Oso, Washington

Oso, Washington
CDP
Location of Oso, Washington
Location of Oso, Washington
Coordinates: 48°16′20″N 121°55′9″W / 48.27222°N 121.91917°W / 48.27222; -121.91917
CountryUnited States
StateWashington
CountySnohomish
Area
 • Total
3.7 sq mi (9.6 km2)
 • Land3.6 sq mi (9.4 km2)
 • Water0.077 sq mi (0.2 km2)
Elevation
207 ft (63 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
172
 • Density47/sq mi (18/km2)
Time zoneUTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code
98223
Area code360
FIPS code53-52110[1]
GNIS feature ID1524091[2]

Oso is a census-designated place (CDP) in Snohomish County, Washington, United States.[3][4] It is located to the west of Darrington, south of the North Fork of the Stillaguamish River and approximately 50 air miles (80 km) from Seattle. The population of Oso was 172 at the 2020 census.[5] The area was the site of a large landslide in March 2014 that killed 43 people, the deadliest incident of its kind in U.S. history.

History

The town was originally named Allen, but was renamed to Oso to avoid confusion with Allyn in Mason County.[6] Oso is Spanish for bear and was named by J. P. Britzius after the town of Oso, Texas in Fayette County.[7] The Texas town no longer exists, having been abandoned in favor of the nearby town of Flatonia which had a railway station.[8]

2014 mudslide

On Saturday, March 22, 2014, at 10:37 a.m. local time, a major mudflow occurred 4 miles (6.4 km) east of Oso, when a portion of an unstable hill collapsed, sending mud and debris across the North Fork of the Stillaguamish River, engulfing a rural neighborhood, and covering an area of approximately 1 square mile (2.6 km2). Forty-three people were killed.[9]

2016 wildfire

In May 2016, a wildfire grew off State Route 530 near Oso. As of May 13, the wildfire had spread to over 100 acres (40 ha).[10]

Geography

Oso is located along the Stillaguamish River North Fork, which forms a valley between several arms of the Cascade Range.[11] The community is accessible via State Route 530, which continues 12 miles (19 km) west to Arlington and 16 miles (26 km) east to Darrington.[12][13]

Oso is located at 48°16′20″N 121°55′9″W / 48.27222°N 121.91917°W / 48.27222; -121.91917 (48.272281, −121.919235).[14] The United States Census Bureau defines the Oso CDP as extending north from the river to the Skagit County border. It has a total area of 3.7 square miles (9.6 km2), of which, 3.6 square miles (9.4 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km2) of it (2.43%) is water.[14]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
2000246—
2010180−26.8%
2020172−4.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[15]
1970[16] 1980[17] 1990[18]
2000[19] 2010[20]

Oso first appeared as a census designated place in the 2000 U.S. census.[19]

Racial and ethnic composition

Oso CDP, Washington – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000[21] Pop 2010[22] Pop 2020[23] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 244 167 144 99.19% 92.78% 83.72%
Black or African American alone (NH) 1 1 1 0.41% 0.56% 0.58%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 0 1 3 0.00% 0.56% 1.74%
Asian alone (NH) 0 1 1 0.00% 0.56% 0.58%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) 0 0 0 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Other race alone (NH) 0 0 2 0.00% 0.00% 1.16%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 0 1 11 0.00% 0.56% 6.40%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1 9 10 0.41% 5.00% 5.81%
Total 246 180 172 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

2000 census

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 246 people, 96 households, and 69 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 68.0 people per square mile (26.2/km2). There were 102 housing units at an average density of 28.2/sq mi (10.9/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 99.19% White, 0.41% African American, and 0.41% from other races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.41% of the population.

There were 96 households, out of which 37.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.4% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.1% were non-families. 22.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the CDP, the age distribution of the population shows 28.5% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.6 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $75,315, and the median income for a family was $78,786. Males had a median income of $39,489 versus $21,250 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $23,700. None of the population or families were below the poverty line.

Points of interest

References

Wikimedia Commons logo Media related to Oso, Washington at Wikimedia Commons

  1. 1 2 "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  2. ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Oso
  3. ↑ "Oso Census Designated Place: United States, geographic coordinates, administrative division, map". Geographical Names. Retrieved March 28, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Oso: United States, geographic coordinates, administrative division, map". Geographical Names. Retrieved March 28, 2014.
  5. ↑ "Census Bureau profile: Oso, Washington". United States Census Bureau. May 2023. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  6. ↑ Meany, Edmond S. (1923). Origin of Washington geographic names. Seattle: University of Washington Press. p. 202.
  7. ↑ "Oso". Washington Place Names database. Tacoma Public Library. Archived from the original on March 9, 2009. Retrieved March 6, 2009.
  8. ↑ "Some Mysteries About Grandma Quick's Grave", Tuesday, January 9, 1973, Dallas Morning News (Dallas, Texas), p. 15.
  9. ↑ Snohomish County Medical Examiner's Office (July 23, 2014). "Snohomish County Medical Examiner's Office Media Update". Retrieved July 27, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Wildfire near Oso grows to 130 acres". KIRO7. May 13, 2016.
  11. ↑ Alexander, Brian (March 8, 2006). "Sometimes, a river decides to go its own way". The Seattle Times. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
  12. ↑ Yefimova, Katya (June 27, 2009). "Even without its barn, Oso art show goes on". The Everett Herald. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
  13. ↑ "A brief history of Darrington and Oso". KING 5 News. March 26, 2014. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
  14. 1 2 "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  15. ↑ "Decennial Census by Decade". United States Census Bureau.
  16. ↑ "1970 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Washington" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 28, 2023.
  17. ↑ "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Washington" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 19, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  18. ↑ "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Washington" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 22, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  19. 1 2 "2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Washington" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 26, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  20. ↑ "2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Washington" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 24, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  21. ↑ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Oso CDP, Washington". United States Census Bureau.
  22. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Oso CDP, Washington". United States Census Bureau.
  23. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Oso CDP, Washington". United States Census Bureau.
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