San Diego County, California
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| San Diego County, California | |
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| Map | |
 Location in the state of California |
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 California's location in the U.S. |
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| Statistics | |
| Founded | 1850 |
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| Seat | San Diego |
| Largest city | San Diego |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
4,526 sq mi (11,722 km²) 4,200 sq mi (10,878 km²) 326 sq mi (844 km²), 7.20% |
| Population - (2007) - Density |
3,146,274 671/sq mi (259/km²) |
| Website: sdcounty.ca.gov | |
| Named for: San Diego City | |
San Diego County is a county located near the Pacific Ocean in the far southwest of the U.S. state of California. The state of California estimates San Diego's population as of 2008 to be 3,146,274 people, increasing its rank to second place, ahead of its northwestern neighbor Orange County.[1] The county seat is the city of San Diego.
San Diego County lies just north of the Mexican border—sharing a border with Tijuana—and lies south of Orange County. It is home to miles of beaches, a mild Mediterranean climate and 16 military facilities hosting the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard and the United States Marine Corps.
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[edit] History
European settlement in what is now San Diego County began with the founding of the Mission San Diego de Alcala by the Spanish, in 1769.
San Diego County became part of the United States as a result of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, ending the U.S.-Mexican War. This treaty designated the new border as terminating at a point on the Pacific Ocean coast which would result in the border passing one Spanish league south of the southernmost portion of San Diego Bay, thus ensuring that the United States received the natural harbor.
San Diego County was one of the original counties of California, and was created at the time of statehood in 1850.[2] It was named after San Diego Bay, which had been rechristened in 1602 by Sebastián Vizcaíno in honor of the Franciscan St. Didacus of Alcalá, known in Spanish as San Diego de Alcalá de Henares, and whose name was borne by Vizcaíno's flagship.
As originally created in 1850 San Diego County was quite large and included most of southeastern California south and east of Los Angeles County. As such it included major parts of what are now Inyo, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Imperial counties.[2]
The later part of the 19th century witnessed numerous realignments of county boundaries. The most recent changes were the creation of Riverside County, in 1893,[3] and Imperial County, in 1907.[4]
[edit] Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 4,526 sq mi (11,721 km²). 4,200 sq mi (10,878 km²) of it is land and 326 sq mi (843 km²) of it (7.20%) is water.
San Diego County has varied topography. On its western side is seventy miles of coastline. Snow-capped mountains rise to the northeast, with the Sonoran Desert to the far east. Cleveland National Forest is spread across the central portion of the county, while Anza-Borrego Desert State Park occupies most of the northeast.
North San Diego County is known locally as "North County"; the exact geographic definitions of "North County" vary, but it includes the northern suburbs and sometimes certain northern neighborhoods of the city of San Diego.
The eastern suburbs are collectively known as "East County", though most still lie in the western third of the county. The southern suburbs and southern detached portion of the City of San Diego, extending to the Mexican border, is collectively referred to as "South Bay".
[edit] Cities and towns in San Diego County
Incorporated Cities
- Carlsbad
- Chula Vista
- Coronado
- Del Mar
- El Cajon
- Encinitas (Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Leucadia, Olivenhain)
- Escondido
- Imperial Beach
- La Mesa
- Lemon Grove
- National City
- Oceanside (San Luis Rey)
- Poway
- San Diego
- San Marcos
- Santee
- Solana Beach
- Vista
Unincorporated Communities
[edit] Urban communities of San Diego County
In San Diego County, many of the urban cities and communities are located on the south side of Interstate 8.
[edit] Adjacent counties and municipios
- Imperial County, California - east
- Orange County, California - northwest
- Riverside County, California - north
- Tecate, Baja California, Mexico - south
- Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico - south
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Orange County | Riverside County |
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| Pacific Ocean |  |
Imperial County | |||||
 San Diego County, California  |
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| Tecate, Baja California, Mexico and Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico |
[edit] National protected areas
- Cabrillo National Monument
- Cleveland National Forest (part)
- San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge
- San Diego National Wildlife Refuge
- Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge
[edit] Transportation infrastructure
[edit] Major Freeways
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[edit] Airports
- Lindbergh Field, (SAN) a.k.a. San Diego International Airport
- Montgomery Field, (MYF)
- McClellan-Palomar Airport, (CLD or CRQ) a.k.a. Palomar Airport, Carlsbad Airport
- Gillespie Field, (SEE) located in El Cajon
- Agua Caliente Airport
- Borrego Valley Airport
- Fallbrook Airport
- Jacumba Airport
- Lake Wohlford (private, tiny)
- Oceanside Municipal Airport
- Ocotillo Airport
- Pauma Valley (private)
- Ramona Airport, (RNM)
- Brown Field, (SDM) (former East Field, NAAS Otay Mesa, and NAAS Brown Field)
[edit] Sites of interest
- Mount Laguna Observatory - owned and primarily operated by San Diego State University (SDSU)
- Palomar Observatory - owned and primarily operated by California Institute of Technology (CalTech)
- The Ramona Valley wine-producing region is located 28 miles (45 km) northeast of San Diego
- The San Diego Wild Animal Park, 35 miles (56 km) north of the San Diego Zoo and east of Escondido
- Sea World of San Diego is located on Mission Bay. It is owned by Anheuser-Busch.
