1. Cities of the United States
  2. The West
  3. California

CALIFORNIA

Anaheim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

Fresno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Los Angeles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

Monterey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

Oakland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155

Riverside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167

Sacramento . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179

San Diego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191

San Francisco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205

San Jose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219

Santa Ana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229

California

The State in Brief

Nickname: Golden State

Motto: Eureka (I have found it)

Flower: Golden poppy

Bird: California valley quail

Area: 163,695 square miles (2000; U.S. rank: 3rd)

Elevation: Ranges from 282 feet below sea level to 14,494 feet above sea level

Climate: Extremely varied, with zones ranging from sub-tropical to subarctic, but in the main two seasons—wet from October to April, dry from May to September

Admitted to Union: September 9, 1850

Capital: Sacramento

Head Official: Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) (until 2007)

Population

1980: 23,668,000

1990: 30,380,000

2000: 33,871,653

2004 estimate: 35,893,799

Percent change, 1990–2000: 13.8%

U.S. rank in 2004: 1st

Percent of residents born in state: 50.2% (2000)

Density: 217.2 people per square mile (2000)

2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 1,384,872

Racial and Ethnic Characteristics (2000)

White: 20,170,059

Black or African American: 2,263,882

American Indian and Alaska Native: 333,346

Asian: 3,697,513

Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 116,961

Hispanic or Latino (may be of any race): 10,966,556

Other: 5,682,241

Age Characteristics (2000)

Population under 5 years old: 2,486,981

Population 5 to 19 years old: 7,747,590

Percent of population 65 years and over: 10.6%

Median age: 33.3 years (2000)

Vital Statistics

Total number of births (2003): 541,046

Total number of deaths (2003): 219,487 (infant deaths, 2,560)

AIDS cases reported through 2003: 55,750

Economy

Major industries: Agriculture, manufacturing (transportation equipment, electronics, machinery), biotechnology, aerospace, tourism

Unemployment rate: 5.8% (January 2005)

Per capita income: $33,403 (2003; U.S. rank: 11th)

Median household income: $48,979 (3-year average, 2001-2003)

Percentage of persons below poverty level: 12.9% (3-year average, 2001-2003)

Income tax rate: ranges from 1.0% to 9.3%

Sales tax rate: 7.25% (food and prescription drugs are exempt)