Jury Pool Profile
Wheeler County, Oregon
- County seat
- Fossil
- Judicial district
- 7th Judicial District Circuit Court
- Population (July 2025 estimate)
- 1,472
- Census PEP. The five-year ACS survey average is 1,485.
At a glance
Wheeler County is a 1,472-person venue. The county population is 85% White (Census race-alone categories). Median household income is $54,011, $30,886 below the OR state median of $84,897; 18.8% of residents 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher. 4.5% of residents 5 and older speak a language other than English at home, most commonly Spanish and Russian, Polish, or other Slavic. The largest employment sector is Trade, transportation & utilities, at 10.2% of covered employment, average pay $39,318/year. Trailing-12-month unemployment is 4.59%, below the 5.24% state average. The county carried the Republican presidential candidate in 2016, 2020, and 2024, taking 71% to 74% of the vote across the three.
- Population
- 1,485
- Median household income
- $55,284
- Unemployment
- 4.6%
Who sits on a jury?
≥70% White (race-alone) and <20% Black. This county: 85% / 0%.
Wheeler County has a population of 1,485, with a median age of 59.3. By Census race-alone categories, White residents make up 85.1%; Black residents 0.0%. Independently, 4.8% of residents identify as Hispanic or Latino of any race.
The median household earns $54,011; 18.8% of residents 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher; 17.1% live below the federal poverty line.
Economic context
None of the heuristic anchors fired (oil & gas <5%, healthcare/education <20%, manufacturing <15%). Top sector: Trade, transportation & utilities (10.2%).
Trade, transportation & utilities is the largest employment sector at 10.2% of covered employment, followed by Leisure & hospitality at 7.7%. Trailing-12-month unemployment is 4.59%, below the Oregon state average.
Political composition
Republican candidate carried this county in 2016, 2020, and 2024 (avg winning share: 73%). 'Strongly' threshold: ≥60% avg.
Wheeler County was carried by the Republican candidate in the 2016, 2020, and 2024 cycles, with 71.4% in 2024, 73.7% in 2020, 73.6% in 2016.
Languages, households, faith & health
Family households are 64% of all households (thresholds: ≥70% = 'family-dominant'; 50–70% = 'family-majority'; <50% = 'singles/nonfamily-majority'). 4.5% of residents 5 and older speak a language other than English at home (threshold for 'linguistically diverse' is ≥10%).
4.5% of residents 5 years and older speak a language other than English at home. The most common are Spanish, Russian, Polish, or other Slavic, Chinese. Veterans account for 11.9% of the adult civilian population (156 individuals).