The population of Woodburn was estimated at 88,086 in 2000. Its original inhabitants were small hillside farmsteads. As it grew in the late 19th century, Woodburn was transformed into a typical city neighborhood. Early farm families were named after streets, and many still stand today. At the turn of the twentieth century, the town was home to tinsmiths from Wales, who built a tinplate mill and later a Sterling Faucet plant in the city. In fact, the town even had its own trolley line between the downtown core and Sabraton.
Despite the fact that Latinos represented almost one-third of Woodburn's population by 1990, the majority of residents were white. Even though the city was already home to a growing population of Mexican Americans, efforts to block the construction of farmworker housing in the 1990s were symbolic and did little to change reality. The fierce public debate about the project expressed the longstanding anxieties of white residents, even in Woodburn.
The Census Bureau uses money-based thresholds for poverty. These thresholds vary depending on family size and composition, but any family with income below these levels is considered poor. The most common racial and ethnic groups in Woodburn are Hispanic, White, and Other. However, the number of white residents in Woodburn is increasing. This is due to an increase in the number of Hispanic residents.