Kings County, California
Encyclopedia
Kings County is a county located in the Central Valley
of the U.S. state
of California
. It is located in a rich agricultural region. Kings County is also home to NAS Lemoore, which is the U.S. Navy's newest and largest master jet air station. The county seat
is Hanford
. The United States Census Bureau
defines Kings County as encompassing the entire Hanford–Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA Code 25260). The population was 152,982 at the time of the 2010 U.S. Census. According to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
, the county's population included 18,640 state prison inmates as of March 31, 2010. The California Department of Finance
estimated that Kings County's population was 153,365 as of January 1, 2011.
. It was colonized by Spain, Mexico and the United States.
An 1805 expedition probably led by Spanish Army Lieutenant Gabriel Moraga
recorded discovering the river, which they named El Rio de los Santos Reyes (River of the Holy Kings) after the Three Wise Men of the Bible
. At the time of the United States conquest in 1848, the new government changed the name to Kings River
.
In 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 (9 km) northwest of Hanford; seven men died. This event became known as the Mussel Slough Tragedy
.
Kings County was formed in 1893 from the western part of Tulare County
. In 1909, by an act of the state legislature, 208 square miles (538.7 km²) of Fresno County territory was added to the northwest portion of Kings County.
Settlers reclaimed Tulare Lake
and its wetlands for agricultural development. In surface area, it was formerly the largest body of freshwater west of the Great Lakes
, and supported a large population of migratory birds as well as local birds and wildlife. Monoculture has sharply reduced habitat for many species.
In 1928, oil was discovered in the Kettleman Hills
located in the southwestern part of Kings County. The Kettleman North Dome Oil Field
became one of the most productive oil fields in the United States.
In 1933 during the Great Depression
, cotton pickers in the southern San Joaquin Valley, mostly migrant Mexican workers, went on strike. During the strike, 3,500 striking farm workers lived in a four-acre camp on the land of a small farmer on the outskirts of Corcoran. Ultimately, the federal government intervened to force both sides to negotiate a settlement.
Lemoore Army Airfield
was established for training and defense during World War II
. In 1961, the U.S. Navy opened NAS Lemoore 9 miles (14 km) west of Lemoore
, not far from the earlier site.
The completion of the California Aqueduct
in the early 1970s brought needed water for agriculture and domestic use to the westside of the county.
Kings County is bordered on the north and northwest by Fresno County, on the east by Tulare County, on the south by Kern County and a small part of San Luis Obispo County and on the west by Monterey County.
Most of the historic Tulare Lake
was within Kings County. Although reclaimed for farming late in the 19th century, it was the largest freshwater lake west of the Great Lakes.
Amtrak
trains stop in Corcoran and Hanford.
Orange Belt Stages
provides inter-city bus service to and from Hanford. Connections with Greyhound
can be made in Visalia or Paso Robles.
is a general aviation airport located just southeast of Hanford
. The privately-owned airport in Avenal is the home of the Central California Soaring Club.
which operates three state prisons in Kings County.
At the time of the 2000 census, the median income for a household in the county was $35,749, and the median income for a family was $38,111. Males had a median income of $31,700 versus $24,772 for females. The per capita income
for the county in 2000 was $15,848. By 2009, according to the U.S Bureau of Economic Analysis
, average per capita income had reached $30,646 in Kings County compared with $42,395 in California as a whole. The 2000 census reported that about 15.8% of families and 19.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.9% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over. In 2003, Kings County had the lowest per capita income in the state of California.
The homeownership rate was 54.2% at the time of the 2010 census.
Taxable sales in 2007 totaled $1.33 billion.
Kings County has not escaped the effects of the late 2000s recession
. The unemployment rate in October 2011 was 14.6%, up from 10.1% in July 2008. According to the California Employment Development Department, as of January 2011, civilian employment totaled 49,200 and an additional 11,000 people were unemployed. Many residents of Kings County were employed in services (30,100 persons, including 14,600 government employees) and agriculture (5,700 employees) as well as in some manufacturing enterprises (3,400 employees) and construction (800 employees).[ Median household income fell over 8% from an estimated $48,419 in 2007 to $44,506 in 2009 according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey
. Jeffrey Michael, director of the Business Forecasting Center at the University of the Pacific, stated in an October 2010 newspaper interview that nearly half of Kings County's personal earnings come from government jobs, which pay more than agricultural employment. From 2007 to 2009, government jobs held steady while the county's agricultural sector took the biggest hit. Kings County's dairy industry dropped from $670 million in milk sold in 2008 to $411 million in 2009 - a 39% drop. By mid-2009, the price paid to milk producers had dropped to a point that was far below the cost of production according to a July 2009 quote from Bill Van Dam, CEO of the Alliance of Western Milk Producers. By December 2010, milk prices had increased to about $13 per hundredweight from a low of below $10 in 2009. However, the price of corn used for feed had increased because of its use by the ethanol industry. Van Dam was quoted that month as saying that at current prices, dairy operators are at or close to the break-even point.
In January 2008, the Kings County Clerk reported that of 45,444 registered voters, 21,685 were Republican
s and 16,664 were Democrat
s.
Kings has long been a strongly Republican county in Presidential
elections. The last Democratic candidate for President to win the county was Hubert Humphrey
in 1968
.
