Vale, Oregon
Motto: Born and raised on the Oregon Trail
Location in Oregon
Coordinates: 43°58′56″N 117°14′37″W / 43.98222, -117.24361
Country	United States
State	Oregon
County	Malheur
Incorporated	1889
Government
- Mayor	Bill Lawrence
Area
- Total	1.1 sq mi (2.8 km²)
- Land	1.1 sq mi (2.8 km²)
- Water	0 sq mi (0 km²)
Elevation	2,343 ft (714.2 m)
Population (2000)
- Total	1,976
- Density	1,824.9/sq mi (706.4/km²)
Time zone	Mountain (UTC-8)
- Summer (DST)	Mountain (UTC-7)
ZIP code	97918
Area code(s)	541
FIPS code	41-76600[1]
GNIS feature ID	1136861[2]
Website: www.ci.vale.or.us

Vale is a city in Malheur County, Oregon, United States, about 12 miles (19 km) west of the Idaho border. It is at the intersection of U.S. Routes 20 and 26, on the Malheur River.

Vale was selected as Malheur's county seat in 1955, 68 years after the county was founded. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 1,976.

Many of the businesses in Vale have murals painted on their sides that depict things such as the cultural diversity of the area, and its pioneer history.^{[citation needed]}

Vale is part of the Ontario, OR–ID Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

The community was the first stop in Oregon along the Oregon Trail. A post office with the name of Vale was established in February 1883, and the city was incorporated in 1889.

In September 2004, Oregon's first known human case of the West Nile virus was found in a teenage boy from Vale.^{[citation needed]}

Geography

Vale is located at 43°58'56" North, 117°14'37" West (43.982237, -117.243483),^[3] at an elevation of 2244' (684 m).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²), none of which is covered with water.

There are a number of hot springs and buttes located in the area.^{[citation needed]}

Demographics

As of the census^[1] of 2000, there are 1,976 people in the city, organized into 658 households, and 488 families. The population density is 1,824.9 people per square mile (706.4/km²). There are 724 housing units at an average density of 668.7/sq mi (258.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city is 82.49% White, 1.37% Native American, 0.76% Asian, 0.15% African American, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 11.99% from other races, and 3.14% from two or more races. 24.85% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 658 households out of which 40.9% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.0% are married couples living together, 12.8% have a female householder with no husband present, and 25.8% are non-families. 22.6% of all households are made up of individuals and 12.3% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.83 and the average family size is 3.32.

The median age within the city is 32 years:

• 31.2% of the city's population is under the age of 18;
• 9.7% is from 18 to 24;
• 26.7% is from 25 to 44;
• 18.2% is from 45 to 64; and
• 14.2% are 65 years of age or older.

For every 100 females there are 99.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 97.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $27,065, and the median income for a family is $33,355. Males have a median income of $27,176 versus $22,500 for females. The per capita income for the city is $11,943. 20.0% of the population and 15.6% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 27.8% of those under the age of 18 and 12.2% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Arts and culture

Annual cultural events

The Vale 4th of July Rodeo draws people from all over the United States and Canada.^{[citation needed]} The third day of the rodeo includes a suicide horse race, similar to an event in Washington. The route starts on Rineheart Butte and crosses the Malheur River.

Transportation

• Miller Memorial Airpark

References

1. ^ ^{a b} American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
2. ^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
3. ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.

External links

• City of Vale
• Community profile from the county's website
• Vale Chamber of Commerce
• Vale School District
• Vale District website for the Bureau of Land Management
• Vale Heritage Reflections Mural Society
• Map of Vale in PDF format

• Vale, Oregon is at coordinates 43°58′56″N 117°14′37″W / 43.982237, -117.243483 (Vale, Oregon)Coordinates: 43°58′56″N 117°14′37″W / 43.982237, -117.243483 (Vale, Oregon)

v â€¢ d â€¢ e Municipalities and communities of Malheur County, Oregon County seat: Vale Cities Adrian | Jordan Valley | Nyssa | Ontario | Vale Unincorporated communities Arock | Brogan | Danner | Juntura | McDermitt | Riverside | Rome