloff Park
  • Whitman Mission National Historic Site

Things To Do In La Grande

Hilgard Junction State Park, Catherine Creek State Park, Conordale Park and Pioneer Park are all located in La Grande. Historic sites like the Whitman Mission National Historic Site and the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument can also be visited from la Grande.

La Grande Transportation

Flights are available from Walla Walla Regional Airport.

La Grande Higher Education

Eastern Oregon University, Columbia Basin College and Walla Walla Community College provide facilities for higher education.

Demographics

People

Total Population13,103
Male Share of the Population47%
Female Share of the Population53%
Senior Citizens15.3%
Employed Population 16+5,708
Age of the Population34

Families

% of people married41.2%
Average household size2

Education and Earnings

Population % with Bachelor Degree or Higher27.1%
Median Earnings25+$30,474
Median Earnings Without High School Qualification$20,942
Median Earnings With High School Degree$30,781

Wealth

Median Family Income$56,629
% Above Poverty Level78.2%
% Below Poverty Level21.8%

Commute & Sprawl

Average Commute Time13 minutes
% Working from Home4.3%
% Walking and Biking to Work11.9%
% Using Public Transportation0.4%

Housing

People Living Alone30.5%
Median Gross Rent$756
Median House Value$162,100

Ancestry

Other(often includes Hispanic and African American)22%
German21.9%
English12.2%
Irish10.9%
Norwegian3.6%
French Except Basque3.3%
Scottish2.6%
Italian1.9%
Swedish1.6%
Dutch1.1%
Canadian1%
Polish1%
Swiss0.8%
Danishn0.7%
Czech0.6%
Greek0.4%
Arab0.3%
Welsh0.3%
African0.3%
Austrian0.3%
Portuguese0.3%
Russian0.2%
Belgian0.2%
Ukrainian0.1%
Icelander0.1%
Lebanese0.1%
Slovak0.1%
Latvian0.1%
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La Grande Almanac

CategoryValue
CountyUnion County
Standard Zip Codes97850
Phone Area Codes541
Time ZoneAmerica/Los_Angeles
Approximate Latitude45.32
Approximate Longitude-118.2

La Grande Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

Notes:

  • Temp ranges are avg daily min and max for the month
  • Precipitation is rainfall (and rainfall equiv of snowfall)

StationLA GRANDE
Distance1.1 miles
Jan Temp23 to 37 F
Apr Temp35 to 58 F
Jul Temp53 to 85 F
Oct Temp35 to 63 F
Annual Precip17.4 inches
StationELGIN
Distance18.7 miles
Jan Temp23 to 38 F
Apr Temp34 to 61 F
Jul Temp47 to 85 F
Oct Temp32 to 64 F
Annual Precip24.2 inches
StationBAKER
Distance36.5 miles
Jan Temp17 to 34 F
Apr Temp31 to 59 F
Jul Temp48 to 85 F
Oct Temp30 to 63 F
Annual Precip10.6 inches

Nearby Cities and Towns

LocationPopulationMedian Family Income
Cove728$53,977
Imbler361$75,500
Island City1,028$60,192
North Powder490$26,458
Summerville173$70,536
Union2,066$54,472

La Grande Public Libraries

La Grande Public Library
2006 4TH STREET
La Grande, Oregon
(541) 962-1339

library logo

More Information for Librarians

La Grande Hospitals

Grande Ronde Hospital
(Non-profit)
900 Sunset Drive

La Grande Public Schools

Central Elementary School
402 K Ave
ZIP: 97850
(541) 663-3500
Primary
Total Enrollment 364
Greenwood Elementary School
2300 N Spruce St
ZIP: 97850
(541) 663-3580
Primary
Total Enrollment 276
La Grande High School
708 "k" Ave
ZIP: 97850
(541) 663-3301
High
Total Enrollment 607
La Grande Middle School
1108 4th St
ZIP: 97850
(541) 663-3421
Middle
Total Enrollment 508
Riverbend High School
58231 Oregon Hwy 244
ZIP: 97850
(541) 663-8801
High
Total Enrollment 19
Willow Elementary School
1305 N Willow Street
ZIP: 97850
(541) 663-3202
Primary
Total Enrollment 162

La Grande Private Schools

Grande Ronde Academy
507b Palmer Ave
ZIP: 97850
Elementary
Total Enrollment 50
Heidi Ho Kindergarten & Preschool
1702 6th St
ZIP: 97850
Elementary
Total Enrollment 33
La Grande Adventist School
2702 Adams Ave
ZIP: 97850
Elementary
Total Enrollment 22
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