Kings County is part of California's California's 20th congressional district
, which is held by Democrat
Jim Costa
. The county is represented in the California State Senate
by Democrat Michael Rubio and in the California State Assembly
by Republican
David Valadao
.
On Nov. 4, 2008 Kings County voted 73.7 % for Proposition 8 which amended the California Constitution to ban same-sex marriages.
, and 7,492 (4.9%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 77,866 persons (50.9%).
The U.S. Census does not identify how many residents are illegal immigrants. However, the Public Policy Institute of California
issued a report in July 2011, which estimated there were 9,000 unauthorized immigrants living in Kings County in 2008, which would be 5.8% of the county’s population.
based on the 2000 census was 36/km² (93/sq mi). There were 36,563 housing units at an average density of 26 per square mile (10/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 53.68% White
, 8.30% Black
or African American
, 1.68% Native American
, 3.07% Asian
, 0.19% Pacific Islander
, 28.28% from other races
, and 4.79% from two or more races. 43.61% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race. 7.1% were of Portuguese
, 6.2% German, 5.3% Irish
and 5.1% American
ancestry according to Census 2000. 63.6% spoke English
, 30.9% Spanish
, 1.4% Tagalog
, 1.4% Portuguese
and 1.3% Samoan
as their first language.
There were 34,418 households out of which 46.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.0% were married couples
living together, 14.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.6% were non-families. 17.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.18 and the average family size was 3.56.
In the county the population was spread out with 29.0% under the age of 18, 11.8% from 18 to 24, 35.0% from 25 to 44, 16.8% from 45 to 64, and 7.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years in 2000, which had increased to 31.1 by the time of the 2010 census. For every 100 females there were 134.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 148.8 males. The ratio may be attributed to the presence of three men's state prisons in the county.
. That is, it does not have a county charter
. The county is governed by a five-member Board of Supervisors. Supervisors are elected by districts for four-year terms. There are no term limits in effect. The Chairman and Vice-Chairman are elected annually by the Board of Supervisors from among its members. On January 3, 2011, the Board elected Supervisor Tony Barba as Chairman and Supervisor Richard Fagundes as Vice-Chairman to serve during 2011. Other Supervisors include Doug Verboon, Richard Valle and Joe Neves.
The Board of Supervisors appoints a County Administrative Officer. Currently, that office is held by Larry Spikes.
California Central Valley
California's Central Valley is a large, flat valley that dominates the central portion of California. It is home to California's most productive agricultural efforts. The valley stretches approximately from northwest to southeast inland and parallel to the Pacific Ocean coast. Its northern half is...
of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of 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...
. It is located in a rich agricultural region. Kings County is also home to NAS Lemoore, which is the U.S. Navy's newest and largest master jet air station. The county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Hanford
Hanford, California
Hanford is an important commercial and cultural center in the south central San Joaquin Valley and is the county seat of Kings County, California. It is the principal city of the Hanford-Corcoran, California Metropolitan Statistical Area , which encompasses all of Kings County, including the cities...
. The United States Census Bureau
United 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...
defines Kings County as encompassing the entire Hanford–Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA Code 25260). The population was 152,982 at the time of the 2010 U.S. Census. According to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is responsible for the operation of the California state prison and parole systems. CDC&R is the second largest law enforcement or police agency in the United States behind the New York City Police Department which employs approximately...
, the county's population included 18,640 state prison inmates as of March 31, 2010. The California Department of Finance
California Department of Finance
The California Department of Finance is a state cabinet-level agency within the government of California. The Department of Finance is responsible for preparing, explaining, and administering the state’s annual financial plan, which the Governor of California is required under the California...
estimated that Kings County's population was 153,365 as of January 1, 2011.
History
The area was inhabited for thousands of years by indigenous peoplesIndigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
. It was colonized by Spain, Mexico and the United States.
An 1805 expedition probably led by Spanish Army Lieutenant Gabriel Moraga
Gabriel Moraga
Gabriel Moraga a Spanish army officer, son of José Joaquín Moraga a member of Juan Bautista de Anza's expeditions to California, was one of the first Europeans to explore California's Great Central Valley . He led expeditions of Spanish soldiers into the valley, becoming its first explorer...
recorded discovering the river, which they named El Rio de los Santos Reyes (River of the Holy Kings) after the Three Wise Men of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
. At the time of the United States conquest in 1848, the new government changed the name to Kings River
Kings River (California)
The Kings River is a major river of south-central California. About long, it drains an area of the high western Sierra Nevada and the Central Valley. A large alluvial fan has formed where the river's gradient decreases in the Central Valley so the river divides into distributaries...
.
In 1880, a dispute over land titles between settlers and 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....
resulted in a bloody gun battle on a farm 5.6 mi (9 km) northwest of Hanford; seven men died. This event became known as the Mussel Slough Tragedy
Mussel Slough Tragedy
The Mussel Slough Tragedy was a dispute over land titles between settlers and the Southern Pacific Railroad that took place on May 11, 1880, on a farm located northwest of Hanford, California, in the central San Joaquin Valley, leaving seven people dead. Frank Norris' 1901 novel, The Octopus: A...
.