- Mission Bay Recreation Area, including Fiesta Island, is a sheltered bay popular for watersports and known for the annual Over the Line tournament.
- Mission San Diego de Alcala, the first of California's 21 Spanish missions, is located in the city. It is an operating Roman Catholic parish and also is open for historical interest tours during the week. It is located near the interchange of Interstates 8 and 15.
- Balboa Park, with several museums and other cultural locations, is located adjacent to Downtown San Diego. This large park extends from 6th Avenue to 28th Street west to east, and through the entire area occupied on the west and east sides by west-east streets alphabetically named after trees. (Ash, Beech, Cedar, etc. to Redwood, Spruce, Thorn, Upas).
- San Diego Zoo, located in Balboa Park, has the most species of any zoo in the world. One of the few zoos in the United States to offer Pandas, the San Diego Zoo also is one of the world's leaders in animal conservation, constantly finding ways to help save species and breed others in captivity, as well as release animals back into the wild.
- Old Town San Diego State Historic Park is located between Mission Valley and Downtown San Diego.
- San Diego Bay sailing is a popular activity that is experienced by locals and visitors alike. The bay is well protected from the ocean waves by Point Loma so the sailing is easy on those prone to sea sickness. Sail San Diego charter company offers many excursions in the bay as well as on the Pacific Ocean.
[edit] Politics
| Year | GOP | DEM | Others |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 44.10% 539,939 | 54.29% 664,685 | 1.67% 19,270 |
| 2004 | 52.52% 596,033 | 46.39% 526,437 | 1.09% 12,378 |
| 2000 | 49.63% 475,736 | 45.66% 437,666 | 4.71% 45,232 |
| 1996 | 45.57% 402,876 | 44.11% 389,964 | 10.33% 91,311 |
| 1992 | 35.7% 352,125 | 37.2% 367,397 | 27.08% 267,124 |
| 1988 | 60.2% 523,143 | 38.3% 333,264 | 1.47% 12,788 |
| 1984 | 65.3% 502,344 | 33.4% 257,029 | 1.29% 9,894 |
| 1980 | 60.8% 435,910 | 27.3% 195,410 | 11.93% 85,546 |
| 1976 | 55.7% 353,302 | 41.6% 263,654 | 2.66% 16,839 |
| 1972 | 61.8% 371,627 | 34.3% 206,455 | 3.84% 23,055 |
| 1968 | 56.3% 261,540 | 36.1% 167,669 | 7.67% 35,654 |
| 1964 | 50.3% 214,445 | 49.7% 211,808 | 0.01% 33 |
| 1960 | 56.4% 233,045 | 43.3% 171,259 | 0.28% 1,106 |
San Diego County has historically been a Republican leaning county: 2008 was the first time in decades that a Democratic Presidential nominee won a majority in the county (though in 1992 Bill Clinton won a plurality). The city of San Diego itself, however, is more Democratic than the county's average (though fairly moderate compared to the national and state average) and has voted for Democrats Clinton, Gore, Kerry, and Obama in the last five presidential elections respectively. The city of San Diego, as well as La Jolla, Coronado and Imperial Beach are part of the 53rd congressional district which has a Cook Partisan Voting Index (CPVI) of D +12. San Diego's northern and eastern suburbs tend to be very conservative. Northern suburbs including Carlsbad were part of the 50th district with a CPVI of R +5. In the 2004 presidential election, San Diego, Encinitas, National City, Del Mar, and some other areas voted for John Kerry; San Marcos, Escondido, Carlsbad, Oceanside, Coronado, Santee, Poway, El Cajon, and Vista overwhelmingly backed George W. Bush. Chula Vista, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, Solana Beach, and Imperial Beach are considered swing areas of the county – Chula Vista and Imperial Beach narrowly backed Al Gore in 2000 but narrowly voted for Bush in 2004, while Solana Beach switched from Bush in 2000 to Kerry in 2004. La Mesa narrowly voted for Bush both times, and Lemon Grove narrowly went Democratic both times. In 2008, Barack Obama became the first Democrat to win a majority of votes in San Diego County since World War II.
One unique feature of the political scene is the use of Golden Hall, a convention facility next to City Hall, as a central elections center. The County Registrar of Voters rents the hall to distribute election results. Supporters and political observers are invited to watch the results come in, candidates give their victory and concession speeches and host parties for campaign volunteers and donors at the site, and television stations broadcast from the floor of the convention center. Golden Hall was scheduled to be closed in 2004, but was reused again for the November 2005 special election. The atmosphere on the evening of election day is often comparable to the voting portion of a political party national convention.[5]
In the House of Representatives, all of California's 50th, 52nd, and 53rd districts and parts of the 49th and 51st districts are in the county. By district, the seats are held by Republican Darrell Issa, Republican Brian Bilbray, Democrat Bob Filner, Republican Duncan Hunter, and Democrat Susan Davis.
