Rowena Oregon, 2009
Rowena’s story
115 years in pictures
The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2009.
- 1911Rowena is settled
RowenaOR
This town of 181 people was settled in 1911.
Photo: Tedder · CC BY 3.0
Is Rowena a good place to live?
58% of residents live below the poverty line in Rowena, above both the Oregon town median (11%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). No town among the 143 in Oregon we compare has a lower home-ownership rate than Rowena. 53% of the land in Rowena is conserved, above both the Oregon town median (4.4%) and the median of U.S. towns (4.3%). Mount Hood National Forest, at 522 acres with 1.2 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. Rowena has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
181 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
Moving to Rowena: who provides what
Rowena is unincorporated, so Wasco County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerNorthern Wasco County PUD7.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesWasco CountyWasco 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 hereWasco County Clerk, Elections OfficeWasco County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code9705897058 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.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Rowena.
Outdoors
Protected land: nearly a third of Rowena
In 3 parks and preserves, walkers have 1.8 miles of trail. The trail network density for Rowena comes to 1.0 miles per square mile.
52.6%conserved
52.6%
conserved · 604 of 1,147 acres
1.8 mi
of trails · 1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Mount Hood National Forest | 1.2 mi | 522 |
| 2. Mayer State Park | — | 65 |
| 3. Tom McCall Preserve at Rowena | 0.1 mi | 15 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Natural hazards
The FEMA risk score in Rowena is higher than in most of Oregon or the rest of the country
61% of Rowena’s expected losses from natural hazards come from wildfires, followed by inland flooding at 28%. Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 95% of U.S. communities.
95risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
WildfireInland flooding
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
About half of Rowena’s working residents commute to The Dalles
The top destinations are The Dalles (45%), Portland (8%) and Hood River (5%). Half the trips to work are shorter than 11 miles.
0%work in town
Where working residents work
In Rowena0%
The Dalles45%
Portland8%
Hood River5%
Oregon City3%
11 mi
median commute distance
13
jobs based in Rowena
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Rowena
The range runs from 31° on a January night to 86° on a July afternoon, with about 6 inches of snow a winter.
6″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter31–44°
Spring40–64°
Summer55–84°
Fall41–65°
Oct 26
typical first frost
Apr 11
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Rowena is
In Rowena, 14% of adults binge drink. On the CDC’s 26 measures, Rowena is ahead of Oregon on 2 and behind on 10. Two in five adults here have high blood pressure; 16% report frequent physical distress.
| Rowena | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 11% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 33% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 15% | 14% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 15% | 16% |
26 measures vs. Oregon
2 better14 too close to call10 worse
| What stands out | Rowena | OR |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 77% | 71.4% |
| More adults getting cholesterol checked | 87.4% | 84% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 18.6% | 12.5% |
Mid-Columbia Medical Center
7.8 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Nearby attractions
All 33 attractions →Mount Hood and 16 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Rowena. Close and well known come first.
Big draw29 mi MountainMount Hood
38 mi MountainMount Adams
25 mi Canyon & gorgeColumbia River Gorge
32 mi DamBonneville Dam
20 mi MuseumMaryhill Museum of Art
29 mi National forestMount Hood National ForestSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Mount Hood: Oregon's Mt. Hood Territory., Public domain · Mount Adams: USGS Photo by R. Iverson, USGS/CVO, Public domain · Columbia River Gorge: Hux, Public domain · Bonneville Dam: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Public domain · Maryhill Museum of Art: Cacophony, CC BY 3.0 · Mount Hood National Forest: Andy Barrett (User:Big Smooth), CC BY 2.5
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Rowena
15pages on Rowena
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Rowena
Columbia Gorge Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · The Dalles6.8 mi$5,940 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Rowena residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Oregon.
Get outside
2 miles of trails in Rowena
52.6% of the town is conserved land, across 3 parks and preserves.
3
Tom McCall Preserve at Rowena0.1 mi of trails · 15 acres
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
About Rowena
Unincorporated community in the state of Oregon, United States
Rowena is an unincorporated community in Wasco County, Oregon, United States. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Rowena as a census-designated place (CDP). The census definition of the area may not precisely correspond to local understanding of the area with the same name. As of the 2020 census, Rowena had a population of 192. Rowena is located west of The Dalles on the Columbia River, where the river passes through the natural feature Rowena Gap. Interstate 84 (Columbia River Highway) and U.S. Route 30 (Historic Columbia River Highway) pass through the community. Route 30 near Rowena is notable for the Rowena Loops. The origin of the name "Rowena" is disp…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 138 ft
- Area code
- 458, 541
Questions about Rowena
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Rowena, OR a good place to live?
Rowena has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.