Redwood City, California
Redwood City is a city in San Mateo County, California, on the San Francisco Peninsula in the Bay Area of Northern California, approximately south of San Francisco and northwest of San Jose. The city's population was 84,292 according to the 2020 census. The Port of Redwood City is the only deepwater port on San Francisco Bay south of San Francisco.
Redwood City's history spans its earliest inhabitation by the Ohlone people to being a port for lumber and other goods. The county seat of San Mateo County in the heart of Silicon Valley, Redwood City is home to several global technology companies including Oracle, Electronic Arts, Evernote, Box, and Informatica.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of, of which is land and, comprising 44.34%, is water. One major watercourse draining much of Redwood City is Redwood Creek, to which several significant river deltas connect, the largest of which is Westpoint Slough.
History
The earliest known inhabitants of the area that would become Redwood City were the Ohlone, who were present when the Spanish claimed the land and established missions.Redwood City incorporated in 1867, being the first city in San Mateo County to do so; it has remained the county seat since the county's formation in 1856. The land had been part of the Rancho de las Pulgas granted to the Argüello family in 1835 by the Mexican government. Their control was challenged after the Mexican–American War when California became part of the United States. The family lawyer, Simon M. Mezes, in 1854 defended the claim somewhat successfully and was allowed to buy the part of the estate that is now Redwood City. Mezes sold some of the land to people already squatting on it along the banks of Redwood Creek and named the settlement "Mezesville". Though the city did not keep that name, Mezes Park still exists on land that Mezes had given for open space.
In 1907, Eikichi and Sadakusi Enomoto, Japanese immigrant brothers, grew what may perhaps have been the first commercially grown chrysanthemums in the United States in Redwood City. In 1926, the chamber of commerce proclaimed the city the "Chrysanthemum Center of the World" though the internment of Japanese Americans in 1941 and other factors would contribute to the end of flower growing as a major industry in the city.
Geography
Redwood City stretches from the San Francisco Bay towards the Santa Cruz Mountains between San Carlos to the northwest and Atherton to the southeast with Woodside to the southwest. It is divided by Highway 101 and further inland El Camino Real on the northwest–southeast axis and Woodside Road on the north-northeast/south-southwest axis. Locally, the former two are regarded as north–south and the latter east/west, as 101 and El Camino connects Redwood City to San Francisco and San Jose and Woodside Road runs from San Francisco Bay to the Santa Cruz Mountains.Neighborhoods include Bair Island to the northeast of Highway 101. The northern planned community of Redwood Shores, also to the northeast of Highway 101, is part of Redwood City, although it is not possible to travel by road from one to the other without passing through the neighboring city of San Carlos, or through Belmont via San Mateo County. Stretching along Highway 101 to the southeast of Woodside Road is Friendly Acres, further inland and still to the southeast of Woodside Road are Redwood Village and then Redwood Oaks. Most neighborhoods are to the northwest of Woodside Road and southwest of Highway 101. Centennial, Downtown, and Stambaugh Heller are adjacent to 101. Next inland are Edgewood, Mt. Carmel, Central and Palm then Canyon, Eagle Hill, Roosevelt, and Woodside Plaza. Furthest inland is Farm Hills.
Neighborhoods associated with Redwood City but not part of the incorporated city include Emerald Lake Hills and Kensington Square inland and to the north and
North Fair Oaks to the southeast. Palomar Park, just north of Emerald Hills and east of San Carlos' Crestview area, is another Redwood City neighborhood that is formally part of unincorporated San Mateo County. Although Redwood City has a large middle class, the southeastern section of Redwood City strongly resembles working-class North Fair Oaks in both demographic makeup and income level.
Downtown
In an attempt to revitalize Redwood City's downtown, city officials decided to consider development. In February 1999, the San Mateo County History Museum opened inside the old San Mateo County Courthouse in downtown Redwood City. The courthouse had been built in 1910 and in the late '30s an addition was built in front of the original structure, obscuring the view. As part of the revitalization, this addition was torn down and replaced with a large courtyard flanked by water fountains on either side, leading to the main steps of the courthouse. The courthouse's glass dome is lit at night and changes colors every 11 seconds.In August 2006, a 20-screen theater and various shops opened in a prime downtown location. The theater complex boasts restaurant and retail space at street level and a two-level underground parking structure.
