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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Ashland man admits to laundering pot money ... Pot crash course offered in Ashland ... Animal Control rescues stranded Labrador ... Ashland man admits to laundering pot money ... Pot crash course offered in Ashland ... Animal Control rescues stranded Labrador ... GROWING NUMBERS Oregon population hits 4 million Expert: State is 'attractive' to newcomers Comment By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted Nov. 17, 2015 at 3:34 PM By The Associated Press Posted Nov. 17, 2015 at 3:34 PM » Social News PORTLAND — New estimates from Portland State University say Oregon gained its 4-millionth resident this year. "Reaching 4 million this year indicates our economy is more than OK," Risa Proehl, a Portland State population expert who worked on the estimates, told The Oregonian. "It means that our state is attractive to people." The last such major milestone was in the early 1990s, when Oregon was growing at rates it hasn't seen since. The state hit 3 million people in 1993, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. The university's Population Research Center estimates that 4,013,845 people lived in Oregon as of July 1. According to Proehl, a robust and healthy economy is driving the population growth. About 80 percent of the 2015 increase was from migration, she said, and the remaining increase was caused by more people being born than dying. Just four years ago, during the Great Recession, the population increase was just half a percent -- the smallest in 25 years. But the overall growth rate for 2015 was 1.3 percent. Oregon's natural growth -- the rate of people being born versus that of people dying -- has been decreasing for some time, according to state demographer Kanhaiya Vaidya. Recently, births have outpaced deaths each year in Oregon, but Vaidya said there will be a day when the state will depend entirely on migration for population growth. Babies aren't being born at sufficient rates to make up for the fact that their parents will one day die. To sustain itself, the population needs an average of 2.1 babies born per woman. Oregon has had a fertility rate lower than that since at least 2000, according to Proehl. The baby boomer generation isn't getting any younger, she added. Vaidya says the balance will tip in 2040, with more Oregonians dying each year than are born. PSU and stat estimates say the state's population is expected to hit 5 million in the 2030s. By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted Nov. 17, 2015 at 3:34 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501