View source for San Benito County, California

{{Short description|County in California, United States}}
{{About|text=For the unincorporated community, see [[San Benito, California]]. For the wine region, see [[San Benito AVA]].}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
 | name                     = San Benito County
 | official_name            = 
 | other_name               = 
| settlement_type    = [[List of counties in California|County]]
<!-- Images and maps  ----------->
| image_skyline      =  {{multiple image
  | total_width        = 280
  | border             = infobox
  | perrow             = 1/2/2/1
  | caption_align      = center
  | image1             = Hernandez Reservoir from Laguna Mountain (cropped).jpg
  | caption1           = [[Hernandez Reservoir]] in the [[Diablo Range]]
  | image2             = San_Juan_Bautista,_CA_USA_-_Old_Mission_SJB_-_panoramio_(62)_(cropped).jpg
  | caption2           = [[San Juan Bautista, California|San Juan Bautista]]
  | image3             = Pinnacles National Park - Flickr - Joe Parks.jpg
  | caption3           = [[Pinnacles National Park]]
  | image4             = Panoche Valley Farm - panoramio.jpg
  | caption4           = [[Panoche Valley]]
  | image5             = Original Hazel Hawkins Hospital 23-Aug-2008 (cropped).JPG
  | caption5           = [[Hollister, California|Hollister]]
  | image6             = Panoche Hills (51063183308) (cropped).jpg
  | caption6           = [[Panoche Hills]] in the [[California Coast Ranges|Coast Ranges]]
  }}
 | image_size               = 
 | image_caption            = 
 | image_flag               = Flag of San Benito County, California.png
 | image_seal               = Seal of San Benito County, California.png
 | seal_size                = 
 | image_map                = {{Maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-width=250|frame-align=center|type=shape|fill=#ffffff|fill-opacity=0|stroke-width=3}}
 | map_caption              = Interactive map of San Benito County
 | image_map1               = Map of California highlighting San Benito County.svg
 | mapsize1                 = 200px
 | map_caption1             = Location in the state of [[California]]
 | named_for                = [[San Benito River]]
 | subdivision_type         = Country
 | subdivision_name         = United States
 | subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
 | subdivision_name1        = California
 | subdivision_type2        = [[List of regions of California|Region]]
 | subdivision_name2        = [[Central Coast (California)|Central Coast]]
 | subdivision_type3        = [[Combined Statistical Area|CSA]]
 | subdivision_name3        = [[San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA Combined Statistical Area|San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland]]
 | subdivision_type4        = [[Metropolitan statistical area|Metro]]
 | subdivision_name4        = San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara
<!-- Parts ---------------->
 | seat_type                = [[County seat]]
 | seat                     = [[Hollister, California|Hollister]]
 | seat1_type               = Largest city
 | seat1                    = Hollister
 | area_total_sq_mi         = 1390
 | area_land_sq_mi          = 1389
 | area_water_sq_mi         = 1.8
<!-- Government ----------->
 | government_type          = [[Council–manager government|Council–CEO]]
 | governing_body           = Board of Supervisors
 | leader_title1            = Chair
 | leader_name1             = Kollin Kosmicki
 | leader_title2            = Vice Chair
 | leader_name2             = Dom Zanger
 | leader_title3            = Board of Supervisors<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.cosb.us/government/county-of-san-benito-board-of-supervisors-bos | title=County of San Benito Board of Supervisors (BOS) &#124; San Benito County, CA }}</ref>
 | leader_name3             = {{Collapsible list
                               | title = Supervisors
                               | frame_style = border:none; padding:0;
                               | list_style  = text-align:left;
                               | 1  = Dom Zanger
                               | 2  = Kollin Kosmicki
                               | 3  = Mindy Sotelo
                               | 4  = Angela Curro
                               | 5  = Ignacio Velazquez
                              }}
 | leader_title4            = County Administrative Officer
 | leader_name4             = Ray Espinosa
<!-- Population ----------->
 | population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
 | population_footnotes     = 
 | population_total         = 64209
 | pop_est_as_of            = 
 | pop_est_footnotes        = 
 | population_est           = 
 | population_density_sq_mi = auto
|demographics_type2        = GDP
| demographics2_footnotes  = <ref>{{Cite web|title= Gross Domestic Product: All Industries in San Benito County, CA |url= https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/GDPALL06069 |work=[[Federal Reserve Economic Data]] |publisher=[[Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis]]}}</ref>
|demographics2_title1     = Total
|demographics2_info1      = $2.736 billion (2022)
<!-- Elevation ------------>
 | elevation_max_footnotes  = <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=1229|title=San Benito Mountain|publisher=Peakbagger.com|access-date=April 11, 2015}}</ref>
 | elevation_max_ft         = 5245
 | elevation_min_footnotes  = 
 | elevation_min_ft         = 
 | established_title        = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
 | established_date         = February 12, 1874
 | leader_title             = 
 | leader_name              = 
 | timezone                 = [[Pacific Time Zone]]
 | utc_offset               = &minus;8
 | timezone_DST             = [[Pacific Daylight Time]]
 | utc_offset_DST           = &minus;7
<!-- Codes ---------------->
 | postal_code_type         = <!--[[ZIP code]]s-->
 | postal_code              = 
 | area_code_type           = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area code]]
 | area_code                = [[Area code 831|831]]
 | blank_name_sec1          = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS]] code
 | blank_info_sec1          = 06-069
 | blank1_name_sec1         = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
 | blank1_info_sec1         = {{GNIS 4|277299}}
 | blank_name_sec2          = Congressional district
 | blank_info_sec2          = [[California's 18th congressional district|18th]]
 | website                  = {{URL|www.cosb.us}}
 | footnotes                = 
}}

