Hood River County

What Hood River County does

Hood River County is a Home Rule county government entity in the State of Oregon, established on June 23, 1908, as Oregon's 34th county, separating from Wasco County. The county covers 533 square miles and serves an unincorporated-area population of approximately 23,295 residents, with the City of Hood River as the county seat. Hood River County provides comprehensive local government services through 13+ operational departments including Assessment/Records/Elections, Budget & Finance, Community Development (Planning and Building), Forestry and Recreation Trails, Health Department, Public Works, Sheriff's Office (with 911 Dispatch), District Attorney, Veterans' Services, and County Parks. Core functional offerings include property tax billing and collection, document recording, marriage licensing, planning and building permits, public health (WIC, immunizations, Oregon Health Plan, harm reduction), forest management and trail permits, law enforcement and emergency management, elections administration, and infrastructure maintenance.

The underlying technology stack is standard government infrastructure rather than proprietary technology. The county integrates third-party platforms for payments (Paydici for property tax), permit processing (Oregon ePermitting/Accela), GIS and public mapping (ArcGIS Hub), emergency notifications (Everbridge), vital records ordering (VitalChek), public meeting management and video streaming (Granicus), and constituent communications (Constant Contact, Zoom for hybrid meetings). The county is ADA-compliant and operates under a Title VI Civil Rights compliance plan and Limited English Proficiency Plan adopted April 8, 2025.

The business/revenue model is tax- and fee-funded, not commercial. Revenue is generated through property tax collection (administered on behalf of all taxing districts), recording fees ($138 first page, $5 each additional page, effective February 19, 2026), marriage license fees ($50 license/$117 civil ceremony/$7.75 certified copy), planning and building permit fees (increasing July 1, 2026), forest trails parking permits ($45 annual/$10 daily effective July 1, 2026), business personal property filing with escalating late penalties (5%–50%), and collection of transient room tax and marijuana tax. Payment processing carries third-party surcharges (1% debit, 2.50% credit, $2 eCheck). Governance is by a five-member elected Board of Commissioners, with a County Administrator (Allison Williams) managing day-to-day operations; ownership and control rest with the citizens of Hood River County through the charter and elected representatives.

Name

Hood River County

Legal name

Hood River County

Website

https://hoodrivercounty.gov

Company type

Public

Founded year

1908

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Hood River County is a Home Rule county government in Oregon serving approximately 23,295 residents across 533 square miles with public safety, property tax administration, planning, public health, elections, and community development services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

County Government Services

NAICS

Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (9251), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412)

SIC

Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)

akta.pro primary industry

State/Provincial Taxation & Revenue Administration (BPAIABAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

County/District/Local Health Departments (HLAJAAAB), Public Works Departments (Streets, Bridges, Stormwater, Fleet, Maintenance) (BPAIALAD)

Keywords

• County government services
• Public safety administration
• Property tax collection
• Land use planning
• Public health services

Headquarters

HQ city

Hood River

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Property Tax Collection: Collection of property taxes for all taxing districts within the County, managed by the Budget & Finance Department. Property tax statements mailed annually with three payment installments due November, February, and May.
2. Recording Fees: Fees for recording deeds, mortgages, contracts, and tax liens. $138 for first page, $5 for each additional page.
3. Forest Trails Parking Permits: Annual and daily parking permits for county forest trails. Annual permit $45, Daily permit $10 (effective July 1, 2026).
4. Planning and Building Fees: Fees for planning applications, building permits, and code compliance. Fees increase July 1, 2026.
5. Marriage License Fees: $50 for marriage license and commemorative certificate, $117 for civil ceremony by County Clerk, $7.75 for certified copy. Additional 3% convenience fee for credit/debit cards.
6. Transient Room Tax: Collection of transient room tax from lodging facilities managed by Budget & Finance Department.
7. Marijuana Tax: Collection of marijuana tax managed by Budget & Finance Department.
8. Domestic Partnership Registration: $50 fee for filing Declaration of Oregon Registered Domestic Partnership.
9. Property Value Appeals Filing Fees: $40 filing fee at Property Value Appeals Board level, $50 at Magistrate Division of Oregon Tax Court, $281 at Oregon Tax Court.
10. Business Personal Property Filing: Businesses must file tangible personal property returns annually by March 15. Late filing penalties apply: 5% after March 15, 25% after June 1, 50% after August 1.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Hood River County is a Home Rule County government entity that delivers comprehensive local government services to residents and property owners across 533 square miles in northwest Oregon. Core offerings include property assessment and tax collection, marriage licensing and vital records, planning and building permits, public safety through the Sheriff's Office and 911 dispatch, district attorney prosecution, public health services, forestry and recreation trail management, public works infrastructure, and veterans' services. Services are delivered through multiple county departments under the direction of an elected Board of Commissioners and an appointed County Administrator.

