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Rufus, Oregon
Rufus, with the fire department in foreground
Rufus, with the fire department in foreground
Location in Oregon
Location in Oregon
Country United States
State Oregon
County Sherman
Incorporated 1965
Area
 • Total 1.34 sq mi (3.48 km2)
 • Land 1.18 sq mi (3.07 km2)
 • Water 0.16 sq mi (0.41 km2)
Elevation
235 ft (71.6 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 268
 • Density 226.35/sq mi (87.38/km2)
Time zone UTC-8 (Pacific)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-7 (Pacific)
ZIP code
97050
Area code(s) 541
FIPS code 41-64200
GNIS feature ID 2411013
Snowy Sunset in Rufus
A sunset on a snowy evening in Rufus

Rufus is a city in Sherman County, Oregon, United States. The population was 249 at the 2010 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 city has a total area of 1.21 square miles (3.13 km2), of which, 1.19 square miles (3.08 km2) is land and 0.02 square miles (0.05 km2) 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 system, Rufus has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1970 317
1980 352 11.0%
1990 295 −16.2%
2000 264 −10.5%
2010 249 −5.7%
2020 268 7.6%
U.S. Decennial Census
Rufus Oregon post office
Post office in Rufus
JohnDayDamRufus
The John Day Dam is adjacent to the city on the Columbia River

2010 census

BasaltRufus
Basalt cliffs above Rufus, Oregon.
BoatRamp
Rufus has a no-fee boat launch with Columbia River access

As of the census of 2010, there were 249 people, 115 households, and 65 families living in the city. The population density was 209.2 inhabitants per square mile (80.8/km2). There were 141 housing units at an average density of 118.5 per square mile (45.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 89.2% White, 5.2% Native American, 5.2% from other races, and 0.4% from two or more races. Hispanic 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 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.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Rufus (Oregón) para niños

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