Bend, Oregon
Bend is a city in Central Oregon and the county seat of Deschutes County, Oregon, United States. It is located to the east of the Cascade Range, on the Deschutes River.
Bend, Oregon | |
|---|---|
| City of Bend | |
View of Pilot Butte from downtown, 2022 | |
| Motto: Bend: Living at Its Best | |
Location in Deschutes County | |
Bend Location in Oregon Bend Location in the United States | |
| Coordinates: 44°3′N 121°18′W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Oregon |
| County | Deschutes |
| Incorporated | January 4, 1904 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Melanie Kebler (D) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 34.89 sq mi (90.37 km2) |
| • Land | 34.65 sq mi (89.73 km2) |
| • Water | 0.24 sq mi (0.63 km2) |
| Elevation | 3,623 ft (1,104.3 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 99,178 |
| • Density | 2,862.61/sq mi (1,105.27/km2) |
| Demonym | Bendite |
| Time zone | UTC−8 (PST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (PDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 97701–97703, 97707–97709 |
| Area codes | 458 and 541 |
| FIPS code | 41-05800 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1137914 |
| Website | www.bendoregon.gov |
The site became known by pioneers as a fordable crossing point of the river, where it was ran through a bend. An 1870s ranch popularized the name "Farewell Bend", with the post office later distinguishing the area as Bend. It was incorporated as a city in 1905, starting off as a logging town. In 1910, Mirror Pond was created as a dammed river reservoir to provide energy. In 1950, the two major logging companies were consolidated due to depleted timber, causing an economic drop. In later decades, it experienced rapid growth as a center of recreation.
Situated in high desert, Bend is bordered by the Deschutes National Forest to the southwest. Economically, it is a tourist destination, featuring recreational attractions (e.g. breweries, an amphitheater, and the last Blockbuster video-rental store) as well as outdoor sports, including mountain biking, fishing, hiking, camping, rock climbing, white-water rafting, skiing, paragliding, and golf.
Bend is Central Oregon's most populous city. In the 2020 U.S. census, it had a population of 99,178, with the eponymous metropolitan statistical area (MSA) population totaling 198,253. This makes the city and MSA the sixth most populous city and fifth largest metropolitan area in Oregon, respectively.