Product overview

Hood River County operates as a government entity providing public services through multiple departments rather than a commercial product company. The county offers a unified portal of government services including property assessment and tax collection, planning and building permits, public safety (sheriff, district attorney, justice court), health services, public works, forestry and recreation, and various administrative functions. The services are delivered through the county website with integrated third-party platforms for payments, permits, alerts, and communications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Assessment, Records & Elections Services
• Budget & Finance Services
• Community Development Services
• Forestry & Recreation Trails
• Health Department Services
• Property Tax Collection
• Public Works Services
• District Attorney Services
• Sheriff's Office Services
• Veterans' Services
• County Parks & Campgrounds

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Oregon Department of ForestrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Oregon Department of Forestry for fire management in county forests. ODF implements Regulated Use Closure (RUC) restrictions and Industrial Fire Precaution Level 3 (IFPL Level 3) in Hood River and Wasco counties due to elevated fire danger.
• Local Fire DistrictscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Hood River Fire & EMS, West Side Fire District, Parkdale Fire District, Wy'east Fire District, and Cascade Locks Fire Department for fire protection services throughout the county.
• Columbia River Gorge CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorks with the U.S. Forest Service to set policy for protecting non-federal lands in the Gorge. Serves as appeals board for land-use decisions, supports counties in administering ordinances, and encourages economic development.
• Hood River-White Salmon Bridge Authority (HRWSBA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOversees design, construction, long-term operation, and maintenance of the Hood River-White Salmon Bridge, ensuring safe and reliable connectivity between communities.
• U.S. Forest ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative relationship for managing Gorge Commission activities and national forest lands affecting Hood River County.
• Mid-Columbia Economic Development District (MCEDD)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMCEDD provides gap financing and economic development support to businesses in Hood River and surrounding counties to spur job creation and regional investment.
• Mid-Columbia Housing AuthorityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFacilitates access to affordable housing across the Gorge by administering rental assistance programs, developing housing projects, and supporting housing stability.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Klickitat County, Washington: Rural Washington county across the Columbia River with analogous Gorge tourism, agriculture, and forest management profile. Provides similar baseline county services for a small population base.
• Skamania County, Washington: Washington county directly across the Columbia River, jointly served by the Hood River-White Salmon Bridge Authority. Comparable rural population and similar reliance on tourism, forest management, and Gorge-related activity.

Direct peers

• Clatsop County, Oregon: Coastal Oregon county of comparable size and rural character, delivering similar services including public safety, planning, public works, health, and parks/recreation. Provides a benchmark for tourism-driven fee revenue streams.
• Clackamas County, Oregon: Direct western neighbor of Hood River County with similar Home Rule charter structure and full county service portfolio. Comparable in delivering public safety, planning, public works, and health services to a population partially connected to the Columbia River Gorge corridor.
• Yamhill County, Oregon: Mid-sized Oregon county with similar mix of rural and small-city service demands, providing comparable planning, public safety, public works, and property assessment functions. Comparable fee structures for document recording and permit issuance.
• Multnomah County, Oregon: Largest Oregon county, bordering Hood River County and sharing Columbia River Gorge geography. Operates the same core portfolio of public safety, health, community development, public works, and tax administration services under Home Rule governance. Most directly comparable county in the same region.
• Columbia County, Oregon: Small rural Oregon county with comparable population and budget scale, operating the standard county portfolio including public safety, community development, public works, and tax administration. Useful proxy for budget structure and per-capita service delivery economics.
• Deschutes County, Oregon: Mid-sized Oregon Home Rule county providing the same comprehensive suite of county services — public safety, health, planning, public works, community development — with strong recreational/tourism economy analogous to Hood River's Gorge-driven activity base.
• Wasco County, Oregon: Direct eastern neighbor sharing Oregon Department of Forestry fire-restriction jurisdiction and Columbia River Gorge territory. Operates the same essential county functions including property tax, public works, and forest/recreation management for a similarly rural population.

Broad incumbents

• Lane County, Oregon: Larger Oregon Home Rule county operating the same comprehensive service categories but at greater scale. Useful comparable for understanding how counties expand digital services, health department scope, and infrastructure investment as capacity grows.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HoodRiverCo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hood-river-county
• Instagraminstagram.com/hoodrivercounty

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hood River County