View source for Pilot Rock, Oregon

{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Pilot Rock, Oregon
|settlement_type          = [[City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    = A Home at the Base of the Blues
|image_skyline            = Town_of_Pilot_Rock_Oregon_and_surrounding_area_-_aerial_2.jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = Pilot Rock and the surrounding area
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               = 
|image_map = Umatilla_County_Oregon_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Pilot_Rock_Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location in [[Oregon]]
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             = 
|subdivision_type         = Country
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Oregon]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Oregon|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Umatilla County, Oregon|Umatilla]]
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name              = Randy Gawith
|established_title        = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
|established_date         = 1911
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_sq_mi         = 1.47
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/5/query?where=STATE='41'&outFields=NAME,STATE,PLACE,AREALAND,AREAWATER,LSADC,CENTLAT,CENTLON&orderByFields=PLACE&returnGeometry=false&returnTrueCurves=false&f=json|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 12, 2022}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 3.81
|area_land_sq_mi          = 1.45
|area_land_km2            = 3.76
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.02
|area_water_km2           = 0.05
|area_urban_sq_mi         = 
|area_urban_km2           = 
|area_metro_sq_mi         = 
|area_metro_km2           = 
|population_footnotes     = <ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly"/>
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_est           = 
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|population_note          = 
|population_total         = 1328
|population_metro         = 
|population_urban         = 
|population_density_km2   = 353.18
|population_density_sq_mi = 914.60
|timezone                 = [[Pacific Standard Time Zone|Pacific]]
|utc_offset               = -8
|timezone_DST             = Pacific
|utc_offset_DST           = -7
|coordinates              = {{coord|45|29|25|N|118|50|05|W|type:city_region:US-OR|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 1631
|website                  = [https://www.cityofpilotrock.org www.cityofpilotrock.org]
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 97868
|area_code                = [[Area code 541|541]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 41-57650<ref name ="wwwcensusgov"/>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2411422<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2411422}}</ref>
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|unit_pref = Imperial
}}
'''Pilot Rock''' is a city in [[Umatilla County, Oregon|Umatilla County]], [[Oregon]], United States. The population was 1,328 at the [[2020 United States Census|2020 census]]. It is part of the [[Pendleton, Oregon|Pendleton]]&ndash;[[Hermiston, Oregon|Hermiston]] [[Hermiston-pendleton micropolitan area|Micropolitan Statistical Area]]. The main industries are timber and agriculture. Pilot Rock is home to [[Pilot Rock High School]]. The name of Pilot Rock refers to a large basalt rock formation which is visible from the old Oregon Trail and was used in navigating wagon trains through the area.<ref>{{cite web |title=Community, Pilot Rock, OR |url=https://www.cityofpilotrock.org/community |website=cityofpilotrock.org |access-date=16 April 2022}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|1.47|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|1.45|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|0.02|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is water.<ref name="Gazetteer files">{{cite web|title=US Gazetteer files 2010|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2012-12-21|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120702145235/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt|archivedate=2012-07-02}}</ref>

==Climate==
According to the [[Köppen Climate Classification]] system, Pilot Rock has a [[steppe climate]], abbreviated ''BSk'' on climate maps.

{{Weather box
|location = Pilot Rock, Oregon (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1909–2023)
|single line = Y
| Jan record high F = 76
| Feb record high F = 79
| Mar record high F = 82
| Apr record high F = 94
| May record high F = 101
| Jun record high F = 112
| Jul record high F = 116
| Aug record high F = 111
| Sep record high F = 103
| Oct record high F = 92
| Nov record high F = 81
| Dec record high F = 72
| year record high F = 116

| Jan high F  = 45.4
| Feb high F  = 49.4
| Mar high F  = 57.0
| Apr high F  = 63.4
| May high F  = 72.2
| Jun high F  = 79.5
| Jul high F  = 90.5
| Aug high F  = 90.0
| Sep high F  = 80.4
| Oct high F  = 66.6
| Nov high F  = 52.8
| Dec high F  = 44.2
| year high F = 66.0

