Madera County, California
Template:AI-generated Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement
Madera County (Template:IPAc-en; Madera, Spanish for "Wood"), officially the County of Madera, is a county located at the geographic center of the U.S. state of California.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It features a varied landscape, encompassing the eastern San Joaquin Valley and the central Sierra Nevada, with Madera serving as the county seat.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> Established in 1893 from part of Fresno County, Madera County reported a population of 156,255 in the 2020 census.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The name Madera is Spanish for "wood," a reference to the county’s early lumber industry.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 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.<ref name="Madera County, California">Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref name="Madera County, California" />
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.<ref name="Madera County, California"/> Nearly half of the county’s residents speak a language other than English at home.<ref name="Madera County, California"/> 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.<ref>Madera County, County History Template:Webarchive. Accessed 2009.10.09.</ref> 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.<ref name=CGN>Template:California's Geographic Names</ref>
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.<ref>Madera County GenWeb, Madera County History. Accessed 2017.09.01.</ref>
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 (1914–1959). For 15 years, the Madera housewife and mother of four worked on call as a "matron" assisting with female transfers.<ref>"Memorial for law agents," The Madera Tribune, May 13, 2014, Pages A1 and A3</ref>
Human history
Native People
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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.<ref name="Dwight 2001">Template:Cite book</ref>Template:Rp
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.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> 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.<ref name="Dwight 2001"/>Template:Rp
Immigration and Migration
Early United States Era
Following the Mexican–American War, the region retained a significant population of residents of Mexican descent.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> During the California Gold Rush, people from across the United States and abroad settled in the area.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Johnston 1968">Template:Cite book</ref>Template:Rp
20th century
In the 1930s, Madera County received significant numbers of refugees from the Dust Bowl, particularly from Oklahoma and Arkansas.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Mix-1995">Template:Cite journal </ref>
Geography
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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.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>
The county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert, or 0.8 percent, is water.<ref name="GR1" /> The highest point is Mount Ritter, at Template:Convert.
Climate ranges from arid in the valley to alpine in the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada.<ref name="GR1" />
Madera County is part of the Madera AVA wine region.<ref name="GR1" />
National protected areas
- Devils Postpile National Monument
- Inyo National Forest (part)
- Sierra National Forest (part)
- Yosemite National Park (part)
Demographics
2020 Census
According to the United States Census Bureau, Madera County had a population of 156,255 in 2020.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The county’s median household income was $76,920, compared to $91,551 for California and $69,717 nationally.<ref name="2022 American Community Survey">Template:Cite web</ref> 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. Median gross rent was $1,189, below the California average of $1,870.<ref name="2022 American Community Survey" />
In 2022, 59.6 percent of residents identified as Hispanic or Latino, and 20.3 percent of the population was foreign-born. About 46.5 percent of residents reported speaking a language other than English at home.<ref name="2022 American Community Survey" /> Estimates place the number of undocumented immigrants in the county between 12,500 and 15,000.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Educational attainment was below the state average, with 21.4 percent of residents holding a bachelor’s degree or higher.<ref name="2022 American Community Survey" />
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | Pop 1990<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>Template:Cite web</ref> | Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref> | Pop 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref> | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 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 (NH) | 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 (NH) | 1,045 | 1,165 | 1,694 | 1,790 | 1,738 | 1.66% | 1.32% | 1.38% | 1.19% | 1.11% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 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 (NH) | x <ref>included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census</ref> | x <ref>included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census</ref> | 160 | 107 | 122 | 0.13% | 0.07% | 0.13% | 0.07% | 0.08% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 322 | 173 | 287 | 649 | 723 | 0.51% | 0.20% | 0.23% | 0.43% | 0.46% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x <ref>not an option in the 1980 Census</ref> | x <ref>not an option in the 1990 Census</ref> | 2,872 | 2,405 | 4,383 | x | x | 2.33% | 1.59% | 2.81% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 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% |
| Place | Total Population | Bachelors Degree or Higher (%) | Total Housing Units | Total Households | Median Household Income | Employment Rate (%) | Without Health Care Coverage (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ahwahnee<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 2,296 | 30.3 | 1,000 | 785 | $79,250 | 45.6 | 2.8 |
| Bass Lake<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 575 | 59.9 | 868 | 139 | $145,083 | 38.8 | 12.6 |
