text:
Wasco, California

Wasco (formerly, Dewey and Deweyville) is a city in the San Joaquin Valley, in Kern County, California, United States. Wasco is located 24 mi northwest of Bakersfield, at an elevation of 328 feet. The population was 25,545 at the 2010 census, up from 21,263 at the 2000 census.

Wasco is the headquarters of the Tejon Indian Tribe of California, a federally recognized tribe of Kitanemuk, Yokuts, and Chumash indigenous people of California.

History
The name Dewey was in honor of Admiral George Dewey, a hero of the Spanish–American War. The Deweyville post office opened in 1899, and changed its name to Wasco in 1907.

The origin of the name Wasco is subject of two different theories: (1) That it was coined from Western American Sugar Company; and (2) that it was named by a resident from Wasco County, Oregon.

Wasco is the site of the Fourth Home Extension Colony, founded in 1907 by the American Home Extension Association.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.4 sqmi, all of it land. At the 2000 census, according to the United States Census Bureau, the city had a total area of 7.6 sqmi, all of it land. Wasco is located on the floor of the San Joaquin Valley, at the intersection of California State Routes 43, which runs north–south, and 46, which runs east–west.

Climate
According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Wasco has a semi-arid climate (BSk, bordering on BSh) with extremely hot, dry summers and mild to cool winters. The average annual mean temperature is 64.1 F.

2010
At the 2010 census Wasco had a population of 25,545. The population density was 2,710.1 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Wasco was 12,579 (49.2%) White, 1,951 (7.6%) African American, 283 (1.1%) Native American, 180 (0.7%) Asian, 12 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 9,714 (38.0%) from other races, and 826 (3.2%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 19,585 persons (76.7%).

The census reported that 19,825 people (77.6% of the population) lived in households, 10 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 5,710 (22.4%) were institutionalized.

There were 5,131 households, 3,143 (61.3%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 2,894 (56.4%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 992 (19.3%) had a female householder with no husband present, 484 (9.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 478 (9.3%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 27 (0.5%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 575 households (11.2%) were one person and 243 (4.7%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 3.86. There were 4,370 families (85.2% of households); the average family size was 4.11.

The age distribution was 7,351 people (28.8%) under the age of 18, 3,687 people (14.4%) aged 18 to 24, 8,621 people (33.7%) aged 25 to 44, 4,593 people (18.0%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,293 people (5.1%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 28.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 160.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 192.5 males.

There were 5,477 housing units at an average density of 581.1 per square mile, of the occupied units 2,680 (52.2%) were owner-occupied and 2,451 (47.8%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 5.1%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.0%. 10,486 people (41.0% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 9,339 people (36.6%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
At the 2000 census there were 21,263 people in 3,971 households, including 3,403 families, in the city. The population density was 2,795.7 PD/sqmi. There were 4,256 housing units at an average density of 559.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 34.64% White, 10.27% Black or African American, 1.02% Native American, 0.67% Asian, 0.15% Pacific Islander, 50.46% from other races, and 2.78% from two or more races. 66.72% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 3,971 households 55.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.3% were married couples living together, 16.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.3% were non-families. 11.6% of households were one person and 5.7% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.79 and the average family size was 4.07.

The age distribution was 27.4% under the age of 18, 13.9% from 18 to 24, 39.4% from 25 to 44, 13.8% from 45 to 64, and 5.4% 65 or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females, there were 183.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 230.6 males.

The median income for a householder in the city was $28,997, and the median family income was $30,506. Males had a median income of $48,105 versus $18,697 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,228. About 24.3% of families and 27.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 35.3% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.

People in group quarters
Source:

 * 7,975 people in Wasco State Prison
 * 1,226 people in other types of correctional institutions
 * 10 people in homes for the mentally ill
 * 8 people in other non-institutional group quarters

Economy
One of Wasco's major economic activities is agriculture, specifically the growing of roses. Fifty-five percent of all roses grown in the United States are grown in or around Wasco.

In addition to agriculture, oil and gas extraction is a significant part of the local economy. The large Semitropic Oil Field is along State Route 46 about 7 mile west of town. Formerly a gas field, the region now mainly produces oil. Vintage Production, an arm of Occidental Petroleum, is the primary operator as of 2010.

The Wasco Oil Field was discovered in April 1938, by Continental Oil Company.

Sports
The Wasco Reserve (called the Reserves in their 2019 debut season ) were a professional baseball team competing in the independent Pecos League which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball or Minor League Baseball. Their home games through the 2021 season were played at Wasco Athletic Park, sharing Bakersfield's Sam Lynn Ballpark for their 2022 final season.

Transportation
The Amtrak service, the San Joaquins, stops at the Wasco station, which has one platform next to the single track; the station building was demolished in 2021. Being on the route of the high speed rail project without a stop, Wasco city officials have expressed concerns that the Amtrak service might be discontinued. , no decision has been announced. The construction has impacted the city and the costs for asbestos removal are in dispute in a labor housing complex that had to be abandoned and demolished. While paid relocation costs, the city can’t afford to demolish the camp and wants the rail authority to pay. Chief Executive Brian Kelly came to the city to discuss the issue in 2021.

Notable people

 * Pablo Garza, American mixed martial artist
 * Suzanne Lacy, artist and educator
 * Aaron Merz, former American football offensive lineman
 * Jim Napier, former minor league baseball catcher and manager
 * Manuel Quezada, professional boxer
 * Carl Smith, American football coach

In popular culture
The town is featured in Episode 133 of California's Gold with Huell Howser, filmed in 2007.

In the movie "Son in Law" featuring comedian Pauly Shore, the opening credit flyover shots and the opening graduation scene, were filmed in Wasco, CA and at the Wasco High School football stadium respectively.

title: Wasco, California


text:
Weedpatch, California

Weedpatch (formerly Weed Patch and Alexander's Corner ) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Kern County, California, United States. Weedpatch is 10 mi south-southeast of Bakersfield. It is considered to be one of the poorest areas in Kern County. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 2,658.

Geography
The community, which lies at an elevation of 387 feet, is situated off State Route 184 (Weedpatch Highway) southeast of Bakersfield, south of Lamont and about 5 mi south of State Route 58. It is at 35.23806°N, -118.915°W. According to the United States Census Bureau, Weedpatch has an area of 3.6 sqmi.

History
Although the name "Weed Patch" was applied to the site as early as 1874, the community began only in 1922. The town was also named "Alexander's Corner" in honor of Cal Alexander, a resident.

Weedpatch is the site of the Arvin Federal Government Camp, known colloquially (and in the John Steinbeck novel The Grapes of Wrath) as "Weedpatch Camp". This camp was a government rescue center for distressed migrant workers fleeing the Oklahoma Dust Bowl, during the Great Depression. The camp still aids migrant workers and is 1 mi south of Weedpatch on Sunset just off Weedpatch Highway.

Demographics
The 2010 United States Census reported that Weedpatch had a population of 2,658, with a median household income of $28,075 and just above 45.8% living at or below the poverty level. It is considered to have a young population, with a median age of 22.7.

The racial makeup of Weedpatch was 1,212 (45.6%) white, 8 (0.3%) African American, 78 (2.9%) Native American, 14 (0.5%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 1,237 (46.5%) from other races, and 109 (4.1%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2,484 persons (93.5%).

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Weedpatch, California


text:
Weldon, California

Weldon is a census-designated place (CDP) in Kern County, California, United States. It sits at the southeast tip of Lake Isabella. Weldon is located 9 mi east-southeast of Wofford Heights, at an elevation of 2654 feet. The population was 2,642 at the 2010 census, up from 2,387 at the 2000 census.

Geography
Weldon is located at 35.66583°N, -118.29028°W.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 26.8 sqmi, over 99% of it land.

History
The Weldon post office opened in 1871. The name honors William B. Weldon, a cattle rancher. Camp Leonard, a temporary army camp, was established at Weldon in 1863.

The 1941 western film Doomed Caravan was partially filmed in Weldon. Other movies filmed here include Borderland (1937), In Old Mexico (1938) and Hidden Gold (1940).

2010
At the 2010 census Weldon had a population of 2,642. The population density was 98.6 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Weldon was 2,375 (89.9%) White, 5 (0.2%) African American, 82 (3.1%) Native American, 11 (0.4%) Asian, 1 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 53 (2.0%) from other races, and 115 (4.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 217 people (8.2%).

The census reported that 2,636 people (99.8% of the population) lived in households, no one lived in non-institutionalized group quarters and 6 (0.2%) were institutionalized.

There were 1,167 households, 254 (21.8%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 541 (46.4%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 117 (10.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, 78 (6.7%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 78 (6.7%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 18 (1.5%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 351 households (30.1%) were one person and 179 (15.3%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.26. There were 736 families (63.1% of households); the average family size was 2.74.

