Clovis, California
Encyclopedia
Clovis is a city in Fresno County
, California
, United States
, northeast of Fresno
. The population is estimated to be 97,218 as of September, 2011. Clovis is located 6.5 miles (10.5 km) northeast of downtown Fresno
, at an elevation of 361 feet (110 m).
. Organized on January 15, 1890 by Fresno businessmen Thomas E. Hughes, Fulton Berry, Gilbert R. Osmun, H.D. Colson, John D. Gray, and William M. Williams, in partnership with Michigan railroad speculator Marcus Pollasky, the SJVRR began construction in Fresno on July 4, 1891 and reached the farmlands of Clovis Cole and George Owen by October of that year. The railroad purchased right-of-way from both farmers, half from each - the east side from Cole and the west side from Owen - and ran tracks up the borderline between the two properties. The railroad agreed to establish a station on the west side of the tracks and to call it "Clovis". It may be worth noting that the Clovis station, after which the town was named, was positioned on the Owen side of the track....
Cole and Owen later sold land to the person of Marcus Pollasky for development of a townsite. Fresno civil engineer Ingvar Tielman mapped the townsite on behalf of Marcus Pollasky and recorded the townsite map on December 29, 1891. The original townsite featured streets named for the officers and principal investors of the railroad – (Benjamin) Woodworth, (Marcus) Pollasky, Fulton (Berry), (Thomas) Hughes, (Gerald) Osmun, and (O. D.) Baron. The townsite, named Clovis by its owner Marcus Pollasky, was laid out on what was originally Owen's land.
The railroad was completed as far as the town of Hamptonville (now Friant
) on the banks of the San Joaquin River
, just 26 miles (41.8 km) from its point of origin in Fresno. Following a celebration of the completion of tracklaying on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving of 1891, the railroad began official operation in January 1892.
The myth persists, even today, that the SJVRR was eventually to cross the Sierra and connect with an existing major railroad to create a transcontinental link. Articles of Incorporation for the San Joaquin Valley Railroad indicate that the corporation intended to build a maximum of 100 miles of track, including sidings and spurs, through the agricultural acreage east of Fresno, then north to the timber and mineral resources of the Sierra foothills. The transcontinental wish seems to have been only naive conjecture on the part of those outside the project.
The first year of operation of the railroad coincided with the beginnings of a deep national economic decline. Farmers were unable to get profitable return on their crops, banks and railroads failed nationwide. The SJVRR was unable to generate sufficient revenues to pay its debt, was leased to the Southern Pacific Railroad
and subsequently bought by SPRR in 1893. By reducing the railroad's schedule of operation and trimming costs, the Southern Pacific was able to turn a small profit in the first years after its acquisition.
At the same time that the railroad was being planned, a group of Michigan lumbermen began acquiring thousands of acres of timber in the Sierra Nevada about 75 miles northeast of Fresno. A dam was built across Stevenson Creek to create a lake that would enable them to move freshly cut timber to a mill beside the lake. They then constructed a 42 miles (67.6 km), 25 feet (7.6 m) high, V-shaped flume
that started at the foot of the dam. As lumber was rough-cut at the mill, it was loaded into the flume and propelled by water to a planing mill
east of the Clovis railroad station. The lumber mill and yard had its own network of rails to move lumber around the yard and to connect with the SJVRR just south of Clovis station.
The completion in 1894 of the lumber flume and commencement of mill operations provided the impetus for further development of the area around the Clovis Station. The town began to take shape as lumber yard employees built homes close to their employment. Service businesses, churches, and schools became necessary, and the town was begun. Clovis's first post office opened in 1895. An 1896 newspaper article describes the town as having a population approaching 500 citizens.
Clovis was incorporated as a city in February 1912. Principal streets in the town center are still named for the railroad's officers, except for Fulton Street, which was later named Front Street, then Main Street, and is now Clovis Avenue.
The lumber mill burned in 1914 and was not rebuilt. The grounds are now occupied by Clark Intermediate School and the Clovis Rodeo Grounds.
