Fresno County, California

Fresno County, California

Fresno County, officially called the County of Fresno, is in the central part of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 1,008,654 people. The main city, or county seat, is Fresno, which is the fifth-most populous city in California.

Fresno County is part of the Fresno, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area. This area is also part of the larger Fresno–Madera, CA Combined Statistical Area. The county sits in the Central Valley, south of Stockton and north of Bakersfield.

Since 2010, droughts in California have made it harder for Fresno County and the whole Central Valley to keep enough water.

History

The land that is now Fresno County has long been home to the Yokuts and Mono peoples. Later, Spanish explorers arrived. In 1846, this area became part of the United States.

Fresno County was created in 1856 from parts of Mariposa, Merced, and Tulare counties. It was named after the ash trees along the San Joaquin River. Over time, parts of Fresno County were used to create Mono County and Madera County. The county seat moved from Millerton to Fresno in 1874 after a vote.

Fresno County has faced challenges, including floods and fires. People brought irrigation, electricity, and farming to the area. They grew wheat, raisins, and later cotton. The discovery of oil near Coalinga brought growth in the early 1900s. Today, Fresno County is a major agricultural area with many historic buildings.

Geography

Fresno County is in California. It covers 6,011 square miles, most of which is land. The county has around 38 towns, such as Fresno, Selma, and Clovis. Mountain ranges surround the county, and it has important rivers and canals.

Fresno County is famous for its farming and is one of the top farming areas in the United States. It borders other counties, including Madera County, Kings County, and Tulare County. Parts of Kings Canyon National Park and Sierra National Forest are also in the county.

Demographics

2020 census

The 2020 census said Fresno County had 1,008,654 people. The median age was 33.3 years. About 27.6% were younger than 18, and 13.2% were 65 or older. For every 100 females, there were 98.9 males.

The racial makeup was 37.1% White, 4.8% Black or African American, 2.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 11.2% Asian, 0.2% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 28.2% from some other race, and 16.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents made up 53.6% of the population.

Most people, about 88.7%, lived in urban areas, and 11.3% lived in rural areas.

There were 319,296 households, with 40.9% having children under 18. About 27.7% of households had a female householder without a spouse or partner present. Around 20.5% of households were made up of individuals, and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 or older.

There were 338,441 housing units, with 5.7% being vacant. Of the occupied housing units, 54.3% were owned, and 45.7% were rented.

2010 census

The 2010 United States census said Fresno County had a population of 930,450 people. The racial makeup included 55.4% White, 5.3% Black or African American, 1.7% Native American, 9.6% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 23.3% from other races, and 4.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents made up 50.3% of the population. About 46.0% had Mexican heritage.

2000 census

In 2000, there were 799,407 people in Fresno County. The population density was 134 people per square mile (52 people/km²). The racial makeup was 54.3% White, 5.3% Black or African American, 1.6% Native American, 8.1% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 25.9% from other races, and 4.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents made up 44.0% of the population.

In terms of ancestry, 7.5% were of German descent, 6.6% of Irish descent, and 6.3% of English descent. The main languages spoken were 59.3% English, 31.5% Spanish, and 3.1% Hmong.

There were 252,940 households, with 41.2% having children under 18. About 52.5% were married couples living together, 15.2% had a female householder without a husband present, and 26.2% were non-families. Around 20.6% of households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 3.09, and the average family size was 3.59.

The population ages were spread out, with 32.1% under 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 18.5% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% aged 65 or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.4 males, and for every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 98.2 males.

The median income for a household was $34,725, and for a family, it was $38,455. Males earned $33,375, while females earned $26,501. The per capita income was $15,495. About 17.6% of families and 22.9% of the population lived below the poverty line, including 31.7% of those under age 18 and 9.9% of those aged 65 or older.

Metropolitan Statistical Area

The United States Office of Management and Budget named Fresno County the Fresno, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area. The United States Census Bureau said this area was the 56th most populous in the country as of July 1, 2012.

The same office also included the Fresno, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area in the larger Fresno–Madera, CA Combined Statistical Area. This combined area was ranked the 49th most populous in the United States as of July 1, 2012.

Government and policing

Government

The Government of Fresno County follows rules set by the California Constitution, law, and the Charter of the County of Fresno. County governments, like Fresno County's, help people with important services. These services include voting, public safety, health care, and keeping records of property and taxes. The county also helps areas that are not part of any city.

The county government is led by a Board of Supervisors with five members, each elected from a different district. Other important jobs include the Sheriff, District Attorney, and several other officials who help run the county.

