| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| State | Oregon |
| County | Jackson |
| Unit pref | Imperial |
| Area total | 17.44 km² |
| Area land | 17.44 km² |
| Area water | 0.00 km² |
| Population as of | 2020 |
| Population total | 819 |
| Population density | 46.95 km² |
| Time zone | Pacific (PST) (UTC-8) |
| Time zone (DST) | PDT (UTC-7) |
| Elevation | 1527 ft |
| Coordinates | 42°14′14″N 123°2′29″W |
| ZIP code | 97530 |
| Area codes | 458 and 541 |
| FIPS code | 41-64150 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1148830 |
| Area total | 6.74 sq mi |
| Area land | 6.74 sq mi |
| Area water | 0.00 sq mi |
| Population density | 121.60 sq mi |
Ruch is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. It is located on Oregon Route 238, southeast of Grants Pass. As of the 2020 census, Ruch had a population of 819.[1]
Ruch was named after Casper M. Ruch, who bought a tract of land where the community now stands in 1896. He built a blacksmith shop, a store and a house. When he was appointed postmaster of the new post office in 1897 and allowed to name it, he named the post office after himself. The post office closed in 1939.[2]
There are two structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Ruch—McKee Bridge and Star Ranger Station.
The Ruch area is home to several Oregon wineries and in the Applegate Valley AVA, a sub-appellation of the Rogue Valley AVA (American Viticultural Area). A small elementary school, Ruch Elementary, is located near the center of the community. The school serves Kindergarten to 8th grade with the Cougars as their mascot.
The Applegate River runs through the southwest edge of the valley.
Climate
Ruch has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Csb) according to the Köppen climate classification system.
References
- ^ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2026.
- ^ p. 830.