Yuba City, California

City of Yuba City
—  City  —
Yuba City, from the air
Nickname(s): Prune Capital of the World
Location in Sutter County and the state of California
Coordinates:
Country  United States
State  California
County Sutter
Founded 1849
Incorporated January 23, 1908
Government
 • Type Council-Manager
 • Mayor Kashmir Gill
Area[1]
 • Total 14.656 sq mi (37.959 km2)
 • Land 14.578 sq mi (37.758 km2)
 • Water 0.078 sq mi (0.201 km2)  0.53%
Elevation 59 ft (18 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 64,925
 • Density 4,429.9/sq mi (1,710.4/km2)
Time zone PST (UTC-8)
 • Summer (DST) PDT (UTC-7)
ZIP codes 95991-95993 (P.O.Box 95992)
Area code(s) 530
FIPS code 06-86972
GNIS feature ID 1660222
Website [1]

Yuba City is a Northern California city, founded in 1849. It is the county seat of Sutter County, California, United States. The population was 64,925 at the 2010 census.

Yuba City is the principal city of the Yuba City Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Sutter County and Yuba County. The metro area's population is 164,138.[2][3] It is the 21st largest metropolitan area in California ranked behind Redding and Chico. Its metropolitan statistical area is part of the Greater Sacramento CSA.

As of March 2010, Yuba City has an unemployment rate of 20.8%, the third highest among comparable U.S. cities.[4]

Contents

History

The Maidu people were settled in the region when they were first encountered by Spanish and Mexican scouting expeditions in the early 19th century. One version of the origin of the name "Yuba" is that during one of these expeditions, wild grapes were seen growing by a river, and so it was named "Uba", a variant spelling of the Spanish word uva (grape).

The Mexican government granted a large expanse of land which included the area in which Yuba City is situated to John Sutter, the same John Sutter upon whose land gold was subsequently discovered in 1848. He sold part of this tract to some enterprising men who wished to establish a town near the confluence of the Yuba River and the Feather River, tributaries of the Sacramento River, with an eye to developing a commercial center catering to the thousands of gold miners headed upstream to the gold fields. At the same time, another town was developing on the eastern bank of the Feather River, the beginnings of what later would become Marysville.

By 1852, Yuba City had one hotel, a grocery store, a post office, approximately 20 dwelling homes with a population of about 150.

The county seat for Sutter County, CA was chosen to be Yuba City in 1854. The same year, however, voters decided that Nicolaus, CA would be a better location, and the county seat was moved there. County voters returned to their first choice of Yuba City two years later, in 1856, and it has remained the county seat since.[5]

Yuba City saw its first major influx of population after World War II, pushing residential areas west and south from the city's original center. Orchards were turned into residential areas as new homes were built to provide the amount of people migrating to the city.[6]

In December 1955, a series of storms dropped torrential rain throughout northern California. The deluge caused all the rivers in the region to overflow their banks and to break through levees. The Christmas Eve levee break at Yuba City was particularly disastrous, with 38 people losing their lives,[5] and heavy damage occurring in the downtown section. According to Dick Brandt, manager of the Yuba County airport in 1955, between 550 and 600 Sutter County residents were rescued from the floodwater by helicopter.[7]

On March 14, 1961, a B-52 Stratofortress carrying nuclear weapons, flying near Yuba City encountered a pressurization problem, and had to drop to a lower altitude. As such, more fuel than expected was used, and the aircraft ran out of fuel. It crashed before meeting with a tanker aircraft. The pilot gave the bailout command, and the crew egressed at 10,000 ft, except for the pilot, who ejected at 4,000 ft, while avoiding a populated area. The aircraft was destroyed. The weapons, two Mark 39 thermonuclear bombs (identified from declassified Department of Energy films and photographs) were destroyed on impact though no explosion took place, and there was no release of radioactive material as a result.[8]

Geography

Yuba City is located at 39°8'5" North, 121°37'34" West (39.134792, -121.626201).[9]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 14.7 square miles (38 km2), of which, 14.6 square miles (38 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) of it is water. The total area is 0.53% water.