The age distribution was 484 people (18.3%) under the age of 18, 178 people (6.7%) aged 18 to 24, 443 people (16.8%) aged 25 to 44, 856 people (32.4%) aged 45 to 64, and 681 people (25.8%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 50.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.0 males.

There were 1,583 housing units at an average density of 59.1 per square mile, of the occupied units 901 (77.2%) were owner-occupied and 266 (22.8%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 4.2%; the rental vacancy rate was 7.8%. 1,923 people (72.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 713 people (27.0%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
At the 2000 census there were 2,387 people, 1,087 households, and 703 families living in the CDP. The population density was 89.5 PD/sqmi. There were 1,441 housing units at an average density of 54.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 91.33% White, 0.42% Black or African American, 3.94% Native American, 0.46% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 0.88% from other races, and 2.85% from two or more races. 6.24% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 1,087 households 19.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.2% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.3% were non-families. 30.6% of households were one person and 18.6% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.73.

The age distribution was 20.3% under the age of 18, 2.8% from 18 to 24, 17.6% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 31.0% 65 or older. The median age was 52 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.4 males.

The median household income was $22,857 and the median family income was $26,500. Males had a median income of $35,573 versus $20,208 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $15,243. About 14.9% of families and 18.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.7% of those under age 18 and 13.6% of those age 65 or over.

title: Weldon, California


text:
Wofford Heights, California

Wofford Heights is a census-designated place (CDP) in the southern Sierra Nevada, in Kern County, California, United States. Wofford Heights is located in the west Kern River Valley, 3.5 mi south-southwest of Kernville, at an elevation of 2684 feet. The population was 2,200 at the 2010 census, down from 2,276 at the 2000 census.

Geography
Wofford Heights is located at 35.70694°N, -118.45611°W. California State Route 155 is the only highway in Wofford Heights, leading south to Lake Isabella and west through Alta Sierra and the Greenhorn Mountains.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 6.1 sqmi, all of it land.

Climate
According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Wofford Heights has a semi-arid climate, abbreviated "BSk" on climate maps. Here, the summers can be brutal and have reached as high as 113 F while the winters are a bit more mild and have gone as low as -3 F. Wofford Heights' eastern front borders Lake Isabella. There are two major access points to the lake from Wofford Blvd: The first is the entrance to North Fork Marina and Tillie Creek Campground, and the second is Freear which is at the very end of East Evans Road near Wofford Heights Park.

History
I.L. Wofford founded the community as a resort in 1948. The Wofford Heights post office opened in 1953. It was a location for the 1970 biker film Angels Die Hard.

In 2016 the Erskine and Cedar fires burned more than 77,000 acres and more than 300 structures. As of 2019 the Lake Isabella area was considered a "very high fire hazard severity zone" due to desert winds and the nearby Sequoia National Forest. In addition, the median age of residents is 62, and many live on narrow roads which would be poor escape routes.

2010
At the 2010 census Wofford Heights had a population of 2,200. The population density was 363.2 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Wofford Heights was 2,037 (92.6%) White, 6 (0.3%) African American, 41 (1.9%) Native American, 10 (0.5%) Asian, 1 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 26 (1.2%) from other races, and 79 (3.6%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 156 people (7.1%).

The whole population lived in households, no one lived in non-institutionalized group quarters and no one was institutionalized.

There were 1,143 households, 173 (15.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 428 (37.4%) were married couples living together, 110 (9.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, 55 (4.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 108 (9.4%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 13 (1.1%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 440 households (38.5%) were one person and 255 (22.3%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 1.92. There were 593 families (51.9% of households); the average family size was 2.50.

The age distribution was 280 people (12.7%) under the age of 18, 111 people (5.0%) aged 18 to 24, 261 people (11.9%) aged 25 to 44, 731 people (33.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 817 people (37.1%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 58.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.7 males.

There were 1,924 housing units at an average density of 317.6 per square mile, of the occupied units 866 (75.8%) were owner-occupied and 277 (24.2%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 4.7%; the rental vacancy rate was 15.9%. 1,613 people (73.3% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 587 people (26.7%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
At the 2000 census there were 2,276 people, 1,162 households, and 670 families in the CDP. The population density was 375.4 PD/sqmi. There were 1,989 housing units at an average density of 328.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 93.28% White, 0.13% Black or African American, 1.23% Native American, 0.66% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.36% from other races, and 3.30% from two or more races. 6.24% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 1,162 households 14.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.2% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.3% were non-families. 36.3% of households were one person and 21.1% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 1.94 and the average family size was 2.46.

The age distribution was 14.4% under the age of 18, 3.2% from 18 to 24, 15.0% from 25 to 44, 28.5% from 45 to 64, and 38.9% 65 or older. The median age was 58 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.8 males.

The median household income was $24,326 and the median family income was $29,157. Males had a median income of $31,641 versus $30,294 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $15,937. About 13.4% of families and 20.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.6% of those under age 18 and 9.4% of those age 65 or over.

title: Wofford Heights, California


text:
Armona, California

Armona is a census-designated place (CDP) in Kings County, California, United States. Armona is located 3.5 mi west-southwest of Hanford, at an elevation of 239 feet. It is part of the Hanford–Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 4,156 at the 2010 census. Armona's motto is "Small and Proud".

Geography
Armona is located in northern Kings County at 36.31583°N, -119.70833°W. California State Route 198 runs through the community, leading east into Hanford, the county seat, and west 4 mi to Lemoore.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 1.9 sqmi, all of it land.

History
The name "Armona" was applied to a railroad station in the 1880s. It was subsequently transferred to the present location on the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1891. Reportedly, the name was coined by transposing the first two letters of the name "Ramona".

The first school in the Armona vicinity was the Giddings School built in 1880. The Giddings School District was renamed Armona in 1907. A new brick school house was constructed in the early 1920s. As that structure did not comply with California's earthquake standards (the Field Act), it was replaced in 1953 with what is now the Armona Elementary School.

The Armona post office was established in 1887.

2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Armona had a population of 4,156. The population density was 2,182.5 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Armona was 2,058 (49.5%) White, 99 (2.4%) African American, 64 (1.5%) Native American, 85 (2.0%) Asian, 13 (0.3%) Pacific Islander, 1,597 (38.4%) from other races, and 240 (5.8%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2,784 persons (67.0%).

The Census reported that 4,156 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 1,152 households, out of which 640 (55.6%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 641 (55.6%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 214 (18.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, 106 (9.2%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 105 (9.1%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 5 (0.4%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 147 households (12.8%) were made up of individuals, and 51 (4.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.61. There were 961 families (83.4% of all households); the average family size was 3.88.

The age distribution of the population shows 1,421 people (34.2%) under the age of 18, 438 people (10.5%) aged 18 to 24, 1,089 people (26.2%) aged 25 to 44, 902 people (21.7%) aged 45 to 64, and 306 people (7.4%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.4 males.

There were 1,202 housing units at an average density of 631.2 /sqmi, of which 728 (63.2%) were owner-occupied, and 424 (36.8%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.1%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.1%. 2,645 people (63.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 1,511 people (36.4%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,239 people, 961 households, and 786 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1,688.3 PD/sqmi. There were 1,012 housing units at an average density of 527.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 56.25% White, 4.29% Black or African American, 2.41% Native American, 1.33% Asian, 0.25% Pacific Islander, 29.98% from other races, and 5.50% from two or more races. 48.60% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 961 households, out of which 47.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.5% were married couples living together, 16.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.2% were non-families. 13.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.37 and the average family size was 3.68.

In the CDP, the age distribution of the population shows 35.4% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 18.6% from 45 to 64, and 7.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.6 males.

Economy
At the time of the 2000 census, the median income for a household in the CDP was $32,790, and the median income for a family was $32,232. Males had a median income of $26,905 versus $22,981 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $11,850. About 24.2% of families and 26.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.8% of those under age 18 and 8.9% of those age 65 or over. The estimated unemployment rate was 13.1% in November 2016.

Bus
Kings Area Regional Transit (KART) operates regularly scheduled fixed route bus service, vanpool service for commuters and Dial-A-Ride (demand response) services throughout Kings County as well as to Fresno.

Major highway
Highway 198

Rail
Amtrak does not have a station in Armona but does provide passenger service to Hanford, which is 3.5 mile east of Armona. Freight service is available from the San Joaquin Valley Railroad, which passes through Armona.

Education
Public schools in the community are operated by the Armona Union Elementary School District. They include:
 * Armona Elementary School
 * Parkview Middle School

The district also sponsors the Crossroads Charter Academy, a K-12 independent study charter school.

There is one K-12 private school, Armona Union Academy, which is operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Armona is in the Hanford Joint Union High School District.