| Chowchilla<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 23,377 | 13 | 5,765 | 5,399 | $69,139 | 37.7 | 8.2 |
| Coarsegold<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 4,144 | 22.7 | 1,837 | 1,738 | $81,814 | 49.8 | 4.9 |
| Fairmead<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 1,235 | 9.5 | 374 | 394 | $53,203 | 45.3 | 10.1 |
| La Vina<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 637 | 0 | 161 | 157 | 43.4 | 2.6 | |
| Madera<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 97,838 | 13.2 | 27,454 | 25,497 | $70,272 | 54 | 8.2 |
| Madera Acres<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 9,162 | 11.4 | 2,554 | 2,599 | $80,221 | 51.3 | 6.8 |
| Madera Ranchos<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 24.6 | 3,010 | $82,292 | 53.1 | 4.0 | ||
| Nippinawasse | 434 | 0 | 188 | 172 | $71,622 | 44.9 | 27.6 |
| Oakhurst<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 5,945 | 29.4 | 3,134 | 2,180 | $73,333 | 53.3 | 6.2 |
| Parksdale<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 3,234 | 7.4 | 784 | 611 | $45,281 | 43.8 | 8.9 |
| Yosemite Lakes<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 5,022 | 36.6 | 2,153 | 1,909 | $99,491 | 53.6 | 6.4 |
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.<ref name="Mining History">Template:Cite web</ref>
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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Of the estimated $1.35 million in gold extracted from Madera County, about $1 million came from mines in the Grub Gulch area.<ref name="Mining History" />
By the 1950s, production had declined to dredging operations along the Fresno, Chowchilla, and San Joaquin Rivers, with little activity after 1959.<ref name="Mining History" />
Tungsten
In the mid-20th century, tungsten was mined in Madera County’s High Sierra near Mammoth Lakes, Central Camp, and Fish Camp. The Strawberry Tungsten Mine was valued at $1 million in 1955 and by 1981 had the capacity to process 310 metric tons of ore daily.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Mining in the region declined in the 1980s due to lower tungsten prices and competition from imports, particularly from China. Tungsten production in Madera County and the Sierra Nevada has since ceased.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Lumber
The first sawmill in Madera County was constructed in 1852 on the east fork of Redwood Creek, north of Oakhurst, in an area known as Old Corral. It supplied lumber to miners and settlers in the Coarsegold and Fresno Flats (now Oakhurst) areas.<ref name="Sawmill History">Template:Cite web</ref> In 1854, Charles Converse and Bill Chitister relocated the mill to Crane Valley, now Bass Lake.<ref name="Sawmill History" />
In 1872, the California Lumber Company established a steam mill near Nelder Grove and constructed a Template:Convert log flume to transport lumber to Madera.<ref name="Sawmill History" /> The company was reorganized in 1874 and operated for several decades.<ref name="Coarsegold">Template:Cite book</ref>Template:Rp
Logging operations in the county declined during the Great Depression. Activity resumed in 1941 with the opening of a new sawmill in North Fork, which used trucks and modern equipment to reach deeper areas of the Sierra National Forest. The industry contracted again in the early 1990s due to federal regulations that reduced timber harvests. The North Fork mill closed in February 1994.
The North Fork Loggers Jamboree is held annually to commemorate the county’s logging history.
21st century
Employment
Madera County's employment sectors are a blend of traditional industries like farming and manufacturing, coupled hospitality and service-oriented fields.<ref name="Madera County Economic Forecast 2021">Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Rp Based on the average employment percentages from 2015 to 2022, the employment sectors in Madera County are ranked as follows:
| Sector | Employment Share |
|---|---|
| Government | 12.71% |
| Farm | 12.08% |
| Health & Education | 11.08% |
| Wholesale & Retail Trade | 5.45% |
| Leisure | 4.26% |
| Professional Services | 3.63% |
| Manufacturing | 3.31% |
| Construction | 2.14% |
| Transportation and Utilities | 1.44% |
| Financial Activities | 0.71% |
| Information | 0.30% |
The sectors that saw the largest decrease in the period were information (-25%), financial activities (-12.50%) and manufacturing (-5.71%). Looking towards the future, Government, Health and Education and Professional Sectors are forecast to be the fastest growing employment sectors.<ref name="Madera County Economic Forecast 2021" />Template:Rp
Agriculture
Agriculture is a major sector of Madera County’s economy. In 2022, the county’s gross crop value was reported at $1.9 billion.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The leading commodities were almonds, grapes, and pistachios.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Cattle ranching and pollination services also ranked among the county’s top five agricultural sectors.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Madera County ranked first in California for fig production, and fourth statewide in almonds, pistachios, and grapes (primarily raisin varieties).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
| Commodity | 2022 Rank | 2022 Dollar Value | 2021 Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Almonds, Nuts & Hulls | 1 | $570,739,000 | 1 |
| Milk | 2 | $454,727,000 | 2 |
| Grapes | 3 | $233,893,000 | 3 |
| Pistachios | 4 | $227,873,000 | 4 |
| Pollination | 5 | $66,880,000 | 5 |
| Cattle & Calves | 6 | $62,317,000 | 6 |
| Mandarins & Tangerines | 7 | $45,036,000 | 7 |
| Corn Silage | 8 | $37,293,000 | 9 |
| Replacement Heifers | 9 | $34,255,000 | 8 |
| Alfalfa, Hay & Silage* | 10 | $26,845,000 | ** |
In the 1990s Mixtec farmworkers were a large presence in the southern part of the state, and were beginning to filter northwards here along with other Mexican indigenous agricultural laborers to work in the county's farms.<ref name="Mix-1995"/>
Education
Madera County is mostly covered by the State Center Community College District centered on Fresno City College in Fresno. Other districts with territory within Madera County also include the West Hills Community College District and the Merced Community College District.