Kings County was formed in 1893 from the western part of Tulare County
Tulare County, California
Tulare County is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California, south of Fresno. Sequoia National Park is located in the county, as are part of Kings Canyon National Park, in its northeast corner , and part of Mount Whitney, on its eastern border...
. In 1909, by an act of the state legislature, 208 square miles (538.7 km²) of Fresno County territory was added to the northwest portion of Kings County.
Settlers reclaimed Tulare Lake
Tulare Lake
Tulare Lake, named Laguna de Tache by the Spanish, is a fresh-water dry lake with residual wetlands and marshes in southern San Joaquin Valley, California...
and its wetlands for agricultural development. In surface area, it was formerly the largest body of freshwater west of the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
, and supported a large population of migratory birds as well as local birds and wildlife. Monoculture has sharply reduced habitat for many species.
In 1928, oil was discovered in the Kettleman Hills
Kettleman Hills
The Kettleman Hills is a low mountain range of the interior California Coast Ranges, in western Kings County, California. It is a northwest-southeast trending line of hills about 30 miles long which parallels the San Andreas Fault to the west....
located in the southwestern part of Kings County. The Kettleman North Dome Oil Field
Kettleman North Dome Oil Field
The Kettleman North Dome Oil Field is a large oil and gas field in Kings and Fresno Counties, California. Discovered in 1928, it is fifteenth largest field in the state by total ultimate oil recovery, and of the top twenty oil fields it is the closest to exhaustion, with less than one-half of one...
became one of the most productive oil fields in the United States.
In 1933 during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, cotton pickers in the southern San Joaquin Valley, mostly migrant Mexican workers, went on strike. During the strike, 3,500 striking farm workers lived in a four-acre camp on the land of a small farmer on the outskirts of Corcoran. Ultimately, the federal government intervened to force both sides to negotiate a settlement.
Lemoore Army Airfield
Lemoore Army Airfield
Lemoore Army Air Field, located nine miles southwest of Lemoore, California, was a dirt air field usable only in dry weather. It nevertheless was used by the AAF Western Flying Training Command as a processing and training field....
was established for training and defense during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In 1961, the U.S. Navy opened NAS Lemoore 9 miles (14 km) west of Lemoore
Lemoore, California
Lemoore is a city in Kings County, California, United States. Lemoore is located west-southwest of Hanford, at an elevation of 230 feet . It is part of the Hanford–Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, not far from the earlier site.
The completion of the California Aqueduct
California Aqueduct
The Governor Edmund G. Brown California Aqueduct is a system of canals, tunnels, and pipelines that conveys water collected from the Sierra Nevada Mountains and valleys of Northern- and Central California to Southern California. The Department of Water Resources operates and maintains the...
in the early 1970s brought needed water for agriculture and domestic use to the westside of the county.
Historic sites
- KingstonKingston, CaliforniaKingston is a former town that is no longer in existence. Originally in Fresno County, until 1909 when Fresno County lands in the vicinity, south of Kings river were transfered to Kings County, California. It was located on the south bank of the Kings River northwest of Hanford at Whitmore's...
- Mussel Slough TragedyMussel Slough TragedyThe Mussel Slough Tragedy was a dispute over land titles between settlers and the Southern Pacific Railroad that took place on May 11, 1880, on a farm located northwest of Hanford, California, in the central San Joaquin Valley, leaving seven people dead. Frank Norris' 1901 novel, The Octopus: A...
- El Adobe de los Robles Rancho built by Daniel RhoadsDaniel RhoadsDaniel Rhoads was a California, USA, pioneer and rancher who helped rescue the Donner Party....
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 1391.49 square miles (3,603.9 km²), of which 1390.99 square miles (3,602.6 km²) (or 99.96%) is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) (or 0.04%) is water.Kings County is bordered on the north and northwest by Fresno County, on the east by Tulare County, on the south by Kern County and a small part of San Luis Obispo County and on the west by Monterey County.
Most of the historic Tulare Lake
Tulare Lake
Tulare Lake, named Laguna de Tache by the Spanish, is a fresh-water dry lake with residual wetlands and marshes in southern San Joaquin Valley, California...
was within Kings County. Although reclaimed for farming late in the 19th century, it was the largest freshwater lake west of the Great Lakes.
Cities and towns
- ArmonaArmona, CaliforniaArmona is a census-designated place in Kings County, California, United States. Armona is located 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...
- AvenalAvenal, CaliforniaAvenal is a city in Kings County, California, United States. Avenal is located southwest of Hanford, at an elevation of 807 feet . It is part of the Hanford–Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area , which encompasses all of Kings County. In area, it is the largest city in Kings County...
- CorcoranCorcoran, CaliforniaCorcoran is a city in Kings County, California, United States. Corcoran is located south-southeast of Hanford, at an elevation of 207 feet . It is part of the Hanford–Corcoran, Metropolitan Statistical Area...
- HanfordHanford, CaliforniaHanford is an important commercial and cultural center in the south central San Joaquin Valley and is the county seat of Kings County, California. It is the principal city of the Hanford-Corcoran, California Metropolitan Statistical Area , which encompasses all of Kings County, including the cities...