Nearby community colleges include West Hills College Lemoore and the Hanford center of College of the Sequoias.

Government
In the California State Legislature, Armona is in, and in.

In the United States House of Representatives, Armona is in California's 21st District and is represented by Democrat TJ Cox. Armona is represented on the Kings County Board of Supervisors by Craig Pedersen.

Notable people
Lyn Lary played shortstop for six different teams in his twelve-year career in Major League Baseball including with the New York Yankees

Notable sites

The United Methodist Church was constructed in 1910.

title: Armona, California


text:
Avenal, California

Avenal (Spanish for "Oat field") is a city in Kings County, California, United States. Avenal is located 35 mi southwest of Hanford, at an elevation of 807 ft. It is part of the Hanford–Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA Code 25260), which encompasses all of Kings County. In area, it is the fourth-largest city in Kings County. The ZIP Code for this community is 93204, and telephone numbers use the sequence (559) 386-XXXX. The population was 15,505 in the 2010 census, which includes inmates at the Avenal State Prison, the first prison actively solicited by a community in the state of California. Many of the remaining residents largely either work at the prison or in the agriculture industry. The prison provides approximately 1,000 jobs to residents. The California Department of Finance estimated that Avenal's population was 13,496 on July 1, 2019. As of that date, Avenal State Prison held 4,165 inmates, which was about 32% of the total population of Avenal. Inmates are counted as city residents by both the United States census and the California Department of Finance.

Early history
The City of Avenal was named by Spanish soldiers and explorers. In Spanish, "avena" means oats, and "avenal" means oatfield. This area was covered with wild oats, "waist high," that looked like golden silk and covered the Kettleman Plains.

Early American settlers arrived in the Kettleman Hills during the 1850s with dreams of raising cattle and farming. Oil, however, would bring fame, fortune and people to the area. Native Americans had always known oil was in the hills, with natural seepage around Coalinga and Tar Canyon. The first Kettleman Hills well was drilled in 1900, followed by countless unproductive efforts.

On March 27, 1927, the Milham Exploration Company began work on Elliot No. 1. The crew toiled for 19 months, drilling past the 7000 ft mark. On October 5, 1928, the well blew out with a roar which was heard 20 mi away, spewing forth an oil so fine that its color was white, and reportedly could be used unrefined as gasoline in automobiles.

The discovery of oil transformed Avenal into a boomtown. In 1929, Standard Oil surveyed the current site of Avenal to build a town. Makeshift houses were hauled in from Taft to take the place of the tents. A water line was laid and later a sewer plant was installed, a post office replaced a cigar box in the general store, a fire department was organized and a community grew. Standard Oil Company built the residents a 600-seat theater and a hospital.

Also in the first year (1929), nearly 20 businesses occupied Kings Street and Skyline Boulevard. By 1936, Avenal boasted a population of 3,000—mostly oil workers—with 100 businesses and 69 private telephones and numerous community organizations. In 1940, Avenal was the second-largest town in Kings County with a population of over 4,000 and was known to have some of the best services and schools in the state.

Although today Avenal and its economy are largely reliant on the Avenal State Prison and agriculture, Avenal was once a booming oil town known as the "Oil Fields Capital."

The teeming life of the oil fields, the forward thrust of civilization into the sun-baked hills so recently in their pristine state meant the early development of nearby towns where adequate living facilities could be provided to care for the fast-growing population.

Milham City was projected by a group of Kings County citizens who owned lands on the slope of the hills east of the oil field. It scarcely had emerged from the dream stage when the Standard Oil Company announced in 1929 that a townsite had been set aside on the northwestern slope of the hills and that it would be called Avenal.

Thus the present thriving, interesting little town of Avenal came into being as the "oil capital" of the great field. Roads and streets were surveyed and laid out, water mains were laid, the town was launched on its purposeful career almost overnight.

An emergency hospital was built. Small and large homes were purposefully constructed to enjoy a fuller life in the erstwhile barren plains and trees were planted to provide much needed shade.

On December 5, 1929, the first mail arrived at the new Avenal post office located at Moore's Soda Fountain.

During World War II was the site of a training landing strip called Murray Field, part of Lemoore Army Air Field.

Growth and development
Among the first business establishments at Avenal were Koepp's Welding Works, The Republic Supply Company, Mac's Coffee Shop, Moore's Soda Fountain and the Cross Lumber Company. Presently, the town included 26 oil field supply houses, 12 oil field service company branches, 9 grocery stores, 9 service stations, 8 restaurants, 5 welding establishments, 4 builders' supply houses and numerous other enterprises.

While the oil fields and their urban center were populated with industrious, law-abiding people the problem of keeping the peace and maintaining the dignity of the law existed there just as it does in all other communities where there is life, action and big payrolls. To meet this commonplace problem a township was established and on April 1, 1937, E.W. Oliver was appointed as justice of the peace and William "Bill" Brendal was named constable. Aiding and cooperating with them in the enforcement of the law was Deputy Sheriff Richard "Dick" Doty, who was appointed by Sheriff L.P. Loftis in 1935.

Two other county offices maintained deputies at Avenal for service in the oil fields. They were Orville Robbins, deputy county assessor; and R. W. Zivnuska, deputy county treasurer.

By election in February 1934, the Avenal Township formed a fire district, which served efficiently both in the town and country districts. The three fire district commissioners originally elected were Ray Mohler, Floyd Rice and Jess Hamilton.

The Avenal district owned one well-equipped White fire truck and a half interest with the West Side Fire Protection District, of a two-ton Reo fire truck. Two full-time drivers were regularly employed and 20 firemen worked call. The firehouse provided living quarters for the employees. Fire Chief L. H. Dell was assisted by M. L. Sperling.

By April 1930, Dr. S. V. Dragoo was the head of the emergency hospital. Dr. Dragoo was assisted by one office worker and two nurses, having two special nurses on call. Between five and six hundred calls per month with about thirty accident cases were handled by this organization, not to mention the ambulance service extended.

Appointed postmistress in November 1931, Mrs. Marie Eads served in that office until July 1933, when she resigned and Charles E. Day was appointed. The post office later occupied a two-story building leased by the Standard Oil Company in 1935. Later in Avenal's history, the Post Office leased a space adjacent to Finster's Market (later T&T Market). In the late 1990s, the post office was relocated to its current location near the intersection of Skyline Blvd and San Joaquin Street.

The collapse of oil and gas production came with the intrusion of salt water into the oil reservoir, leaving 65 to 70 percent of the North Dome of the Kettleman Hills still undisturbed.

In 1953, oil companies with holdings in the area fields named the Standard Oil Company of California to operate the fields. Avenal's economy dwindled and with it, many stores, buildings and houses were vacated until the 1960s when an influx of agricultural workers made a major impact on Avenal and surrounding area.

The early 1970s saw two substantial projects that had significant impacts on the city: the completion of the California Aqueduct which brought in needed water to the westside of the San Jaoquin valley, and the opening of Interstate 5.

The citizens of Avenal voted for incorporation in September 1979, and while going through the early stages of being a new city, the citizens pursued and were successful in bringing a state prison to Avenal. Avenal State Prison opened in 1987. By 2009, it housed 6,577 inmates and employed 1,517 people, making it a vital part of the community. The building of the facility dramatically increased the city's total valuation with construction, improvements and activity that could be seen in every area of the city.

Avenal is also home to the Central California Soaring Club headquartered at the Avenal Gliderport. This year-round operation is one of the few glider-only airports in the western United States, and one of only a few in the entire US that owns/operates its own airport. A soaring contest is held there every spring.

Construction has been completed on the renovation of Skyline Boulevard (California State Route 269) in the city's joint effort with Caltrans. Avenal has also completed a massive public improvement project with the development of 52 mi of new curbs, gutters and sidewalks throughout the city.

In November 2010, the Avenal Police Department was initiated with 14 sworn officers. Jack Amoroso was the first police chief.

Although Avenal's future is no longer closely tied to oil, it will always mark its beginnings from "the day Milham came in," and the cigar box on the counter of the general store which was its first post office.

In 2019, USA Today named Avenal the 10th-worst city in America due to high unemployment and violent crime.

Geography
Avenal is located at 36.00417°N, -120.12056°W, 180 mi north of Los Angeles and 200 mi south of both San Francisco and Sacramento. The city boasts at being located, "Half the way from the Bay to L.A." According to the United States Census Bureau, Avenal has a total area of 19.4 mi2, all of it land. Most of the population resides in the southwestern portion of the city. The northeastern areas, separated by hills, and where Interstate 5 passes through, remain mostly rural.

Climate
According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Avenal has a semi-arid climate, abbreviated "BSk" on climate maps.