'''San Benito County''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|s|æ|n|_|b|ə|ˈ|n|iː|t|oʊ|audio=En-us-san benito.ogg}}; ''San Benito'', [[Spanish language|Spanish]] for "[[Benedict of Nursia|St. Benedict]]"), officially the '''County of San Benito''', is a [[county (United States)|county]] located in the [[Central Coast (California)|Central Coast]] region of [[California]]. Situated in the [[California Coast Ranges]], the county had a population of 64,209, as of the [[2020 United States census]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=San Benito County, California|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0500000US06069|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=January 30, 2022}}</ref> The [[county seat]] is the city of [[Hollister, California|Hollister]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref>

San Benito County is included in the [[San Jose, California|San Jose]]-[[Sunnyvale, California|Sunnyvale]]-[[Santa Clara, California|Santa Clara]], CA [[Metropolitan Statistical Area]], which is also included in the San Jose-[[San Francisco]]-[[Oakland, California|Oakland]], CA [[San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA Combined Statistical Area|Combined Statistical Area]]. [[El Camino Real (California)|El Camino Real]] passes through the county and includes one [[Spanish missions in California|mission]] in [[San Juan Bautista, California|San Juan Bautista]].

==History==
Before the arrival of the first European settlers, the San Benito County area was inhabited by the [[Mutsun]] sub-group of the [[Ohlone]] [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]]. In 1772 Father [[Juan Crespí]] conducted a brief expedition into the area and named a small river which he found in honor of San Benito de Nursia ([[Benedict of Nursia|Saint Benedict]]), the patron saint of monasticism. The county was later named after the [[San Benito Valley]], the valley surrounding this river. Thus it was from the Spanish version of the saint's name that the county eventually took its name.

In 1797 Spanish missionaries founded the first European settlement in the county as the [[Mission San Juan Bautista|San Juan Bautista mission]]. In 1848 the [[United States]] government gained control over what would soon become the state of [[California]], which included the area now known as San Benito county. The town of [[New Idria, California|New Idria]] was the next town to develop in the area and was founded ca. 1857. New Idria was centered around the [[New Idria Mercury Mine]]. When the mine played out fairly recently in 1972, New Idria was abandoned, and the town is now one of California's many ghost-towns.

The town of [[Hollister, California|Hollister]] was next founded on November 19, 1868, by [[William Welles Hollister]] on the grounds of the former [[Ranchos of California|Mexican land-grant]] [[Rancho San Justo]]. In 1874 the California legislature formed San Benito County from a section of [[Monterey County, California|Monterey County]] while naming Hollister as the new county seat. Sections of [[Merced County, California|Merced]] and [[Fresno County, California|Fresno]] Counties were also later reassigned to San Benito County in 1887 as a result of the growth of the New Idria community. Other towns in the county which were founded early in the county's history include [[Tres Pinos, California|Tres Pinos]] and [[Paicines, California|Paicines]].

==Geography==
[[File:Tumey Hills BLM.jpg|thumb|left|Tumey Hills BLM recreation area, near Interstate 5]]
According to the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|1390|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|1388|sqmi|km2|0}} is land and {{convert|1.8|sqmi}} is water (0.1%).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_06.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=October 4, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}</ref> San Benito County contains nearly the entire length of the {{convert|109|mi|km}}-long [[San Benito River]] from the county's southwestern edge to its northwestern edge where it joins the [[Pajaro River]].

Sharing a border with [[Santa Clara County, California|Santa Clara County]], San Benito County lies adjacent to the [[San Francisco Bay Area]] and is sometimes considered a part of that region. Frequently, the county is associated with the [[Monterey Bay Area]] through governmental organizations such as the [[Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments]] as well as the [[Pajaro River]], which flows from northern San Benito County into the [[Monterey Bay]]. The [[United States Census Bureau]] includes the county in the [[San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA MSA|San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara]] [[United States metropolitan area|MSA]] and the [[San Francisco Bay Area Combined Statistical Area|San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland]] [[Combined Statistical Area|CSA]], which the Census uses as a statistical definition of the San Francisco Bay Area.

The county also borders [[Merced County, California|Merced County]] and [[Fresno County, California|Fresno County]] on the east, which extend into California's [[San Joaquin Valley, California|San Joaquin Valley]]. It borders Santa Cruz County on the west and Monterey County on the southwest border.

The county is also the location of the [[Mt. Harlan AVA|Mount Harlan]] and [[San Benito AVA|San Benito]] [[American Viticultural Area]]s. The latter contains the [[Cienega Valley AVA|Cienega Valley]], [[Lime Kiln Valley AVA|Lime Kiln Valley]], and [[Paicines AVA|Paicines]] AVAs.

===Flora===
Due to the varied topography, diverse geology, and varied climate from near-coastal to inland, San Benito County contains a high diversity of vegetation types. Common vegetation types include annual grasslands, [[coastal scrub]], [[chaparral]], and [[oak woodland]].