- Home GardenHome Garden, CaliforniaHome Garden is a census-designated place in Kings County, California, United States. The community is about southeast of the city of Hanford. It is part of the Hanford–Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area...
- Kettleman CityKettleman City, CaliforniaKettleman City is a census-designated place in Kings County, California, United States. Kettleman City is located southwest of Hanford, at an elevation of 253 feet . It is part of the Hanford–Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,439 at the 2010 census, down from...
- LemooreLemoore, CaliforniaLemoore is a city in Kings County, California, United States. Lemoore is located west-southwest of Hanford, at an elevation of 230 feet . It is part of the Hanford–Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area...
- Lemoore StationLemoore Station, CaliforniaLemoore Station is a census-designated place in Naval Air Station Lemoore, Kings County, California, United States. It is part of the Hanford–Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area...
- StratfordStratford, CaliforniaStratford is a census-designated place in Kings County, California, United States. Stratford is located southwest of Hanford, at an elevation of 203 feet . It is part of the Hanford–Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area...
Rural communities
- GrangevilleGrangeville, CaliforniaGrangeville is a census-designated place in Kings County, California, United States. It is part of the Hanford–Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 469 at the 2010 Census...
- GuernseyGuernsey, CaliforniaGuernsey is an unincorporated community in Kings County, California. It is located on the BNSF Railway north-northwest of Corcoran, at an elevation of 223 feet ....
- Halls CornerHalls Corner, CaliforniaHalls Corner is an unincorporated community in Kings County, California. It is located north-northwest of Lemoore, at an elevation of 230 feet ....
- HardwickHardwick, CaliforniaHardwick is a census-designated place in Kings County, California, United States. It is part of the Hanford–Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 138 at the 2010 Census. The village is located northwest of Hanford, at an elevation of 249 feet .Hardwick is in the San...
- HubHub, CaliforniaHub is an unincorporated community in Kings and Fresno Counties, California. It is located near the former right-of-way of the Southern Pacific Railroad north-northwest of Lemoore at the intersection of California State Route 41 and Excelsior Avenue, at an elevation of 233 feet...
- Island District
- Lakeside
Adjacent counties
- Kern County, CaliforniaKern County, CaliforniaSpreading across the southern end of the California Central Valley, Kern County is the fifth-largest county by population in California. Its economy is heavily linked to agriculture and to petroleum extraction, and there is a strong aviation and space presence. Politically, it has generally...
- south - Tulare County, CaliforniaTulare County, CaliforniaTulare County is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California, south of Fresno. Sequoia National Park is located in the county, as are part of Kings Canyon National Park, in its northeast corner , and part of Mount Whitney, on its eastern border...
- east - Fresno County, CaliforniaFresno County, CaliforniaFresno 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...
- north, northwest - Monterey County, CaliforniaMonterey County, CaliforniaMonterey County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California, its northwestern section forming the southern half of Monterey Bay. The northern half of the bay is in Santa Cruz County. As of 2010, the population was 415,057. The county seat and largest city is Salinas...
- west - San Luis Obispo County, CaliforniaSan Luis Obispo County, CaliforniaSan Luis Obispo County is a county located along the Pacific Ocean in the Central Coast of the U.S. state of California, between Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2010 census its population was 269,637, up from 246,681 at the 2000 census...
- southwest
Major highways
- Interstate 5
.svg.png)
Interstate 5 in CaliforniaInterstate 5 is a major north–south route of the Interstate Highway System in the U.S. state of California. It begins at the Mexico – United States border at the San Ysidro crossing, goes north across the length of California and crosses into Oregon south of the Medford-Ashland metropolitan... - State Route 33
California State Route 33State Route 33 is a north–south state highway in the U.S. state of California. SR 33 replaced part of U.S. Route 399 in 1964 during the "great renumbering" of routes. In the unincorporated sections of Kern County it is known as the West Side Highway... - State Route 41
California State Route 41State Route 41 is a state highway in the U.S. state of California, connecting the Cabrillo Highway in Morro Bay with Fresno and Yosemite National Park via the San Joaquin Valley. Except between US 101 in Atascadero and SR 46 near Shandon, SR 41 is part of the California Freeway and Expressway... - State Route 43
California State Route 43State Route 43 is a north–south state highway in the U.S. State of California, routed along the southern San Joaquin Valley connecting the towns of Shafter, Wasco, Hanford, and Selma, running roughly parallel to SR 99... - State Route 198
California State Route 198State Route 198 is an east–west state highway that connects the California Central Coast to the mid-Central Valley at Visalia, although the most-traveled portion is in the Central Valley itself.... - State Route 269
California State Route 269State Route 269 is a state highway in California, USA, which runs from Avenal to State Route 145.-Route description:The southern terminus of SR 269 is at State Route 33 in Avenal, where it drops into the San Joaquin Valley at I-5...
Public transportation
Kings Area Rural 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.Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
trains stop in Corcoran and Hanford.
Orange Belt Stages
Orange Belt Stages
Orange Belt Stages is a bus company based in Visalia, California. OBS was incorporated on November 30, 1935, and offers charters anywhere in the U.S. and Canada, as well as scheduled runs in California and to Las Vegas, Nevada.-History:...
provides inter-city bus service to and from Hanford. Connections with Greyhound
Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and...
can be made in Visalia or Paso Robles.