The last surviving structure built by the railroad is a depot now located near the site of the original Clovis Station. It has been long believed that this depot originally stood on the Tarpey Ranch south of the intersection of Ashlan and Clovis Avenues. Evidence has surfaced that the depot may have originated further south on the Las Palmas vineyards. In 1999 it was moved to its present location in the town's center, at the northeast corner of Clovis Avenue and Fourth Street, and was restored by the Clovis Big Dry Creek Historical Society in partnership with local businesses and contractors.
Clovis has a long history as a western town known for its slogan, "Clovis - A Way of Life." Since 1914, the Clovis Rodeo has been held on the last weekend in April, with a parade on Saturday morning, followed by the rodeo that afternoon and all day Sunday. Also contributing to the "Clovis way of life" are a number of street festivals, including Big Hat Days, ClovisFest, and the weekly Friday Night Farmer's Market held between mid-May and mid-September every year.
Many buildings in the town core have been renovated. Older storefronts on Clovis Avenue, the main street running through town, have been restored and new buildings have been designed with facades that resemble those found in the early 20th century. The historic center, with its fresh new look, has been reborn as "Old Town Clovis."
, the city has a total area of 23.28 square miles (60.29nbsp;km²), all of it land.
Clovis is situated midway between Los Angeles
and San Francisco
, bordering Fresno
, in the agriculturally rich San Joaquin Valley
. Lying at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, which includes Yosemite, Kings Canyon
, and Sequoia
National Parks, Clovis has been known as "Gateway to the Sierras" since its incorporation in 1912.
The formation of alluvial fans in this part of the San Joaquin Valley
has led to a rather flat regional geography
. The Clovis area has active and potentially active seismic fault zones. The elevation of Clovis is approximately 355 feet (108.2 m) above mean sea datum According to the Flood Hazard Boundary Map produced by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, part of Clovis is within the 100-year flood zone, such as some of the area near the Clovis Towne Center. The groundwater
flow in Clovis is generally to the southwest.
-On average, the warmest month is July.
-The highest recorded temperature was 115°F in 1905.
-On average, the coolest month is December.
-The lowest recorded temperature was 17°F in 1913.
-The maximum average precipitation occurs in March.
was 4,108.2 people per square mile (1,586.2/km²). The racial makeup of Clovis was 67,758 (70.9%) White, 2,618 (2.7%) African American, 1,320 (1.4%) Native American, 10,233 (10.7%) Asian, 218 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 8,857 (9.3%) from other races
, and 4,627 (4.8%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 24,514 persons (25.6%).
The Census reported that 95,243 people (99.6% of the population) lived in households, 130 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 258 (0.3%) were institutionalized.
There were 33,419 households, out of which 13,718 (41.0%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 17,975 (53.8%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 4,554 (13.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,889 (5.7%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,985 (5.9%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 198 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 7,008 households (21.0%) were made up of individuals and 2,721 (8.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.85. There were 24,418 families
(73.1% of all households); the average family size was 3.32.
The population was spread out with 26,851 people (28.1%) under the age of 18, 9,572 people (10.0%) aged 18 to 24, 25,542 people (26.7%) aged 25 to 44, 23,559 people (24.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 10,107 people (10.6%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.1 years. For every 100 females there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.5 males.
There were 35,306 housing units at an average density of 1,516.7 per square mile (585.6/km²), of which 20,804 (62.3%) were owner-occupied, and 12,615 (37.7%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.4%. 60,767 people (63.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 34,476 people (36.1%) lived in rental housing units.
of 2000, there were 68,468 people, 24,347 households, and 17,675 families residing in the city. The population density
was 4,000.2 people per square mile (1,544.1/km²). There were 25,250 housing units at an average density of 1,475.2 per square mile (569.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 75.8% White
, 1.9% Black
or African American
, 1.5% Native American
, 6.5% Asian
, 0.2% Pacific Islander
, 9.5% from other races
, and 4.6% from two or more races. 20.3% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 24,347 households out of which 41.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.4% were married couples
living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.4% were non-families. 22.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.29.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.7% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 9.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 92.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.2 males.