In the county's extreme northwestern portion maritime fogs and cooler temperatures harbored [[coast redwoods]] (''Sequoia sempervirens'') historically, as evidenced by a description of the 1797 construction of [[Mission San Juan Bautista]]: "Redwood saplings, of convenient length and about six inches at the butt, were used for rafters;".<ref>{{cite book |title=History of San Benito County, California : with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, farms, residences, public buildings, factories, hotels, business houses, schools, churches, and mines: with biographical sketches of prominent citizens |publisher=Elliott & Moore |year=1881 |location=San Francisco, California |ISBN=9783337440282 |page=90 |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofsanbeni00elli/page/1/mode/2up |accessdate=June 12, 2025 }}</ref> In addition, two historical range maps show coast redwoods ranging into northwestern San Benito County, making the county one of five inland California counties, and one of 13 total California counties, which harbored redwoods historically.<ref>{{cite report |title=The distribution of forest trees in California. Res. Paper PSW-RP-82 |author=James R. Griffin, William B. Critchfield |year=1972 |publisher=Pacific Southwest Forest and Range Experiment Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture |location=Berkeley, California |page=104 |url=https://research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/28747 |accessdate=June 12, 2025 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |title=Rangewide climatic sensitivities and non-timber values of tall ''Sequoia sempervirens'' forests |author=Stephen C. Sillett, Marie E. Antoine, Allyson L. Carroll, Mark E. Graham, Alana R.O. Chin, Robert Van Pelt |year=2022 |journal=Forest Ecology and Management |volume=526 |pages=120573 |url=https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2022.120573 |accessdate=June 12, 2025 }}</ref>

In the extreme southeastern portion of San Benito County at Panoche Valley, [[Panoche Hills]], [[Tumey Hills]], and Vallecitos, the climate is arid and part of the recently recognized San Joaquin Desert biome.<ref>{{cite journal | url=https://bioone.org/journals/natural-areas-journal/volume-31/issue-2/043.031.0206/The-San-Joaquin-Desert-of-California--Ecologically-Misunderstood-and/10.3375/043.031.0206.full | doi=10.3375/043.031.0206 | title=The San Joaquin Desert of California: Ecologically Misunderstood and Overlooked | year=2011 | last1=Germano | first1=David J. | last2=Rathbun | first2=Galen B. | last3=Saslaw | first3=Lawrence R. | last4=Cypher | first4=Brian L. | last5=Cypher | first5=Ellen A. | last6=Vredenburgh | first6=Larry M. | journal=Natural Areas Journal | volume=31 | issue=2 | pages=138–147 | s2cid=85723011 | url-access=subscription }}</ref>  The flora there includes saltbush scrub, San Joaquin Desert scrub, and California juniper woodland. Panoche Hills navarretia (''Navarretia panochensis'')<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.calflora.org/app/taxon?crn=13540|title=Navarretia panochensis Calflora|website=www.calflora.org|accessdate=March 16, 2023}}</ref> is nearly endemic to this small portion of the San Joaquin Desert in San Benito County.

At the highest elevations of San Benito County at [[Fremont Peak (California)|Fremont Peak]] and [[San Benito Mountain]], the average annual precipitation is high enough and the average annual temperature is cool enough to support mixed conifer forest. At San Benito Mountain, the high elevation climate and extreme geology of the [[San Benito Mountain|New Idria serpentine]], supports a unique mixed-conifer forest that includes [[foothill pine]], [[Coulter pine]], [[Jeffrey pine]], and [[incense cedar]]. The extreme conditions of the [[serpentine soil]]s of the New Idria serpentine mass support many rare local [[Endemism|endemic]] plant species including San Benito evening primrose (''[[Camissonia benitensis]]''),<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.calflora.org/app/taxon?crn=1386|title=Camissonia benitensis Calflora|website=www.calflora.org|accessdate=March 16, 2023}}</ref> rayless layia (''[[Layia discoidea]]''),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.calflora.org/entry/observ.html?track=o#srch=t&taxon=Layia+discoidea&inma=f&cch=t&cnabh=t&inat=r&chk=t|title=Observation Search - Calflora|website=www.calflora.org|accessdate=March 16, 2023}}</ref> Guirado's goldenrod (''Solidago guiradonis''),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.calflora.org/app/taxon?crn=7673|title=Solidago guiradonis Calflora|website=www.calflora.org|accessdate=March 16, 2023}}</ref> and San Benito fritillary (''Fritillaria viridea'').<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.calflora.org/app/taxon?crn=3646|title=Fritillaria viridea Calflora|website=www.calflora.org|accessdate=March 16, 2023}}</ref>

The plant species ''[[Benitoa occidentalis]]''<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.calflora.org/app/taxon?crn=9730 | title=Benitoa occidentalis Calflora }}</ref> was named for San Benito County.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=103788|title=Benitoa in Flora of North America @ efloras.org|website=www.efloras.org|accessdate=March 16, 2023}}</ref> ''[[Camissonia benitensis]]'',<ref name="auto"/> ''Monardella antonina'' subsp. ''benitensis'',<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.calflora.org/app/taxon?crn=5615 | title=Monardella antonina SSP. Benitensis Calflora }}</ref> and ''Arctostaphylos benitoensis''<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.calflora.org/app/taxon?crn=9685 | title=Arctostaphylos Xbenitoensis Calflora }}</ref> were named in recognition of their being endemic or near-endemic to San Benito County. The species ''[[Hollisteria|Hollisteria lanata]]''<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.calflora.org/app/taxon?crn=4203 | title=Hollisteria lanata Calflora }}</ref> was named after [[William Welles Hollister]], namesake of the city of Hollister.

