Klamath County, OR elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Klamath County: 10 seats on 7 elected bodies. 3 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

Board of Commissioners

Klamath County Board of Commissioners

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County Commission ChairKelley Minty sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County CommissionerDerrick DeGroot source
County CommissionerAndrew Nichols source
County CommissionerTreas.Vickie Noel source

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
AssessorNathan Bigby source
County ClerkRochelle Long sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
District AttorneyDavid Schutt source
Justice of the PeaceKaren Oakes sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
SheriffShane Mitchell source
County SurveyorSheryl Hatcher source

How many local governments Klamath County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 81 local governments in Klamath County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.

Kind of governmentCensus count (2022)Listed on this page
County government11
Cities, towns, villages and townships50
School districts (school boards)30
Special districts (elected boards)720

Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Government Units Listing (census.gov).

About these counts

The Census Bureau counts every independent local government once, in the county it assigns it to: the one it mostly serves or where it's based. A city or district that crosses county lines is counted in only one county, so it may be listed on this page but counted elsewhere, or the other way around. Many special districts, such as housing authorities, have appointed boards, and some places have more than one elected body, so the two columns measure different things. School systems run by a county, city or the state aren't counted as separate governments, though their boards may be listed here; in some states the Bureau counts community or state colleges as school districts. The counts are as of 2022.

Who lives in Klamath County

70,247people
41.3median ageU.S.: 38.9
$58,830 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
18.3%below the U.S.: 12.5%
22.7%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$280,400median home valueU.S.: $332,700
7.2%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
4.7%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
10%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
6.8%U.S.: 8.4%
54.9%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
33.1%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 13.9% · White 74.4% · Black 0.7% · Asian 0.9% · Other or more than one race 10.1% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)

Census Bureau, 2020–2024 5-year estimates (data.census.gov).

About these figures

The American Community Survey asks about 3.5 million households a year about who lives there, their work, income, schooling and housing. The 5-year estimates pool 2020–2024 answers so that every county and district has enough of them. They're estimates with a (larger for smaller places), and they're different from the once-a-decade census count. "Median" means half are above and half below. Household income is before taxes and includes everyone in the household. The unemployment share here is the survey's five-year average, so it differs from the monthly rate in the BLS jobs report. Race and Hispanic origin are as people describe themselves.

Health insurance means any coverage, private or public (such as Medicaid or Medicare), when people answered; the share is of everyone except people on active military duty and people living in institutions such as prisons and nursing homes. The housing shares are of renting households, and of homeowners with a mortgage, for whom the Census Bureau can compute them (households with no income, or renters who pay no cash rent, are left out). Rent here is gross rent, rent plus utilities; owner costs include the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities and fees.

Jobs in Klamath County

5.5%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 6.6%. Oregon: 4.3%.
1,642people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
28,315people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
29,957in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Klamath County 0.0%2.4%4.8%7.2%9.6% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)5.5%1,64228,31529,957
August 20266.8%2,03227,90829,940
July 20267.0%2,06727,45029,517
June 20266.8%2,01327,73329,746
May 20266.3%1,83427,38929,223
April 20266.6%1,90727,07928,986
March 20267.8%2,26426,74229,006
February 20268.5%2,50726,86429,371
January 20269.1%2,66226,69129,353
December 20257.4%2,18827,19829,386
November 20256.9%2,04927,62629,675
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20256.6%1,98828,27530,263
August 20257.2%2,16527,92830,093
July 20257.4%2,21427,68529,899
June 20256.5%1,94827,98229,930
May 20256.1%1,82027,84029,660
April 20256.5%1,91027,45329,363
March 20258.3%2,43326,95829,391
February 20258.2%2,40326,80429,207
January 20258.5%2,49626,72629,222
December 20246.7%1,94426,91128,855
November 20245.7%1,65927,21828,877
October 20245.2%1,52627,77829,304
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)7.2%2,14727,49829,645
20246.0%1,75027,26629,016
20235.6%1,60027,05628,656
20226.0%1,73827,20728,945
20217.0%2,00126,65228,653
20209.1%2,58425,79628,380
20196.4%1,79126,30628,097
20186.5%1,82526,18428,009
20176.1%1,72026,29028,010
20167.0%1,95225,81827,770

