Eugene Apartments for Rent:

City Summary - Eugene, Oregon

Eugene, Oregon, is named after Eugene Franklin Skinner who founded the city in 1846. The city is the state capital and the seat of Lane County. With more than 153,000 residents, Eugene is the second-largest city in Oregon. Whites account for 81.8 percent of the population with German, English and Irish as the primary ethic groups in the city. Hispanics and Latinos are the largest minority, accounting for 6.4 percent of the population. Only 24.52 percent of the population of Eugene is affiliated with any religious congregation, roughly half that of the U.S. average rate. Catholicism and Mormonism are the largest religions in the city, but there is also a presence of Protestant Christians, Muslims, Jews and Sikhs in the area.

Education is the largest employer in Eugene with 15.5 percent of all jobs. The University of Oregon is located in the city and serves as the second largest employer. The university has a total enrollment of more than 22,000 students, making it the second-largest, four-year postsecondary institution in Oregon. Eugene's Lane Community College is also among the top 10 biggest employers in the city; additional postsecondary institutions in the capital include New Hope Christian College, Gutenberg College, Northwest Christian University and a branch campus of Pacific University.

The Eugene School District ranks as the third-largest employer and oversees more than 50 primary and secondary schools. One of these institutions, South Eugene High School received a silver medal in the "Best High Schools in the United States" rankings from "U.S. News and World Report" in 2011.

Healthcare provides 9.1 percent of all jobs, making it the second-largest industry in Eugene. PeaceHealth Medical Group ranks as the largest company in the city with more than 4,800 workers in its facilities. Around 3.1 percent of all residents work in public administration for the federal, state, county or city governments. Computer, electronic and wood-related products comprise the largest units of the manufacturing sector in Eugene. Both Nike and Broderbund Software originated in the city as well.

The official slogan for Eugene is "A Great City for the Arts and Outdoors." Tourists travel from throughout the region to enjoy the bicycling, rafting and kayaking in its urban forest and public parks, which are interspersed throughout the city. "Bicycling Magazine" has previously rated Eugene as one of the top in the United States for its bike trails. Due to its appeal to travelers, the food and accommodation industry is sizable in Eugene; roughly 6.9 percent of residents work in these fields.

Eugene offers many cultural and community activities throughout the year. One of the largest events is the Eugene Celebration, a three-day music and arts festival during which a beauty and talent pageant for area women and drag queens is held to elect the SLUG Queen who represents the city for the year. The Oregon Bach Festival is another annual event. Held at the University of Oregon, the festival draws classical music lovers, musicians and scholars from around the world.