Alta, California
Encyclopedia
Alta is a small unincorporated community
and census-designated place
(CDP) in Placer County
, California
, United States
, about 30 miles (48 km) northeast of Auburn
. The village is located off Interstate 80
and along the historical First Transcontinental Railroad
. The ZIP code
is 95701 and the area code 530
. One of the few buildings other than private residences is the Alta-Dutch Flat Grammar School serving kindergarten through eighth grade students. The high school that serves Alta is Colfax high School, is 11 miles east in the incorporated town of Colfax. The population was 610 at the 2010 census.
A historical California place once named Alta was located in San Diego County
near the present-day La Mesa
-El Cajon
boundary. This historical place was along the San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railway
, now the San Diego Trolley
Orange Line, at its Murray Drive undercrossing in La Mesa.
, the CDP covers an area of 2.4 square miles (6.2 km²), 99.72% of it land, and 0.28% of it water.
was 255.2 people per square mile (98.5/km²). The racial makeup of Alta was 592 (97.0%) White, 1 (0.2%) African American, 3 (0.5%) Native American, 5 (0.8%) Asian, 1 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 2 (0.3%) from other races
, and 6 (1.0%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 23 persons (3.8%).
The Census reported that 594 people (97.4% of the population) lived in households, 16 (2.6%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 242 households, out of which 70 (28.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 141 (58.3%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 17 (7.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, 14 (5.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 18 (7.4%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 1 (0.4%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 56 households (23.1%) were made up of individuals and 19 (7.9%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45. There were 172 families
(71.1% of all households); the average family size was 2.89.
The population was spread out with 127 people (20.8%) under the age of 18, 37 people (6.1%) aged 18 to 24, 122 people (20.0%) aged 25 to 44, 237 people (38.9%) aged 45 to 64, and 87 people (14.3%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46.9 years. For every 100 females there were 112.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.5 males.
There were 314 housing units at an average density of 131.4 per square mile (50.7/km²), of which 193 (79.8%) were owner-occupied, and 49 (20.2%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5%; the rental vacancy rate was 7.5%. 469 people (76.9% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 125 people (20.5%) lived in rental housing units.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
and census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) in Placer County
Placer County, California
Placer County is a county located in both the Sacramento Valley and Sierra Nevada regions of the U.S. state of California, in what is known as the Gold Country. It stretches from the suburbs of Sacramento to Lake Tahoe and the Nevada border. Because of the expansion of the Greater Sacramento,...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, about 30 miles (48 km) northeast of Auburn
Auburn, California
Auburn is the county seat of Placer County, California. Its population at the 2010 census was 13,330. Auburn is known for its California Gold Rush history.Auburn is part of the Greater Sacramento area.- History :...
. The village is located off Interstate 80
Interstate 80
Interstate 80 is the second-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, following Interstate 90. It is a transcontinental artery running from downtown San Francisco, California to Teaneck, New Jersey in the New York City Metropolitan Area...
and along the historical First Transcontinental Railroad
First Transcontinental Railroad
The First Transcontinental Railroad was a railroad line built in the United States of America between 1863 and 1869 by the Central Pacific Railroad of California and the Union Pacific Railroad that connected its statutory Eastern terminus at Council Bluffs, Iowa/Omaha, Nebraska The First...
. The ZIP code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
is 95701 and the area code 530
Area code 530
North American area code 530 is a California telephone area code that covers Auburn, Chico, Colfax, Davis, Grass Valley, Marysville, Oroville, Placerville, Redding, Red Bluff, Susanville, Truckee, Woodland, Yuba City and South Lake Tahoe....
. One of the few buildings other than private residences is the Alta-Dutch Flat Grammar School serving kindergarten through eighth grade students. The high school that serves Alta is Colfax high School, is 11 miles east in the incorporated town of Colfax. The population was 610 at the 2010 census.
A historical California place once named Alta was located in San Diego County
San Diego County, California
San Diego County is a large county located in the southwestern corner of the US state of California. Hence, San Diego County is also located in the southwestern corner of the 48 contiguous United States. Its county seat and largest city is San Diego. Its population was about 2,813,835 in the 2000...
near the present-day La Mesa
La Mesa, California
La Mesa is a city in San Diego County, California. The population was 57,065 at the 2010 census, up from 54,749 at the 2000 census. It was founded in 1869 and officially incorporated as a city on February 16, 1912. Its official flower is the bougainvillea....
-El Cajon
El Cajon, California
-History:El Cajon is located on the Rancho El Cajon Mexican land grant made in 1845 to María Antonia Estudillo, wife of Miguel Pedrorena. In 1876 Amaziah Lord Knox , a New Englander who had recently moved to California, established a hotel there to serve the growing number of people traveling...
boundary. This historical place was along the San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railway
San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railway
The San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railway is a short-line American railroad originally founded in 1906 as the San Diego and Arizona Railway by sugar heir, developer, and entrepreneur John D. Spreckels...
, now the San Diego Trolley
San Diego Trolley
The San Diego Trolley is a light rail system operating in the metropolitan area of San Diego. The operator, San Diego Trolley, Inc. , is a subsidiary of the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System ...
Orange Line, at its Murray Drive undercrossing in La Mesa.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the CDP covers an area of 2.4 square miles (6.2 km²), 99.72% of it land, and 0.28% of it water.
Demographics
The 2010 United States Census reported that Alta had a population of 610. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 255.2 people per square mile (98.5/km²). The racial makeup of Alta was 592 (97.0%) White, 1 (0.2%) African American, 3 (0.5%) Native American, 5 (0.8%) Asian, 1 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 2 (0.3%) from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 6 (1.0%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 23 persons (3.8%).
The Census reported that 594 people (97.4% of the population) lived in households, 16 (2.6%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 242 households, out of which 70 (28.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 141 (58.3%) were opposite-sex married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 17 (7.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, 14 (5.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 18 (7.4%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
POSSLQ
POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....
, and 1 (0.4%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 56 households (23.1%) were made up of individuals and 19 (7.9%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45. There were 172 families
Family (U.S. Census)
A family or family household is defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes as "a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state...
(71.1% of all households); the average family size was 2.89.
The population was spread out with 127 people (20.8%) under the age of 18, 37 people (6.1%) aged 18 to 24, 122 people (20.0%) aged 25 to 44, 237 people (38.9%) aged 45 to 64, and 87 people (14.3%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46.9 years. For every 100 females there were 112.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.5 males.
There were 314 housing units at an average density of 131.4 per square mile (50.7/km²), of which 193 (79.8%) were owner-occupied, and 49 (20.2%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5%; the rental vacancy rate was 7.5%. 469 people (76.9% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 125 people (20.5%) lived in rental housing units.