===Fauna===
''[[Illacme plenipes]]'', a [[millipede]] having more legs than any other millipede [[species]], was discovered in the county in 1926.<ref>{{cite web|author=Sara Goudarzi |url=http://www.livescience.com/animals/060607_leggy_millipede.html |title=666-Legged Creature Rediscovered. |publisher=LiveScience |date=June 7, 2006}}</ref>

A [[California condor]] was found shot to death in the county on July 22, 2022, leading to the [[United States Fish and Wildlife Service|U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service]] posting a $5,000 reward for information on the killer.<ref>Jess Thomson [https://www.newsweek.com/critically-endangered-california-condor-shot-killed-1825295 (9 Sep 2023) Reward Offered to Find Who Killed Endangered California Condor]</ref>

===National protected area===
* [[Pinnacles National Park]]

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 5584
|1890= 6412
|1900= 6633
|1910= 8041
|1920= 8995
|1930= 11311
|1940= 11392
|1950= 14370
|1960= 15396
|1970= 18226
|1980= 25005
|1990= 36697
|2000= 53234
|2010= 55269
|2020= 64209
|estyear=2024
|estimate=69159
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2024">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2024|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 10, 2025}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|title=Census of Population and Housing from 1790-2000|publisher=[[US Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 24, 2022}}</ref><br />1790–1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=October 4, 2015}}</ref> 1900–1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ca190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|editor-last=Forstall|editor-first=Richard L.|date=March 27, 1995|access-date=October 4, 2015}}</ref><br />1990–2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|date=April 2, 2001|access-date=October 4, 2015}}</ref> 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2/> 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2/>
| align = right
}}

===2020 census===

As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the county had a population of 64,209 and a median age of 36.6 years. 25.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 13.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older, while for every 100 females there were 99.0 males and, for every 100 females age 18 and over, 97.8 males.<ref name="Census2020DP">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dp?get=NAME,DP1_0021P,DP1_0024P,DP1_0025C,DP1_0049C,DP1_0045C,DP1_0069C,DP1_0073C,DP1_0125P,DP1_0126P,DP1_0129P,DP1_0138P,DP1_0139P,DP1_0141P,DP1_0142P,DP1_0143P,DP1_0145P,DP1_0146P,DP1_0147C,DP1_0148C,DP1_0149C,DP1_0156C,DP1_0157C,DP1_0158C,DP1_0159P,DP1_0160P&for=county%3A069&in=state%3A06|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=December 21, 2025|df=mdy}}</ref>

The racial makeup of the county was 42.4% White, 1.0% [[African Americans|Black or African American]], 2.6% [[Native Americans in the United States|American Indian and Alaska Native]], 3.8% [[Asian Americans|Asian]], 0.3% [[Native Hawaiians|Native Hawaiian]] and [[Pacific Islander|Pacific Islander]], 32.1% from some other race, and 17.9% from [[Multiracial Americans|two or more races]]. [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] residents of any race comprised 61.1% of the population.<ref name="Census2020PL">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=NAME,P1_001N,P1_003N,P1_004N,P1_005N,P1_006N,P1_007N,P1_008N,P1_009N,P2_001N,P2_002N,H1_001N,H1_002N&for=county%3A069&in=state%3A06|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=December 21, 2025|df=mdy}}</ref>

77.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 22.7% lived in rural areas.<ref name="Census2020DHC">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dhc?get=NAME,P2_002N,P2_003N&for=county%3A069&in=state%3A06|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2023|access-date=December 21, 2025|df=mdy}}</ref>

There were 19,484 households in the county, of which 43.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 20.4% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 14.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

There were 20,365 housing units, of which 4.3% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 67.2% were owner-occupied and 32.8% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 2.5%.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

===Racial and ethnic composition===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''San Benito County, California – Racial and ethnic composition'''<br><small>{{nobold|''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.''}}</small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!Pop 1980<ref>{{Cite web |title=California: 1980, General Social and Economic Characteristics, Part 1 - Table 59: Persons by Race, Hispanic Origin, and Sex|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1980a_caCs1-01.pdf|access-date=}}</ref>
!Pop 1990<ref>{{Cite web |title=California: 1990, Part 1 - Table 5: Race and Hispanic Origin|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1990/cp-1/cp-1-6-1.pdf |access-date=July 14, 2024}}</ref>
!Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – San Benito County, California|url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=050XX00US06069&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – San Benito County, California|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US06069&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" | Pop 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – San Benito County, California|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US06069&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!% 1980
!% 1990
!% 2000
!% 2010
!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|12,794
|18,793
|24,513
|21,154
|style='background: #ffffe6; |19,785
|51.17%
|51.21%
|46.05%
|38.27%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |30.81%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|59
|167
|475
|355
|style='background: #ffffe6; |479
|0.24%
|0.46%
|0.89%
|0.64%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.75%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|179
|210
|279
|231
|style='background: #ffffe6; |221
|0.72%
|0.57%
|0.52%
|0.42%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.34%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|470
|653
|1,173
|1,298
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2,189
|1.88%
|1.78%
|2.20%
|2.35%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.41%
|-
|[[Native Hawaiian]] or [[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|x <ref>included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census</ref>
|x <ref>included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census</ref>
|68
|65
|style='background: #ffffe6; |127
|0.13%
|0.12%
|0.13%
|0.12%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.20%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|73
|74
|53
|67
|style='background: #ffffe6; |332
|0.29%
|0.20%
|0.10%
|0.12%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.52%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|x <ref>not an option in the 1980 Census</ref>
|x <ref>not an option in the 1990 Census</ref>
|1,157
|913
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,835
|x
|x
|2.17%
|1.65%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.86%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|11,430
|16,800
|25,516
|31,186
|style='background: #ffffe6; |39,241
|45.71%
|45.78%
|47.93%
|56.43%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |61.11%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''25,005'''
|'''36,697'''
|'''53,234'''
|'''55,269'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''64,209 '''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