The median income
for a household in the city was $42,283, and the median income for a family was $50,859. Males had a median income of $39,630 versus $28,072 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $18,690. About 7.6% of families and 10.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.1% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over.
Reagan Elementary,
Riverview, Sierra Vista, Tarpey, Temperance-Kutner, Valley Oak, Weldon
Harold L. Woods,
Bud Rank
Fresno County, California
Fresno County is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California, south of Stockton and north of Bakersfield. As of the 2010 census, it is the tenth most populous county in California with a population of 930,450, and the sixth largest in size with an area of . The county...
, 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...
, northeast of Fresno
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
. The population is estimated to be 97,218 as of September, 2011. Clovis is located 6.5 miles (10.5 km) northeast of downtown Fresno
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
, at an elevation of 361 feet (110 m).
History
The city of Clovis began as a freight stop along the San Joaquin Valley RailroadSan Joaquin Valley Railroad
The San Joaquin Valley Railroad is one of several short line railroad companies and is part of the Sunset Division of RailAmerica. It operates about of track primarily on several lines in California's Central Valley/San Joaquin Valley outside of Fresno, California and Bakersfield, California...
. Organized on January 15, 1890 by Fresno businessmen Thomas E. Hughes, Fulton Berry, Gilbert R. Osmun, H.D. Colson, John D. Gray, and William M. Williams, in partnership with Michigan railroad speculator Marcus Pollasky, the SJVRR began construction in Fresno on July 4, 1891 and reached the farmlands of Clovis Cole and George Owen by October of that year. The railroad purchased right-of-way from both farmers, half from each - the east side from Cole and the west side from Owen - and ran tracks up the borderline between the two properties. The railroad agreed to establish a station on the west side of the tracks and to call it "Clovis". It may be worth noting that the Clovis station, after which the town was named, was positioned on the Owen side of the track....
Cole and Owen later sold land to the person of Marcus Pollasky for development of a townsite. Fresno civil engineer Ingvar Tielman mapped the townsite on behalf of Marcus Pollasky and recorded the townsite map on December 29, 1891. The original townsite featured streets named for the officers and principal investors of the railroad – (Benjamin) Woodworth, (Marcus) Pollasky, Fulton (Berry), (Thomas) Hughes, (Gerald) Osmun, and (O. D.) Baron. The townsite, named Clovis by its owner Marcus Pollasky, was laid out on what was originally Owen's land.
The railroad was completed as far as the town of Hamptonville (now Friant
Friant, California
Friant is a census-designated place in Fresno County, California, United States. The population was 549 at the 2010 census, down from 778 at the 2000 census. Friant is located north of Clovis, at an elevation of 344 feet .-Geography:Friant is located at...
) on the banks of the San Joaquin River
San Joaquin River
The San Joaquin River is the largest river of Central California in the United States. At over long, the river starts in the high Sierra Nevada, and flows through a rich agricultural region known as the San Joaquin Valley before reaching Suisun Bay, San Francisco Bay, and the Pacific Ocean...
, just 26 miles (41.8 km) from its point of origin in Fresno. Following a celebration of the completion of tracklaying on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving of 1891, the railroad began official operation in January 1892.
The myth persists, even today, that the SJVRR was eventually to cross the Sierra and connect with an existing major railroad to create a transcontinental link. Articles of Incorporation for the San Joaquin Valley Railroad indicate that the corporation intended to build a maximum of 100 miles of track, including sidings and spurs, through the agricultural acreage east of Fresno, then north to the timber and mineral resources of the Sierra foothills. The transcontinental wish seems to have been only naive conjecture on the part of those outside the project.
The first year of operation of the railroad coincided with the beginnings of a deep national economic decline. Farmers were unable to get profitable return on their crops, banks and railroads failed nationwide. The SJVRR was unable to generate sufficient revenues to pay its debt, was leased to the Southern Pacific Railroad
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
and subsequently bought by SPRR in 1893. By reducing the railroad's schedule of operation and trimming costs, the Southern Pacific was able to turn a small profit in the first years after its acquisition.
