Del Norte County, California
Del Norte County is a county located at the far northwest corner of the U.S. state of California, along the Pacific Ocean adjacent to the Oregon border. Its population was 27,743 as of the 2020 census, down from 28,610 from the 2010 census. The county seat and only incorporated city is Crescent City. Del Norte was settled and colonized by Azorean Portuguese settlers and dairy farmers, which may account for the local pronunciation of the county name. Locals pronounce the county name as Del Nort, not Del Nor-teh as would be expected in Spanish. Del Norte County comprises the Crescent City, CA Micropolitan Statistical Area. The rural county is notable for forests containing giant Coast Redwoods, with some attaining heights over. This northernmost county on the California coast also has scores of unique plants and flowers, dozens of species of coastal birds and fish, rocky primitive beaches and sea stacks, pristine rivers and historic lighthouses.
History
The area that is now known as Del Norte was inhabited by the Yurok and Tolowa Nations of indigenous peoples. The first European American to explore this land was pioneer Jedediah Smith in the early-19th century. He was the first European American to reach the area overland on foot in a time before the European Americans knew anything about such a distant territory. For him it was literally "Land's End" — where the American continent ended at the Pacific Ocean. In 1855 Congress authorized the building of a lighthouse at "the battery point" which is still functioning as a historical landmark.Del Norte County was established in 1857, from part of the territory of Klamath County following the great California Gold Rush. Klamath County itself ceased to exist in 1874.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and is water.The mountainous terrain associated with the Coastal Range and the Klamath Mountains dominates
Del Norte County's geography. Elevation ranges from sea level to over 6,400 feet. Although much of the
county is made up of steep terrain, there are small patches of flat terrain along the coast and in isolated
mountain valleys. There are 37 miles of coastline in the county, forming a coastal zone that covers
approximately 51,000 acres. A broad coastal plain can be found in the northwest
portion of the county with the western edge of the Coastal Range as its easterly boundary. Rising
abruptly from the coastal plain, the Coastal Range extends north into Oregon and is situated next
to the Klamath Mountains to the east.
Adjacent counties
- Curry County, Oregon - northwest
- Josephine County, Oregon - northeast
- Siskiyou County - east
- Humboldt County - south
Beach
- Pelican State Beach
Recreation area
- Smith River National Recreation Area
Rivers
- Klamath - one of the longest in California.
- Smith - a crown jewel of the National Wild and Scenic River program.
Wildlife refuge
- Castle Rock National Wildlife Refuge
Parks
- Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park
- Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park
- Redwood National Park
- Tolowa Dunes State Park
- Ruby Van Deventer County Park
- Florence Keller County Park
Ecology
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 27,743. The median age was 40.2 years, with 20.5% of residents under the age of 18 and 18.9% of residents 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 118.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 123.6 males age 18 and over.The racial makeup of the county was 62.0% White, 3.1% Black or African American, 8.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 3.0% Asian, 0.2% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 10.6% from some other race, and 12.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 19.2% of the population.
56.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 43.7% lived in rural areas.
There were 9,807 households in the county, of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 28.1% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 28.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 11,090 housing units, of which 11.6% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 63.1% were owner-occupied and 36.9% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.1%.
Racial and ethnic composition
2010 census
The 2010 United States census reported that Del Norte County had a population of 28,610. The racial makeup of Del Norte County was 21,098 White, 993 African American, 2,244 Native American, 965 Asian, 32 Pacific Islander, 1,980 from other races, and 1,298 from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5,093 persons.2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 27,507 people, 9,170 households, and 6,290 families residing in the county. The population density was. There were 10,434 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the county was 78.9% White, 4.3% Black or African American, 6.4% Native American, 2.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 3.9% from other races, and 4.1% from two or more races. 13.9% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 16.2% were of German, 11.3% English, 9.1% Irish and 7.4% American ancestry according to Census 2000. 91.6% spoke English and 6.2% Spanish as their first language.There were 9,170 households, out of which 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.4% were non-families. 25.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.08.
The age distribution was 25.1% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 32.2% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 123.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 130.3 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $29,642, and the median income for a family was $36,056. Males had a median income of $40,072 versus $22,212 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,573. About 16.4% of families and 20.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.7% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Del Norte County is home to a satellite campus of College of the Redwoods, a two-year college based in Humboldt County.Del Norte County has one of just five combined county office of education-unified school district learning educational agencies in the state of California, with one elected Board of Trustees that serves both agencies, and one superintendent overseeing both the County Office of Education, and the Unified School District.
The Del Norte County Unified School District, which covers the entire county, provides public education from pre-Kindergarten through the twelfth grade. The only high school in Del Norte County is Del Norte High School, whose school mascot is the Warrior. There are also five K-5 elementary schools, three K-8 elementary schools, and one middle school.
The County Office of Education provides special education services to the county, as well as alternative learning options that includes Community Day and juvenile detention. Alternative educational facilities are Del Norte Community Day, Elk Creek detention center, and Sunset Continuation High School.
Del Norte County has several private parochial schools and charter schools.
Politics
Del Norte is traditionally a strongly Republican county in Presidential and congressional elections. The last Democrat to win a majority in the county was Jimmy Carter in 1976; even so, Bill Clinton received a plurality in 1992. In 2016, with Orange County flipping, Del Norte County became the only county on California's coast to vote for Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton. As of 2024, it is now the only county on California's coast that votes Republican for President.| Year | Republican | Democratic |
| 2022 | 61.0% 5,111 | 39.0% 3,264 |
| 2018 | 58.7% 4,887 | 41.3% 3,441 |
| 2014 | 50.4% 3,539 | 49.6% 3,488 |
| 2010 | 41.2% 3,373 | 50.0% 4,093 |
| 2006 | 54.9% 3,639 | 38.2% 2,531 |
| 2002 | 45.8% 3,093 | 43.3% 2,922 |
| 1998 | 41.5% 3,087 | 51.3% 3,820 |
| 1994 | 61.8% 4,626 | 31.7% 2,372 |
| 1990 | 53.2% 3,615 | 40.0% 2,717 |
| 1986 | 65.8% 4,213 | 31.6% 2,026 |
| 1982 | 51.3% 3,355 | 44.9% 2,934 |
| 1978 | 49.9% 2,933 | 41.7% 2,451 |
| 1974 | 46.1% 1,921 | 51.6% 2,149 |
| 1970 | 57.1% 2,755 | 41.0% 1,977 |
| 1966 | 64.0% 3,409 | 36.0% 1,918 |
| 1962 | 45.9% 2,418 | 52.0% 2,741 |
In line with its voting habits, Del Norte's registered voting population is heavily Republican. As of October 2024, approximately 83% of eligible voters are registered to vote in Del Norte County, with approximately 29% registered as Democrats and approximately 41% registered as Republicans.
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In the State Assembly, Del Norte County is in. In the State Senate, the county is in.