McMinnville is the county seat of and the most populous city in Yamhill County, Oregon, United States, at the base of the Oregon Coast Range. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 34,319.

McMinnville is located in the Willamette Valley at the confluence of the North and South forks of the Yamhill River. The city's economy has both industry and service businesses as well as the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum, home of Howard Hughes's famed Spruce Goose flying boat. Linfield University provides higher education.

McMinnville is a center of the well-developed Oregon wine industry in the Willamette Valley, which has hundreds of wineries and vineyards.

History

McMinnville founder William T. Newby joined the Great Migration of 1843, of people from the eastern states to the west. He later claimed land in 1844 on the present site of McMinnville in what was known as the Oregon Country, next to the claim of John G. Baker then sheriff. In 1853, Newby built a grist mill at what would become the west end of Third Street. On May 5, 1856, Newby platted a town and named it after his hometown of McMinnville, Tennessee.Charles Henry Carey, History of Oregon: Volume 1. Chicago, Illinois: Pioneer Historical Publishing Co., 1922; p. 759. The plat was not recorded until July 1865, despite Newby receiving his U.S. patent in October 1858.

The Baptists opened a private school in 1849, which was chartered as the Baptist College in 1858 under the territorial government. This school was later named McMinnville College after founder Newby made a substantial donation of land to support founding an institution of higher learning in the town. It received a substantial property donation from Frances R. Linfield, the widow of Reverend George F. Linfield. It was originally called McMinnville College. It is known today as Linfield University.

McMinnville was incorporated as a town in 1876 and became a city in 1882. County residents voted to move the county seat of Yamhill County from Lafayette to McMinnville in 1886.

Geography McMinnville is located northeast of Lincoln City on the Pacific Ocean, southwest of Portland, and northwest of Salem, the state capital.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of , all of it land.

Climate This region experiences warm (but not hot) and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above . Just 43 miles from the Pacific Coastal community of Lincoln City, McMinnville will often see a marine layer offering cool foggy days. A warm summer day makes a quick beach trip an ideal feature of living in McMinnville. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, McMinnville has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps. The normal monthly mean temperature ranges from in December to in August. Annual precipitation averages , with normal monthly precipitation peaking in November. The lowest temperature recorded is on January 31, 1950, while the highest is , most recently on June 28, 2021.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, McMinnville had a population of 34,319. The median age was 38.6 years. 22.0% of residents were under the age of 18 and 20.3% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 91.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 88.1 males age 18 and over.

99.9% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.1% lived in rural areas.

There were 12,490 households in McMinnville, of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 47.6% were married-couple households, 15.6% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 28.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 26.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 13,257 housing units, of which 5.8% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 59.5% were owner-occupied and 40.5% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.3%.

+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census Race Number Percent White 25,005 72.9% Black or African American 200 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native 527 1.5% Asian 475 1.4% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 88 0.3% Some other race 4,022 11.7% Two or more races 4,002 11.7% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 8,195 23.9%

2010 census As of the census of 2010, there were 32,187 people, 11,674 households, and 7,779 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 12,389 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 82.2% White, 0.7% African American, 1.2% Native American, 1.5% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 10.7% from other races, and 3.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 20.6% of the population.

There were 11,674 households, of which 35.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.2% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.4% were non-families. 26.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.14.

The median age in the city was 34 years. 25.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 12.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.7% were from 25 to 44; 22.2% were from 45 to 64; and 14.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.2% male and 51.8% female.

2000 census As of the census of 2000, there were 26,499 people living in the city, among 9,367 households and 6,463 families. The population density was . There were 9,834 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 86.39% White, 1.39% Native American, 1.25% Asian, 0.68% Black or African American, and 0.18% Pacific Islander. 14.64% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 7.26% identify themselves as from other races, and 2.86% from two or more races.

