The port district at the Port of Siuslaw in Florence was created in 1909. The 1860 census showed a population of 4,780. Since then it has seen steady, even rapid growth. In spite of this growth, the county has dropped from the second to the fourth most populous county in recent years. Historically, Lane County's economy has been based on timber and agriculture.
Timber is important because the county is on the edge of Oregon's largest stand of timber.
Agriculture has become important because of the fertile soil and moderate climate that exists in the Willamette Valley, making it one of the most productive farming areas in the nation. However, with the reductions in timber harvesting and the continued population growth affecting many agricultural areas, there has been a change of emphasis in the economic development of the county. Growth in the next decades is predicted to shift away from forestry to services, manufacturing of transportation equipment, printing and publishing, and trade. A major economic asset for the county is the University of Oregon in Eugene. Finally, with access to the mountains and the coast, tourism adds to the county's economic vitality.