Weedpatch, California
Encyclopedia
Weedpatch is a census-designated place
(CDP) in the San Joaquin Valley
, in Kern County
, California
, United States
. Weedpatch is located 10 miles (16 km) south-southeast of Bakersfield
, at an elevation of 387 feet (118 m). As of the 2010 census, the CDP had a total population of 2,658, down from 2,726 reported at the 2000 census.
Weedpatch is located off State Route 184
(Weedpatch Highway) southeast of Bakersfield, south of Lamont, and about 5 miles (8 km) south of State Route 58
, the Bakersfield - Tehachapi Highway.
Weedpatch is the location of the Arvin Federal Government Camp
, known colloquially (and in the John Steinbeck
novel The Grapes of Wrath
) as "Weedpatch Camp." This camp was a government rescue center for distressed migrant workers fleeing the Oklahoma Dust Bowl
agricultural disaster, during the Great Depression
. The camp still aids migrants today.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the CDP has a total area of 3.6 square miles (9.3 km²), over 99% of it land.
was 746.4 people per square mile (288.2/km²). The racial makeup of Weedpatch was 1,212 (45.6%) White, 8 (0.3%) African American, 78 (2.9%) Native American, 14 (0.5%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 1,237 (46.5%) from other races
, and 109 (4.1%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2,484 persons (93.5%).
The Census reported that 2,658 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 624 households, out of which 391 (62.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 324 (51.9%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 129 (20.7%) had a female householder with no husband present, 77 (12.3%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 66 (10.6%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 1 (0.2%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 66 households (10.6%) were made up of individuals and 21 (3.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.26. There were 530 families
(84.9% of all households); the average family size was 4.48.
The population was spread out with 962 people (36.2%) under the age of 18, 391 people (14.7%) aged 18 to 24, 702 people (26.4%) aged 25 to 44, 464 people (17.5%) aged 45 to 64, and 139 people (5.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24.4 years. For every 100 females there were 116.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 116.3 males.
There were 674 housing units at an average density of 189.3 per square mile (73.1/km²), of which 277 (44.4%) were owner-occupied, and 347 (55.6%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.8%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.9%. 1,254 people (47.2% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 1,404 people (52.8%) lived in rental housing units.
of 2000, there were 2,726 people, 634 households, and 554 families residing in the CDP. The population density
was 890.9 people per square mile (344.0/km²). There were 670 housing units at an average density of 219.0 per square mile (84.5/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 48.39% White
, 0.70% Black
or African American
, 3.74% Native American
, 0.26% Asian
, 0.07% Pacific Islander
, 41.34% from other races
, and 5.50% from two or more races. 89.18% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 634 households out of which 59.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.0% were married couples
living together, 17.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 12.5% were non-families. 9.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.30 and the average family size was 4.46.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 41.8% under the age of 18, 11.7% from 18 to 24, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 13.2% from 45 to 64, and 4.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23 years. For every 100 females there were 109.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 110.8 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $19,838, and the median income for a family was $20,734. Males had a median income of $17,740 versus $19,500 for females. The per capita income
for the CDP was $7,655. About 40.7% of families and 43.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 51.6% of those under age 18 and 20.4% of those age 65 or over.
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) in 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...
, in Kern County
Kern County, California
Spreading 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...
, 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...
. Weedpatch is located 10 miles (16 km) south-southeast of Bakersfield
Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield is a city near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County, California. It is roughly equidistant between Fresno and Los Angeles, to the north and south respectively....
, at an elevation of 387 feet (118 m). As of the 2010 census, the CDP had a total population of 2,658, down from 2,726 reported at the 2000 census.
Weedpatch is located off State Route 184
California State Route 184
State Route 184 is a state route in Kern County, California, locally known as “Weedpatch Highway.” It is mainly a 2-lane conventional highway, expanding to four lanes in Bakersfield, and Lamont. It connects the local agricultural land south of Bakersfield, and east of SR 99/I-5, to a major...
