Stayton is a city in Marion County, Oregon, United States, located southeast of the state capital, Salem, on Oregon Route 22. It is south of Sublimity and southeast of Aumsville. Located on the North Santiam River, Stayton is a regional agricultural and light manufacturing center. The population was 8,244 at the 2020 census. A ferry crossing of the Santiam River operated from 1876 until a bridge was constructed in 1888. By 1880, a laundry had been established by Kee Sing and Tom. The first newspaper, The Stayton Sun, was published in 1889 by T. H. McGill.

The founder of Stayton, Drury Stayton, originally wanted to name the city after his daughter, Florence Stayton. After his petition was denied by the post office because another city in Oregon was named Florence, he chose Stayton and named a street after his daughter. The city was incorporated as the Town of Stayton in 1891 after a failed attempt in 1884.

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Demographics

thumb|Stayton–Jordan bridge in Pioneer Park

thumb|upright|The Santiam Depot, a restaurant

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Stayton had a population of 8,244. The median age was 37.9 years, with 24.7% of residents under the age of 18 and 17.6% of residents 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 93.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 91.7 males age 18 and over.

98.5% of residents lived in urban areas, while 1.5% lived in rural areas.

There were 3,105 households in Stayton, of which 35.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 49.8% were married-couple households, 16.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 26.5% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 23.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

! Race !! Number !! Percent

|-

| White || 6,386 || 77.5%

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| Black or African American || 55 || 0.7%

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| American Indian and Alaska Native || 130 || 1.6%

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| Asian || 74 || 0.9%

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| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 17 || 0.2%

|-

| Some other race || 754 || 9.1%

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| Two or more races || 828 || 10.0%

|-

| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 1,441 || 17.5%

|}

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 7,644 people, 2,882 households, and 2,031 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 3,049 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 87.7% White, 14.3% Hispanic or Latino, 1.4% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.5% African American, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 5.9% from other races, and 3.6% from two or more races.

There were 2,882 households, of which 38.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.3% were married couples living together, 14.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 29.5% were non-families. 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.15.

The median age in the city was 35 years. 27.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.3% were from 25 to 44; 24.9% were from 45 to 64; and 12.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.3% male and 51.7% female.

2000 census

As of the census The only state highway is Route 22, which is located on the north side of Stayton, separating it from Sublimity.

Points of interest

Local attractions include Pioneer Park with the Stayton–Jordan Bridge, a covered bridge. A copy of the Jordan Bridge that spanned Thomas Creek east of Scio, it was moved to the park in 1988. Destroyed by fire in 1994, it was rebuilt and painted white. It is used for social occasions such as weddings. Kingston Prairie Preserve, southeast of Stayton, protects a remnant of the native prairie that was once common in the central Willamette Valley. Silver Falls State Park is northeast of Stayton; it is the largest state park in Oregon and a major tourist destination in the region, popular for its camping, and for its waterfalls.

Notable people

  • Jay Baller, Major League Baseball pitcher
  • Greg Brock, Major League Baseball first baseman
  • Fred Girod, politician
  • Travis Lulay, football player
  • Albin W. Norblad, judge
  • A. Walter Norblad, congressman
  • Terry Schrunk, mayor of Portland
  • Wanda Brown Shaw, educator

References

  • Entry for Stayton in the Oregon Blue Book