At the same time that the railroad was being planned, a group of Michigan lumbermen began acquiring thousands of acres of timber in the Sierra Nevada about 75 miles northeast of Fresno. A dam was built across Stevenson Creek to create a lake that would enable them to move freshly cut timber to a mill beside the lake. They then constructed a 42 miles (67.6 km), 25 feet (7.6 m) high, V-shaped flume
Flume
A flume is an open artificial water channel, in the form of a gravity chute, that leads water from a diversion dam or weir completely aside a natural flow. Often, the flume is an elevated box structure that follows the natural contours of the land. These have been extensively used in hydraulic...
that started at the foot of the dam. As lumber was rough-cut at the mill, it was loaded into the flume and propelled by water to a planing mill
Planing mill
A planing mill is a facility that takes cut and seasoned boards from a sawmill and turns them into finished dimensional lumber. Machines used in the mill include the planer and matcher, the molding machines, and varieties of saws...
east of the Clovis railroad station. The lumber mill and yard had its own network of rails to move lumber around the yard and to connect with the SJVRR just south of Clovis station.
The completion in 1894 of the lumber flume and commencement of mill operations provided the impetus for further development of the area around the Clovis Station. The town began to take shape as lumber yard employees built homes close to their employment. Service businesses, churches, and schools became necessary, and the town was begun. Clovis's first post office opened in 1895. An 1896 newspaper article describes the town as having a population approaching 500 citizens.
Clovis was incorporated as a city in February 1912. Principal streets in the town center are still named for the railroad's officers, except for Fulton Street, which was later named Front Street, then Main Street, and is now Clovis Avenue.
The lumber mill burned in 1914 and was not rebuilt. The grounds are now occupied by Clark Intermediate School and the Clovis Rodeo Grounds.
The last surviving structure built by the railroad is a depot now located near the site of the original Clovis Station. It has been long believed that this depot originally stood on the Tarpey Ranch south of the intersection of Ashlan and Clovis Avenues. Evidence has surfaced that the depot may have originated further south on the Las Palmas vineyards. In 1999 it was moved to its present location in the town's center, at the northeast corner of Clovis Avenue and Fourth Street, and was restored by the Clovis Big Dry Creek Historical Society in partnership with local businesses and contractors.
Clovis has a long history as a western town known for its slogan, "Clovis - A Way of Life." Since 1914, the Clovis Rodeo has been held on the last weekend in April, with a parade on Saturday morning, followed by the rodeo that afternoon and all day Sunday. Also contributing to the "Clovis way of life" are a number of street festivals, including Big Hat Days, ClovisFest, and the weekly Friday Night Farmer's Market held between mid-May and mid-September every year.
Many buildings in the town core have been renovated. Older storefronts on Clovis Avenue, the main street running through town, have been restored and new buildings have been designed with facades that resemble those found in the early 20th century. The historic center, with its fresh new look, has been reborn as "Old Town Clovis."
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 city has a total area of 23.28 square miles (60.29nbsp;km²), all of it land.
Clovis is situated midway between Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
and San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, bordering Fresno
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
, in the agriculturally rich San Joaquin Valley
San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
. Lying at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, which includes Yosemite, Kings Canyon
Kings Canyon
Kings Canyon may refer to:*Kings Canyon National Park is a national park in California, United States, named for Kings Canyon, a canyon within the park...
, and Sequoia
Sequoia National Park
Sequoia National Park is a national park in the southern Sierra Nevada east of Visalia, California, in the United States. It was established on September 25, 1890. The park spans . Encompassing a vertical relief of nearly , the park contains among its natural resources the highest point in the...
National Parks, Clovis has been known as "Gateway to the Sierras" since its incorporation in 1912.
The formation of alluvial fans in this part of the San Joaquin Valley
San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
has led to a rather flat regional geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
. The Clovis area has active and potentially active seismic fault zones. The elevation of Clovis is approximately 355 feet (108.2 m) above mean sea datum According to the Flood Hazard Boundary Map produced by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, part of Clovis is within the 100-year flood zone, such as some of the area near the Clovis Towne Center. The groundwater
Groundwater
Groundwater is water located beneath the ground surface in soil pore spaces and in the fractures of rock formations. A unit of rock or an unconsolidated deposit is called an aquifer when it can yield a usable quantity of water. The depth at which soil pore spaces or fractures and voids in rock...
flow in Clovis is generally to the southwest.