(Weedpatch Highway) southeast of Bakersfield, south of Lamont, and about 5 miles (8 km) south of State Route 58
California State Route 58
State Route 58 is an east-west highway across the California Coast Ranges, the southern San Joaquin Valley, the Tehachapi Mountains, which border the southern Sierra Nevada, and the Mojave Desert. It runs between its western terminus near Santa Margarita and its eastern terminus at Barstow...
, the Bakersfield - Tehachapi Highway.
Weedpatch is the location of the Arvin Federal Government Camp
Weedpatch Camp
Weedpatch Camp was built by the Farm Security Administration south of Bakersfield, California in 1936 to house migrant workers during the Great Depression...
, known colloquially (and in the John Steinbeck
John Steinbeck
John Ernst Steinbeck, Jr. was an American writer. He is widely known for the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden and the novella Of Mice and Men...
novel The Grapes of Wrath
The Grapes of Wrath
The Grapes of Wrath is a novel published in 1939 and written by John Steinbeck, who was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1940 and the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962....
) as "Weedpatch Camp." This camp was a government rescue center for distressed migrant workers fleeing the Oklahoma Dust Bowl
Dust Bowl
The Dust Bowl, or the Dirty Thirties, was a period of severe dust storms causing major ecological and agricultural damage to American and Canadian prairie lands from 1930 to 1936...
agricultural disaster, 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...
. The camp still aids migrants today.
Geography
Weedpatch is located at 35°14′17"N 118°54′54"W.According to 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...
, the CDP has a total area of 3.6 square miles (9.3 km²), over 99% of it land.
History
Although the name Weed Patch was applied to the site as early as 1874, the community only began in 1922. The town was also named Alexander's Corner in honor of Cal Alexander, a resident.2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Weedpatch had a population of 2,658. 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 746.4 people per square mile (288.2/km²). The racial makeup of Weedpatch was 1,212 (45.6%) White, 8 (0.3%) African American, 78 (2.9%) Native American, 14 (0.5%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 1,237 (46.5%) from other races
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 109 (4.1%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2,484 persons (93.5%).
The Census reported that 2,658 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 624 households, out of which 391 (62.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 324 (51.9%) 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, 129 (20.7%) had a female householder with no husband present, 77 (12.3%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 66 (10.6%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
POSSLQ
POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....
, and 1 (0.2%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 66 households (10.6%) were made up of individuals and 21 (3.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.26. There were 530 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...
(84.9% of all households); the average family size was 4.48.
The population was spread out with 962 people (36.2%) under the age of 18, 391 people (14.7%) aged 18 to 24, 702 people (26.4%) aged 25 to 44, 464 people (17.5%) aged 45 to 64, and 139 people (5.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24.4 years. For every 100 females there were 116.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 116.3 males.
There were 674 housing units at an average density of 189.3 per square mile (73.1/km²), of which 277 (44.4%) were owner-occupied, and 347 (55.6%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.8%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.9%. 1,254 people (47.2% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 1,404 people (52.8%) 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 2,726 people, 634 households, and 554 families residing in the CDP. 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 890.9 people per square mile (344.0/km²). There were 670 housing units at an average density of 219.0 per square mile (84.5/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 48.39% 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...
, 0.70% 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...
, 3.74% 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...
, 0.26% 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...
, 0.07% 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...
, 41.34% 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 5.50% from two or more races. 89.18% 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 634 households out of which 59.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.0% 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, 17.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 12.5% were non-families. 9.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.30 and the average family size was 4.46.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 41.8% under the age of 18, 11.7% from 18 to 24, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 13.2% from 45 to 64, and 4.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23 years. For every 100 females there were 109.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 110.8 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $19,838, and the median income for a family was $20,734. Males had a median income of $17,740 versus $19,500 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 CDP was $7,655. About 40.7% of families and 43.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 51.6% of those under age 18 and 20.4% of those age 65 or over.