Oregon still lags behind world leaders in trends such as energy use, which remains stuck at a high level, and economic security, according to the 2007 Cascadia Scorecard, Sightline's annual report on the Northwest.

Overall, though, the state has made slow progress toward a healthy, lasting prosperity, and has made important policy strides just in the past year, particularly in the area of climate solutions. See a summary of the trends below, and find more on the state in our Oregon research section.

Find out more about the Cascadia Scorecard 2007 here.

Sprawl

Measure 37 takes a toll on Oregon’s smart-growth leadership

• A new Sightline mapping analysis shows that Measure 37 has the potential to undo much of Oregon’s historical leadership in smart growth. New residential Measure 37 claims could add nearly 14,000 housing units to metro Portland alone, mostly on the urban fringe. This is comparable to the sprawl that Clark County, Washington, experienced in rural areas from 1990 to 2000. See the maps here.
  
• About 25 percent of residents of greater Portland, and 12 percent of greater Eugene residents live in compact communities, a better record than Washington State cities, but far less than in Vancouver, BC, and Victoria, the region’s smart-growth stars.
• This November, Oregon’s voters will have a chance to mitigate the worst effects of Measure 37 in a ballot referendum to limit the number of new housing claims that a single property owner can make.
  
  

Health

Oregonians have region’s shortest lifespan; BC leads

• Oregon’s average lifespan, which remained constant at 78.2 years in 2005 (the most recent year of data), is the worst record in the Northwest. British Columbians live nearly three years longer (81.1 years).
• Pending legislation in Oregon would extend basic health care services to all state residents—which could be a boon for both health and economic security in the state.
• Curbing sprawl could boost health, particularly by reducing car accidents and encouraging walking.
  
  

Economy

Slow progress on economic security

• In 2005, the most recent year complete data were available, Oregon’s rates of poverty (12 percent) and child poverty (17.7 percent) appeared to be roughly stable, but were higher than in other Northwest states.
• Oregon’s median household income ($44,159), a gauge of middle-class well-being, has changed little during recent years and is still well below the highs of the late 1990s.
• From 1990 to 2005, the value of the Dow Jones quadrupled, but overall economic security in Oregon declined slightly.
  
  

Energy

Stuck at full throttle, but surprising good news about gasoline use

• Oregon residents consume the equivalent of 16.2 gallons of gasoline per person in highway fuels and electricity for homes and businesses every week. So far, higher energy prices have done little to reduce energy consumption. Overall, state residents use about a third more gas, diesel, and electricity per person than British Columbians, and twice as much as Germans.
• However, Oregon’s per-person gasoline use has declined by almost a tenth since 1999—the equivalent of each state resident taking a one-month vacation from driving each year—and is now at its lowest level since the late 1960s.
• But the state’s per capita consumption of diesel continued its decades-long rise last year, while electricity use ticked upwards.
• Key steps to make Oregon’s energy system more climate-friendly and efficient include incentives to reward consumers for using less energy; and policies to encourage efficiency and use of renewable resources. The state just passed an ambitious renewable energy bill requiring that 25 percent of states energy by 2025 come from new renewable energy projects.
  
  

Population

Small family size, but high rate of teen births

• Oregon’s family size, 1.9 children on average, remained stable in 2005, the most recent year data were available. Family size (also called the total fertility rate) is a sensitive indicator of educational and economic opportunities for women.
• Oregon’s teen birthrate rose slightly in 2005, to 32.9 births per thousand women under 20, a comparatively low rate but still three times as high as British Columbia’s. Universalized access to emergency contraception at pharmacies may bring down teen birthrates and high rates of unintended pregnancies.
  
  

Wildlife

Sage-grouse and salmon hold their ground

• In 2006, more than 200,000 Chinook returned to the Columbia River, an improvement over the previous year, but still only about 7 percent of historical abundance. Restoring salmon may require actions such as removing the dams and reducing pollution runoff.
• Oregon was home to roughly 46,800 greater sage-grouse in 2006, a bird that depends on intact sagebrush landscapes. Sage-grouse numbers are down somewhat from 2005, but remain significantly above the levels typical of the 1990s.

Read about ripple-effect solutions that can help Oregon improve it's score over the long term.

Contact Elisa Murray, 206-447-1880, ext. 111, elisa@sightline.org. An online press room with the report, sources, maps, and press materials is here.