Okanogan (/ˌoʊkəˈnɒɡən/ OH-kə-NOG-ən; derived from Syilx'tsn: "rendezvous" or "meeting place") is a city in Okanogan County, Washington, United States. The population was 2,379 at the 2020 census,[2] down from 2,552 at the 2010 census, within the Greater Omak Area.[5] It is the seat of Okanogan County.
Okanogan | |
|---|---|
| City of Okanogan | |
 Skyline of downtown Okanogan | |
 | |
| Motto: 100 Years of Community Pride | |
 Location of Okanogan in Okanogan County, Washington | |
  Okanogan Location in the United States | |
| Coordinates: 48°22′0″N 119°34′52″W / 48.36667°N 119.58111°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Okanogan |
| Established | 1888 |
| Incorporated | October 29, 1907 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor–council |
| • Mayor | Wayne L. Turner |
| • Council | Okanogan City Council |
| Area | |
| • City | 2.12 sq mi (5.48 km2) |
| • Land | 2.01 sq mi (5.20 km2) |
| • Water | 0.11 sq mi (0.28 km2) |
| • Urban | 4.736 sq mi (12.267 km2) |
| Elevation | 840 ft (256 m) |
| Population | |
| • City | 2,379 |
| • Density | 1,100/sq mi (430/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (PST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code | 98840 |
| Area code | 509 |
| FIPS code | 53-50920[3] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1531489[4] |
| Website | www |
It has a small commuter airfield, Okanogan Legion Airport – (S35) with one paved runway of 2,533 ft (772 m) in length.[6]
History
editOkanogan was officially incorporated on October 29, 1907.
A pair of 115 year old 60 ft (18 m) long murals[7] were discovered during renovation of a 1907 commercial building in January 2022. The murals were initially tentatively attributed to Western photographer Frank S. Matsura as the building had been used as a theater several times and Matsura had played in the Okanogan County Band on stage there.[8] The mural is painted on canvases split between the north and south walls, and a 1915 newspaper clipping found by the Okanogan County Historical Society provided coverage of plans for the murals. Then the Hub Theater, the building was planned to incorporate panoramic scenery murals in tans painted by a local artist.[7] further investigation lead to attribution of the murals to a Wenatchee painter W.J. McConnon.[9] The owners planned to take the murals down for restoration before rehanging them as the centerpiece of a historical exhibit.[7]
Geography
editOkanogan is located at 48°22′0″N 119°34′52″W / 48.36667°N 119.58111°W (48.366694, −119.581139).[10]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.00 square miles (5.18 km2), of which, 1.95 square miles (5.05 km2) is land and 0.05 square miles (0.13 km2) is water.[11]
The town is located along the Okanogan River.[12]
Climate
editOkanogan experiences a semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification: BSk). A weather station is located in nearby Omak.
| Climate data for Omak (1909–2013) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 60 (16) |
63 (17) |
79 (26) |
96 (36) |
101 (38) |
117 (47) |
114 (46) |
107 (42) |
102 (39) |
90 (32) |
77 (25) |
67 (19) |
117 (47) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 30.2 (−1.0) |
38.3 (3.5) |
51.9 (11.1) |
64.1 (17.8) |
73.5 (23.1) |
80.6 (27.0) |
88.8 (31.6) |
87.1 (30.6) |
77.1 (25.1) |
62.2 (16.8) |
43.6 (6.4) |
33.0 (0.6) |
60.9 (16.1) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 23.4 (−4.8) |
29.9 (−1.2) |
40.4 (4.7) |
50.1 (10.1) |
58.4 (14.7) |
65.4 (18.6) |
72.2 (22.3) |
70.5 (21.4) |
61.2 (16.2) |
48.8 (9.3) |
35.5 (1.9) |
26.9 (−2.8) |
48.6 (9.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 16.6 (−8.6) |
21.5 (−5.8) |
29.0 (−1.7) |
36.1 (2.3) |
43.3 (6.3) |
50.2 (10.1) |
55.6 (13.1) |
53.9 (12.2) |
45.3 (7.4) |
35.5 (1.9) |
27.5 (−2.5) |
20.8 (−6.2) |
36.3 (2.4) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −22 (−30) |
−26 (−32) |
−7 (−22) |
15 (−9) |
19 (−7) |
30 (−1) |
35 (2) |
31 (−1) |
20 (−7) |
8 (−13) |
−6 (−21) |
−21 (−29) |
−26 (−32) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.32 (34) |
1.08 (27) |
0.83 (21) |
0.87 (22) |
0.98 (25) |
1.13 (29) |
0.61 (15) |
0.49 (12) |
0.56 (14) |
0.89 (23) |
1.44 (37) |
1.66 (42) |
11.86 (301) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 7.3 (19) |
4.0 (10) |
0.7 (1.8) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
2.5 (6.4) |
7.7 (20) |