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, : BLS publishes county figures only that way, so they rise and fall with the seasons; compare a month with the same month a year earlier rather than with the month before. Oregon's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 5.0% in September 2026. The latest month is preliminary and is revised the next month, and BLS revises earlier years each spring. People are counted where they live. October 2025 wasn't collected during the 2025 federal government shutdown, so 2025's yearly average covers 11 months.

Crime reported in Klamath County

453.6 per 100,0002021. Oregon: 341.3.
2,058.4 per 100,0002021. Oregon: 2,690.9.
7murders2021, 314 violent crimes in all.

2021 is the latest year with complete reporting here: at least one of the county's police agencies didn't send the FBI a full year of figures since, so later totals would be undercounts.

Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
2021314453.61,4252,058.4
2020226327.71,0601,536.9
By police agency (4)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Klamath County Sheriff's Office202419547147,369
Klamath Falls Police Department202510256922,242
Malin Police Department202100841
Merrill Police Department202300840

Crimes to the county's city and county police agencies (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, Return A), per 100,000 people they serve. Years with incomplete reporting are left out. Crime in Oregon · the U.S.

Police staffing

1.36 per 1,000 residents2025, 4 agencies serving 70,536 people.
96sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
32civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (4), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Klamath County Sheriff's Office592746,682
Klamath Falls Police Department35522,242
Merrill Police Department10870
Malin Police Department10742
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2025961.36324
2024981.38324
2023711.01153
2022711.01173
2020751.10693
2019681.01713
2018711.06683
2017771.16483
2016681.02523

Full-time employees of the county's city police departments and sheriff's office, as each reported them to the FBI (Uniform Crime Reporting, Law Enforcement Employees), per 1,000 people in the areas those agencies serve (the FBI's population figures). A year is shown only when every one of these agencies sent a count; a count under half or over double the agency's own counts in nearby years is treated as not sent. Towns policed under contract by another agency are counted through that agency. State police, campus and other agencies aren't included. Sheriffs' offices often also run the county jail and courthouse security, so their staff counts include those jobs.

Quick answers

Who is the Klamath County Assessor?
Nathan Bigby is the Assessor of Klamath County, Oregon.
Who is the Klamath County County Clerk?
Rochelle Long is the County Clerk of Klamath County, Oregon. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Klamath County District Attorney?
David Schutt is the District Attorney of Klamath County, Oregon.
Who is the Klamath County Justice of the Peace?
Karen Oakes is the Justice of the Peace of Klamath County, Oregon. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Klamath County Sheriff?
Shane Mitchell is the Sheriff of Klamath County, Oregon.
Who is the Klamath County County Surveyor?
Sheryl Hatcher is the County Surveyor of Klamath County, Oregon.
Who are the Klamath County commissioners?
Kelley Minty (County Commission Chair); Derrick DeGroot (County Commissioner); Andrew Nichols (County Commissioner); Treas.Vickie Noel (County Commissioner).
What is the population of Klamath County?
About 70,247 people, with a median age of 41.3; the median household income is $58,830 and 18.3% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Klamath County?
5.5% in September 2026 (preliminary): 1,642 people unemployed in a labor force of 29,957, against 6.6% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Klamath County?
81 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 5 municipal, 3 school district and 72 special district governments.

Officeholders as of November 6, 2026, from the Oregon Blue Book published by the Secretary of State; each name links to its source. Officials change between elections (appointments, resignations), and the body's own website is the authority. Party is shown only for offices elected on a partisan ballot.

Klamath County's 2026 ballot and results · Every Oregon county · Oregon's members of Congress

See your members of Congress and every race and measure on your ballot in Klamath County, from your address. Your address stays in your browser.Look up my races

See something wrong on this page? Report a problem · Corrections