Merced County, California: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search
imported>Patapsco913
imported>Patapsco913
Line 149: Line 149:


===2020 census===
===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Merced 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>
|+'''Merced 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>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Merced County, California |url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=0500000US06047&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!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 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) – Merced County, California|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US06047&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</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>
!{{partial|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) – Merced County, California|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US06047&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</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 – Merced County, California|url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=050XX00US06047&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) – Merced County, California|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US06047&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) – Merced County, California|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US06047&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!% 1980
!% 1990
!% 2000
!% 2000
!% 2010
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020
|-
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|89,006
|96,701
|85,585
|85,585
|81,599
|81,599
|style='background: #ffffe6; |68,729
|style='background: #ffffe6; |68,729
|66.15%
|54.20%
|40.65%
|40.65%
|31.90%
|31.90%
Line 168: Line 176:
|-
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|6,618
|7,889
|7,594
|7,594
|8,785
|8,785
|style='background: #ffffe6; |8,191
|style='background: #ffffe6; |8,191
|4.92%
|4.42%
|3.61%
|3.61%
|3.43%
|3.43%
Line 176: Line 188:
|-
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|1,091
|1,135
|1,115
|1,115
|1,126
|1,126
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,164
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,164
|0.81%
|0.64%
|0.53%
|0.53%
|0.44%
|0.44%
Line 184: Line 200:
|-
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|2,891
|14,109
|14,041
|14,041
|18,183
|18,183
|style='background: #ffffe6; |19,824
|style='background: #ffffe6; |19,824
|2.15%
|7.91%
|6.67%
|6.67%
|7.11%
|7.11%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |7.05%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |7.05%
|-
|-
|[[Native Hawaiian]] or [[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)  
|[[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>
|281
|281
|476
|476
|style='background: #ffffe6; |617
|style='background: #ffffe6; |617
|0.13%
|0.19%
|0.13%
|0.13%
|0.19%
|0.19%
Line 200: Line 224:
|-
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|900
|462
|410
|410
|439
|439
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,242
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,242
|2.68%
|0.26%
|0.19%
|0.19%
|0.17%
|0.17%
Line 208: Line 236:
|-
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|[[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>
|6,062
|6,062
|4,700
|4,700
|style='background: #ffffe6; |7,578
|style='background: #ffffe6; |7,578
|x
|x
|2.88%
|2.88%
|1.84%
|1.84%
Line 216: Line 248:
|-
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|34,054
|58,107
|95,466
|95,466
|140,485
|140,485
|style='background: #ffffe6; |173,857
|style='background: #ffffe6; |173,857
|25.31%
|32.57%
|45.34%
|45.34%
|54.92%
|54.92%
Line 224: Line 260:
|-
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''Total'''
|'''134,560'''
|'''178,403'''
|'''210,554'''
|'''210,554'''
|'''255,793'''
|'''255,793'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''281,202'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''281,202 '''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''

Revision as of 01:29, 24 June 2025

Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Script error: No such module "Settlement short description".Script error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".Expression error: Unexpected < operator.

Merced County (Template:IPAc-en Script error: No such module "Respell".) is a county located in the northern San Joaquin Valley section of the Central Valley, in the U.S. state of California.

As of the 2020 census, the population was 281,202.[1] The county seat is Merced.[2] The county is named after the Merced River.

Merced County comprises the Merced, California Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Modesto-Merced, California Combined Statistical Area. It is located north of Fresno County and Fresno, and southeast of Santa Clara County and San Jose.

History

The county derives its name from the Merced River, or El Río de Nuestra Señora de la Merced (River of Our Lady of Mercy), named in 1806 by an expedition headed by Gabriel Moraga, which came upon it at the end of a hot dusty ride on the El Camino Viejo across the San Joaquin Valley in Spanish colonial Las Californias Province.

Between 1841 and 1844, during the period when Alta California was a territory of independent Mexico, four Mexican land grants were made in what became Merced County: Rancho Orestimba y Las Garzas, Rancho Panoche de San Juan y Los Carrisolitos, Rancho San Luis Gonzaga, and Rancho Sanjon de Santa Rita

Merced County was formed in 1855 from parts of Mariposa County. Parts of its territory were given to Fresno County in 1856.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Script error: No such module "convert"., of which Script error: No such module "convert". is land and Script error: No such module "convert". (2.2%) is water.[3]

National protected areas

Demographics

<templatestyles src="US Census population/styles.css"/>

Historical population
CensusPop.Template:Sronly
18601,141
18702,807Script error: No such module "String".%
18805,656Script error: No such module "String".%
18908,085Script error: No such module "String".%
19009,215Script error: No such module "String".%
191015,148Script error: No such module "String".%
192024,579Script error: No such module "String".%
193036,748Script error: No such module "String".%
194046,988Script error: No such module "String".%
195069,780Script error: No such module "String".%
196090,446Script error: No such module "String".%
1970104,629Script error: No such module "String".%
1980134,560Script error: No such module "String".%
1990178,403Script error: No such module "String".%
2000210,554Script error: No such module "String".%
2010255,793Script error: No such module "String".%
2020281,202Script error: No such module "String".%
2024 (est.)296,774[4]Script error: No such module "String".%
U.S. Decennial Census[5]
1790–1960[6] 1900–1990[7]
1990–2000[8] 2010[9] 2020[10]

Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

2020 census

Merced County, California – Racial and ethnic composition
<templatestyles src="Nobold/styles.css"/>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.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 1980[11] Pop 1990[12] Pop 2000[13] Pop 2010[9] Pop 2020[10] % 1980 % 1990 % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 89,006 96,701 85,585 81,599 68,729 66.15% 54.20% 40.65% 31.90% 24.44%
Black or African American alone (NH) 6,618 7,889 7,594 8,785 8,191 4.92% 4.42% 3.61% 3.43% 2.91%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 1,091 1,135 1,115 1,126 1,164 0.81% 0.64% 0.53% 0.44% 0.41%
Asian alone (NH) 2,891 14,109 14,041 18,183 19,824 2.15% 7.91% 6.67% 7.11% 7.05%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) x [14] x [15] 281 476 617 0.13% 0.19% 0.13% 0.19% 0.22%
Other race alone (NH) 900 462 410 439 1,242 2.68% 0.26% 0.19% 0.17% 0.44%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) x [16] x [17] 6,062 4,700 7,578 x x 2.88% 1.84% 2.69%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 34,054 58,107 95,466 140,485 173,857 25.31% 32.57% 45.34% 54.92% 61.83%
Total 134,560 178,403 210,554 255,793 281,202 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

2011

Places by population, race, and income

2010 census

The 2010 United States census reported that Merced County had a population of 255,793. The racial makeup of Merced County was 148,381 (58.0%) White, 9,926 (3.9%) African American, 3,473 (1.4%) Native American, 18,836 (7.4%) Asian, 583 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 62,665 (24.5%) from other races, and 11,929 (4.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 140,485 persons (54.9%).[24]

2000

As of the census[25] of 2000, there were 210,554 people, 63,815 households, and 49,775 families residing in the county. The population density was Script error: No such module "convert".. There were 68,373 housing units at an average density of Script error: No such module "convert".. The racial makeup of the county was 56.2% White, 3.8% Black or African American, 1.2% Native American, 6.8% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 26.1% from other races, and 5.7% from two or more races. 45.3% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 6.6% were of Portuguese and 6.0% German ancestry according to Census 2000. 55.1% spoke English, 35.3% Spanish, 3.2% Hmong, 2.9% Portuguese and 1.0% Punjabi as their first language.

There were 63,815 households, out of which 45.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.8% were married couples living together, 14.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.0% were non-families. 17.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.25 and the average family size was 3.69.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 34.5% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 17.8% from 45 to 64, and 9.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 99.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.6 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,532, and the median income for a family was $38,009. Males had a median income of $31,721 versus $23,911 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,257. About 16.9% of families and 21.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.4% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over.

As of 2008, according to the Lao Family Community, a nonprofit organization, about 8,000 Hmong lived in Merced County.[26]

Government and policing

County government

Merced County is a California Constitution defined general law county and is governed by an elected Board of Supervisors. The Board consists of five members, elected by districts, who serve four-year staggered terms.[27]

Merced County Sheriff's Office

File:Seal of the Merced County Sheriff's Office.png
The seal of the Merced County Sheriff's Office.

The Merced County Sheriff's Office provides court protection, jail administration, and coroner service for the entire county. It provides patrol, detective, and other police services for the unincorporated parts of the county. The main sheriff station and offices are at Merced. There are two sheriff's substations. A Grand Jury report in 2010 stated that the Sheriff processed 12,746 average jail bookings per year with an average daily jail population of 1,123.[28]

Municipal police departments

Municipal police departments in the county are: Merced, population 83,000; Los Banos, population 38,000; Atwater, population 30,000; Livingston, population 13,000; Gustine, population 6,000; Dos Palos, population 5,500.

State and federal representation

In the United States House of Representatives, Merced County is in Template:Representative.[29]

In the California State Legislature, Merced County is in Template:Representative, and Template:Representative.[30]

Politics

Voter registration statistics

Cities by population and voter registration

Overview

Merced County has been somewhat of a bellwether county for presidential elections. Since 1916, it has voted for the winner in each election except in 1956 when it voted for Adlai Stevenson II instead of Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1968 when it voted for Hubert Humphrey instead of Richard Nixon, and 2016 when it voted for Hillary Clinton instead of Donald Trump. In 2024, Donald Trump won the county in a slim victory, continuing the county's bellwether county status.[32]

Trump's win in Merced county made it one of ten counties to flip from Biden to Trump, as well as making Merced one of six counties to vote for the Republican presidential candidate for the first time in 20 years since George W. Bush in 2004. Democrat Barack Obama won a majority in the county in both 2008 and 2012. Before that, Republican George W. Bush won a majority in the county in both 2000 and 2004.