22.3 (57) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 8 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 68 |
| Source: Western Regional Climate Center,[13] The Weather Channel[14] | |||||||||||||
Demographics
edit| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910 | 611 | — | |
| 1920 | 1,015 | 66.1% | |
| 1930 | 1,519 | 49.7% | |
| 1940 | 1,735 | 14.2% | |
| 1950 | 2,013 | 16.0% | |
| 1960 | 2,001 | −0.6% | |
| 1970 | 2,015 | 0.7% | |
| 1980 | 2,326 | 15.4% | |
| 1990 | 2,370 | 1.9% | |
| 2000 | 2,484 | 4.8% | |
| 2010 | 2,552 | 2.7% | |
| 2020 | 2,379 | −6.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[15] 2020 Census[2] | |||
2010 census
editAs of the 2010 census,[16] there were 2,552 people, 983 households, and 619 families living in the city. The population density was 1,308.7 inhabitants per square mile (505.3/km2). There were 1,051 housing units at an average density of 539.0 per square mile (208.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 79.8% White, 0.5% African American, 7.9% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 6.4% from other races, and 4.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.1% of the population.
There were 983 households, of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.6% were married couples living together, 15.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.0% were non-families. 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.91.
The median age in the city was 37.7 years. 24.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.3% were from 25 to 44; 26.6% were from 45 to 64; and 14.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.7% male and 49.3% female.
2000 census
editAs of the 2000 census, there were 2,484 people, 909 households, and 599 families living in the city. The population density was 1,354.8 people per square mile (524.1/km2). There were 997 housing units at an average density of 543.8 per square mile (210.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 80.60% White, 0.36% African American, 8.17% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 6.64% from other races, and 3.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.10% of the population.
There were 909 households, out of which 37.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.1% were married couples living together, 13.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.7% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,994, and the median income for a family was $33,947. Males had a median income of $31,143 versus $20,822 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,849. About 20.2% of families and 24.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.9% of those under age 18 and 16.3% of those age 65 or over.
Sister city
editOkanogan has one Sister City, according to the Washington State Lt. Governor's list of Washington Sister Cities:
References
edit- ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
- ^ a b c "Census Bureau profile: Okanogan, Washington". United States Census Bureau. May 2023. Retrieved May 12, 2024.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
- ^ "Okanogan". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Urban Cluster Reference Map" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 1, 2010. Retrieved May 17, 2013.
- ^ AirNav
- ^ a b c Smart, Sara (January 27, 2022). "A couple renovating a 115-year-old building discovered two 60-foot-long hidden murals". CNN. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
- ^ Perez, Brianda (January 25, 2022). "Couple finds 60-foot secret mural hidden on walls of Okanogan building". KREM2. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
- ^ Somers, Dave; Perez, Brianda (February 3, 2022). "Couple that found hidden historical mural in Okanogan building shares renovation plans". KREM2. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on January 12, 2012. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
- ^ "Okanogan, Washington". Google Maps.
- ^ "Omak 2 NW, Washington (456123) – Period of Record Monthly Climate Summary". Western Regional Climate Center. Retrieved November 25, 2012.
- ^ "Average Weather for Omak, Washington". The Weather Channel. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
- ^ United States Census Bureau. "Census of Population and Housing". Retrieved October 4, 2013.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 19, 2012.