===2010 census===
The [[2010 United States census]] reported that San Benito County had a population of 55,269. The racial makeup of San Benito County was 35,181 (63.7%) [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 483 (0.9%) [[African American (U.S. census)|African American]], 895 (1.6%) [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1,443 (2.6%) [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 94 (0.2%) [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 14,471 (26.2%) from [[Race (United States census)|other races]], and 2,702 (4.9%) from two or more races. There were 31,186 people of [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] origin, of any race (56.4%).<ref>{{USCensus2010CA}}</ref>

''Population reported at [[2010 United States census]]''

{| class="wikitable collapsible"
|-
|{{center|1='''Area'''}} ||{{center|1='''Total<br/>Population'''}}||{{center|1='''[[White (U.S. Census)|White]]'''}} ||{{center|1='''[[African American (U.S. census)|African<br/>American]]'''}} || {{center|1='''[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native<br/>American]]'''}} || {{center|1='''[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]'''}} || {{center|1='''[[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific<br/>Islander]]'''}} || {{center|1='''[[Race (United States census)|other<br/>races]]'''}} || {{center|1='''two or<br/>more races'''}} ||{{center|1='''[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]]<br/>or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]<br/>(of any race)'''}}
|-
|''' San Benito County'''
|align="right"|55,269||align="right"|35,181||align="right"|483||align="right"|895||align="right"|1443||align="right"|94||align="right"|14,471||align="right"|2,702||align="right"|31,186
|-
|colspan=10|'''[[Incorporated city|Incorporated cities]]'''
|-
|'''[[Hollister, California|Hollister]]'''
|align="right"|34,928||align="right"|20,761||align="right"|341||align="right"|617||align="right"|929||align="right"|63||align="right"|10,437||align="right"|1,780||align="right"|22,965
|-
|'''[[San Juan Bautista, California|San Juan Bautista]]'''
|align="right"|1,862||align="right"|1,125||align="right"|12||align="right"|58||align="right"|52||align="right"|2||align="right"|494||align="right"|119||align="right"|907
|-
|colspan=10|'''[[Census-designated place]]s'''
|-
|'''[[Aromas, California|Aromas]] ‡'''
|align="right"|1,292||align="right"|961||align="right"|9||align="right"|13||align="right"|14||align="right"|3||align="right"|207||align="right"|85||align="right"|413
|-
|'''[[Ridgemark, California|Ridgemark]]'''
|align="right"|3,016||align="right"|2,520||align="right"|23||align="right"|14||align="right"|105||align="right"|3||align="right"|248||align="right"|103||align="right"|623
|-
|'''[[Tres Pinos, California|Tres Pinos]]'''
|align="right"|476||align="right"|390||align="right"|3||align="right"|8||align="right"|6||align="right"|0||align="right"|57||align="right"|12||align="right"|112
|-
|colspan=10|'''Other [[unincorporated area]]s'''
|-
|All others not CDPs (combined)
|align="right"|13,695||align="right"|9,424||align="right"|95||align="right"|185||align="right"|337||align="right"|23||align="right"|3,028||align="right"|603||align="right"|6,166
|-
!colspan=10|‡ Note: these numbers reflect only the portion of this CDP in San Benito County
|}

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR8">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=May 14, 2011|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 53,234 people, 15,885 households, and 12,898 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|38|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people}}. There were 16,499 housing units at an average density of {{convert|12|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the county in 2010 was 38.3% non-Hispanic [[Race (United States census)|White]], 0.6% non-Hispanic [[Race (United States census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States census)|African American]], 0.4% [[Race (United States census)|Native American]], 2.3% [[Race (United States census)|Asian]], 0.1% [[Race (United States census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.1% from [[Race (United States census)|other races]], and 1.7% from two or more races. 56.4% of the population were [[Race (United States census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States census)|Latino]] of any race. 7.6% were of [[german people|German]], 6.3% [[irish people|Irish]] and 5.4% [[italian people|Italian]] ancestry according to [[Census 2000]]. 62.8% spoke only [[English language|English]] at home, while 35.3% spoke [[Spanish language|Spanish]]. As of the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]], San Benito County was the only county in the greater [[San Francisco Bay Area]] with a Hispanic majority.

There were 15,885 households, out of which 46.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.7% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.8% were non-families. 14.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.32 and the average family size was 3.64.

In the county 32.2% of the population was under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 8.1% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 102.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.6 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $57,469, and the median income for a family was $60,665. Males had a median income of $44,158 versus $29,524 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $20,932. About 6.7% of families and 10.0% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 11.4% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.

{{clear}}

==Government and policing==
[[File:San Benito County Administration 1861.jpg|thumb|right|San Benito County Administration Building in [[Hollister, California]].]]
County government is overseen by a five-member elected Board of Supervisors, who serve four-year terms of office. Other elected county leaders include:

*Assessor
*Clerk-Auditor-Recorder
*District Attorney
*Sheriff-Coroner
*Treasurer-Tax Collector-Public Administrator

San Benito County had the last elected Marshal in California until 2010 when the office closed. Shasta and Trinity Counties still have appointed Marshals.