Airports
Hanford Municipal AirportHanford Municipal Airport
Hanford Municipal Airport , formerly O18, is a public airport located one mile southeast of the central business district of Hanford, a city in Kings County, California, United States. It is owned by the City of Hanford.Although most U.S...
is a general aviation airport located just southeast of Hanford
Hanford, California
Hanford is an important commercial and cultural center in the south central San Joaquin Valley and is the county seat of Kings County, California. It is the principal city of the Hanford-Corcoran, California Metropolitan Statistical Area , which encompasses all of Kings County, including the cities...
. The privately-owned airport in Avenal is the home of the Central California Soaring Club.
Economy
The economy is based on agriculture. Other important employers include NAS Lemoore, the U.S. Navy's largest master jet base and the California Department of Corrections and RehabilitationCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is responsible for the operation of the California state prison and parole systems. CDC&R is the second largest law enforcement or police agency in the United States behind the New York City Police Department which employs approximately...
which operates three state prisons in Kings County.
At the time of the 2000 census, the median income for a household in the county was $35,749, and the median income for a family was $38,111. Males had a median income of $31,700 versus $24,772 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 county in 2000 was $15,848. By 2009, according to the U.S Bureau of Economic Analysis
Bureau of Economic Analysis
The Bureau of Economic Analysis is an agency in the United States Department of Commerce that provides important economic statistics including the gross domestic product of the United States. Its stated mission is to "promote a better understanding of the U.S...
, average per capita income had reached $30,646 in Kings County compared with $42,395 in California as a whole. The 2000 census reported that about 15.8% of families and 19.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.9% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over. In 2003, Kings County had the lowest per capita income in the state of California.
The homeownership rate was 54.2% at the time of the 2010 census.
Taxable sales in 2007 totaled $1.33 billion.
Kings County has not escaped the effects of the late 2000s recession
Late 2000s recession
The late-2000s recession, sometimes referred to as the Great Recession or Lesser Depression or Long Recession, is a severe ongoing global economic problem that began in December 2007 and took a particularly sharp downward turn in September 2008. The Great Recession has affected the entire world...
. The unemployment rate in October 2011 was 14.6%, up from 10.1% in July 2008. According to the California Employment Development Department, as of January 2011, civilian employment totaled 49,200 and an additional 11,000 people were unemployed. Many residents of Kings County were employed in services (30,100 persons, including 14,600 government employees) and agriculture (5,700 employees) as well as in some manufacturing enterprises (3,400 employees) and construction (800 employees).[ Median household income fell over 8% from an estimated $48,419 in 2007 to $44,506 in 2009 according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey
American Community Survey
The American Community Survey is an ongoing statistical survey by the U.S. Census Bureau, sent to approximately 250,000 addresses monthly . It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the decennial census...
. Jeffrey Michael, director of the Business Forecasting Center at the University of the Pacific, stated in an October 2010 newspaper interview that nearly half of Kings County's personal earnings come from government jobs, which pay more than agricultural employment. From 2007 to 2009, government jobs held steady while the county's agricultural sector took the biggest hit. Kings County's dairy industry dropped from $670 million in milk sold in 2008 to $411 million in 2009 - a 39% drop. By mid-2009, the price paid to milk producers had dropped to a point that was far below the cost of production according to a July 2009 quote from Bill Van Dam, CEO of the Alliance of Western Milk Producers. By December 2010, milk prices had increased to about $13 per hundredweight from a low of below $10 in 2009. However, the price of corn used for feed had increased because of its use by the ethanol industry. Van Dam was quoted that month as saying that at current prices, dairy operators are at or close to the break-even point.