Demographics
Avenal is a small city of approximately 13,696 people, including prison inmates. Avenal owes its origin to the discovery of oil on October 4, 1928, in the adjacent Kettleman Hills. Avenal was the site of a "tent city" as the boom started, but foresight made the boom orderly, so that by 1940 Avenal was the second largest town in Kings County with a population of 4,600.

Growth continues today to include a more diversified economy based on oil, agriculture, and the service industry. In 1978, Avenal citizens voted to incorporate. The presence of the Avenal State Prison helps this rural community maintain economic stability, especially as the once-productive Kettleman North Dome Oil Field reaches exhaustion (less than one-half of one percent of its original oil remains).

2010
The 2010 United States census reported that Avenal had a population of 15,505. The population density was 798.3 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Avenal was 6,044 (39.0%) White, 1,625 (10.5%) African American, 186 (1.2%) Native American, 108 (0.7%) Asian, 6 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 7,188 (46.4%) from other races, and 348 (2.2%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11,130 persons (71.8%).

The census reported that 9,082 people (58.6% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 6,423 (41.4%) were institutionalized.

There were 2,222 households, out of which 1,437 (64.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,236 (55.6%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 404 (18.2%) had a female householder with no husband present, 236 (10.6%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 236 (10.6%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 11 (0.5%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 229 households (10.3%) were made up of individuals, and 73 (3.3%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.09. There were 1,876 families (84.4% of all households); the average family size was 4.26.

The population was spread out, with 3,315 people (21.4%) under the age of 18, 1,661 people (10.7%) aged 18 to 24, 6,039 people (38.9%) aged 25 to 44, 3,872 people (25.0%) aged 45 to 64, and 618 people (4.0%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 262.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 357.9 males.

There were 2,410 housing units at an average density of 124.1 /mi2, of which 1,011 (45.5%) were owner-occupied, and 1,211 (54.5%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.1%. Four thousand and seventy-seven people (26.3% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 5,005 people (32.3%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
As of the census of 2000, there were 15,689 people, 1,928 households, and 1,640 families residing in Avenal. The population density was 767.3 PD/sqmi. There were 2,061 housing units at an average density of 107.8 /mi2. The racial makeup of the city was 35.84% White, 12.61% Black or African American, 0.95% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 47.38% from other races, and 2.79% from two or more races. 65.88% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,928 households, out of which 60.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.5% were married couples living together, 16.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.9% were non-families. 11.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.14 and the average family size was 4.30.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.9% under the age of 18, 13.5% from 18 to 24, 46.5% from 25 to 44, 15.0% from 45 to 64, and 3.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 289.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 403.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $29,710, and the median income for a family was $28,019. Males had a median income of $30,802 versus $20,852 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,090. About 28.3% of families and 30.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.4% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
Avenal State Prison employs over 1,500 people. Other major employers include The Wonderful Company and the Reef-Sunset Unified School District.

The city has been actively pursuing industrial development and is looking at future development of the Interstate 5 interchange area for both commercial and industrial uses.

In 2008, a 600-megawatt electric power generating plant was proposed to be built and operated in Avenal by Macquarie Cook Power, a subsidiary of the Macquarie Group, doing business as Avenal Power Center, LLC. The project application indicated that the power plant would be fueled with natural gas and that it would be air-cooled. The capital cost of the project would be $530 million. According to the project's proponents, the plant would have generated enough electricity to supply 450,000 homes and businesses annually. The California Energy Commission gave its final approval to the project on December 16, 2009. However, opponents of the power plant vowed to continue to fight. Bradley Angel, executive director of Greenaction for Health and Environmental Justice, threatened to file a lawsuit if the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) approved the project. Federal approval was delayed, causing the company to sue the USEPA. In February 2011, an EPA official told the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia that the agency would allow the project to proceed. According to a newspaper story, Bradley Angel commented that Greenaction would continue to fight the project. On May 26, 2011, U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon ordered the USEPA to make a final permit decision, which the agency did the following day. Construction of the power plant could begin after a 60-day administrative appeal period. Paul Cort of Earthjustice was quoted in a news story as saying that an administrative appeal would be filed, and if that is unsuccessful, the organization would appeal to the Federal court. In June 2011, both People for Clean Air and Water and the Sierra Club filed petitions for review with the USEPA's environmental appeals board. The Center for Biological Diversity joined the Sierra Club's petition. Their petition alleged that the proposed plant would emit excessive nitrogen oxides and is being wrongfully grandfathered in under old clean air rules. On August 18, 2011, the USEPA's environmental appeals board denied the petition. Bradley Angel renewed his vow to continue the fight in court. A news story quoted him as saying: "Basically the fix was in when EPA boss Lisa Jackson broke her commitment to environmental justice and illegally approved the permit. We're going to continue to challenge it. It's going to court." On November 3, 2011, The Sierra Club, the Center for Biological Diversity and Greenaction filed suit with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals challenging the EPA permit. On August 12, 2014, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld that appeal and rejected the permit, finding that the USEPA had improperly grandfathered the project under the old emissions standards. In June 2015, an attorney representing Avenal Power Center LLC sent a letter to the California Energy Commission stating the company "will let the license expire on Sept. 16, 2015" ending the 7-year long effort to build the power plant.

Many local residents are employed in agriculture, which experienced significant growth on the westside of the San Joaquin Valley after the completion of the California Aqueduct in the early 1970s. However, the community was impacted by the 2008-2012 global recession as well as the California drought and restrictions on pumping from the Sacramento River delta to protect endangered species. In November 2016, the unemployment rate was 12.7%.

In 2013, the City Council self-proclaimed Avenal to be the 'Pistachio Capital of the World', reflecting the importance of the pistachio industry to the city's economy.

Transportation
Avenal is located at the junction of California State Route 269 and California State Route 33. The intersection of Route 269 and Interstate 5 is located just to the north of Avenal in Fresno County.

Kings Area Regional Transit provides bus service between Avenal and Hanford.

FlixBus services the city, as a stop point in between Los Angeles and the bay area, at the junction of SR 269 and I-5.

Culture
Avenal has an annual celebration held on the first weekend in May called Avenal Old Timers Day. They also celebrate an annual Pistachio Festival.

Government
In the California State Legislature, Avenal is in and in.

In the United States House of Representatives, Avenal is in California's 21st District and is represented by Republican David Valadao.

Avenal is represented on the Kings County Board of Supervisors by Richard Valle of Corcoran.

Education
All of the schools in the city of Avenal are within the Reef-Sunset Unified School District (RSUSD). Juan Ruiz was appointed Superintendent of the school district in 2023.

The schools in this district are:

 * Avenal Elementary School (K-6)
 * Tamarack Elementary School (K-5)
 * Reef-Sunset Middle School (6–8)
 * Avenal High School (9–12)
 * Sunrise Continuation School (9–12)
 * Adelante Continuation School (9–12)
 * Kettleman City Elementary School (K-12)
 * Avenal Adult School

West Hills College Coalinga is located in Coalinga, about 18 mi northwest of Avenal.

Notable people

 * Jose Ramírez, 2012 Boxing Olympian, signed pro with Top Rank.
 * J.D. Williams who is a former NFL cornerback
 * Paul Williams, who is a former wide receiver for the Houston Texans

title: Avenal, California


text:
Corcoran, California

Corcoran is a city in Kings County, California, United States. The population was 24,813 (2010 census), up from 14,458 (2000 census). Corcoran is located 17 mi south-southeast of Hanford, at an elevation of 207 feet.

Corcoran is most notable as the site of the California State Prison, Corcoran. The California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison, Corcoran is a separate facility that is also located in the city. As of January 1, 2015, the two prisons held a combined total of 9,592 inmates. Inmates are counted as city residents by both the United States Census and the California Department of Finance. Thus, the incarcerated people in the two prisons comprise just over 43% of the total population of Corcoran.

History
Corcoran was founded by Hobart Johnstone Whitley, a prominent land developer from southern California, who took the lead in building Corcoran (the main street of the community is named in his honor). Liking what he saw during a visit to the area in 1905 (a blacksmith shop, small store, scattered homes and a lush, untapped vista with herds of grazing wild hogs, horses and steers) Whitley purchased 32000 acre to start development. Much like in the San Fernando Valley (Van Nuys and Canoga Park his "creations"), Whitley "leveraged" his holdings with the support of important Los Angeles businessmen. Whitley first intended the town be named "Otis", after Harrison Gray Otis of the Los Angeles Times, and streets as Otis, Sherman, Letts (the Broadway store) and Ross (after his son, Ross Whitley) show the connections. Whitley, it is claimed, purchased and platted some 150 towns over the American West—and Corcoran is one of his last.

Whitley moved a member of his real estate firm, J. W. Guiberson, to the area. Guiberson became one of the many pioneers of the community, building the first home and business structure in Corcoran. His family also helped establish the first church in the community, an event which helped lead to the town's incorporation on August 14, 1914.