===State and federal representation===
In the [[United States House of Representatives]], San Benito County is part of {{Representative|cacd|18|fmt=district}}.<ref>{{Cite GovTrack|CA|18|access-date=September 24, 2014}}</ref>

In the [[California State Legislature]], San Benito County is in {{Representative|casd|17|fmt=sdistrict}}, and in {{Representative|caad|29|fmt=adistrict}}.<ref>{{Cite web
 | url = https://statewidedatabase.org/gis/districtscomp.html
 | title = Statewide Database
 | publisher = UC Regents
 | access-date = September 7, 2023}}</ref>

===Policing===

Eric S. Taylor is the 16th elected Sheriff-Coroner-Marshal of San Benito County. He was appointed on June 25, 2021, and was elected in June 2022. His term began on January 2, 2023.  The San Benito County Sheriff provides law enforcement services, search and rescue, court security, marshal services, correctional facility operations and coroner service for the entire county. It provides patrol and detective services for the unincorporated areas of the county. Hollister (the County Seat) has a municipal police department. The Sheriff is contracted to provide law enforcement service to the incorporated City of San Juan Bautista.

==Politics==
San Benito is a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]-leaning county in [[President of the United States|Presidential]] and [[United States Congress|congressional]] elections. The last Republican to win a majority in the county was [[George H. W. Bush]] in [[United States presidential election in California, 1988|1988]]. San Benito is also considered a bellwether county for California in presidential elections; since 1904 the only candidates to carry the state without winning this county have been [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] in [[1944 United States presidential election in California|1944]] and [[Harry S. Truman]] in [[United States presidential election in California, 1948|1948]].<ref name="Geography">Menendez, Albert J.; The Geography of Presidential Elections in the United States, 1868-2004, pp. 152-155 {{ISBN|0786422173}}</ref> The county's bellwether status goes beyond presidential politics to ballot initiatives and statewide candidates, as its election results mirror those of the state as a whole, as it straddles the major political fault lines of the state.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rosenhall |first=Laurel |date=September 7, 2023 |title=Robert Rivas wants to use small-town charm to wield big political power in California. Will it work? |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-09-07/robert-rivas-california-assembly-speaker-rural-small-town-big-political-power}}</ref> Before 1904, however, it was a solidly Democratic county whilst the state leaned Republican, voting Democratic in every election from its creation in 1876 up to and including 1900, although California only voted Democratic in [[United States presidential election in California, 1880|1880]] and [[United States presidential election in California, 1892|1892]].<ref name="Geography"/>

{{PresHead|place=San Benito County, California|source=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=September 1, 2018}}</ref>|source2=<ref group=note>This total comprised 1,054 votes for [[Progressive Party (United States, 1912)|Progressive]] [[Theodore Roosevelt]] (who was official Republican nominee in California), 179 votes for [[Socialist Party of America|Socialist]] [[Eugene V. Debs]] and 74 votes for [[Prohibition Party]] nominee [[Eugene W. Chafin]].</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|1892|Democratic|616|759|291|California}}
{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|729|956|31|California}}
{{PresRow|1900|Democratic|724|786|40|California}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|888|645|96|California}}
{{PresRow|1908|Republican|937|684|128|California}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|13|1,253|1,307|California}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|1,440|1,688|131|California}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|1,965|900|158|California}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|1,443|361|891|California}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|1,971|1,366|11|California}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|1,269|2,283|192|California}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|1,515|2,565|62|California}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|2,407|2,441|35|California}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|2,253|1,998|16|California}}
{{PresRow|1948|Republican|2,775|2,096|116|California}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|3,733|1,968|22|California}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|3,252|2,201|10|California}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|3,056|2,876|13|California}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|2,444|3,779|14|California}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|2,961|2,809|459|California}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|3,961|2,582|338|California}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|3,398|3,122|160|California}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|4,054|2,749|799|California}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|5,695|3,554|131|California}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|5,578|4,559|171|California}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|4,112|5,354|3,273|California}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|5,384|7,030|1,492|California}}
{{PresRow|2000|Democratic|7,015|9,131|685|California}}
{{PresRow|2004|Democratic|8,698|9,851|176|California}}
{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|7,425|11,917|446|California}}
{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|7,343|11,276|462|California}}
{{PresRow|2016|Democratic|7,841|12,521|1,760|California}}
{{PresRow|2020|Democratic|10,590|17,628|612|California}}
{{PresRow|2024|Democratic|11,702|15,179|771|California}}
{{PresFoot}}

As of May 2010, the California Secretary of State reports that San Benito County has 34,562 eligible voters.{{citation needed|date=September 2018}} Of those 24,736 (71.57%) are registered voters. Of those, 11,959 (48.35%) are registered Democratic, 7,477 (30.23%) are registered Republican, 565 (2.28%)are registered American Independent, and 116 (0.47%) are Green Party. The two incorporated municipalities of Hollister and San Juan Bautista have Democratic majorities on their voter rolls, whereas the unincorporated areas of San Benito County have a small Republican plurality in voter registration.

===Voter registration===

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|-
! colspan="3" | Population and registered voters
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Total population<ref name="US-CB-B02001">U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B02001. [https://www.census.gov U.S. Census website]. Retrieved October 26, 2013.</ref>
| colspan="2" | 54,873
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;Registered voters<ref name="CA-SS">California Secretary of State. [http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ror/ror-pages/ror-odd-year-2013/political-sub.pdf February 10, 2013 - Report of Registration] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130727173649/http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ror/ror-pages/ror-odd-year-2013/political-sub.pdf |date=July 27, 2013 }}. Retrieved October 31, 2013.</ref><ref name="PCT-RV" group=note>Percentage of registered voters with respect to total population. Percentages of party members with respect to registered voters follow.</ref>
| 26,694
| 48.6%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Democratic<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| 12,643
| 47.4%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Republican<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| 7,847
| 29.4%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Democratic&ndash;Republican spread<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| <span style="color: #2b00d6;">'''+4,796'''</span>
| <span style="color: #2b00d6;">'''+18.0%'''</span>
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Independent<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| 679
| 2.5%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Green<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| 144
| 0.5%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Libertarian<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| 143
| 0.5%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Peace and Freedom<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| 73
| 0.3%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Americans Elect<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| 1
| 0.0%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| 46
| 0.2%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No party preference<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| 5,118
| 19.2%
|}