Politics
| Year | GOP Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
DEM Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
Others |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 United States presidential election, 2008 The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365... |
42.1% 14,747 | 1.8% 618 | |
| 2004 United States presidential election, 2004 The United States presidential election of 2004 was the United States' 55th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. Republican Party candidate and incumbent President George W. Bush defeated Democratic Party candidate John Kerry, the then-junior U.S. Senator... |
33.7% 10,833 | 0.9% 274 | |
| 2000 United States presidential election, 2000 The United States presidential election of 2000 was a contest between Republican candidate George W. Bush, then-governor of Texas and son of former president George H. W. Bush , and Democratic candidate Al Gore, then-Vice President.... |
39.0% 11,041 | 3.2% 917 | |
| 1996 United States presidential election, 1996 The United States presidential election of 1996 was a contest between the Democratic national ticket of President Bill Clinton of Arkansas and Vice President Al Gore of Tennessee and the Republican national ticket of former Senator Bob Dole of Kansas for President and former Housing Secretary Jack... |
43.6% 11,254 | 8.5% 2,193 | |
| 1992 United States presidential election, 1992 The United States presidential election of 1992 had three major candidates: Incumbent Republican President George Bush; Democratic Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton, and independent Texas businessman Ross Perot.... |
38.9% 9,982 | 19.5% 4,996 | |
| 1988 United States presidential election, 1988 The United States presidential election of 1988 featured no incumbent president, as President Ronald Reagan was unable to seek re-election after serving the maximum two terms allowed by the Twenty-second Amendment. Reagan's Vice President, George H. W. Bush, won the Republican nomination, while the... |
42.6% 9,142 | 1.0% 222 | |
| 1984 United States presidential election, 1984 The United States presidential election of 1984 was a contest between the incumbent President Ronald Reagan, the Republican candidate, and former Vice President Walter Mondale, the Democratic candidate. Reagan was helped by a strong economic recovery from the deep recession of 1981–1982... |
35.1% 7,324 | 0.8% 160 | |
| 1980 United States presidential election, 1980 The United States presidential election of 1980 featured a contest between incumbent Democrat Jimmy Carter and his Republican opponent, Ronald Reagan, as well as Republican Congressman John B. Anderson, who ran as an independent... |
38.4% 7,299 | 6.3% 1,191 | |
| 1976 United States presidential election, 1976 The United States presidential election of 1976 followed the resignation of President Richard Nixon in the wake of the Watergate scandal. It pitted incumbent President Gerald Ford, the Republican candidate, against the relatively unknown former governor of Georgia, Jimmy Carter, the Democratic... |
48.4% 8,061 | 1.9% 318 | |
| 1972 United States presidential election, 1972 The United States presidential election of 1972 was the 47th quadrennial United States presidential election. It was held on November 7, 1972. The Democratic Party's nomination was eventually won by Senator George McGovern, who ran an anti-war campaign against incumbent Republican President Richard... |
39.1% 7,274 | 4.4% 812 | |
| 1968 United States presidential election, 1968 The United States presidential election of 1968 was the 46th quadrennial United States presidential election. Coming four years after Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson won in a historic landslide, it saw Johnson forced out of the race and Republican Richard Nixon elected... |
47.8% 8,643 | 9.2% 1,662 | |
| 1964 United States presidential election, 1964 The United States presidential election of 1964 was held on November 3, 1964. Incumbent President Lyndon B. Johnson had come to office less than a year earlier following the assassination of his predecessor, John F. Kennedy. Johnson, who had successfully associated himself with Kennedy's... |
69.4% 13,073 | 0.1% 14 | |
| 1960 United States presidential election, 1960 The United States presidential election of 1960 was the 44th American presidential election, held on November 8, 1960, for the term beginning January 20, 1961, and ending January 20, 1965. The incumbent president, Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower, was not eligible to run again. The Republican Party... |
57.1% 9,439 | 0.6% 92 | |
| 1956 United States presidential election, 1956 The United States presidential election of 1956 saw a popular Dwight D. Eisenhower successfully run for re-election. The 1956 election was a rematch of 1952, as Eisenhower's opponent in 1956 was Democrat Adlai Stevenson, whom Eisenhower had defeated four years earlier.Incumbent President Eisenhower... |
57.5% 8,417 | 0.3% 40 | |
| 1952 United States presidential election, 1952 The United States presidential election of 1952 took place in an era when Cold War tension between the United States and the Soviet Union was escalating rapidly. In the United States Senate, Republican Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin had become a national figure after chairing congressional... |
50.1% 7,850 | 0.7% 113 | |
| 1948 United States presidential election, 1948 The United States presidential election of 1948 is considered by most historians as the greatest election upset in American history. Virtually every prediction indicated that incumbent President Harry S. Truman would be defeated by Republican Thomas E. Dewey. Truman won, overcoming a three-way... |
60.0% 6,909 | 2.8% 323 | |
| 1944 United States presidential election, 1944 The United States presidential election of 1944 took place while the United States was preoccupied with fighting World War II. President Franklin D. Roosevelt had been in office longer than any other president, but remained popular. Unlike 1940, there was little doubt that Roosevelt would run for... |
65.0% 6,591 | 0.7% 75 | |
| 1940 United States presidential election, 1940 The United States presidential election of 1940 was fought in the shadow of World War II as the United States was emerging from the Great Depression. Incumbent President Franklin D. Roosevelt , a Democrat, broke with tradition and ran for a third term, which became a major issue... |
67.4% 8,307 | 0.8% 102 | |
| 1936 United States presidential election, 1936 The United States presidential election of 1936 was the most lopsided presidential election in the history of the United States in terms of electoral votes. In terms of the popular vote, it was the third biggest victory since the election of 1820, which was not seriously contested.The election took... |
75.1% 7,062 | 1.2% 116 | |
| 1932 United States presidential election, 1932 The United States presidential election of 1932 took place as the effects of the Wall Street Crash of 1929, the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930, the Revenue Act of 1932, and the Great Depression were being felt intensely across the country. President Herbert Hoover's popularity was falling as... |
69.1% 5,191 | 4.2% 318 | |
| 1928 United States presidential election, 1928 The United States presidential election of 1928 pitted Republican Herbert Hoover against Democrat Al Smith. The Republicans were identified with the booming economy of the 1920s, whereas Smith, a Roman Catholic, suffered politically from Anti-Catholic prejudice, his anti-prohibitionist stance, and... |
47.2% 2,701 | 1.3% 73 | |
| 1924 United States presidential election, 1924 The United States presidential election of 1924 was won by incumbent President Calvin Coolidge, the Republican candidate.Coolidge was vice-president under Warren G. Harding and became president in 1923 when Harding died in office. Coolidge was given credit for a booming economy at home and no... |
19.7% 1,109 | 30.3% 1,693 | |
| 1920 United States presidential election, 1920 The United States presidential election of 1920 was dominated by the aftermath of World War I and a hostile response to certain policies of Woodrow Wilson, the Democratic president. The wartime economic boom had collapsed. Politicians were arguing over peace treaties and the question of America's... |
34.1% 1,604 | 6.3% 297 |
In January 2008, the Kings County Clerk reported that of 45,444 registered voters, 21,685 were Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
s and 16,664 were Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
s.