The basis of Corcoran's economy then and now is agriculture. Initially, the most successful crops were grains, alfalfa and sugar beets.

In 1933, more than 12,000 workers went on strike against cotton farmers, one of the largest California agricultural strikes of 1933. Strikers in Corcoran created a tent city that eventually held more than 3,000 people, more than double the town's population. Its lack of water or sewage systems created waves of illness. Streets were staked out in the tent city, and committees of workers governed the camp.

The J. G. Boswell Company was established in Corcoran in 1921 and remains a major employer in the city.

The first post office opened in 1901.

Geography
Corcoran is located at 36.09806°N, -119.56028°W.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.4 sqmi, all of it land.

The ground under Corcoran is subsiding due to withdrawal of groundwater by agricultural interests. There has been up to 11.5 ft of subsidence over the past 14 years.

Soils around Corcoran are somewhat poorly drained to poorly drained loam or fine sandy loam which is often saline as in the widespread Lakeside series. Other important soil series include the Armona, Gambogy, Grangeville, Kimberlina, and Lemoore. Corcoran is occasionally subject to areal flooding due to its position in a basin. Notable flood years include 1983 and 2023.

Demographics
Corcoran is part of the Hanford–Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area.

2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Corcoran had a population of 24,813. The population density was 3,323.2 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Corcoran was 8,940 (36.0%) White, 3,725 (15.0%) African American, 349 (1.4%) Native American, 193 (0.8%) Asian, 17 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 10,979 (44.2%) from other races, and 610 (2.5%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15,545 people (62.6%).

The Census reported that 12,573 people (50.7% of the population) lived in households, 116 (0.5%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 12,124 (48.9%) were institutionalized.

There were 3,594 households, out of which 1,981 (55.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,737 (48.3%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 781 (21.7%) had a female householder with no husband present, 376 (10.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 384 (10.7%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 19 (0.5%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 556 households (15.5%) were made up of individuals, and 214 (6.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.50. There were 2,894 families (80.5% of all households); the average family size was 3.84.

The population was spread out, with 4,434 people (17.9%) under the age of 18, 2,695 people (10.9%) aged 18 to 24, 10,203 people (41.1%) aged 25 to 44, 6,163 people (24.8%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,318 people (5.3%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 294.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 398.0 males.

There were 3,958 dwelling units at an average density of 530.1 /sqmi, of which 1,851 (51.5%) were owner-occupied, and 1,743 (48.5%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7%; the rental vacancy rate was 11.8%. 6,607 people (26.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 5,966 people (24.0%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
As of the census of 2000, there were 14,458 people, 2,769 households, and 2,229 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,260.2 PD/sqmi. There were 3,016 housing units at an average density of 471.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 34.1% White, 14.2% Black or African American, 1.4% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 46.4% from other races, and 3.1% from two or more races. 59.6% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,769 households, out of which 49.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.5% were married couples living together, 17.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.5% were non-families. 16.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.44 and the average family size was 3.83.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.4% under the age of 18, 13.0% from 18 to 24, 42.0% from 25 to 44, 15.3% from 45 to 64, and 5.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 207.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 264.9 males. However, the statistics relating to the disparity between the male and female population in Corcoran is due to the prison's male only population.

Economy
At the time of the 2000 census, the median income for a household in the city was $30,783, and the median income for a family was $32,852. Males had a median income of $30,787 versus $21,792 for females. The per capita income for the city was only $13,458. It is noteworthy that about 23.4% of families and 26.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 36.4% of those under age 18 and 10.6% of those age 65 or over.

Many local residents are employed in agriculture. However, the community has been affected by the Great Recession as well as the decline of the cotton industry, the California drought and restrictions on pumping from the Sacramento River delta to protect endangered species. In November 2016, the unemployment rate was 11.1%.

The largest employers in Corcoran include the California State Prison, Corcoran, the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison, Corcoran, the Corcoran Unified School District, and the J. G. Boswell Company.

Government
Corcoran employs twenty-one full time personnel including 15 uniformed officers, two detectives, one evidence technician, one community service officer, five clerk-dispatchers, two reserve officers, and Animal Control Services. Kings County Fire Department provides firemen who provide services with the assistance of volunteers. Industrial sites—There are approximately 320 acres in the city limits zones for light and heavy industry with two industrial parks included in this total.

Politics
Corcoran is located within California's 22nd congressional district, and is represented by Republican David G. Valadao.

In the California State Legislature, Corcoran is located within:
 * 14th California State Senate District, which is represented by Democrat Melissa Hurtado
 * 32nd California State Assembly District, represented by Democrat Rudy Salas.

Corcoran is represented on the Kings County Board of Supervisors by Richard Valle of Corcoran.

Education
Corcoran Unified School District is the public organization responsible for education in the town of Corcoran. The school district has seven schools.
 * Bret Harte
 * John C. Fremont
 * Mark Twain
 * John Muir Middle School
 * Corcoran High School
 * Corcoran Academy
 * Kings Lake Educational Center

Railroads
Corcoran is served by the BNSF Railway, which is the successor to the Santa Fe Railway. The mainline track through Corcoran was part of a route connecting the San Francisco Bay Area to Bakersfield, California. The track was constructed by the San Francisco and San Joaquin Valley Railway about 1898.

Corcoran was the southern terminus of the Visalia District, a branch line running to Calwa via Tulare, Visalia, and Reedley. This line was abandoned and the rails pulled up in the 1990s. Only the wye and a short section of track remain to serve a lineside industry.

Today, Amtrak California's San Joaquin stops at Corcoran station.

From 1910 to 1934, the Kings Lake Shore Railroad operated a line that ran southwest from Corcoran to what is the now-extinct Tulare Lake.

On December 2, 2010, the California High-Speed Rail Authority Board voted to start construction of the first part of the California High-Speed Rail line at Borden near Madera and continue it to Corcoran. Construction began in 2012.

title: Corcoran, California


text:
Hanford, California

Hanford is the most populous city and the county seat of Kings County, California, located in the San Joaquin Valley region of the greater Central Valley. The population was 53,967 at the 2010 census.

History
Today's Hanford was once north of Tulare Lake, historically the largest body of fresh water west of the Mississippi River. The area was inhabited by the Tachi Yokuts Indians for several thousand years prior to Euro-American contact. They occupied locations along watercourses such as creeks, springs and seep areas (such as sloughs), along perennial and seasonal drainages, as well as flat ridges and terraces.

Since the annexation of California after the Mexican-American War, the locality was settled by Americans and immigrants as farmland, broadly referred to as "Mussel Slough". The earliest dated grave in the area was that of a young Alice Spangler who was initially buried in the Kings River Cemetery just north of her family's farm in 1860. As the settlement grew, Tulare Lake's feeding rivers were diverted for agricultural irrigation, causing it to gradually shrink and, over the 19th and 20th centuries, effectively become extinct.

From the mid-to-late 1870s, the Southern Pacific Railroad planned to lay tracks towards the developing farmland west of Visalia, spurring a growth in labor and population. Hanford's namesake was James Madison Hanford, an executive for the company. The earliest known document labeling the settlement as "Hanford" is an 1876 map of Tulare County which once included the territory of present-day Kings County. Tracks were laid through a sheep camp in 1877. According to History of Kings County: "It was but a short step from sheep-camp to village and with the railroad as an attraction the village flourished and became a town within a few historic months." Many of those working on the tracks were Chinese immigrants.

In 1877, Hanford began to appear in state newspapers, giving details of events in the town's early days. In 1878, Hanford began running their own newspaper service and wiring called "The Public Good" which fed into other papers. In May 1878, Hanford residents drafted a resolve against the South Pacific Railroad from purchasing land with residing settlers. In June 1878, the Workingmen's Party was reported to have a majority vote over the Democrats in the town.

In May 1878, the Upper Kings River Canal and Irrigation Company filed articles of incorporation. On August 1, California Governor candidates George Clement Perkins and Romualdo Pacheco (and on August 10, O F Thornton and W F White W P C) spoke in Hanford and Lemoore.

In May 1880, a dispute over land titles between settlers and the Southern Pacific Railroad resulted in a bloody gun battle on a farm 5.6 mi northwest of Hanford that left seven men dead. This event became famous as the Mussel Slough Tragedy. The next month, the town's first census was held counting some 269 residents. Forty-four of them were Chinese immigrants who resided in what's known today as China Alley.

A post office was established in 1887.

On several occasions, major fires destroyed much of the young community's business district. The need for fire protection led to the town becoming an incorporated city in 1891. Its first mayor was local resident Yamon LeBaron.

An electrical generating plant was built in 1891 by pioneering flour miller H.G. Lacey, bringing the first electric lights to the city. The Lacey Milling Company was still operating in Hanford in 2016.

