Curry County

Curry County, Oregon

Population

21,776

Indigenous Peoples

• Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, & Siuslaw Indians
• Coquille Indian Tribe

Major Waterways

• Chetco River
• Elk River
• Lower Rogue River
• New River
• Pistol River
• Sixes River

Major Employers

• Government

  • Bureau of Land Management
  • US Forest Service
  • US Postal Service (USPS)

• Education

  • Brookings-Harbor School District
  • Southwestern Oregon Community College (SWOCC)

• Health Care

  • Curry Health Network

Major Attractions

• Cape Blanco State Park & Lighthouse
• Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor
• Otter Point State Recreation Site
• Floras Lake State Natural Area

Recreational Activities

• Golf
• Hiking
• Bicycling
• Camping
• Birding
• Fishing
• Surfing
• Kayaking, rafting, & jet boating
• Whale watching

Summary

Bordering California’s Del Norte County and Oregon’s Coos, Douglas, and Josephine Counties, Curry County sits at the southwesternmost corner of Oregon’s scenic coast. It is home to the picturesque towns of Brookings, Gold Beach, and Port Orford.

The county was established in 1855 and is named for George Law Curry, a journalist and editor of the Oregon Spectator newspaper who served two terms as acting governor of the Oregon Territory.

The Athabaskan-speaking tribes of Chetco and Tututni subgroups such as the Chetlessentunne originally inhabited the region. Federally recognized tribes in present-day Curry County comprise the Coquille Indian Tribe and Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, & Siuslaw Indians.

The discovery of gold along the Illinois River in 1850 sparked a wave of nonindigenous settlers and prospectors setting up transient mining camps, some hailing from California. A decade later, diminishing gold deposits prompted an economic pivot to lumber milling and agricultural endeavors such as cattle ranching.

The 1994 introduction of the Northwest Forest Plan, which included protections for endangered species such as the spotted owl, led to a significant curtailment of the timber industry. The commercial fishing industry out of the Port of Brookings Harbor remains a strong component of the coastal economy.

Today, Curry County is primarily a destination for tourists and retirees, with a median age of 57.2 in 2023—almost one-and-a-half times Oregon’s 40.1 median. Nearly a third of the county’s population is 65 or older.

Most job opportunities are in the government, health care, educational, and tourism sectors. Major employers include the Bureau of Land Management, US Forest Service, US Postal Service, Curry Health Network, Brookings-Harbor School District, and Southwestern Oregon Community College.

Curry County’s rugged coastal beauty combines with redwood forests and wild rivers such as the Chetco, Lower Rogue, Elk, and Pistol Rivers to create a wealth of recreational offerings, including golf, hiking, bicycling, camping, birding, fishing, surfing, kayaking, rafting, jet boating, and whale watching.

Hiking opportunities abound at venues such as the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor, Cape Sebastian Coast Trail, Floras Lake State Natural Area, Otter Point State Recreation Site, Cape Blanco State Park, and Oregon Caves National Monument.

With around 70 percent of the county’s land owned by the federal government, housing is limited in availability, driving higher prices for properties in this desirable location. Commercial and residential property owners in Curry County can depend on Phoenix Appraisal Network’s expert services for values you can trust.