The Yuba City area is located 40 miles north of Sacramento and situated in the Sacramento Valley. It is home to the Sutter Buttes, the smallest mountain range in the world.[10] The Feather River borders the city to the east and the area is sometimes referred to as the "Feather River Valley", which divides the city from its neighbor Marysville.

Climate

Yuba City has a Mediterranean Climate which consists of mild, wet, winters and hot, dry, summers. January is usually the wettest month. July is the driest and hottest. The wet season starts from mid-October and ends in mid-April when Yuba City sees frequent rain and is usually under the tule fog. Heavy rain, especially during El Niño or too much mountain snow from winter storms can cause major flooding in the spring. Snow is rare in the valley, but cold waves from the north bring some light snow and ice. Spring is wet in the beginning but becomes dryer and warmer as summer months approach. April is the wettest spring month. May has some rain, but usually from thunderstorms than winter storms. Spring orchards and fields become filled with flowers and tree blossoms during Spring. June-to-September is the dry and hot season. Rain usually doesn't fall at all, but from rare southwest monsoon thunderstorms. July and August are the hottest months when temperatures reach the upper 90's. Heat waves usually occur from June-through-September. The hottest months are July and August. The delta breeze, which comes from the Bay Area on summer nights, helps cool temperatures and add humidity. At times the delta breeze is strong enough to bring coastal fog inland to the Sacramento Valley. Autumn starts out warm but begins to become cooler, wetter, and foggier. From September-to-mid-October temperatures begin to cool down rapidly bringing rain and fog. Rain and fog become more persistent from mid-October into November.


Climate data for Yuba City, California
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 75
(24)		 82
(28)		 90
(32)		 97
(36)		 106
(41)		 113
(45)		 111
(44)		 111
(44)		 113
(45)		 104
(40)		 90
(32)		 79
(26)		 113
(45)
Average high °F (°C) 55
(13)		 61
(16)		 63
(17)		 70
(21)		 82
(28)		 91
(33)		 95
(35)		 93
(34)		 88
(31)		 75
(24)		 61
(16)		 54
(12)		 74.0
(23.3)
Average low °F (°C) 37
(3)		 43
(6)		 45
(7)		 48
(9)		 54
(12)		 59
(15)		 61
(16)		 59
(15)		 55
(13)		 48
(9)		 41
(5)		 37
(3)		 49.0
(9.4)
Record low °F (°C) 19
(−7)		 23
(−5)		 27
(−3)		 32
(0)		 37
(3)		 45
(7)		 45
(7)		 46
(8)		 43
(6)		 32
(0)		 27
(−3)		 18
(−8)		 18
(−8)
Precipitation inches (mm) 4.535
(115.2)		 4.126
(104.8)		 3.854
(97.9)		 1.705
(43.3)		 0.839
(21.3)		 0.291
(7.4)		 0.071
(1.8)		 0.079
(2.0)		 0.638
(16.2)		 1.425
(36.2)		 2.996
(76.1)		 3.673
(93.3)		 24.232
(615.5)
Source: weather.com [2]

Demographics

2010

The 2010 United States Census[11] reported that Yuba City had a population of 64,925. The population density was 4,429.9 people per square mile (1,710.4/km²). The racial makeup of Yuba City was 37,382 (57.6%) White, 1,591 (2.5%) African American, 909 (1.4%) Native American, 11,190 (17.2%) Asian, 228 (0.4%) Pacific Islander, 9,772 (15.1%) from other races, and 3,853 (5.9%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 18,413 persons (28.4%).

The Census reported that 64,345 people (99.1% of the population) lived in households, 125 (0.2%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 455 (0.7%) were institutionalized.