The first public high school, Hanford Union High School, was started in 1892 with one teacher, W. S. Cranmer, and an average enrollment of fourteen.

When Kings County was created in 1893 from the western part of Tulare County, Hanford became its county seat.

A second railroad was laid through Hanford in 1897, which today is the main north–south line of the BNSF Railway through the San Joaquin Valley. The original east–west Southern Pacific Railroad branch line is now operated by the San Joaquin Valley Railroad.

Saloons flourished in Hanford's early days despite an anti-saloon movement until the town voted to become "dry" in 1912, eight years before nationwide prohibition was enacted.

In the 1930s, famed pilot Amelia Earhart lived in Hanford to teach flying lessons at Fresno Chandler Airport. She befriended local resident and student of hers Mary Packwood with whom she gifted a personally-designed dress and left luggage shortly before her disappearance in the Pacific Ocean in 1937. The belongings are on display in Hanford's Carnegie Museum.

Geography
Hanford is situated in the south-central portion of California's San Joaquin Valley, 28 mi south-southeast of the city of Fresno and 18 mi west of the city of Visalia. The city is 249 ft above sea level and has a flat terrain. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 16.6 sqmi, all land. The only natural watercourse is Mussel Slough, remnants of which still exist on the city's western edge. The Kings River is about 6.5 mi north of Hanford. The People's Ditch, an irrigation canal dug in the 1870s, traverses Hanford from north to south. Hanford's land was once a drainage basin for Tulare Lake.

Climate
It has a cold-semi arid climate typical of the San Joaquin Valley floor with hot, dry summers and cool winters characterized by dense tule fog. The wetter season occurs from November through March. The average annual rainfall over the ten years from 1997/98 through 2006/07 was 8.97 inch.

 * Notes:

2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Hanford had a population of 53,967. The population density was 3,253.1 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Hanford was 33,713 (62.5%) White, 2,632 (4.9%) African American, 712 (1.3%) Native American, 2,322 (4.3%) Asian, 53 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 11,599 (21.5%) from other races, and 2,936 (5.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 25,419 persons (47.1%).

The Census reported that 53,068 people (98.3% of the population) lived in households, 283 (0.5%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 616 (1.1%) were institutionalized.

There were 17,492 households, out of which 8,053 (46.0%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 9,088 (52.0%) were married couples living together, 2,833 (16.2%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,207 (6.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,315 (7.5%) unmarried partnerships, and 117 (0.7%) same-sex partnerships. 3,483 households (19.9%) were made up of individuals, and 1,405 (8.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.03. There were 13,128 families (75.1% of all households); the average family size was 3.49.

The population was spread out, with 16,731 people (31.0%) under the age of 18, 5,478 people (10.2%) aged 18 to 24, 14,764 people (27.4%) aged 25 to 44, 11,647 people (21.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 5,347 people (9.9%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.9 males.

There were 18,493 housing units at an average density of 1,114.8 /sqmi, of which 10,208 (58.4%) were owner-occupied, and 7,284 (41.6%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.4%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.6%. 31,109 people (57.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 21,959 people (40.7%) lived in rental housing units.

15.5% of the populace lived below the poverty line.

2000
there were 41,686 people, 13,931 households, and 10,378 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,184.4 PD/sqmi. There were 14,721 housing units at an average density of 1,124.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 64.1% White, 5.0% Black or African American, 1.4% Native American, 2.9% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 20.8% from other races, and 5.7% from two or more races. 38.7% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Foreign-born residents accounted for 13.2% of Hanford's population and 28.3% spoke a language other than English at home.

There were 13,931 households, out of which 42.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.9% were married couples living together, 15.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.5% were non-families. 20.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.93 and the average family size was 3.39.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 31.6% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 18.6% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.3 males.

Economy
Hanford is a major trading center serving the surrounding agricultural area. According to the California Employment Development Department, as of September 2012, most residents of the Hanford-Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area were employed in services (31,000 employees), government (14,400 employees) and farming (6,400 employees) as well as in some manufacturing enterprises (5,700 employees).

The heavy industry sector has declined significantly over the past 30 years. An oil refinery formerly operated in the city under several different owners (Caminol Oil Co. from 1932 to 1967, Beacon Oil Co. from 1967 to 1982 and Ultramar Oil Co. from 1982 to 1987) until it permanently closed in 1987. A tire manufacturing plant was built in 1962 by the Armstrong Rubber Co., which operated it until that company was purchased by the Italian manufacturer Pirelli, which eventually closed the factory in 2001. In August 2017, Faraday Future announced that it had signed a lease for the former Pirelli plant where it plans to manufacture electric vehicles. The company said that it could employ up to 1,300 people over time and build up to 10,000 cars a year.

Major employers within the city of Hanford in 2006 included the Kings County government with 1,041 employees, the Adventist Health with 857, the Hanford Elementary School District with 520, the Del Monte Foods tomato cannery with 435 year-round and 1,500 seasonal employees and Marquez Brothers International, Inc., makers of Hispanic cheese and other dairy products. Many Hanford residents work for other nearby employers such as NAS Lemoore, the U.S. Navy's largest Master Jet Base located 15.5 mi WSW of Hanford and for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation which operates three state prisons in Kings County. Additionally, the National Weather Service's San Joaquin Valley office is located in Hanford.

The city was impacted by the Great Recession (2007–09) and employment was also affected by the California drought (2012–13). The unemployment rate in January 2016 was 10.3%. However, the rate had dropped to 7.9% in February 2020 at the eve of the COVID-19 pandemic. The unemployment rate had risen to 16.0% in April of that year. According to the United States Census Bureau, median household income in Hanford was $54,767 and 18.3% of the population was living below the poverty line in 2008–2012.

Arts and culture
The Kings Art Center was opened in 1989 to be the premier visual arts gallery and art training center of Kings County. It hosts gallery showings throughout the year, as well as art classes for adults and children.

The Kings District Fair is a traditional county fair held on four days in mid-June at the Kings Fairgrounds. The Renaissance of Kings Cultural Arts Faire is held the first weekend of October at Courthouse Square in Hanford's city center. The event typically attracts 15,000 people over the two-day period.

The Kings Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1963 and draws musicians from throughout the central and southern San Joaquin Valley. The orchestra generally performs four times a year.

In 1903, steel magnate and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie donated $12,500 for the construction of the Hanford Carnegie Library which opened in 1905 as one of the many Carnegie libraries. The library was replaced by a new structure at a different location in 1968. The old library was later renovated and re-opened as the Hanford Carnegie Museum in 1975.

The former Clark Center for Japanese Art and Culture had the mission of collecting, preserving and exhibiting works of fine art, primarily the arts of Japan. The center also housed a specialist library for Japanese art and culture. The Clark Center closed permanently on June 30, 2015. The art collection was moved to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts and the bonsai collection was transferred to the Shinzen Friendship Garden at Woodward Park in Fresno, California.

Chinese immigrants that arrived in the late 19th century created a thriving Chinatown in Hanford in the neighborhood around China Alley. China Alley was the site of the famous but now closed Imperial Dynasty restaurant. Hanford's Taoist Temple (listed on the National Register of Historic Places) built in 1893 is also there. A Moon Festival is held in China Alley in early October. In July 2011, Hanford city council commissioned a study of China Alley with the hope of revitalizing it. The China Alley Preservation Society is a non profit organization dedicated to preserving and revitalizing China Alley.

Sports
Hanford is the site of the Hanford Criterium bicycle races held on a Sunday in late March or early April. The 0.9 mi hourglass style loop course is run on downtown streets. The Criterium is held under USA Cycling racing rules and permit.

Dirt track auto racing takes place at the Kings Speedway from March through October. The track is a 3/8-mile semi-banked clay oval and is at the Kings Fairgrounds.

Government
Hanford is incorporated as a general law city under the California Constitution. The city has a council-manager government with a city manager appointed by the city council.

The city council is made up of five members elected by districts for four-year terms. There are no term limits in effect. The mayor and vice mayor are elected annually by the city council from among its members. Council members include former mayors Lou Martinez, Diane Sharp, Kalish Marrow, and Hanford Vice Mayor Mark Kairis. The current mayor is teacher and former Hanford Planning Commission Vice Chair Travis Paden following the 2022 California elections.

Hanford's city manager is the chief administrative officer of the city and is responsible for the overall administrative direction of the city. The city manager's duties include development and implementation of the annual budget for approval by the city council. Mario Cifuentez II was appointed as the city manager in 2019.

In the state legislature, Hanford is in the 14th State Senate District, which is represented by Democrat Melissa Hurtado, and in the 32nd State Assembly District, represented by Democrat Rudy Salas. The north side of Hanford is represented by Republican David Valadao, with the south side represented by Republican Kevin McCarthy.