Kings has long been a strongly Republican county in Presidential
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
elections. The last Democratic candidate for President to win the county was Hubert Humphrey
Hubert Humphrey
Hubert Horatio Humphrey, Jr. , served under President Lyndon B. Johnson as the 38th Vice President of the United States. Humphrey twice served as a United States Senator from Minnesota, and served as Democratic Majority Whip. He was a founder of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and...
in 1968
United States presidential election, 1968
The United States presidential election of 1968 was the 46th quadrennial United States presidential election. Coming four years after Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson won in a historic landslide, it saw Johnson forced out of the race and Republican Richard Nixon elected...
.
Kings County is part of California's California's 20th congressional district
California's 20th congressional district
California's 20th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California that covers parts of Fresno and Kern counties and all of Kings county. It contains most of the city of Fresno....
, which is held by Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Jim Costa
Jim Costa
James Manuel "Jim" Costa is the U.S. Representative for , serving since his initial election in 2004. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district takes in large and predominantly Latino portions of Fresno and Bakersfield in the Central Valley.-Early life and education:Born in Fresno,...
. The county is represented in the California State Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
by Democrat Michael Rubio and in the California State Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
by Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
David Valadao
David Valadao
David Valadao is an American politician currently serving his first term in the California State Assembly. He is a Republican representing the 30th district, encompassing Kings County and parts of Fresno, Kern, and Tulare counties. He won his first term in 2010, defeating Shafter Mayor Fran Florez...
.
On Nov. 4, 2008 Kings County voted 73.7 % for Proposition 8 which amended the California Constitution to ban same-sex marriages.
Demographics
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Kings County had a population of 152,982. The racial makeup of Kings County was 83,027 (54.3%) White, 11,014 (7.2%) African American, 2,562 (1.7%) Native American, 5,620 (3.7%) Asian, 271 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 42,996 (28.1%) from other racesRace (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 7,492 (4.9%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 77,866 persons (50.9%).
The U.S. Census does not identify how many residents are illegal immigrants. However, the Public Policy Institute of California
Public Policy Institute of California
Public Policy Institute of California is an independent, nonpartisan, non-profit research institution. Based in San Francisco, California, the institute was established in 1994 with a $70 million endowment from William Reddington Hewlett...
issued a report in July 2011, which estimated there were 9,000 unauthorized immigrants living in Kings County in 2008, which would be 5.8% of the county’s population.
| Population reported at 2010 United States Census | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kings County, California Kings County is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. It is located in a rich agricultural region. Kings County is also home to NAS Lemoore, which is the U.S. Navy's newest and largest master jet air station. The county seat is Hanford... |
Population |
American |
American |
|
Islander |
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... |
more races |
or Latino (of any race) |
|
| Kings County Kings County, California Kings County is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. It is located in a rich agricultural region. Kings County is also home to NAS Lemoore, which is the U.S. Navy's newest and largest master jet air station. The county seat is Hanford... |
152,982 | 83,027 | 11,014 | 2,562 | 5,620 | 271 | 42,996 | 7,492 | 77,866 |
city |
Population |
American |
American |
|
Islander |
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... |
more races |
or Latino (of any race) |
|
| Avenal Avenal, California Avenal is a city in Kings County, California, United States. Avenal is located southwest of Hanford, at an elevation of 807 feet . It is part of the Hanford–Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area , which encompasses all of Kings County. In area, it is the largest city in Kings County... |
15,505 | 6,044 | 1,625 | 186 | 108 | 6 | 7,188 | 348 | 11,130 |
| Corcoran Corcoran, California Corcoran is a city in Kings County, California, United States. Corcoran is located south-southeast of Hanford, at an elevation of 207 feet . It is part of the Hanford–Corcoran, Metropolitan Statistical Area... |
24,813 | 8,940 | 3,725 | 349 | 193 | 17 | 10,979 | 610 | 15,545 |
| Hanford Hanford, California Hanford is an important commercial and cultural center in the south central San Joaquin Valley and is the county seat of Kings County, California. It is the principal city of the Hanford-Corcoran, California Metropolitan Statistical Area , which encompasses all of Kings County, including the cities... |
53,967 | 33,713 | 2,632 | 712 | 2,322 | 53 | 11,599 | 2,936 | 25,419 |
| Lemoore Lemoore, California Lemoore is a city in Kings County, California, United States. Lemoore is located west-southwest of Hanford, at an elevation of 230 feet . It is part of the Hanford–Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area... |
24,531 | 13,925 | 1,566 | 333 | 2,010 | 102 | 4,935 | 1,660 | 9,820 |
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... |
Population |
American |
American |
|
Islander |
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... |
more races |
or Latino (of any race) |
|
| Armona Armona, California Armona is a census-designated place in Kings County, California, United States. Armona is located 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... |
4,156 | 2,058 | 99 | 64 | 85 | 13 | 1,597 | 240 | 2,784 |
| Grangeville Grangeville, California Grangeville is a census-designated place in Kings County, California, United States. It is part of the Hanford–Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 469 at the 2010 Census... |
469 | 393 | 15 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 41 | 10 | 145 |