Climate
Redwood City, along with most of the Bay Area, enjoys a mild warm-summer Mediterranean climate, with warm, dry summers and cool, relatively wet winters. The National Weather Service, which maintains both a forecast center and a cooperative office in Redwood City, reports that December is the coolest month and July is the warmest month. The record highest temperature of was recorded on three occasions, July 14 and 15, 1972, and September 6, 2022. The record lowest temperature of was recorded on January 11, 1949. Annually, there are an average of 21.6 afternoons with highs of or higher and 2.8 afternoons with highs of or higher; there are an average of 1.8 mornings with lows of or lower.The normal annual precipitation is, although it has ranged from as little as in the "rain year" from July 1975 to June 1976, to as much as between July 1982 and June 1983. The most rainfall in one month was in February 1998. The record 24-hour rainfall of occurred on October 13, 1962. There are an average of 62.1 days with measurable precipitation. Snow flurries have been observed on rare occasions; there was some minor snow accumulation in May 1935, January 1962, and February 1976.
Demographics
| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2000 | Pop 2010 | % 2000 | % 2010 | ||
| White alone | 40,656 | 33,801 | 34,067 | 53.92% | 44.00% | 40.42% |
| Black or African American alone | 1,791 | 1,655 | 1,376 | 2.38% | 2.15% | 1.63% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone | 165 | 152 | 129 | 0.22% | 0.20% | 0.15% |
| Asian alone | 6,604 | 8,063 | 13,522 | 8.76% | 10.50% | 16.04% |
| Pacific Islander alone | 635 | 732 | 618 | 0.84% | 0.95% | 0.73% |
| Other Race alone | 163 | 291 | 502 | 0.22% | 0.38% | 0.60% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial | 1,831 | 2,311 | 3,974 | 2.43% | 3.01% | 4.71% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 23,557 | 29,810 | 30,104 | 31.24% | 38.81% | 35.71% |
| Total | 75,402 | 76,815 | 84,292 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
2020
The 2020 United States census reported that Redwood City had a population of 84,292. The population density was. The racial makeup of Redwood City was 44.5% White, 1.8% African American, 1.6% Native American, 16.2% Asian, 0.8% Pacific Islander, 21.0% from other races, and 14.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 35.7% of the population.The census reported that 97.2% of the population lived in households, 1.2% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 1.6% were institutionalized.
There were 30,620 households, out of which 32.2% included children under the age of 18, 50.3% were married-couple households, 8.5% were cohabiting couple households, 23.7% had a female householder with no partner present, and 17.5% had a male householder with no partner present. 23.2% of households were one person, and 8.3% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.68. There were 20,287 families.
The age distribution was 20.4% under the age of 18, 7.8% aged 18 to 24, 33.7% aged 25 to 44, 25.1% aged 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65years of age or older. The median age was 37.1years. For every 100 females, there were 100.5 males.
There were 32,373 housing units at an average density of, of which 30,620 were occupied. Of these, 46.8% were owner-occupied, and 53.2% were occupied by renters.
The 2020 United States census reported that Redwood City had a median household income of $123,294 and a median house value of $1,424,200.
2010
The 2010 United States census reported that Redwood City had a population of 76,815. The population density was. The racial makeup of Redwood City was 46,255 White, 1,881 African American, 511 Native American, 8,216 Asian, 795 Pacific Islander, 14,967 from other races, and 4,190 from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 29,810 persons. Non-Hispanic Whites number 31,982.The Census reported that 75,268 people lived in households, 408 lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 1,139 were institutionalized.
There were 27,957 households, out of which 10,045 had children under the age of 18 living in them, 13,642 were opposite-sex married couples living together, 3,139 had a female householder with no husband present, 1,461 had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,818 unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 288 same-sex married couples or partnerships. 7,411 households were made up of individuals, and 2,401 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69. There were 18,242 families ; the average family size was 3.26.
There were 18,193 people under the age of 18, 5,981 people aged 18 to 24, 24,819 people aged 25 to 44, 19,710 people aged 45 to 64, and 8,112 people who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.1 males.
There were 29,167 housing units at an average density of, of which 14,160 were owner-occupied, and 13,797 were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.9%. Further, 37,757 people lived in owner-occupied housing units and 37,511 people lived in rental housing units.