Top employers
According to the City's 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clovis Unified School District Clovis Unified School District Clovis Unified School District is public school system located in Clovis, California. Its 43 schools serve a student population of nearly 38,000 students in a geographic area covering about , including the cities of Clovis and Fresno, the community of Friant, and some of Fresno County, California.... |
5,300 |
| 2 | Pelco Schneider Electric Schneider Electric is a French global company. It was founded in 1836 by two brothers, Eugène and Adolphe Schneider.In the first part of the 20th century, Schneider et Cie associated itself with Westinghouse Systems, a major international electrical group at the time. The group began manufacturing... |
2,100 |
| 3 | Clovis Community Medical Center | 979 |
| 4 | City of Clovis | 631 |
| 5 | Target Target Corporation Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's... |
430 |
| 6 | Alorica Alorica Alorica Incorporated is a call center company with 36 facilities worldwide. Established in 1999, the company has grown to twenty-thousand employees. Currently, the company is headquartered is in Chino, California.-External links:... |
339 |
| 7 | Wal-Mart Wal-Mart Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000... |
332 |
| 8 | AT&T AT&T AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services... |
260 |
| 9 | Save Mart Save Mart Supermarkets Save Mart Supermarkets owns and operates supermarkets operating under the names of Save Mart, S-Mart Foods, Lucky, and FoodMaxx located in Northern California and Northern Nevada.-Background:... |
247 |
| 10 | Costco Costco Costco Wholesale Corporation is the largest membership warehouse club chain in the United States. it is the third largest retailer in the United States, where it originated, and the ninth largest in the world... |
220 |
Climate
Clovis, like much of Central California has year-round pleasant weather:-On average, the warmest month is July.
-The highest recorded temperature was 115°F in 1905.
-On average, the coolest month is December.
-The lowest recorded temperature was 17°F in 1913.
-The maximum average precipitation occurs in March.
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Clovis had a population of 95,631. 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 4,108.2 people per square mile (1,586.2/km²). The racial makeup of Clovis was 67,758 (70.9%) White, 2,618 (2.7%) African American, 1,320 (1.4%) Native American, 10,233 (10.7%) Asian, 218 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 8,857 (9.3%) 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 4,627 (4.8%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 24,514 persons (25.6%).
The Census reported that 95,243 people (99.6% of the population) lived in households, 130 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 258 (0.3%) were institutionalized.
There were 33,419 households, out of which 13,718 (41.0%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 17,975 (53.8%) 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, 4,554 (13.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,889 (5.7%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,985 (5.9%) 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 198 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 7,008 households (21.0%) were made up of individuals and 2,721 (8.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.85. There were 24,418 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...
(73.1% of all households); the average family size was 3.32.
The population was spread out with 26,851 people (28.1%) under the age of 18, 9,572 people (10.0%) aged 18 to 24, 25,542 people (26.7%) aged 25 to 44, 23,559 people (24.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 10,107 people (10.6%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.1 years. For every 100 females there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.5 males.
There were 35,306 housing units at an average density of 1,516.7 per square mile (585.6/km²), of which 20,804 (62.3%) were owner-occupied, and 12,615 (37.7%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.4%. 60,767 people (63.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 34,476 people (36.1%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 68,468 people, 24,347 households, and 17,675 families residing in the city. The population density
Population 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 4,000.2 people per square mile (1,544.1/km²). There were 25,250 housing units at an average density of 1,475.2 per square mile (569.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 75.8% White
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...
, 1.9% Black
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...
or African American
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...
, 1.5% Native American
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...
, 6.5% Asian
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...
, 0.2% Pacific Islander
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...
, 9.5% 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 4.6% from two or more races. 20.3% of the population were Hispanic
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...
or Latino
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...
of any race.