| Hardwick Hardwick, California Hardwick is a census-designated place in Kings County, California, United States. It is part of the Hanford–Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 138 at the 2010 Census. The village is located northwest of Hanford, at an elevation of 249 feet .Hardwick is in the San... |
138 | 63 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 67 | 3 | 86 |
| Home Garden Home Garden, California Home Garden is a census-designated place in Kings County, California, United States. The community is about southeast of the city of Hanford. It is part of the Hanford–Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area... |
1,761 | 652 | 221 | 63 | 50 | 8 | 677 | 90 | 1,189 |
| Kettleman City Kettleman City, California Kettleman City is a census-designated place in Kings County, California, United States. Kettleman City is located southwest of Hanford, at an elevation of 253 feet . It is part of the Hanford–Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,439 at the 2010 census, down from... |
1,439 | 478 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 887 | 61 | 1,383 |
| Lemoore Station Lemoore Station, California Lemoore Station is a census-designated place in Naval Air Station Lemoore, Kings County, California, United States. It is part of the Hanford–Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area... |
7,438 | 4,883 | 729 | 70 | 560 | 53 | 418 | 725 | 1,445 |
| Stratford Stratford, California Stratford is a census-designated place in Kings County, California, United States. Stratford is located southwest of Hanford, at an elevation of 203 feet . It is part of the Hanford–Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area... |
1,277 | 574 | 16 | 17 | 19 | 1 | 617 | 33 | 1,069 |
communities 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... |
Population |
American |
American |
|
Islander |
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... |
more races |
or Latino (of any race) |
|
| All others not CDPs (combined) | 17,488 | 11,304 | 377 | 755 | 267 | 18 | 3,991 | 776 | 7,851 |
2000
As of the 2000 census, there were 129,461 people, 34,418 households, and 26,983 families residing in the county. However, the California Department of Finance estimates that the population had grown 154,434 as of January 1, 2008. 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...
based on the 2000 census was 36/km² (93/sq mi). There were 36,563 housing units at an average density of 26 per square mile (10/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 53.68% 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...
, 8.30% 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...
, 1.68% 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...
, 3.07% 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...
, 0.19% 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...
, 28.28% 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 4.79% from two or more races. 43.61% 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. 7.1% were of Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
, 6.2% German, 5.3% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
and 5.1% American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ancestry according to Census 2000. 63.6% spoke English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, 30.9% Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, 1.4% Tagalog
Tagalog language
Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...
, 1.4% Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
and 1.3% Samoan
Samoan language
Samoan Samoan Samoan (Gagana Sāmoa, is the language of the Samoan Islands, comprising the independent country of Samoa and the United States territory of American Samoa. It is an official language—alongside English—in both jurisdictions. Samoan, a Polynesian language, is the first language for most...
as their first language.
There were 34,418 households out of which 46.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.0% 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, 14.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.6% were non-families. 17.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.18 and the average family size was 3.56.
In the county the population was spread out with 29.0% under the age of 18, 11.8% from 18 to 24, 35.0% from 25 to 44, 16.8% from 45 to 64, and 7.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years in 2000, which had increased to 31.1 by the time of the 2010 census. For every 100 females there were 134.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 148.8 males. The ratio may be attributed to the presence of three men's state prisons in the county.
Culture
Kings County has a large annual celebraton held each May called Kings County Homecoming Week.Government
Kings County is a general law county under the California ConstitutionCalifornia Constitution
The document that establishes and describes the duties, powers, structure and function of the government of the U.S. state of California. The original constitution, adopted in November 1849 in advance of California attaining U.S. statehood in 1850, was superseded by the current constitution, which...
. That is, it does not have a county charter
Charter
A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified...
. The county is governed by a five-member Board of Supervisors. Supervisors are elected by districts for four-year terms. There are no term limits in effect. The Chairman and Vice-Chairman are elected annually by the Board of Supervisors from among its members. On January 3, 2011, the Board elected Supervisor Tony Barba as Chairman and Supervisor Richard Fagundes as Vice-Chairman to serve during 2011. Other Supervisors include Doug Verboon, Richard Valle and Joe Neves.
The Board of Supervisors appoints a County Administrative Officer. Currently, that office is held by Larry Spikes.
See also
- California census statistical areasCalifornia census statistical areasThe United States Census Bureau has defined 4 Combined Statistical Areas , 26 Metropolitan Statistical Areas , and 9 Micropolitan Statistical Areas in the State of California. The following table describes these areas with the following information:#The name of the Combined Statistical Area , if...
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Kings County, California
External links
- Kings County website
- 2010 Kings County Crop Report
- Kings County Community Health Status Report, 2008-2009
- Kings County history website operated by the Kings County Office of Education
- Kings County Economic Development Corporation website
- Kings Classifieds - Free Online Classifieds for Kings County, California