Madera County, California
Madera County, officially the County of Madera, is a county located at the geographic center of the U.S. state of California. It features a varied landscape, encompassing the eastern San Joaquin Valley and the central Sierra Nevada, with Madera serving as the county seat. Established in 1893 from part of Fresno County, Madera County reported a population of 156,255 in the 2020 census.
The name Madera is Spanish for "wood," a reference to the county’s early lumber industry. Portions of Yosemite National Park lie within the county, and tourism, along with agriculture—particularly almonds, grapes, and pistachios—form major parts of the local economy. According to the United States Census Bureau, the county’s median household income is below the state average, and its poverty rate is higher than the California average.
According to the United States Census Bureau, 59.6% of Madera County’s population identifies as Hispanic or Latino, and 20.3% of residents are foreign-born, both above the national averages. Nearly half of the county’s residents speak a language other than English at home. The area also has a significant Native American population, and its history includes immigration and migration dating back to the California Gold Rush.
Etymology
Madera is the Spanish term for wood. The county derives its name from the town of Madera, named when the California Lumber Company built a log flume to carry lumber to the Central Pacific Railroad there in 1876.History
Madera County was formed in 1893 from Fresno County during a special election held in Fresno on May 16, 1893. Citizens residing in the area that was to become Madera County voted 1,179 to 358 for separation from Fresno County and the establishment of Madera County.The Madera County Sheriff's Department employed the first woman in California to die in the line of duty as a sworn law enforcement officer—Tulare native Lucille Helm. For 15 years, the Madera housewife and mother of four worked on call as a "matron" assisting with female transfers.
Human history
Native People
The region now known as Madera County was historically inhabited by the Mono, Chukchansi, and Miwok. The Mono lived along the upper San Joaquin River, including areas near North Fork and Crane Valley. The Chukchansi occupied lands around present-day Oakhurst, Coarsegold, Ahwahnee, and the lower foothills of the San Joaquin Valley. The Miwok lived in the areas of Ahwahnee, Wawona, Mariposa, and the Yosemite Valley.Following the California Gold Rush, many Native American communities were displaced during events such as the Mariposa War and by the Act for the Government and Protection of Indians. The establishment of the Sierra National Forest in 1897 required land-use permits available only to citizens, which excluded Native Americans until citizenship was extended under the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924.
Immigration and Migration
Early United States Era
Following the Mexican–American War, the region retained a significant population of residents of Mexican descent. During the California Gold Rush, people from across the United States and abroad settled in the area. Chinese laborers contributed to construction of the Madera Flume and worked in the Sugar Pine lumber yards. Their numbers declined after federal immigration restrictions such as the Chinese Exclusion Act and the Immigration Act of 1917. Mexican immigrants later filled many of these labor roles.20th century
In the 1930s, Madera County received significant numbers of refugees from the Dust Bowl, particularly from Oklahoma and Arkansas.During the mid-20th century, the Bracero Program brought agricultural laborers from Mexico to address shortages during World War II and the Korean War. The Madera County Chamber of Commerce supported extending the program, which ended in 1964. After the program ended, migration from Mexico continued. By the 1990s, an estimated 5,000 Mixtec migrants from Oaxaca were working in the county’s agricultural sector.
Geography
Madera County includes portions of the San Joaquin Valley, the Sierra Nevada foothills, and the Sierra Nevada mountains. Part of Yosemite National Park lies within the county. Major waterways include sections of the San Joaquin River and several reservoirs.The county has a total area of, of which is land and, or 0.8 percent, is water. The highest point is Mount Ritter, at.
Climate ranges from arid in the valley to alpine in the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada.
Madera County is part of the Madera AVA wine region.
National protected areas
- Devils Postpile National Monument
- Inyo National Forest
- Sierra National Forest
- Yosemite National Park
Demographics
2020 Census
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 156,255 and a median age of 35.0 years; 27.5 percent of residents were under the age of 18 and 14.7 percent were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 99.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 98.0 males age 18 and over.The racial makeup of the county was 41.8% White, 2.9% Black or African American, 4.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.5% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 31.6% from some other race, and 16.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 59.6% of the population.
61.4% of residents lived in urban areas, while 38.6 percent lived in rural areas.
There were 45,607 households in the county, of which 42.6 percent had children under the age of 18 living with them and 23.5 percent had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 17.2 percent of all households were made up of individuals and 9.3 percent had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 49,572 housing units, of which 8.0 percent were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 64.0 percent were owner-occupied and 36.0 percent were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4 percent and the rental vacancy rate was 3.1 percent.
2022 American Community Survey
According to the 2022 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, the county’s median household income was $76,920, compared to $91,551 for California and $69,717 nationally, and the poverty rate was 24.3 percent, higher than the state average of 12.2 percent and the national average of 22.0 percent.The homeownership rate was 69.0 percent, compared with 55.8 percent statewide, and median gross rent was $1,189, below the California average of $1,870.
Educational attainment was below the state average, with 21.4 percent of residents holding a bachelor’s degree or higher.
In 2022, 59.6 percent of residents identified as Hispanic or Latino, 20.3 percent of the population was foreign-born, and about 46.5 percent reported speaking a language other than English at home.
Immigration estimates
Estimates place the number of undocumented immigrants in the county between 12,500 and 15,000.Racial and ethnic composition
The following table presents racial and ethnic composition across multiple decennial censuses.| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 1980 | Pop 1990 | Pop 2000 | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
| White alone | 42,136 | 52,974 | 57,391 | 57,380 | 48,399 | 66.76% | 60.14% | 46.62% | 38.03% | 30.97% |
| Black or African American alone | 2,072 | 2,294 | 4,710 | 5,009 | 4,131 | 3.28% | 2.60% | 3.83% | 3.32% | 2.64% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone | 1,045 | 1,165 | 1,694 | 1,790 | 1,738 | 1.66% | 1.32% | 1.38% | 1.19% | 1.11% |
| Asian alone | 625 | 1,084 | 1,480 | 2,533 | 3,581 | 0.99% | 1.23% | 1.20% | 1.68% | 2.29% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone | x | x | 160 | 107 | 122 | 0.13% | 0.07% | 0.13% | 0.07% | 0.08% |
| Other race alone | 322 | 173 | 287 | 649 | 723 | 0.51% | 0.20% | 0.23% | 0.43% | 0.46% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial | x | x | 2,872 | 2,405 | 4,383 | x | x | 2.33% | 1.59% | 2.81% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 16,916 | 30,400 | 54,515 | 80,992 | 93,178 | 26.80% | 34.51% | 44.28% | 53.69% | 59.63% |
| Total | 63,116 | 88,090 | 123,109 | 150,865 | 156,255 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Economy
19th and 20th century
Madera County's origins are deeply rooted in boom-and-bust cycles, primarily driven by extractive industries. Initially, the county's economy was heavily reliant on mineral extraction and timber harvesting. Over time, agriculture and ag related industries became the predominant employer and economic force.Gold
Gold mining in Madera County began during the California Gold Rush. When the county was created in 1893 from a portion of Fresno County, it included many of the region’s productive mines. These were located along the contact between the Sierra Nevada batholith and older schist and slate formations, extending from Grub Gulch to Hildreth.Grub Gulch developed in the late 19th century as a mining settlement near present-day Highway 49. At its peak, the town supported several businesses, including saloons, a general store, a post office, and a boarding house. Of the estimated $1.35 million in gold extracted from Madera County, about $1 million came from mines in the Grub Gulch area.
By the 1950s, production had declined to dredging operations along the Fresno, Chowchilla, and San Joaquin Rivers, with little activity after 1959.