| Jan mean F  = 35.8
| Feb mean F  = 38.4
| Mar mean F  = 44.3
| Apr mean F  = 49.5
| May mean F  = 57.3
| Jun mean F  = 63.6
| Jul mean F  = 71.7
| Aug mean F  = 71.0
| Sep mean F  = 62.7
| Oct mean F  = 51.6
| Nov mean F  = 41.4
| Dec mean F  = 34.9
| year mean F = 51.8

| Jan low F  = 26.3
| Feb low F  = 27.4
| Mar low F  = 31.5
| Apr low F  = 35.7
| May low F  = 42.5
| Jun low F  = 47.7
| Jul low F  = 52.9
| Aug low F  = 52.0
| Sep low F  = 45.0
| Oct low F  = 36.6
| Nov low F  = 30.0
| Dec low F  = 25.6
| year low F = 37.8

| Jan record low F = -21
| Feb record low F = -19
| Mar record low F = 0
| Apr record low F = 8
| May record low F = 25
| Jun record low F = 28
| Jul record low F = 30
| Aug record low F = 32
| Sep record low F = 19
| Oct record low F = 9
| Nov record low F = -15
| Dec record low F = -21
| year record low F = -21

| precipitation colour    = green
| Jan precipitation inch  = 1.40
| Feb precipitation inch  = 1.25
| Mar precipitation inch  = 1.79
| Apr precipitation inch  = 1.64
| May precipitation inch  = 2.09
| Jun precipitation inch  = 1.56
| Jul precipitation inch  = 0.27
| Aug precipitation inch  = 0.41
| Sep precipitation inch  = 0.60
| Oct precipitation inch  = 1.07
| Nov precipitation inch  = 1.50
| Dec precipitation inch  = 1.44
| year precipitation inch = 15.02

| Jan snow inch  = 3.7
| Feb snow inch  = 2.1
| Mar snow inch  = 0.5
| Apr snow inch  = 0.0
| May snow inch  = 0.0
| Jun snow inch  = 0.0
| Jul snow inch  = 0.0
| Aug snow inch  = 0.0
| Sep snow inch  = 0.0
| Oct snow inch  = 0.1
| Nov snow inch  = 1.1
| Dec snow inch  = 2.6
| year snow inch = 10.1

| unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
| Jan precipitation days  = 10.0
| Feb precipitation days  = 8.7
| Mar precipitation days  = 10.7
| Apr precipitation days  = 10.3
| May precipitation days  = 10.2
| Jun precipitation days  = 6.8
| Jul precipitation days  = 2.5
| Aug precipitation days  = 2.4
| Sep precipitation days  = 4.1
| Oct precipitation days  = 7.2
| Nov precipitation days  = 10.6
| Dec precipitation days  = 10.8
| year precipitation days = 94.3

| unit snow days = 0.1 in
| Jan snow days  = 1.1
| Feb snow days  = 0.7
| Mar snow days  = 0.2
| Apr snow days  = 0.0
| May snow days  = 0.0
| Jun snow days  = 0.0
| Jul snow days  = 0.0
| Aug snow days  = 0.0
| Sep snow days  = 0.0
| Oct snow days  = 0.0
| Nov snow days  = 0.4
| Dec snow days  = 0.6
| year snow days = 3.0

| source 1 = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]]<ref name="NCEI">{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00356634&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|title = Summary of Monthly Normals 1991-2020
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|access-date = December 13, 2025}}</ref>
|source 2 = WRCC (extremes)<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?or6634 |title=PILOT ROCK 1 SE, OR (356634) |accessdate=November 26, 2015 |publisher=Western Regional Climate Center }}</ref>
|date=November 2015
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1910= 197
|1920= 361
|1930= 275
|1940= 358
|1950= 847
|1960= 1695
|1970= 1612
|1980= 1630
|1990= 1478
|2000= 1533
|2010= 1502
|2020= 1328
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 4, 2015}}</ref><ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly">{{cite web|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=P1_001N%2CNAME&for=place%3A%2A&in=state%3A41|title=Census Population API|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=Oct 12, 2022}}</ref>
| align = right
| align-fn = center
}}