Education
Hanford has 15 elementary schools, three junior high schools, four high schools with a total of 8,464 Kindergarten through 8th grade students and 3,522 high schoolers.

The Hanford Elementary School District provides kindergarten through eighth grade education for most of the city. The Pioneer Union Elementary School District serves much of the northern part of Hanford. Part of north Hanford is served by the Kings River-Hardwick School District. The Hanford Joint Union High School District provides public secondary education. It operates Hanford Union High School, Hanford West High School, Sierra Pacific High School as well as Earl F. Johnson High School.

The College of the Sequoias operates an education center in Hanford as part of the Joint Educational Center that includes Sierra Pacific High School.

Brandman University has a Hanford campus for adult students.

Transportation
Kings Area Regional Transit (KART) operates regularly scheduled fixed route bus service, vanpool service for commuters and Dial-A-Ride (demand response) services throughout Kings County as well as to Fresno. Hanford is also served by Orange Belt Stages.

Rail
Amtrak provides passenger rail service from Hanford station to the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento, and service to Southern California by a combination of rail and bus. Freight service is available from both the BNSF Railway and the San Joaquin Valley Railroad.

Amtrak Thruway 18 provides a daily connection to Visalia on the east, and Santa Maria on the west, with several stops in between.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009-funded California High-Speed Rail has proposed a station. However, the proposed station on the eastern outskirts of Hanford is listed as "optional" and will not be built without matching local funds or in-kind support.

Air
The Hanford Municipal Airport serves general aviation and has a 5175 feet paved runway.

Utilities
The city's water system is supplied by a network of 14 active deep wells and one standby well ranging in depth from 600 feet to 1700 feet with 203 miles of main lines and serves 15,900 water connections. Formerly, the water had contained naturally occurring arsenic in excess of the maximum contaminant level adopted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. However, according to the Consumer Confidence Report issued by the city of Hanford in March 2010 for calendar year 2009, since November 2009, the city has supplied water that is below the federal standard of 10 micrograms of arsenic per liter of water. Although it does not pose a health hazard, Hanford's drinking water also naturally contains hydrogen sulfide, which caused the water to have a noticeable "rotten egg" odor. In February 2015, the city completed a project to chlorinate all of its water, to eliminate the odor.
 * Water

The city's sanitary sewer system consists of 212 mi of collector lines and 22 pump stations. The wastewater treatment plant treats 5000000 usgal of sewage per day. The treated effluent is used to irrigate non-food crops.
 * Sanitation

Notable people

 * Leslie Bassett was a Pulitzer Prize-winning composer who was born in Hanford.
 * Ryan Bowen was a baseball player for the Houston Astros and Florida Marlins who was born in and attended high school in Hanford.
 * Ken Caminiti was a Major League Baseball player and National League MVP who was born in Hanford.
 * Tyson Chandler is a basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA) who was born in Hanford and grew up on a small farm there.
 * Chris Cohan, a Cable TV executive; former owner of the Golden State Warriors, born in Hanford
 * Calvin M. Dooley graduated from Hanford Union High School in 1972 and served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1991 to 2005.
 * Dameane Douglas was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) who was born in Hanford.
 * Harlan F. Hagen lived in Hanford and served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1953 to 1967.
 * Jermaine Haley is a football player who was born in Hanford.
 * Tyler Henry, a self-proclaimed psychic medium with a 2016 E! reality series, grew up in Hanford.
 * Ed Hill, songwriter and musician
 * Tamara Keith, radio reporter, host and producer, was raised in Hanford.
 * Bill Landis, baseball player on the 1967 American League champion Boston Red Sox.
 * Mark Lee was a cornerback in the National Football League who played for the Green Bay Packers and was born in Hanford.
 * Melinda Lira, American Idol season 5 semi-finalist, was born in Hanford.
 * Pauline Lord, actress, was born in Hanford.
 * Ruth MacLeod, writer, born in Hanford.
 * Chad Mendes, UFC fighter.
 * May Merrill Miller, an American writer best known for her novel First the Blade which offers a unique view of the domestic life of California pioneers as well as on the Mussel Slough Tragedy, was born in Hanford.
 * Richard C. Miller, photographer, a native of Hanford.
 * Lorenzo Neal, a 3-time Pro Bowl fullback in the NFL, was born in Hanford.
 * Scott Parker, one of the few California-born hockey players to play in the NHL.
 * Sean Parnell, former Governor of Alaska, was born in Hanford.
 * Steve Perry is a rock singer with the band Journey who was born in Hanford.
 * Slim Pickens, cowboy and actor, grew up in Hanford.
 * Phillip Pine, actor, was born in Hanford.
 * Poor Man's Poison, American folk band based in Hanford.
 * Jessica Gao, television writer and producer, was born in Hanford.
 * J. G. Quintel, creator of Regular Show, was born in Hanford and went to Hanford High School.
 * James Rainwater, physicist and co-winner of the 1975 Nobel Prize in Physics, lived in Hanford as a child and graduated from Hanford High School.
 * Matt Shively, actor on True Jackson, VP, was born and grew up in Hanford.
 * Bill Simas, pitcher for the Chicago White Sox, was born in Hanford.
 * Jewerl Thomas is a former professional National Football League football player who played running back for five seasons for the Los Angeles Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, and San Diego Chargers  He graduated from Hanford High School.
 * David Valadao, elected to the U.S House of Representatives in 2012, was born and raised in Hanford.
 * Andy Vidak, State Senator from the 16th district, currently lives in Hanford.
 * Jan-Michael Vincent, actor, moved to Hanford with his family as a teenager, and graduated from Hanford High School.
 * Cornelius Warmerdam, longtime pole vault world record holder, grew up in Hanford.
 * Darrell Winfield is an actor who played the Marlboro man and was born in Hanford.
 * Delbert Wong (1920–2006), first judge of Chinese-American descent in the continental United States, was born in Hanford.

title: Hanford, California


text:
Home Garden, California

Home Garden is a census-designated place (CDP) in Kings County, California, United States. The community is about 1.5 mi southeast of the city of Hanford. It is part of the Hanford–Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,761 at the 2010 United States Census.

Geography
Home Garden is located at 36.30333°N, -119.63611°W.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 0.6 sqmi, all of it land.

2010
At the 2010 census Home Garden had a population of 1,761. The population density was 2,854.0 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Home Garden was 652 (37.0%) White, 221 (12.5%) African American, 63 (3.6%) Native American, 50 (2.8%) Asian, 8 (0.5%) Pacific Islander, 677 (38.4%) from other races, and 90 (5.1%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1,189 persons (67.5%).

The census reported that 1,753 people (99.5% of the population) lived in households, 8 (0.5%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and no one was institutionalized.

There were 437 households, 252 (57.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 214 (49.0%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 112 (25.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, 50 (11.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 49 (11.2%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 1 (0.2%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 42 households (9.6%) were one person and 18 (4.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 4.01. There were 376 families (86.0% of households); the average family size was 4.16.

The age distribution was 601 people (34.1%) under the age of 18, 203 people (11.5%) aged 18 to 24, 440 people (25.0%) aged 25 to 44, 368 people (20.9%) aged 45 to 64, and 149 people (8.5%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 27.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.7 males.

There were 461 housing units at an average density of 747.1 per square mile, of the occupied units 210 (48.1%) were owner-occupied and 227 (51.9%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 4.5%; the rental vacancy rate was 2.6%. 786 people (44.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 967 people (54.9%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
At the 2000 census there were 1,702 people, 427 households, and 368 families in the CDP. The population density was 3,035.0 PD/sqmi. There were 437 housing units at an average density of 779.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 33.49% White, 12.93% Black or African American, 2.41% Native American, 7.29% Asian, 0.18% Pacific Islander, 37.07% from other races, and 6.64% from two or more races. 55.17% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 427 households 48.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.0% were married couples living together, 21.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 13.8% were non-families. 10.8% of households were one person and 4.9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.95 and the average family size was 4.10.

The age distribution was 37.9% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 18.9% from 45 to 64, and 7.5% 65 or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females, there were 112.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 112.2 males.

Economy
At the time of the 2000 census, the median household income was $25,450, and the median family income was $24,214. Males had a median income of $26,071 versus $14,338 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $22,357. About 33.5% of families and 41.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 53.5% of those under age 18 and 24.4% of those age 65 or over. The estimated unemployment rate was 12.6% in November 2016.

Politics
Home Garden is part of California's 21st congressional district, which is held by Republican David Valadao. The community is represented in the California State Senate by Democrat Michael Rubio and in the California State Assembly by Democrat Rudy Salas.

