Rufus

About Rufus

Rufus is a city in Sherman County, Oregon, United States. The population was 268 at the 2020 census. The city was named for an early settler, Rufus Carrol Wallis. The city is bordered on the northern side by the Columbia River and the John Day Dam. Rufus is located in the high desert and has wildlife such as porcupines, coyotes, ground squirrels, deer, hummingbirds, ospreys, and kestrels. The city has a gas station, post office, tackle shop, market, two restaurants and two hotels. Rufus is also home to Giles French waterfront park and a no-fee boat launch on the Columbia River.

Rufus is also home to archaeological site 35SH119, where various Native American groups quarried petrified wood and other materials for stone tool creation. Although petrified wood is not as desirable as obsidian for such tools, the proximity of this site made it a location that was regularly visited over thousands of years. The quarry site is located on the west end of Rufus in what is now the Gorge Vista subdivision. The lack of human remains and datable artifacts meant that this archeological site was not recommended for inclusion in the national register of historic sites and only the original survey post marks the location of the quarry.

In November 2022, Dowen Jones, the mayor of Rufus was arrested following an alleged road-rage shooting on Highway 281 near Parkdale. According to the Hood River County Sheriff’s Office, a family of four, including two children ages five and eight, was traveling behind an SUV that was reportedly driving erratically. After the family slowed down to identify the vehicle, a man identified as Jones allegedly stepped out of the SUV and fired multiple rounds from a handgun at their car. The gunfire damaged the vehicle, but none of the four occupants were injured. Jones was arrested the following day and initially charged with one count of attempted murder and four counts of first-degree attempted assault. In 2023, Jones ultimately pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree attempted assault as part of a plea agreement, and the attempted-murder charge was dismissed. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Text: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Rufus weather: 7-day forecast

Source: National Weather Service (NOAA).

Live webcams in Rufus

Webcams: Windy.com

Living in Rufus

Median household income

$39,306

Median home value

$182,800

Median rent

$800/mo

Median age

48

Map of Rufus

Tap any street on the map to see it in Street View below. Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Rufus Street View

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Rufus, OR population

Rufus had 268 residents in the 2020 Census.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Decennial Census.

Rufus at a glance

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Gazetteer, ZCTA), USGS GNIS, Wikidata.

Towns near Rufus

• Maryhill, WA3.1 mi W
• Biggs Junction5.0 mi W
• Wasco7.1 mi S
• Centerville, WA9.1 mi NW
• Goldendale, WA9.8 mi NW
• Wishram, WA11.2 mi W
• Moro14.2 mi S
• The Dalles20.8 mi W
• Dallesport, WA21.0 mi W
• Klickitat, WA22.1 mi NW
• Grass Valley22.9 mi S
• Chenoweth24.3 mi W

Straight-line distance between town centers.

Frequently asked questions about Rufus