Marion County, Oregon

Marion County
Marion County Courthouse in Salem
Marion County Courthouse in Salem
Map of Oregon highlighting Marion County
Location within the U.S. state of Oregon
Map of the United States highlighting Oregon
Oregon's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 44°55′N 122°35′W / 44.91°N 122.58°W / 44.91; -122.58
Country United States
State Oregon
FoundedJuly 5, 1843
Named forFrancis Marion
SeatSalem
Largest citySalem
Area
 • Total
1,194 sq mi (3,090 km2)
 • Land1,184 sq mi (3,070 km2)
 • Water10 sq mi (30 km2)  0.85%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
345,920
 • Estimate 
(2023)
346,741 Increase
 • Density290/sq mi (110/km2)
Time zoneUTC−8 (Pacific)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−7 (PDT)
Congressional districts5th, 6th
Websitewww.co.marion.or.us
Map of Marion County
Map of Marion County

Marion County is one of the 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. The population was 345,920 at the 2020 census,[1] making it the 5th most populous county in Oregon. The county seat is Salem,[2] which is also the state capital of Oregon. The county was originally named the Champooick District, after Champoeg (earlier Champooick[3]), a meeting place on the Willamette River. On September 3, 1849, the territorial legislature renamed it in honor of Francis Marion,[4] a Continental Army general from South Carolina who served in the American Revolutionary War. Marion County is part of the Salem, OR Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA Combined Statistical Area. It is located in the Willamette Valley.

  1. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 15, 2023.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ Horner, John B. (1919). Oregon: Her History, Her Great Men, Her Literature. Portland, Oregon: The J.K. Gill Co. p. 98.
  4. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 200.