Pistol River Watershed, 2011
Pistol River’s story
99 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2011 and 2 maps from 1954 on.
- 1927Pistol River is settled
Pistol RiverOR
A town in Oregon.
Land area
1 sq mi
Settled
1927
99 years ago
Is Pistol River a good place to live?
Pistol River’s midsummer high is 67°F, against 82°F in Oregon’s towns and 85°F across U.S. towns. Of the 143 Oregon towns we compare, none has a higher January low than Pistol River. We don’t grade Pistol River yet; the figures below are still real.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Pistol River.
Natural hazards
The FEMA risk score in Pistol River is higher than in the typical Oregon or U.S. town
96risk score of 100
58% of Pistol River’s expected losses from natural hazards come from tsunamis, followed by earthquakes at 31%. Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 96% of U.S. communities.
FEMA risk score
TsunamisEarthquakesInland flooding
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Mild winters and pleasant summers in Pistol River
67°summer high
July afternoons reach 67°, January nights drop to 43° and snow is almost unheard of.
Typical low → high °F
Winter43–54°
Spring45–58°
Summer52–66°
Fall48–62°
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
67°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
Compared with most of Oregon and the rest of the country, more of Pistol River’s adults have diabetes
Among 143 Oregon towns, just 6 have a lower share of adults who sleep under 7 hours than Pistol River. Pistol River: 49% of adults have high blood pressure.
| Pistol River | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 11% | 12% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 15% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 49% | 33% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 32% | 36% |
26 measures vs. Oregon
8 better9 too close to call9 worse
| What stands out | Pistol River | OR |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 8.4% | 12.5% |
| Fewer binge drinkers | 10.9% | 15.4% |
| More adults with heart disease | 11.5% | 6.5% |
Curry General Hospital
8.6 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Pistol River
13pages on Pistol River
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
Getting set up
Moving to Pistol River: who provides what
Pistol River is unincorporated, so Curry County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerCoos-Curry Electric Coop14.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
Internet3 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesCurry CountyCurry County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Oregon you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person until 21 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereCurry County Clerk, Elections OfficeCurry County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2017
ZIP code9744497444 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Oct 2, 2026.
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Pistol River; the nearest are
About Pistol River
Unincorporated community in the state of Oregon, United States
Pistol River (Tolowa: chvt-ler’sh-chvn-dvn taa-ghii~-li~’ ) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Curry County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2020 census, Pistol River had a population of 89. It is near the Pistol River and the Pistol River State Scenic Viewpoint, just to the east of U.S. Route 101. The community of Pistol River takes its name from the stream that flows past it. James Mace, a militia soldier, lost a pistol in the river in 1853, during a skirmish of the Rogue River Wars, and it has been known as the Pistol River since then. The Pistol River post office was established in 1927. The Pistol River area is known for its windsurfing, and the Internationa…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 20 ft
- Area code
- 458, 541
Questions about Pistol River
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Pistol River, OR a good place to live?
We don’t grade Pistol River yet; the figures below are still real. A town in Oregon.
Pistol River is in here
Say something about Pistol River.
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