Aging Oregonians and Falling Birthrates Leave Immigration as the State’s Lifeline

As the Trump administration makes it increasingly difficult for immigrants to enter the U.S., Oregon remains heavily dependent on that influx to swell its dwindling population.

Oregon’s Population is Older Than Most other States

On average, Oregonians are older than most other states in the nation, with deaths outnumbering births for the last five years.

Exacerbating the issue is that Oregon has one of the lowest birthrates in the country. According to federal data released in 2022, Oregon records nine births for every 1,000 of its residents, which is well below the national average of 17.5 per 1,000 residents.

Two of the state’s biggest counties – Multnomah and Washington – had more migrant newcomers than any other parts of the country from 2023 to 2024.

While Multnomah lost 4,700 residents who moved to other states, it nevertheless had a net gain of 5,700 migrants. Washington lost 3,100 people, but gained 7,600 international migrants.

According to data, Oregon gained nearly 24,000 international migrants last year, but 1,200 more residents left the state for other parts of the country than the number of new residents gained from elsewhere in the U.S.

Of concern to officials is that a shrinking population means fewer taxpayers and fewer people available to work in Oregon businesses.