On Nov. 4, 2008 San Diego County voted 53.8 % for Proposition 8 which amended the California Constitution to ban same-sex marriages.
In the State Assembly, parts of the 66th and 73rd districts, and all of the 74th–79th districts are in the county. Districts 76 and 79 are held by Democrats, Lori Saldaña and Mary Salas respectively; the others are held by Republicans; by district they are Kevin Jeffries, Mimi Walters, Martin Garrick, George A. Plescia, Joel Anderson, and Shirley Horton.
In the State Senate, all of the 39th district and parts of the 36th, 38th, and 40th districts are in the county and are held by Republicans Dennis Hollingsworth and Mark Wyland, and Democrats Christine Kehoe and Denise Moreno Ducheny.
| District | Location | Cook PVI | % for Bush, 2004 | Median household income[6] | Per Capita Income[6] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49th district | Northern San Diego and South-western Riverside County | R +10 | 63% | $46,445 | $19,659 |
| 50th district | Northern San Diego County, including costal communities such as Carlsbad, California but excluding La Jolla | R +5 | 55% | $59,813 | $29,877 |
| 51st district | Southern San Diego County, including Chula Vista and National City. Also includes all of Imperial County | D +7 | 46% | $39,243 | $14,923 |
| 52nd district | Eastern San Diego County, including La Mesa, El Cajon and Lakeside. | R +9 | 61% | $52,940 | $24,544 |
| 53rd district | City of San Diego including La Jolla, Coronado and Imperial Beach | D +12 | 39% | $36,637 | $21,715 |
| Mean | Districts: 49th, 50th, 51st, 52nd, 53rd | R +5 | 52.8% | $47,016 | $22,144 |
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 798 |
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| 1860 | 4,324 | 441.9% | |
| 1870 | 4,951 | 14.5% | |
| 1880 | 8,018 | 61.9% | |
| 1890 | 34,987 | 336.4% | |
| 1900 | 35,090 | 0.3% | |
| 1910 | 61,665 | 75.7% | |
| 1920 | 112,248 | 82% | |
| 1930 | 209,659 | 86.8% | |
| 1940 | 289,348 | 38% | |
| 1950 | 556,808 | 92.4% | |
| 1960 | 1,033,011 | 85.5% | |
| 1970 | 1,357,854 | 31.4% | |
| 1980 | 1,861,846 | 37.1% | |
| 1990 | 2,498,016 | 34.2% | |
| 2000 | 2,813,833 | 12.6% | |
As of 2006, there were 2,941,454 people, 1,067,846 households, and 663,449 families residing in the county. The population density was 670 people per square mile (259/km²). There were 1,118,410 housing units at an average density of 248 per square mile (96/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 69.5% White American, 5.2% Black or African American, 0.7% Native American, 10.2% Asian, 0.4% Pacific Islander, 10.3% from other races, and 3.6% from two or more races. 29.9% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 67.0% spoke English, 21.9% Spanish, 3.1% Tagalog and 1.2% Vietnamese as their first language.
In 2000 there were 994,677 households out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.7% were married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 24.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.29.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.7% under the age of 18, 11.30% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 101.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.7 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $47,067, and the median income for a family was $53,438. Males had a median income of $36,952 versus $30,356 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,926. About 8.9% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.5% of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Current estimates
According to estimates by the San Diego Association of Governments, the median household income of San Diego County in 2005 was $64,273 (not adjusted for inflation). When adjusted for inflation (1999 dollars; comparable to Census data above), the median household income was $52,192.
[edit] ZIP Codes
See Southern California Zip Codes
[edit] See also
- San Diego-Tijuana Metropolitan Area
- California Least Tern
- List of school districts in San Diego County, California
- Public Transportation in San Diego County, California
[edit] References
- ^ State of California, Department of Finance. "E-1 Population Estimates for Cities, Counties and the State with Annual Percent Change — January 1, 2007 and 2008". Retrieved on 2008-07-02.
- ^ a b Coy, Owen C.; Ph.D. (1923). California County Boundaries. Berkeley: California Historical Commission. pp. 221. ASIN B000GRBCXG.
- ^ Ibid. 207
- ^ Ibid. 113
- ^ Amid the celebrations, farewell | The San Diego Union-Tribune
- ^ a b "US Census Bureau, 2000 Census income data by congressional district". Retrieved on 2007-05-31.
[edit] External links
- Official Travel Resource for the San Diego Region
- County of San Diego Official Website
- San Diego Geographic Information Source Website
- San Diego County Water Authority Map
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