===2020 census===

As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], Pilot Rock had a population of 1,328. The median age was 42.9 years, with 20.4% of residents under the age of 18 and 22.4% aged 65 years or older. For every 100 females there were 96.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 94.3 males age 18 and over.<ref name="Census2020DP">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dp|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=January 29, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref>

There were 572 households in Pilot Rock, of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 46.5% were married-couple households, 18.9% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 26.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

There were 620 housing units, of which 7.7% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 72.9% were owner-occupied and 27.1% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.5%.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.<ref name="Census2020DHC">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dhc|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2023|access-date=January 29, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census<ref name="Census2020PL">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=NAME%2CP1_001N%2CP1_003N%2CP1_004N%2CP1_005N%2CP1_006N%2CP1_007N%2CP1_008N%2CP1_009N%2CP2_001N%2CP2_002N%2CH1_001N%2CH1_002N&for=place%3A57650&in=state%3A41|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=January 29, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref>
! Race !! Number !! Percent
|-
| [[White Americans|White]] || 1,167 || 87.9%
|-
| [[African Americans|Black or African American]] || 4 || 0.3%
|-
| [[Native Americans in the United States|American Indian and Alaska Native]] || 36 || 2.7%
|-
| [[Asian Americans|Asian]] || 0 || 0%
|-
| [[Native Hawaiians|Native Hawaiian]] and [[Pacific Islander|Other Pacific Islander]] || 0 || 0%
|-
| Some other race || 22 || 1.7%
|-
| [[Multiracial Americans|Two or more races]] || 99 || 7.5%
|-
| ''[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (of any race)'' || 60 || 4.5%
|}

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]] of 2010, there were 1,502 people, 582 households, and 416 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1035.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 649 housing units at an average density of {{convert|447.6|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 93.5% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 1.7% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1.0% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 3.7% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 3.2% of the population.<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2012-12-21}}</ref>

There were 582 households, of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.4% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 28.5% were non-families. 22.9% 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 2.58 and the average family size was 2.99.<ref name ="wwwcensusgov"/>

The median age in the city was 37.9 years. 27% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.9% were from 25 to 44; 25.6% were from 45 to 64; and 16.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.7% male and 51.3% female.<ref name ="wwwcensusgov"/>

===2000 census===
[[File:Town of Pilot Rock Oregon - aerial 1.jpg|thumb|Town of Pilot Rock]]
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,532 people, 590 households, and 454 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,968.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 630 housing units at an average density of {{convert|809.5|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 94.13% White, 0.26% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 2.68% Native American, 0.26% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.65% from other races, and 2.02% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.50% of the population.<ref name ="wwwcensusgov"/>

There were 590 households, out of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.4% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.9% were non-families. 20.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 2.94.<ref name ="wwwcensusgov"/>

In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.9% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.0 males.<ref name ="wwwcensusgov"/>

The median income for a household in the city was $34,766, and the median income for a family was $40,134. Males had a median income of $31,364 versus $19,792 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $15,666. About 6.4% of families and 9.0% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 9.8% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.<ref name ="wwwcensusgov"/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://sos.oregon.gov/blue-book/Pages/local/cities/l-r/pilot-rock.aspx Entry for Pilot Rock] in the ''[[Oregon Blue Book]]''

{{Umatilla County, Oregon}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Oregon]]
[[Category:Cities in Umatilla County, Oregon]]
[[Category:Hermiston–Pendleton micropolitan area]]
[[Category:1911 establishments in Oregon]]