There were 21,550 households, out of which 9,012 (41.8%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 11,277 (52.3%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 2,969 (13.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,412 (6.6%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,436 (6.7%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 118 (0.5%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 4,753 households (22.1%) were made up of individuals and 1,960 (9.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.99. There were 15,658 families (72.7% of all households); the average family size was 3.49.

The population was spread out with 18,314 people (28.2%) under the age of 18, 6,630 people (10.2%) aged 18 to 24, 17,575 people (27.1%) aged 25 to 44, 14,810 people (22.8%) aged 45 to 64, and 7,596 people (11.7%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33.0 years. For every 100 females there were 97.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.3 males.

There were 23,174 housing units at an average density of 1,581.2 per square mile (610.5/km²), of which 12,266 (56.9%) were owner-occupied, and 9,284 (43.1%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 7.1%. 36,525 people (56.3% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 27,820 people (42.8%) lived in rental housing units.

2000

As of the census[12] of 2000, there are 36,758 people (60,507 as of January 1, 2006), 13,290 households, and 8,944 families residing in the city. The population density is 3,924.4 people per square mile (1,514.7/km²). There are 13,912 housing units at an average density of 1,485.3 per square mile (573.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city is 67.0% White, 2.8% African American, 1.7% Native American, 6.4% Asian American, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 14.4% from other races, and 2.4% from two or more races.[13] 12.5% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. The European population in Yuba City is 0.5% Romanian, 0.3% Italian, and 1.6% German.

There are 13,290 households out of which 36.7% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.6% are married couples living together, 14.3% have a female householder with no husband present, and 32.7% are "non-families." 26.5% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.7% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.70 and the average family size is 3.28.

In the city the population is spread out with 29.0% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 18.7% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 32 years. For every 100 females there are 95.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 91.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $32,858, and the median income for a family is $39,381. Males have a median income of $34,303 versus $23,410 for females. The per capita income for the city is $15,928. 18.1% of the population and 14.5% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 24.8% of those under the age of 18 and 9.5% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Transportation

Bus service is provided by Yuba Sutter Transit.

Business and economy

Sunsweet Inc. headquarters

Yuba City is home to the largest dried fruit processing plant in the world,[14] Sunsweet Growers Incorporated. In 1988 Yuba City was home to the California Prune Festival. In 2001 the name was changed to the California Dried Plum Festival and in early 2003 directors announced the end of the festival's 15 year run in the Yuba-Sutter area. This was primarily due to rise in costs, difficulty in securing sponsors, and competition from other festivals.

Other employers

Being a small town, retail and healthcare make up the largest sectors of the economy.[15] Some other notable employers include the Geweke Auto Group, Hilbers Incorporated, SharpeSoft, and Jaeger Construction. Farming is also the most important part of the Yuba-Sutter area.

Top employers

According to the City's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[16] the top employers in the city are:

# Employer # of Employees
1 Fremont-Rideout Health Group 1,850
2 Yuba City Unified School District 1,316
3 Sutter County 970
4 Sunsweet Growers 670
5 Sutter North Medical Group 575
6 Walmart 525
7 City of Yuba City 325
8 Sam's Club 198
9 Raley's/Bel Air 185
10 WinCo Foods 150

Arts and culture

Annual events

Sikh Parade

Yuba City is known for its sizeable Sikh community.[17][18] The Sikh population in the Yuba-Sutter Area has grown to be one of the largest in the United States and one of the largest Sikh populations outside of the Punjab state of India . Each year on the first Sunday of November, Sikhs from the United States, Canada, India, the United Kingdom and throughout the world attend the Sikh parade in Yuba City, which commemorates the receipt by Sikhs of their Holy scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib, in 1708. The 4.5-mile-long parade features floats and a procession of parade participants. The 2005 parade drew an estimated 56,000 people while the 2007 parade was estimated to draw between 75,000 to 85,000 people of both Sikh and non-Sikh background. In 2008, an estimated 80,000 peoplecame out for the event which is now considered one of the largest gatherings in Northern California.[19]

Museums and other points of interest

Politics

In the state legislature Yuba City is located in the 4th Senate District, represented by Republican Doug LaMalfa, and in the 2nd Assembly District, represented by Republican Jim Nielsen. Federally, Yuba City is located in California's 2nd congressional district, which has a Cook PVI of R +13.