School districts include:<ref>Template:Cite web - Text list</ref>
Unified: Template:Div col
- Chawanakee Unified School District
- Firebaugh-Las Deltas Unified School District
- Golden Valley Unified School District
- Madera Unified School District
- Yosemite Unified School District - Includes some sections zoned for K-12 and some for grades 9–12 only
Secondary:
Elementary: Template:Div col
- Alview-Dairyland Union Elementary School District
- Bass Lake Joint Union Elementary School District
- Chowchilla Elementary School District
- Raymond-Knowles Union Elementary School District
Government, policing, and politics
Government
The government of Madera County is mandated by the California Constitution to have a five-member Board of Supervisors elected to staggered four-year terms. The Board of Supervisors: District 1, Jordan Wamhoff; District 2, David Rogers; District 3, Robert Poythress; District 4, Leticia Gonzalez; District 5, Robert Macaulay; and County Administrator, Jay Varney; and staff provide for voter registration and elections, law enforcement, jails, vital records, property records, tax collection, public health, roads, and social services for the entire county. It is the local government for all unincorporated areas. Other elected offices include the Sheriff, Tyson Pogue; District Attorney, Sally Orme Moreno; Assessor, Brian Glover (acting); Auditor-Controller, David Richstone; Treasurer-Tax Collector, Tracy Kennedy; and Clerk/Registrar of Voters-Recorder, Rebecca Martinez.
Policing
Madera County Sheriff's Office
The Sheriff's Office and staff provide court protection, jail administration, and coroner service for all of Madera County with its total population of approximately 156,000 residents. The Sheriff provides police patrol and detective services to the unincorporated areas of the county, which contain approximately 70,000 residents, or 45% of Madera County's total population. The Sheriff's main station and offices are in the City of Madera. There are two Sheriff's substations: Oakhurst, population 3,000, and The Madera Ranchos, population 12,000, both on Highway 41 to Yosemite National Park in the Sierras.
Municipal police departments
The municipal police departments within Madera County are Madera, the county seat, population 62,000, and Chowchilla, population 19,600.
Correctional Facilities
Madera County has three correctional facilities. The first is the Madera County Jail, managed by the elected Sheriff. The second, Valley State Prison, is a state-run prison located in Chowchilla.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The third, the Central California Women's Facility, is also in Chowchilla, across from Valley State Prison. Inmates are counted in the county's census population.