Policing

County Sheriff

The Fresno County Sheriff helps keep people safe by protecting courts, managing jails, and providing other important services for the whole county. The Sheriff’s office also patrols areas outside the cities and works with the city of San Joaquin to keep people safe there too.

Municipal police

Many cities within Fresno County have their own police departments to help keep people safe. Some of the larger cities with their own police include Fresno, Clovis, and Sanger.

Politics

Overview

Fresno County has more voters who support the Democratic party, but elections there can be very close. In 2020, Joe Biden won more than half of the votes in Fresno County. This was the first time a Democratic candidate had done that since 1964. But four years later, Donald Trump won the county. This shows how split the voting can be.

Some cities in Fresno County, like Clovis, Coalinga, and Kingsburg, usually vote for Republican candidates. The city of Fresno itself is divided. Smaller towns and areas outside the cities often lean toward Republican views.

Voter registration statistics

Cities by population and voter registration

Crime

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

Economy

Agriculture

Fresno County is well known for its farming. Almost half of the land in the county is used to grow crops, making it the top farming area in the United States. Farms in the county grow many different plants and animals.

Important crops include grapes, pistachios, cotton, almonds, tomatoes, turkeys, cattle, milk, plums, oranges, peaches, and nectarines.

Companies based in Fresno County

Fresno County is home to many businesses, such as:

• Gottschalks Department Stores
• Sun-Maid Raisins
• Pinnacle Armor
• Pelco, maker of surveillance cameras
• David Sunflower Seeds
• Flicks Candy Company
• Harris Ranch Beef Company
• JD Food
• Saladino's Inc
• National Raisin Company
• Pacific Ethanol
• United Security Bank
• Central Valley Community Bank
• Electronic Recyclers International

Major employers

Education

Fresno County has many places for students to learn. There are universities such as California State University, Fresno, which opened in 1911, and smaller colleges like Fresno Pacific University.

For younger students, there are many school districts including Fresno Unified School District and Clovis Unified School District. The county also has public libraries to help people read and learn, run by the Fresno County Public Library.

Transportation

Major highways

Fresno County has many important roads. These include Interstate 5, State Route 33, State Route 41, State Route 43, State Route 63, State Route 99, State Route 145, State Route 168, State Route 180, State Route 198, State Route 201, State Route 245, and State Route 269.

Rail

The county has several rail services. These include BNSF Railway, Union Pacific Railroad, and San Joaquin Valley Railroad. Some older rail lines, like the Biola Branch (Southern Pacific), Shaver Lake Railroad, and San Joaquin and Eastern Railroad, are no longer used.

Airports

Fresno County has airports for both big planes and small planes. The main airport for big planes is Fresno Yosemite Int'l Airport. For smaller planes, there are airports such as Fresno Chandler Executive Airport, Firebaugh Airport, Mendota Airport, New Coalinga Municipal Airport, Reedley Municipal Airport, and Sierra Sky Park Airport.

Public transportation

Local buses in Fresno are run by Fresno Area Express, also called FAX. FAX also has daily service to Fresno Yosemite International Airport. In Clovis, Clovis Transit Stageline runs the buses. Reedley Transit, also called Dial-A-Ride, serves Reedley. The Fresno County Rural Transit Agency (FCRTA) offers many bus services around the county. For longer trips, companies like Greyhound, FlixBus, and Orange Belt Stages have buses. Amtrak’s Gold Runner stops in Fresno.

Attractions

Fresno County in California has many places to visit and enjoy. Below are tables showing some of these attractions.

Communities

Cities

Fresno County has many cities, including:

• Clovis
• Coalinga
• Firebaugh
• Fowler
• Fresno (county seat)
• Huron
• Kerman
• Kingsburg
• Mendota
• Orange Cove
• Parlier
• Reedley
• San Joaquin
• Sanger
• Selma

Census-designated places

Some other places in Fresno County are:

• Auberry
• Big Creek
• Biola
• Bowles
• Calwa
• Cantua Creek
• Caruthers
• Centerville
• Del Rey
• Easton
• Fort Washington
• Friant
• Lanare
• Laton
• Malaga
• Mayfair
• Millerton
• Minkler
• Monmouth
• Old Fig Garden
• Raisin City
• Riverdale
• Shaver Lake
• Yokuts Valley
• Sunnyside
• Tarpey Village
• Three Rocks
• Tranquillity
• West Park
• Westside

Unincorporated communities

There are also smaller areas that are not part of any city, such as:

• Burrel
• Dunlap
• Highway City
• Hume
• Mercey Hot Springs
• Prather
• Rolinda
• Tollhouse
• Oleander

Population ranking

The following list shows the population ranking based on the 2010 census of Fresno County.

† county seat