Home Garden is represented on the Kings County Board of Supervisors by Richard Valle of Corcoran.

title: Home Garden, California


text:
Kettleman City, California

Kettleman City is a census-designated place (CDP) in Kings County, California, United States. Kettleman City is located 28 mi southwest of Hanford, 54 miles (88 km) south of Fresno, at an elevation of 253 feet, and sits only about 1/2 mile north of the 36th parallel north latitude. It is part of the Hanford-Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,242 at the 2020 census, down from 1,439 at the 2010 census. When travelling between Los Angeles and either San Francisco or Sacramento via Interstate 5, Kettleman City (at Exit 309) is near the halfway point, and is thus a major stopping point for food and lodging.

Geography
Kettleman City is located on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley at the base of the Kettleman Hills, near the historic shoreline of what used to be Tulare Lake. Its coordinates are 36.00833°N, -119.96167°W.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 0.2 mi2, all of it land.

Kettleman City is divided into two areas. The commercial zone of gas, food and lodging businesses is at Kettleman Junction, where Interstate 5 and State Route 41 meet. The residential area together with some retail businesses and county government buildings is located about 1.2 mi north on State Route 41. The California Aqueduct crosses State Route 41 between these two areas.

Climate
Kettleman City has a semi-arid climate (Köppen: BSk/BSh) typical of that of the San Joaquin Valley, with hot, dry summers and cool winters characterized by dense tule fog. The average annual precipitation is 7.50 in, falling mainly from November through April. It is located in hardiness zone 9a.

Cityscape
Kettleman City has a number of fast food restaurants at its freeway exit. The community has no grocery stores other than convenience markets. Kettleman City has no street lights and almost no sidewalks.

History
The Kettleman Hills were named after Dave Kettelman (with a change in spelling), a pioneer sheep-raiser and cattleman who grazed his animals there in the 1860s. Kettleman Hills in the early 1900s was a crossing for people who would travel from Lemoore to Kettleman City by ferry. As the Tulare Lake receded in the late 1920s, this stretch between the two cities became State Route 41.

Oil was discovered in the Kettleman Hills in 1928, at the Kettleman North Dome Oil Field, which became one of the most productive oil fields in the United States in the early 1930s. Reportedly, thousands of spectators came to see the gusher that spouted almost pure gasoline for weeks.

A. Manford Brown, a real estate developer, founded the town of Kettleman City in 1929. He donated land for a school and for the community church. The main street (State Route 41) was called Brown Street after him. The first post office opened in 1929. A branch library was established in 1930. By 1940, Kettleman City had a population of about 600.

The early 1970s saw two substantial projects that had significant impacts on the community: the completion of the California Aqueduct and the opening of Interstate 5. The facility operated by Waste Management, Inc. opened in the late 1970s.

Despite the name, Kettleman City is not an incorporated city and remains a census-designated place.

Major highways

 * [[Image:I-5 (CA).svg|20px]] Interstate 5
 * [[Image:California 41.svg|20px]] State Route 41

Public transportation
Kings Area Regional Transit's (KART) Hanford-Avenal route serves Kettleman City. KART also provides vanpool service for commuters and Dial-A-Ride (demand response) services throughout Kings County as well as to Fresno.

Amtrak Thruway/Orange Belt Stages has a bus stop in Kettleman City. FlixBus stops approximately 16 miles away in Avenal.

2020 census
As of the census of 2020, there were 1,242 people.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 1,439 people, The population density was 6,819.9 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Kettleman City was 478 (33.2%) White, 4 (0.3%) African American, 8 (0.6%) Native American, 1 (0.1%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 887 (61.6%) from other races, and 61 (4.2%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1,383 persons (96.1%).

The Census reported that 1,439 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 350 households, out of which 232 (66.3%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 177 (50.6%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 82 (23.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 41 (11.7%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 42 (12.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 3 (0.9%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 30 households (8.6%) were made up of individuals, and 11 (3.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.11. There were 300 families (85.7% of all households); the average family size was 4.34.

The population was spread out, with 553 people (38.4%) under the age of 18, 157 people (10.9%) aged 18 to 24, 415 people (28.8%) aged 25 to 44, 235 people (16.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 79 people (5.5%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 25.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.0 males.

There were 367 housing units at an average density of 1,739.3 /sqmi, of which 135 (38.6%) were owner-occupied, and 215 (61.4%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.7%; the rental vacancy rate was 1.4%. 564 people (39.2% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 875 people (60.8%) lived in rental housing units.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,499 people, 320 households, and 289 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 8,691.4 PD/sqmi. There were 329 housing units at an average density of 1,907.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 26.62% White, 0.40% Black or African American, 1.87% Native American, 66.18% from other races, and 4.94% from two or more races. It is noteworthy that 92.73% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Kettleman City is predominantly a Spanish-speaking community. At the time of the 2000 census, 93.5% of residents spoke Spanish at home, and 41.0% of this group spoke English "well" or "very well." 6.5% of residents spoke only English at home, and 55.1% spoke English "not well" or "not at all."

There were 320 households, out of which 63.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.2% were married couples living together, 15.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 9.4% were non-families. 1.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 0.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.68 and the average family size was 4.59.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 36.3% under the age of 18, 15.6% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 14.8% from 45 to 64, and 4.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females, there were 123.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 125.2 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $22,409, and the median income for a family was $21,955. Males had a median income of $16,619 versus $10,179 for females. The per capita income for Kettleman City was only $7,389 - about a third of California's average of $22,711. Significantly, about 38.6% of families and 43.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 52.7% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

Politics
In the state legislature, Kettleman City is located in the 14th Senate District, which is represented by Democrat Melissa Hurtado, and in the 32nd Assembly District, represented by Democrat Rudy Salas. Federally, Kettleman City is located in California's 21st District and is represented by Republican David Valadao. Kettleman City is represented on the Kings County Board of Supervisors by Richard Valle of Corcoran.

Economy
The junction of Interstate 5 and State Route 41 is surrounded by commercial development that primarily serves through travelers on the highways. Kettleman City is one of the most popular rest stops between the Los Angeles metropolitan area and San Francisco Bay Area and includes restaurants, gas stations, and electric vehicle charging stations. The junction's Tesla Supercharger station was the first to have a solar array roof and an indoor lounge. It initially had 40 chargers—the most of any in Tesla's network—when it opened in 2017.

Many local residents are employed in agriculture, which experienced significant growth on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley after the completion of the California Aqueduct in the early 1970s. However, the community has been impacted by the 2008–2012 global recession as well as drought and restrictions on pumping from the Sacramento River delta to protect endangered species. The estimated unemployment rate was 9.7% in November 2016.

Water
The community's water system is supplied by two wells operated by the Kettleman City Community Services District. The water is treated to remove benzene.

The water contains naturally occurring arsenic in excess of the maximum contaminant level adopted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The federal standard is 10 micrograms of arsenic per liter of water. In a public notice issued to residents on January 29, 2010, the District reported that the average arsenic concentration from these wells during the 4th Quarter of 2009 ranged from 12.7 to 16.1 micrograms per liter. For several years, the Kings County government has been working with the District to secure funding to construct a water treatment plant that would be supplied by the California Aqueduct.

Hazardous waste facility
The Kettleman Hills Hazardous Waste Facility is a 5700000 yd3 capacity, hazardous, and municipal solid waste disposal facility operated by Chemical Waste Inc., a subsidiary of Waste Management, Inc. The 1500 acre site is situated 35.9624°N, -120.0102°W, 3.5 mi southwest of Kettleman City on State Route 41.

In 2007 and 2008, the environmental justice organization Greenaction announced that it had discovered a cluster of birth defects and infant deaths in Kettleman City. Greenaction contends that these health issues are linked to toxic chemical releases from several pollution sources in the area, including the Kettleman Hills Hazardous Waste Facility. When the facility requested permission to expand its landfill by 14 acres, the low-income, largely Latino community of 1,500 residents took a stand against the expansion, fearing that the introduction of more PCB waste could increase the incidence of infant maladies.

Chemical Waste Inc., contends that it has passed its standards inspections, and the requirements for inspection. It also contends that there has been no established link between the facility and the defects, and that it is a large economic factor and employer in the community of Kettleman City as well as Kings County. On July 2, 2013, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control released a draft decision on a permit modification that would allow Waste Management. Inc. to increase the capacity of the hazardous waste landfill. On May 21, 2014, that agency issued a final permit approving the company's planned expansion to allow an additional 5.2 million metric tons of capacity. Two appeals of the permit issuance were filed by Greenaction and other groups opposing the expansion. On October 14, 2014, the Department of Toxic Substances Control denied both appeals. Bradley Angel of Greenaction was quoted as saying that his group would continue to challenge the permit with a lawsuit and by filing administrative civil rights complaints in the courts.

Education
Reef-Sunset Unified School District operates the Kettleman City Elementary School.

title: Kettleman City, California