Echo is a city in Umatilla County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2020 census, Echo had a population of 632. It is part of the Pendleton–Hermiston Micropolitan Statistical Area.
History
thumb|left|Former Bank of Echo, now the Echo Historical Museum
thumb|Cemetery in Echo, Oregon|alt=|left
The original Oregon Trail passed just south of Echo. When the Columbia Plateau Route opened in 1847, it passed directly through Echo, crossing the Umatilla River. This eventually became the primary route of the Oregon Trail. Frequently pioneers would stay in Lower Crossing Camp, also located in Echo (the Upper Crossing being at Pendleton). In the 1860s, settlers began moving into the area, and built a ferry crossing the Umatilla River at Echo. The city of Echo is named after Echo Koontz, daughter of Cynthia and J. H. Koontz. Agriculture was the first draw, with alfalfa and corn being the main crops. A town was platted by 1880, and the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company built a railroad through Echo by 1883, which made the town a shipping point for wool, cattle and sheep during the early 1900s. Echo was incorporated in 1904.
On December 22, 1927, William Edward Hickman, the murderer of Marion Parker in Los Angeles on December 17, was arrested by police near the town. The place of Hickman's arrest was commemorated by a billboard.
Geography
Echo is south of Hermiston and west of Pendleton in northeastern Oregon. It lies along the Umatilla River about south of Interstate 84 and U.S. Route 395.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.
Climate
According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Echo has a semi-arid climate, abbreviated "BSk" on climate maps.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Echo had a population of 632. The median age was 39.4 years. 22.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 20.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 96.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.6 males age 18 and over.
0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 253 households in Echo, of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 45.1% were married-couple households, 22.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 21.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
! Race !! Number !! Percent
|-
| White || 507 || 80.2%
|-
| Black or African American || 1 || 0.2%
|-
| American Indian and Alaska Native || 5 || 0.8%
|-
| Asian || 1 || 0.2%
|-
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 0 || 0%
|-
| Some other race || 28 || 4.4%
|-
| Two or more races || 90 || 14.2%
|-
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 88 || 13.9%
|}
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 699 people, 245 households, and 177 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 256 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 86.1% White, 1.0% Native American, 0.7% Pacific Islander, 9.6% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.4% of the population.
There were 245 households, of which 40.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples living together, 17.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 27.8% were non-families. 22.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.85 and the average family size was 3.22.