Marion County | |
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Coordinates: 44°55′N 122°35′W / 44.91°N 122.58°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Oregon |
Founded | July 5, 1843 |
Named for | Francis Marion |
Seat | Salem |
Largest city | Salem |
Area | |
• Total | 1,194 sq mi (3,090 km2) |
• Land | 1,184 sq mi (3,070 km2) |
• Water | 10 sq mi (30 km2) 0.85% |
Population (2020) | |
• Total | 345,920 |
• Estimate (2023) | 346,741 |
• Density | 290/sq mi (110/km2) |
Time zone | UTC−8 (Pacific) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (PDT) |
Congressional districts | 5th, 6th |
Website | www |
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.