Geography Position: latitude 44°7', longitude 123°13' Elevation: 426' downtown Temperature: Lowest monthly average: 46° F Highest monthly average: 82° F Year-round average: 53° F Hottest month: July Coldest month: January Driest month: July Wettest month: December Precipitation: Average annual precipitation: 43" Population: 130,000 Size of city limits: 36 square miles Park lands: 1,979 acres Early History The earliest known residents of the area were the Kalapuya Indians who occupied the area for several centuries before white settlers arrived. The first cabin in the area was built in 1846 by Eugene Franklin Skinner and a town plat was drawn in 1853. The city was incorporated in 1862. The first telegraph reached Eugene in 1864, stagecoach service began in 1865 and the Oregon-California Railway arrived in 1871. The University of Oregon was founded in 1876. Housing Total housing units: 47,991* Owner occupied: 23, 483 Renter occupied: 22, 791 Vacancy rate: 3.6% Price of average 3-bedroom home: $140,000 to $175,000 Rent of average 3-bedroom home: $700 to $900/month Rent of average apartment/duplex: $500 to $700/month Principal Industries (Lane County) Agriculture Education Tourism Wood products Computer components & software Largest Local Employers U.S. government 3,650* University of Oregon 3,275 PeaceHealth Medical Center 2,700 Eugene School District 4J 2,396 Lane Community College 1,984 State of Oregon 1,301 Lane County 1,300 Weyerhaeuser Co. 1,200 City of Eugene 1,200 Springfield School District #19 1,200 McKenzie-Willamette Hospital 830 Hyundai Semiconductor 820 HMT Technology 790 Willamette Industries 744 Agripac, Inc. 600 SMC Corporation 600 Symantec 550 Future Employment Occupational opportunities are expected to grow in semiconductor manufacturing, home health services, computer sciences, social welfare, counseling and child care. Education University of Oregon --17,200* students Lane Community College -- 37,500 students Eugene Bible College Northwest Christian College Public school student/teacher ratio: 19:1 One third of Eugene's population has completed four or more years of higher education. Newspapers The Register-Guard (daily) Eugene Weekly UO Daily Emerald The Business News The Comic News Medical Centers PeaceHealth Medical Center/Sacred Heart Hospital McKenzie-Willamette Hospital (Springfield) Transportation Interstate 5 & Highways 105, 99 & 126 Eugene Airport Amtrak Passenger Trains Willamette & Pacific Railroad Greyhound Bus Service Lane Transit District Bikeways: 98 miles Sources: City of Eugene, Eugene Area County Chamber of Commerce, CVALCO, various web sites and news stories. *Dollar amounts, numbers of students, etc. are not all from the year 2000. Check back for updated numbers as soon as they become available. Back to Top Annual Manual Index Page The Best of Eugene The Best Restaurants of Eugene Dining Guide Calendar Resource Directory Eugene Weekly Homepage .