====Cities by population and voter registration====

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed sortable" style="width: 100%;"
|-
! colspan="8" | Cities by population and voter registration
|-
! City
! data-sort-type="number" | Population<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>
! data-sort-type="number" | Registered voters<ref name="CA-SS"/><br /><ref name="PCT-RV" group=note/>
! data-sort-type="number" | Democratic<ref name="CA-SS"/>
! data-sort-type="number" | Republican<ref name="CA-SS"/>
! data-sort-type="number" | D&ndash;R spread<ref name="CA-SS"/>
! data-sort-type="number" | Other<ref name="CA-SS"/>
! data-sort-type="number" | No party preference<ref name="CA-SS"/>
|-
| [[Hollister, California|Hollister]] || 34,733 || 43.8% || 53.6% || 23.2% || <span style="color: #0000ff;">'''+30.4%'''</span> || 6.3% || 19.4%
|-
| [[San Juan Bautista, California|San Juan Bautista]] || 1,619 || 59.8% || 50.8% || 23.0% || <span style="color: #2b00d6;">'''+27.8%'''</span> || 9.8% || 20.4%
|}

==Crime==
{{Update|section|date=May 2025}}

The following table includes the number of incidents reported and the rate per 1,000 persons for each type of offense as of 2013.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|-
! colspan="3" | Population and crime rates
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Population<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>
| colspan="2" | 54,873
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Violent crime<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11">Office of the Attorney General, Department of Justice, State of California. [http://stats.doj.ca.gov/cjsc_stats/prof09/00/11.pdf Table 11: Crimes &ndash; 2009] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202222315/http://stats.doj.ca.gov/cjsc_stats/prof09/00/11.pdf |date=December 2, 2013 }}. Retrieved November 14, 2013.</ref>
| 246 || 4.48
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;Homicide<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>
| 0 || 0.00
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;Forcible rape<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>
| 9 || 0.16
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;Robbery<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>
| 54 || 0.98
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;Aggravated assault<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>
| 183 || 3.33
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Property crime<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>
| 748 || 13.63
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;Burglary<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>
| 445 || 8.11
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;Larceny-theft<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/><ref name="LT-note group=note">Only larceny-theft cases involving property over $400 in value are reported as property crimes.</ref>
| 535 || 9.75
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;Motor vehicle theft<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>
| 129 || 2.35
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Arson<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>
| 8 || 0.15
|}

===Cities by population and crime rate as of 2013===

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed sortable" style="width: 100%;"
|-
! City
! data-sort-type="number" | Population<ref name="FBI-UCR-T8">United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation. [https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2012/crime-in-the-u.s.-2012/tables/8tabledatadecpdf/table-8-state-cuts/table_8_offenses_known_to_law_enforcement_by_california_by_city_2012.xls Crime in the United States, 2012, Table 8 (California)]. Retrieved November 14, 2013.</ref>
! data-sort-type="number" | Violent crimes<ref name="FBI-UCR-T8"/>
! data-sort-type="number" | Violent crime rate<br />per 1,000 persons
! data-sort-type="number" | Property crimes<ref name="FBI-UCR-T8"/>
! data-sort-type="number" | Property crime rate<br />per 1,000 persons
|-
| [[Hollister, California|Hollister]] || 35,766 || 162 || 4.53 || 724 || 20.24
|}

==Economy==
The economy is statistically included in metro San Jose, though the dominant activity is agriculture. [[Agritourism]] is growing as the county has destination wineries, organic farms and quaint inns with views of cattle grazing. With concerns about how oil and gas operations could impact this sector of the economy and agriculture in general, the county voters approved a measure in 2014 that bans [[well stimulation]] techniques such as [[fracking]], acidizing and steam injection, along with conventional drilling in some areas. In the 1950s, the oil drilling industry had many wells and the county is over the [[Monterey Formation|Monterey Shale formation]] but there is very little activity now.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Cart|first1=Julie|title=Election win puts rural San Benito County on anti-fracking map|url=http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-san-benito-fracking-20141129-story.html|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=November 29, 2014}}</ref>

===Top employers===
According to the San Benito County Economic Development Corporation of San Benito County, the top employers in the county are:<ref name="bae">{{cite web|url=https://edcsanbenito.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Hollister-GPU-Market-Demand-Analysis-with-Memo-11-12-20.pdf|title=San Benito County Data from Hollister General Plan Update Market Demand Analysis Report|format=Memorandum |website=bae urban economics|date=January 20, 2021}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! #
! Employer
! # of Employees
|-
| 1
|[[Earthbound Farm]]
|1,000+
|-
|2
| R&R Labor
|500–999
|-
|3
| Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital
|250–499
|-
|4
| Mcelectronics Inc.
|250–499
|-
|5
|[[San Benito High School (California)|San Benito High School]]
|250–499
|-
|6
|True Leaf Farms 
|250–499
|-
|7
|Corbin Sparrow
|100–249
|-
|8
|Denise & Filice Packing Co
|100–249
|-
|9
|[[Nob Hill Foods]]
|100–249
|-
|10
|San Benito Foods
|100–249
|-
|11
|San Benito County Sheriff
|100–249
|-
|12
|[[Target Corporation|Target]]
|100–249
|-
|13
|Trical Inc.
|100–249
|-
|14
|[[West Marine]]
|100–249
|}

==Media==
San Benito County receives [[Media in Monterey County, California|media in Monterey County]], including the major Monterey County TV and radio stations.

