| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| State | Oregon |
| County | Josephine |
| Unit pref | Imperial |
| Area total | 10.79 km² |
| Area land | 10.77 km² |
| Area water | 0.02 km² |
| Population as of | 2020 |
| Population total | 1690 |
| Population density | 156.94 km² |
| Time zone | Pacific (PST) (UTC-8) |
| Time zone (DST) | PDT (UTC-7) |
| Elevation | 907 ft |
| Coordinates | 42°31′04″N 123°25′13″W |
| ZIP code | 97532 |
| Area codes | 458 and 541 |
| FIPS code | 41-47650 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1166680 |
| Area total | 4.17 sq mi |
| Area land | 4.16 sq mi |
| Area water | 0.01 sq mi |
| Population density | 406.45 sq mi |
Merlin is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Josephine County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2020 census, Merlin had a population of 1,690.[1] The area is known for sport fishing and whitewater rafting on the Rogue River. Merlin's ZIP code is 97532.
A new railroad station in this location in 1883 was called "Jump Off Joe" for a local stream. The station was renamed "Merlin" in October 1886. The name came from a railroad civil engineer who named it for the merlins (a type of falcon) he saw in the area. "McAllister" post office was established about a mile north of Merlin in 1885, then moved to the vicinity of the railroad station and renamed Merlin in 1891.[2]
Geography
Merlin is located 9 miles (14 km) northwest of Grants Pass. It sits in the valley of Jumpoff Joe Creek, 4 miles (6 km) east of where that stream joins the Rogue River. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Merlin CDP has a total area of 4.27 sq mi (11.07 square kilometres), of which 0.01 sq mi (0.02 square kilometres), or 0.19%, are water.[3]
Merlin lies at an elevation of about 277 m (909 ft) above MSL.
References
- ^ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2026.
- ^ p. 637.
- ^ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Merlin CDP, Oregon". American Factfinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved November 1, 2018.