There were 24,347 households out of which 41.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.4% were 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, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.4% were non-families. 22.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.29.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.7% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 9.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 92.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.2 males.
The median income
Income
Income is the consumption and savings opportunity gained by an entity within a specified time frame, which is generally expressed in monetary terms. However, for households and individuals, "income is the sum of all the wages, salaries, profits, interests payments, rents and other forms of earnings...
for a household in the city was $42,283, and the median income for a family was $50,859. Males had a median income of $39,630 versus $28,072 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $18,690. About 7.6% of families and 10.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.1% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over.
Clovis Unified School District
- Elementary schools
- Cedarwood, Century, Clovis, Cole, Copper Hills, Cox, Dry Creek, Fancher Creek, Fort Washington, Freedom, Fugman, Garfield, Gettysburg, Jefferson, Liberty, Lincoln, Maple Creek,Miramonte, Mountain View, Nelson, Pinedale, Red Bank,
Reagan Elementary,
Riverview, Sierra Vista, Tarpey, Temperance-Kutner, Valley Oak, Weldon
Harold L. Woods,
Bud Rank
- Middle schools
- Clark Intermediate, Kastner Intermediate, Alta Sierra Intermediate, Reyburn Intermediate, Granite Ridge Intermediate
- High schools
- Buchanan High SchoolBuchanan High SchoolDr. Floyd B. Buchanan High School, known as Buchanan High School, is a four-year public high school in Clovis, California, United States. The school is part the Buchanan Educational Center, which houses approximately 5,000 students at Garfield Elementary School , Alta Sierra Intermediate School ,...
, Clovis East High SchoolClovis East High SchoolClovis East High School is a four-year public high school of Clovis Unified School District located in Clovis, California. It is home to the Timberwolves...
, Clovis High School, Clovis West High School, Clovis North High School, Enterprise High School, Excel High School Gateway High School,- Area Colleges
- San Joaquin College of Law, Institute of Technology, State Center Community College
Community-based organizations (nonprofits)
- Clovis Amateur Radio Pioneers, an amateur radio club that serves Clovis and the Central Valley.
Notable residents
- Chris ColferChris ColferChristopher Paul "Chris" Colfer is an American actor and singer known for his portrayal of Kurt Hummel on the television series Glee, for which he won a 2011 Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor and was also nominated twice for an Emmy...
, American singer and actor, best known for portraying the role of Kurt HummelKurt HummelKurt Hummel is a fictional character and one of the male leads in the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. Series creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan initially conceived of him as a fashionable gay countertenor who is routinely bullied at school...
on GleeGlee (TV series)Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...
. - Aaron HillAaron HillAaron Hill was an English dramatist and miscellaneous writer.The son of a country gentleman of Wiltshire, Hill was educated at Westminster School, and afterwards travelled in the East. He was the author of 17 plays, some of them, such as his versions of Voltaire's Zaire and Mérope, being adaptations...
, American actor, best known for his work on the ABC FamilyABC FamilyABC Family, stylized as abc family, is an American television network, owned by ABC Family Worldwide Inc., a subsidiary of the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company...
TV show, GreekGreek (TV series)Greek is an American comedy-drama television series, which follows students of the fictional Cyprus-Rhodes University , located in Ohio, who participate in the school's Greek system... - Daryle LamonicaDaryle LamonicaDaryle Pat Lamonica is a former American collegiate and professional football quarterback who played in the American Football League, and later in the NFL....
, quarterback for the Buffalo BillsBuffalo BillsThe Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and the Oakland RaidersOakland RaidersThe Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - Garrett OlsonGarrett OlsonGarrett Andrew Olson is a Major League Baseball pitcher currently in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization.-High school:Olson attended Buchanan High School in Clovis, California...
, a current pitcher for the Seattle MarinersSeattle MarinersThe Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
attended Buchanan High. - John Taylor, a former wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ersSan Francisco 49ersThe San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
- Zack FollettZack FollettZachary "Zack" Follett is an American football linebacker who is a free agent. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at California.-College career:...
, current linebacker for the Detroit LionsDetroit LionsThe Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...