Template:PresHead Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresFoot

According to the California Secretary of State, as of October 20, 2008, there were 97,179 registered voters in Merced County.Script error: No such module "Unsubst". Of those, 44,704 (46.0%) are registered Democratic, 35,955 (37.0%) are registered Republican, 3,090 (3.2%) are registered with other political parties, and 13,430 (13.8%) declined to state a political party. Atwater and the county's unincorporated areas have Republican plurality registration advantages. All of the other cities and towns in the county have Democratic pluralities or majorities in voter registration. Merced County has seen a rightward tilt in recent years, voting "Yes" in the 2021 gubernatorial recall election despite voting for Governor Gavin Newsom by a margin of 4% in 2018. The county then voted for Republican nominee Brian Dahle in 2022 over Newsom, as well as for all Republican nominees for statewide office.

Crime

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

Cities by population and crime rates

Economy

According to America's Labor Market Information System 2014 report,[36] the companies with the largest employment in Merced are, in alphabetical order:

<templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>

Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

Merced County grows 90% of California's sweet potato crop,[37] due in part to the efforts of John Buttencourt Avila, called "the father of the sweet potato industry".

Transportation

Major highways

Public transportation

Airports

Merced Regional Airport, located Script error: No such module "convert". southwest of downtown Merced, provides passenger air service. General aviation airports in the county include Castle Airport, Gustine Airport, and Los Banos Municipal Airport.

Communities

Cities

Census-designated places

<templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Merced County.[38]

county seat

Rank City/Town/etc. Municipal type Population (2010 Census) Population (2018 CA Department of Finance)
1 Merced City 78,958 86,750
2 Los Banos City 35,972 40,986
3 Atwater City 28,168 31,235
4 Livingston City 13,058 14,328
5 Delhi CDP 10,755
6 Winton CDP 10,613
7 Franklin-Beachwood CDP 6,149
8 Gustine City 5,520 5,874
9 Hilmar-Irwin CDP 5,197
10 Dos Palos City 4,950 5,679
11 Planada CDP 4,584
12 McSwain CDP 4,171
13 Le Grand CDP 1,659
14 South Dos Palos CDP 1,620
15 Santa Nella CDP 1,380
16 Ballico CDP 406
17 Cressey CDP 394
18 El Nido CDP 330
19 Dos Palos Y CDP 323
20 Stevinson CDP 313
21 Bear Creek CDP 290
22 Volta CDP 246
23 Snelling CDP 231
24 Tuttle CDP 103

Education

School districts include:[39]

K-12:

<templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>

Secondary:

Elementary:

<templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>

University of California Merced is in the county.

Places of interest

The former Castle Air Force Base and the United States Penitentiary, Atwater are located in an unincorporated area near Atwater.

See also

Script error: No such module "Portal".

Notes

<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />

  1. Other = Some other race + Two or more races
  2. Native American = Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander + American Indian or Alaska Native
  3. a b Percentage of registered voters with respect to total population. Percentages of party members with respect to registered voters follow.

Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

References

<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />

  1. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  2. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  3. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  4. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  5. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  6. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  7. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  8. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  9. a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  11. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  14. included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
  15. included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
  16. not an option in the 1980 Census
  17. not an option in the 1990 Census
  18. a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B02001. U.S. Census website. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
  19. a b U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B03003. U.S. Census website. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
  20. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B19301. U.S. Census website. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  21. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B19013. U.S. Census website. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  22. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B19113. U.S. Census website. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  23. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census website. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  24. Template:USCensus2010CA
  25. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  26. Oppenheim, Jamie. "Hmong youth not preserving traditions, professor says Template:Webarchive." Monday March 29, 2010. Retrieved on September 20, 2010.
  27. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  28. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
  29. Template:Cite GovTrack
  30. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  31. a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q California Secretary of State. February 10, 2013 - Report of Registration Template:Webarchive. Retrieved October 31, 2013.
  32. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  33. a b c d e f g h i j Office of the Attorney General, Department of Justice, State of California. Table 11: Crimes – 2009 Template:Webarchive. Retrieved November 14, 2013.
  34. Only larceny-theft cases involving property over $400 in value are reported as property crimes.
  35. a b c United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation. Crime in the United States, 2012, Table 8 (California). Retrieved November 14, 2013.
  36. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  37. "Farmers Markets: Stokes Purple is a sweet potato of mystery", Los Angeles Times, 2 November 2012
  38. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  39. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". - text list

Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

Further reading

  • A Memorial and Biographical History of the Counties of Merced, Stanislaus, Calaveras, Tuolumne and Mariposa, California. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co., 1892.

External links

Template:Sister project

  • Script error: No such module "Official website".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

Template:Geographic Location Script error: No such module "Navbox". Template:San Joaquin Valley Script error: No such module "navbox".

Template:Authority control