Madras is a community of diversity and opportunity. Diversity can be found in a mix of agricultural and manufacturing enterprises as well as in the cultural mix of residents. Business opportunity abounds with projected population and employment growth that is expected to be among the fastest in Oregon for much of the next decade.
History
Incorporated in 1911, Madras and nearby towns of Culver and Metolius were all communities built as service centers for a growing agricultural sector and for the booming railroad industry. Later in the century, Madras experienced another economic boon with the establishment of the US Army Air Base during World War II that was and still is capable of accommodating the B-17Flying Fortress.
Since that time the community has become an established industrial center and home to the region’s largest private or public employer, Bright Wood Corporation.
STATS AT A GLANCE
Assessed Value
|
Year |
Assessed Value |
|
1994 |
$100,788,422 |
|
1995 |
$117,568,747 |
|
1996 |
$131,659,024 |
|
1997 |
$117,741,539 |
|
1998 |
$124,009,918 |
|
1999 |
$135,054,978 |
|
2000 |
$143,026,061 |
|
2001 |
$144,804,526 |
|
2002 |
$156,630,372 |
|
2003 |
$159,286,053 |
|
2004* |
$207,155,344 | | *Includes annexed land in 2004
Top Private Largest Employers
| Bright Wood Corporation |
1107 |
| Seaswirl Boats |
269 |
| Mt. View Hospital District |
196 |
| Keith Manufacturing |
150 |
| Ericksen’s Sentry Market |
67 |
| Safeway |
60 | |
Property Tax Rate 2004/2005:
$20.6863
Elevation
2242’
Telecommunications Infrastructure
|
Service or Infrastructure |
Type |
Provider |
Capacity |
Speed |
|
Telecom System Backbone |
Fiber |
QWEST
(Incombant) |
OC48 (=1,344 T-1 lines) |
2.488 Billion bits/sec. |
|
POP |
Digital |
QWEST |
|
Installed Dark Fiber |
Fiber Cable |
BPA
Enron
GST |
Virtually Unlimited |
Fastest Speeds Available |
|
Special Services |
Cable Modem |
Crestview Cable |
|
T-1 Lines |
Unicom, Shared Communications, other CLECS & ISP’s |
64k-1.54mb |
|
Dial Up Internet |
Many ISP’s |
56K | |
Population
Madras and Jefferson County have Central Oregon’s most culturally diverse population with nearly one-third minority residents. Native American comprises 16.2% and Hispanic 14.6% of the area’s overall residents, while white residents comprise 68.4%. Since 1985, Madras has more than doubled its population from 2,320 to more than 5,000 today – a trend that is expected to continue and even accelerate in the coming years. Employment growth has been equally impressive, with Jefferson County ranking as the fifth (5th) fastest growing county in Oregon (2.94%) for new employment between 1999-2000.
Development
As the statistics above indicate, the City of Madras has seen steady development activity over the past decade and a half. The town’s close proximity to the Portland Metropolitan Area (two hours via car, or ½ hour via air) makes it an excellent location for manufacturing or distributing products dependent on the I-5 or Vancouver/Portland urban market.
Perhaps the greatest opportunity for industrial development lies in the vicinity of the Madras Airport (former Army Air Base) which has more than 500 acres available for lease for manufacturing operations both aviation and non-aviation related. Firms already operating in the Madras industrial park area include Bright Wood Corporation, a value-added wood products manufacturer; Keith Manufacturing, maker of moving floors for the transport industry; and Shielding Inc., producer of x-ray protective garments and accessories.
Livability
Madras is the gateway to a broad range of outdoor recreation opportunities including whitewater rafting, water skiing, fishing, golf, hiking & mountaineering, and rock hounding in the desert plateaus around Madras to the mountain wilderness areas of Camp Sherman and Metolius Recreation Areas. The Collage of Culture, a celebration of the diversity of American ethnicity, is an annual event well attended by residents and visitors outside the region.
The very affordable cost of land and housing is another important element of Madras’ livability - it has the lowest average home price in the region at $95,000 (2003). Panoramic views in the Madras area and Jefferson County are among the region’s most dramatic – from many vantages you can see all 11 snow capped mountains the Central Oregon Cascades. Madras also has a small town atmosphere that exudes safety, community, and friendliness.
Climate
Like most of Central Oregon, summer temperatures in Madras range from an average high of 86 degrees Fahrenheit with low humidity to a low of 44 degrees Fahrenheit. Winters average highs are in the 40's to lows in the 20's.
Fun Facts
- Madras is home to Central Oregon’s largest employer, Bright Wood Corporation, which employs more than 20% of the population of the town
- Farmers around Madras (Jefferson County) produce 80% of the nation’s carrot seed, making it the U.S. “capital” for this agricultural product
- The Madras Airport is the longest non-commercial airport runway in Central Oregon, and one of the few of its size and capacity within a 100 air mile radius of Portland International (PDX)
Want to Know More? Try these Madras links…
Deschutes National Forest
Metolius Recreation Association
Madras Chamber of Commerce |