There were 9,367 households, out of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.5% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 23.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.3% under the age of 18, 14.7% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 17.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $38,953, and the median income for a family was $44,013. Males had a median income of $33,517 versus $24,405 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,085. 12.9% of the population and 8.2% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 14.0% of those under the age of 18 and 7.8% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Economy As of 2020, McMinnville's top employers were the Willamette Valley Medical Center, Linfield University, and Cascade Steel Rolling Mills.

First Federal Savings and Loan Association, headquartered in McMinnville, was founded in 1922. Founded in 1894, Oregon Mutual Insurance is located in downtown McMinnville.

Agriculture Agriculture remains a top industry in the county. Since the late 20th century, winemaking has been developed throughout the Willamette Valley. The majority of the vineyards of the Willamette Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA) are in the area surrounding McMinnville. It identifies as the capital of Oregon's wine industry. In January 2005, a McMinnville AVA was established. The AVA includes 14 wineries and within the Willamette Valley AVA. The city is at the northeastern border of its AVA namesake. Linfield University expanded to offer a B.A. or B.S. in wine studies in 2021.

Manufacturing Cascade Steel specializes in producing finished steel products from recycled steel. Cascade Steel Rolling Mills uses electric arc furnace (EAF) mini-mill production for a wide range of hot rolled products including rebar, coiled reinforcing bar, wire rod, and merchant bar. Cascade Steel operates as a subsidiary of Radius Recycling.

In 2016, Organic Valley purchased Farmers Cooperative Creamery in McMinnville. It serves 72 co-op members in Oregon and Washington. The company claims to be the nation's largest farmer-owned organic cooperative and one of the world's largest organic consumer brands. In 2021, a massive 3-alarm fire decimated the McMinnville Creamery, forcing residents to evacuate a 1/2-mile radius. The company rebuilt the plant, which is operating again.

Arts and culture Annual cultural events Established in 1993, the Sip! McMinnville Wine & Food Classic is a three-day event held every March at the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum. It features local winemakers and vintners alongside chefs from the Pacific Northwest, and attendees can taste and purchase wine and food.

In May, the UFO Festival honors the McMinnville UFO photographs by celebrating extraterrestrial beings with food, music, and activities for kids.

In 2019 the Oregon International Air Show was moved to the McMinnville Municipal Airport. The annual airshow, held every September, promotes aviation and honors the US military and veterans.

Turkey Rama was a three-day festival held in downtown McMinnville for 61 years, started by turkey farmers in Yamhill County when the county's main source of wealth was the turkey-farming industry. While the festival ended in 2023, smaller celebrations remain.

The International Pinot Noir Celebration was held every July between 1987 and 2024 on the Linfield University campus. The IPNC was a three-day event in which winemakers, northwest chefs, media, epicures and wine lovers gathered, but it had its final event in 2024.

Museums and other points of interest

The Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum is best known as the home of the Spruce Goose, the world's largest propeller-driven seaplane, built by the famed aviator Howard Hughes.

The museum, home to another 80 historic aircraft and exhibits, is a pair of large symmetrical buildings with glass facades, a local landmark which can be seen for miles. Additional major exhibits include a SR-71 "Blackbird", a Titan II SLV Missile (with its launch control center), and a F117 "Lone Wolf." Connected, the Wings & Waves indoor waterpark contains a wave pool, 4 slides emerging from 747 on building's roof, and educational displays.

The Yamhill County History Museum is located southwest of McMinnville. The Museum hosts many annual events including Farm Fest in early April and Harvest Fest in mid August.

Parks and recreation McMinnville Community Center is headquarters for the McMinnville Parks and Recreation Department, which administers 18 parks throughout the city. The largest city park is the 100-acre sports field complex and community park named after a longtime city manager Joe Dancer. The city of McMinnville administers youth sports leagues in both baseball and basketball, along with many other competitive sports.

Joe Dancer Park has a dozen baseball and softball fields. The park also features soccer fields, playground equipment, and the Drew Ottley Memorial Skate Park.