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A low fertility rate is contributing to an Oregon first: More people died in the state last year than were born.
Preliminary numbers show deaths increased about 7% because of COVID-19. But a low birthrate is also a factor.
For the first time in recorded history, deaths outnumbered births in Oregon.
For years, Oregon’s been averaging about 1,500 more births a year, than deaths. But since the great recession in 2008, that average has gradually been dropping.
Josh Lehner, with the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis, said COVID-related deaths last year finally pushed the number into negative territory not by a lot but about 200 more Oregonians died last year than were born.
For the first time in recorded history, deaths outnumbered births in Oregon. For years, Oregon’s been averaging about 1,500 more births a year, than deaths
Kristian Foden-Vencil
For the first time in recorded history, deaths outnumbered births in Oregon.
For years, Oregon’s been averaging about 1,500 more births a year than deaths. But since the Great Recession in 2008, that average has gradually been dropping.
Josh Lehner, with the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis, said COVID-related deaths last year finally pushed the number into negative territory not by a lot but about 200 more Oregonians died last year than were born.
February 04 2021
Vital statistics are released for 2020 as the Oregon Health Authority reports 730 more cases and seven additional deaths.
Oregon experienced more deaths than births last year for the first time, in part because of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the pandemic wanes, the number of deaths should fall as well, meaning Oregon s natural increase in the population is not yet turning into a natural decrease on a sustained basis, Josh Lehner of the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis wrote on his blog Wednesday, Feb. 3.
Lehner s comment was in response to the updated monthly vital statistics births and deaths released by the Oregon Health Authority through December 2020. In the past 12 months, deaths outnumbered births by just over 200, at least in the preliminary numbers, which will change some when all the records are complete, Lehner wrote.
Builders, lawmakers seek housing solutions January 27 2021
Annual summit addresses the need for many more homes to be built in Oregon every year.
New home construction was one of the brightest economic stars last year. After a 13-year slump caused by the Great Recession, housing starts returned to historic levels in 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
But annual construction in Oregon needs to increase by one-third over the next 20 years to provide enough additional housing to ease the affordable housing crisis and to reduce homelessness. The state currently needs nearly 600,000 additional units of all kinds to meet the existing and projected demand through 2040.