Jump to content

Santa Clara County, California: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Remove insignificant digits on geo coords
better rounding
Line 206: Line 206:


*[http://www.sccgov.org Santa Clara County official website]
*[http://www.sccgov.org Santa Clara County official website]
{{Mapit-US-cityscale|37|-121}}
{{Mapit-US-cityscale|37.36|-121.97}}


{{Santa Clara County}}
{{Santa Clara County}}

Revision as of 06:48, 26 May 2006

County of Santa Clara, California
Flag of County of Santa Clara, California
Flag
Official seal of County of Santa Clara, California
Seal
Location of Santa Clara County within California.
Location of Santa Clara County within California.
Country
  State		United States
  California
Government
 • Board of Supervisors

  District One
  District Two
  District Three
  District Four

  District Five

  Donald Gage
  Blanca Alvarado
  Pete McHugh
  James T. Beall

  Liz Kniss
Population
 • Total1,682,585
Time zoneUTC−8 (Pacific)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−7 (Pacific)
Websitehttp://www.sccgov.org/

Santa Clara County is a county located in California's San Francisco Bay Area. It is the site of Silicon Valley. As of 2000 it had a population of 1,682,585. The county seat is San Jose.

History

Santa Clara County was one of the original counties of California, formed in 1850 at the time of statehood. Part of the county's territory was given to Alameda County in 1853.

The county is named after Mission Santa Clara, which was established in 1777, and named for Saint Clare of Assisi, Italy. The name "Clare" or "Clara" means "clear" or "bright."

In 1882, Santa Clara County tried to levy taxes upon property of the Southern Pacific Railroad within county boundaries. The result was the U.S. Supreme Court case of Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad, 118 U.S. 394 (1886), in which the Court established the doctrine of corporate personhood.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 3,377 km² (1,304 mi²). 3,343 km² (1,291 mi²) of it is land and 34 km² (13 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 1.02% water.

The San Andreas Fault runs along the Santa Cruz Mountains in the south of the county.

Adjacent Counties

Demographics

As of the census2 of 2000, there were 1,682,585 people, 565,863 households, and 395,538 families residing in the county. The population density was 503/km² (1,304/mi²). There were 579,329 housing units at an average density of 173/km² (449/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 53.83% White, 2.80% Black or African American, 0.67% Native American, 25.56% Asian, 0.34% Pacific Islander, 12.13% from other races, and 4.66% from two or more races. 23.98% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 565,863 households out of which 34.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.90% were married couples living together, 10.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.10% were non-families. 21.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.92 and the average family size was 3.41.

In the county the population was spread out with 24.70% under the age of 18, 9.30% from 18 to 24, 35.40% from 25 to 44, 21.00% from 45 to 64, and 9.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 102.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $74,335, and the median income for a family was $81,717. Males had a median income of $56,240 versus $40,574 for females. The per capita income for the county was $32,795. 7.50% of the population and 4.90% of families were below the poverty line. 8.40% of those under the age of 18 and 6.40% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Santa Clara County has the highest median household income of any county in California.

Politics

Santa Clara County Government Center
Presidential elections results
Year GOP Dems
2004 34.6% 209,094 63.9% 386,100
2000 34.4% 188,750 60.7% 332,490
1996 32.2% 168,291 56.9% 297,639
1992 28.4% 170,870 49.2% 296,265
1988 47.0% 254,442 51.3% 277,810
1984 54.8% 288,638 43.6% 229,865
1980 48.0% 299,048 35.0% 166,995
1976 49.5% 219,188 46.9% 208,023
1972 51.9% 237,334 45.6% 208,506
1968 45.6% 163,446 48.4% 173,511
1964 36.6% 117,420 63.1% 202,249
1960 52.7% 131,735 47.0% 117,667

Transportation

Mass transit

Santa Clara County has consolidated its transportation services into the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, which operates a rapidly expanding light rail system and a large system of bus routes. It also manages certain county-funded highway and expressway projects.

Besides SCVTA, the County is also served by Caltrain commuter rail service.

Freeways and expressways

The county has an extensive freeway system (now nearing completion) and a separate expressway system. Expressways in California are distinct from freeways; although access to adjoining properties is eliminated, at-grade intersections are allowed. However, unlike expressways virtually everywhere else in California, the Santa Clara County expressways were built, signed, and maintained as county roads; they are not maintained by Caltrans, although they are patrolled by the California Highway Patrol.

Many journalists and mapmakers from outside California do not understand the important difference between freeways and expressways, and incorrectly describe or depict Silicon Valley as criss-crossed by a "web" of freeways when many of the lines on the map are really expressways.

There is also a large street network dominated by four- and six-lane arterials. Some of the newer boulevards (primarily in the West Valley) are divided with landscaped medians. They also often have neat concrete sidewalks, although people are rarely seen using them.

County roads

Ports

The county's main airport is Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC). Moffett Federal Airfield (NUQ), a former Naval Air Station, is used by the Air National Guard, NASA, and Lockheed Martin, There are also smaller general aviation airports in Palo Alto (PAO), San Jose (RHV), and San Martin (E16).

The county has no seaports. Like all other Bay Area counties, it is dependent upon the Port of Oakland for transport of ocean cargo.

Cities, towns, and neighborhoods

Incorporated Places

There are 15 incorporated cities and towns in the county:

Unincorporated communities

Census Designated Places

Other unincorporated locales

Sister counties

See also

Template:Mapit-US-cityscale

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Santa_Clara_County,_California&oldid=55211167"