Parks

Community parks:

Neighborhood parks:

Passive parks:

Other recreational facilities:

Education

Public schools are part of the Yuba City Unified School District.[20] The three high schools in the district are Yuba City High School, River Valley High School, and Albert Powell Continuation High School. Faith Christian High School is a private christian school located in Yuba City. The Yuba City Charter School is K-12.

Yuba City is in the Yuba Community College District and is served by Yuba Community College in neighboring Marysville.

Media

The main newspaper for Yuba City area is the Appeal-Democrat. The newspaper is printed in Marysville, but serves the entire Yuba-Sutter area. The Sacramento Bee is also widely sold and read in Yuba City. MySYtv.com provides television coverage of local events in the area.

Although KCYC-LP, KOBO, and KRYC-LP are the only radio stations within the city, there are a wide variety of others broadcasting nearby.

Notable residents and natives

Sister cities

See also

References

  1. ^ U.S. Census
  2. ^ Yuba County 2007 Census Estimate
  3. ^ Sutter County 2007 Census Estimate
  4. ^ Rooney, Ben (March 19, 2010). "35 cities suffer unemployment above 15%". CNNMoney.com. http://money.cnn.com/2010/03/19/news/economy/metro_unemplyoment_January/index.htm. Retrieved June 16, 2010. 
  5. ^ a b "History of Yuba City". http://www.yubacity.net/100/history.aspx. Retrieved October 11, 2008. 
  6. ^ "Yuba City At A Glance". http://www.yubacity.net/documents/Finance/2007-2009-Biennial-Budget/Chapter-23.pdf. Retrieved October 11, 2008. 
  7. ^ View a 1955 KRON-TV special report featuring the flooding in Yuba City & Marysville: https://diva.sfsu.edu/collections/sfbatv/bundles/191491.
  8. ^ Maggelet, Michael H.; James C. Oskins (2008). Broken Arrow - The Declassified History of U.S. Nuclear Weapons Accidents. Lulu.com. ISBN 9781435703612. 
  9. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23. 
  10. ^ http://tapestry.usgs.gov/features/33sutter.html
  11. ^ All data are derived from the United States Census Bureau reports from the 2010 United States Census, and are accessible on-line here. The data on unmarried partnerships and same-sex married couples are from the Census report DEC_10_SF1_PCT15. All other housing and population data are from Census report DEC_10_DP_DPDP1. Both reports are viewable online or downloadable in a zip file containing a comma-delimited data file. The area data, from which densities are calculated, are available on-line here. Percentage totals may not add to 100% due to rounding. The Census Bureau defines families as a household containing one or more people related to the householder by birth, opposite-sex marriage, or adoption. People living in group quarters are tabulated by the Census Bureau as neither owners nor renters. For further details, see the text files accompanying the data files containing the Census reports mentioned above.
  12. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  13. ^ http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/QTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=16000US0686972&-qr_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U_DP1&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U&-_lang=en&-redoLog=false&-_sse=on
  14. ^ http://www.sunsweet.com/about/
  15. ^ http://www.city-data.com/business/econ-Yuba-City-California.html Yuba City at City-Data.com
  16. ^ City of Yuba City CAFR
  17. ^ http://www.topix.com/religion/sikh/2009/11/u-s-city-celebrates-sikhism
  18. ^ A Mela in America
  19. ^ Sikh Heritage Celebrated
  20. ^ Yuba City Unified School District
  21. ^ "Sister Cities International Directory: California, USA". http://www.sister-cities.org/icrc/directory/usa/CA. Retrieved October 16, 2008. 

External links

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