Rufus is a city in Sherman County,

Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...

, United States. The population was 268 at the 2020 census. The city was named for an early settler, Rufus Carrol Wallis. The city is bordered on the northern side by the Columbia River and the John Day Dam. Rufus is located in the high desert and has wildlife such as porcupines, coyotes, ground squirrels, deer, hummingbirds, ospreys, and kestrels. The city has a gas station, post office, tackle shop, market, two restaurants and two hotels. Rufus is also home to Giles French waterfront park and a no-fee boat launch on the Columbia River. Giles French park is an excellent location for birdwatching and short term free camping. Rufus is also home to archaeological site 35SH119, where various Native American groups quarried petrified wood and other materials for stone tool creation. Although petrified wood is not as desirable as obsidian for such tools, the proximity of this site made it a location that was regularly visited over thousands of years. The quarry site is located on the west end of Rufus in what is now the Gorge Vista subdivision. The lack of human remains and datable artifacts meant that this archeological site was not recommended for inclusion in the national register of historic sites and only the original survey post marks the location of the quarry.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , of which, is land and is water.

Climate

This region experiences warm (but not hot) and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above 71.6 °F. According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

system, Rufus has a

warm-summer Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...

, abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps.Climate Summary for Rufus, Oregon
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Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 249 people, 115 households, and 65 families living in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 141 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 89.2%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 5.2% Native American, 5.2% from other races, and 0.4% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 13.3% of the population. There were 115 households, of which 19.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.1% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 4.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.5% were non-families. 38.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.89. The median age in the city was 51.1 years. 16.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 16.8% were from 25 to 44; 34.8% were from 45 to 64; and 24.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 52.6% male and 47.4% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 268 people, 133 households, and 82 families living in the city. The

was . There were 162 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 91.04%

, 3.36% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 3.73% from other races, and 1.49% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 6.72% of the population. Rufus Community Center

There were 133 households, out of which 15.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.6% were

living together, 4.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.3% were non-families. 35.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.02 and the average family size was 2.52. Flicker feeding

In the city, the population was spread out, with 14.9% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 19.8% from 25 to 44, 31.3% from 45 to 64, and 26.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50 years. For every 100 females, there were 112.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 117.1 males. The median income for a household in the city was $26,875, and the median income for a family was $29,688. Males had a median income of $28,500 versus $21,250 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $16,801. About 11.5% of families and 13.5% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 27.8% of those under the age of eighteen and 2.6% of those 65 or over.

References

External links

*
Entry for Rufus
in the ''

Oregon Blue Book The ''Oregon Blue Book'' is the official directory and fact book for the U.S. state of Oregon prepared by the Oregon Secretary of State and published by the Office of the Secretary's Archives Division. The ''Blue Book'' comes in both print and o ...

'' {{authority control Cities in Oregon Cities in Sherman County, Oregon Oregon populated places on the Columbia River 1965 establishments in Oregon