The county also has several media outlets that serve the local community:

===Television===
CMAP TV - Community Media Access Partnership, based in Gilroy, operates Channels 17, 18, 19 & 20 on Charter/Spectrum Cable as well as streaming online, offering public access and educational programming to Gilroy and San Benito County as well as offering live civic meetings, including county government.

===Radio===
* [[KMPG]], at 1520 AM daytime, plays [[Regional Mexican|regional Mexican music]];
* KQKE, at 97.5 FM, "The Quake" San Benito County Community Radio provides a low power signal.
* [[KHRI (FM)|KHRI]], at 90.7 FM, is an affiliate of [[Air 1]] playing [[contemporary Christian music]];
* [[KXSM]], at 93.1 FM, broadcasts a regional Mexican format.
* K206BQ, at 89.1 FM, rebroadcasts [[KLVM (FM)|KLVM]].
* K265DG, at 100.9 FM, rebroadcasts [[KPRC-FM]].

===Print===
*The ''[[Hollister Free Lance]]'', founded in 1873, is published weekly on Thursdays. The Freelance is now owned by New SV Media, Inc.and its main office is in [[Gilroy, California|Gilroy]]. New SV Media owns Good Times, Metro Silicon Valley, Pajaroan, Gilroy Dispatch, SantaCruz.com, King City Rustler and California Wheelin'.
* ''Mission Village Voice'' is a monthly paper based in San Juan Bautista. It is oriented toward arts, culture and community-wide events.

===Online===
* [https://benitolink.com/ ''BenitoLink''] is a nonprofit news website covering San Benito County, run by local and regional residents.
* [https://sanbenitolive.com/ ''San Benito Live''] is a local news website, primarily focused on culture-related media.

==Transportation==

===Major highways===
<!-- Do not add any county routes or highway names here without discussion. -->
*{{jct|state=CA|US|101}}
*{{jct|state=CA|SR|25}}
*{{jct|state=CA|SR|129}}
*{{jct|state=CA|SR|146}}
*{{jct|state=CA|SR|156}}

===Public transportation===
[[San Benito County Express]] provides fixed route service in the city of Hollister, and intercity service in the northern portion of the county. Service operates as far north as [[Gilroy, California|Gilroy]], in [[Santa Clara County, California|Santa Clara County]].

===Airports===
[[File:Hollister Municipal Airport photo D Ramey Logan.jpg|thumb|Hollister Municipal Airport]]

[[Hollister Municipal Airport]] is a general aviation airport located just north of Hollister.

==Communities==

===Cities===
*[[Hollister, California|Hollister]] (county seat)
*[[San Juan Bautista, California|San Juan Bautista]]

===Census-designated places===
*[[Aromas, California|Aromas]]
*[[Ridgemark, California|Ridgemark]]
*[[Tres Pinos, California|Tres Pinos]]

===Unincorporated communities===
{{div col}}
*[[Bitterwater, California|Bitterwater]]
*[[Dunneville, California|Dunneville]]
*[[Hudner, California|Hudner]]
*[[Paicines, California|Paicines]]
*[[Panoche, California|Panoche]]
*[[River Oaks, California|River Oaks]]
*[[San Benito, California|San Benito]]
*[[Tres Pinos, California|Tres Pinos]]
{{div col end}}

===Ghost town===
*[[New Idria, California|New Idria]]

===Population ranking===

The population ranking of the following table is based on the [[2020 United States census|20220 census]] of San Benito County.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.2020.html |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |title=2020 U.S. Census website |access-date=November 4, 2025 }}</ref>

'''†''' ''county seat''

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Rank
!City/Town/etc.
!Municipal type
!Population (2020 census)

|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"
| 1
|'''†''' '''[[Hollister, California|Hollister]]''' 
| City
| 41,678
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 2
|'''[[Ridgemark, California|Ridgemark]]''' 
| CDP
| 3,212
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 3
|'''[[Aromas, California|Aromas]]''' (''partially in [[Monterey County, California|Monterey County]]'') 
| CDP
| 2,708
|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"
| 4
|'''[[San Juan Bautista, California|San Juan Bautista]]''' 
| City
| 2,089
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 5
|'''[[Tres Pinos, California|Tres Pinos]]''' 
| CDP
| 443
|}

==See also==
*[[List of museums in the California Central Coast]]
*[[National Register of Historic Places listings in San Benito County, California]]
*[[George H. Moore]], San Benito County district attorney

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{AmCyc Poster|San Benito}}
*{{Official website|https://www.cosb.us/}}
*[http://www.3rocks.org/san_benito/index.html History of San Benito County]

{{coord|36.61|-121.08|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-CA_source:UScensus1990}}

{{Geographic Location
| Centre    = San Benito County, California
| North     = [[Santa Clara County, California|Santa Clara County]]
| Northeast = [[Merced County, California|Merced County]]
| East      = [[Fresno County, California|Fresno County]]
| Southeast = [[Fresno County, California|Fresno County]]
| South     = [[Monterey County, California|Monterey County]]
| Southwest = [[Monterey County, California|Monterey County]]
| West      = [[Monterey County, California|Monterey County]]
| Northwest = [[Santa Cruz County, California|Santa Cruz County]]
}} 
{{San Benito County, California}}
{{California Central Coast}}
{{California}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:San Benito County, California| ]]
[[Category:California counties]]
[[Category:1874 establishments in California]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1874]]
[[Category:Majority-minority counties in California]]