Politics
Voter registration
| Population and registered voters | ||
|---|---|---|
| Total population<ref name="US-CB-B02001">U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B02001. U.S. Census website. Retrieved October 26, 2013.</ref> | 149,611 | |
| Registered voters<ref name="CA-SS">California Secretary of State. February 10, 2013 - Report of Registration Template:Webarchive. Retrieved October 31, 2013.</ref><ref name="PCT-RV" group=note>Percentage of registered voters with respect to total population. Percentages of party members with respect to registered voters follow.</ref> | 53,782 | 35.9% |
| Democratic<ref name="CA-SS"/> | 18,212 | 33.9% |
| Republican<ref name="CA-SS"/> | 23,858 | 44.4% |
| Democratic–Republican spread<ref name="CA-SS"/> | -5,646 | -10.5% |
| Independent<ref name="CA-SS"/> | 1,615 | 3.0% |
| Green<ref name="CA-SS"/> | 208 | 0.4% |
| Libertarian<ref name="CA-SS"/> | 264 | 0.5% |
| Peace and Freedom<ref name="CA-SS"/> | 131 | 0.2% |
| Americans Elect<ref name="CA-SS"/> | 0 | 0.0% |
| Other<ref name="CA-SS"/> | 191 | 0.4% |
| No party preference<ref name="CA-SS"/> | 9,303 | 17.3% |
Cities by population and voter registration
| Cities by population and voter registration | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City | Population<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/> | Registered voters<ref name="CA-SS"/> <ref name="PCT-RV" group=note/> |
Democratic<ref name="CA-SS"/> | Republican<ref name="CA-SS"/> | D–R spread<ref name="CA-SS"/> | Other<ref name="CA-SS"/> | No party preference<ref name="CA-SS"/> |
| Chowchilla | 18,465 | 22.5% | 30.8% | 45.1% | -14.3% | 9.0% | 18.8% |
| Madera | 60,221 | 26.8% | 44.9% | 33.1% | +11.8% | 6.2% | 18.4% |
Overview
Madera is a strongly Republican county in presidential and congressional elections. The last Democrat to win a majority in the county was Jimmy Carter in 1976.
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Madera is split between the 5th and 13th congressional districts,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> represented by Template:Representative and Template:Representative, respectively.<ref>Template:Cite GovTrack</ref>
With respect to the California State Assembly, the county is split between Template:Representative, and Template:Representative.<ref name=ccrc>Template:Cite web</ref>
In the California State Senate, Madera is split between Template:Representative, and Template:Representative.<ref name=ccrc/>
On November 4, 2008, Madera County voted 73.4% for Proposition 8, which amended the California Constitution to define marriage as a union between one man and one woman.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
The county is one of three counties in California to establish a separate department to deal with corrections, pursuant to California Government Code §23013, the Madera County Department of Corrections, along with Napa County and Santa Clara County. The officers receive their powers under 831 and 831.5 of the California Penal Code.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Crime
The following table includes the number of incidents reported and the rate per 1,000 persons for each type of offense.
| Population and crime rates | ||
|---|---|---|
| Population<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/> | 149,611 | |
| Violent crime<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11">Office of the Attorney General, Department of Justice, State of California. Table 11: Crimes – 2009 Template:Webarchive. Retrieved November 14, 2013.</ref> | 685 | 4.58 |
| Homicide<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/> | 3 | 0.02 |
| Forcible rape<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/> | 36 | 0.24 |
| Robbery<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/> | 162 | 1.08 |
| Aggravated assault<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/> | 484 | 3.24 |
| Property crime<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/> | 2,144 | 14.33 |
| Burglary<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/> | 1,166 | 7.79 |
| Larceny-theft<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/><ref name="LT-note group=note">Only larceny-theft cases involving property over $400 in value are reported as property crimes.</ref> | 1,484 | 9.92 |
| Motor vehicle theft<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/> | 520 | 3.48 |
| Arson<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/> | 18 | 0.12 |
Cities by population and crime rates
| Cities by population and crime rates | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City | Population<ref name="FBI-UCR-T8">United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation. Crime in the United States, 2012, Table 8 (California). Retrieved November 14, 2013.</ref> | Violent crimes<ref name="FBI-UCR-T8"/> | Violent crime rate per 1,000 persons |
Property crimes<ref name="FBI-UCR-T8"/> | Property crime rate per 1,000 persons | |||
| Chowchilla | 19,221 | 115 | 5.98 | 446 | 23.20 | |||
| Madera | 62,796 | 466 | 7.42 | 1,621 | 25.81 | |||
Attractions
Template:Col-begin Template:Col-break
- Bass Lake
- The Balls
- Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino
- Corlieu Falls
- Ducey's Bass Lake Lodge
- The Forks Resort
- Fresno Dome
- Hensley Lake
- Mammoth Pool Reservoir
- Madera AVA
- Nelder Grove
- The Pines Resort
- Mount Ritter
- Shuteye Peak
- Sierra Vista Scenic Byway
- Willow Creek
- Yosemite National Park
Template:Col-break Template:Col-end
Transportation
Major highways
Areas Inaccessible by Road
Eastern Madera County includes areas such as Devils Postpile National Monument and Minaret Summit that are not accessible by road from the rest of the county. Access is through California State Route 203, which crosses into Mono County and connects to Mammoth Lakes. Red's Meadow Road branches from this route to reach Devils Postpile.
A gap of less than Template:Convert separates the end of Minaret Road, extending northeast from North Fork, from the terminus of Red’s Meadow Road in the Eastern Sierra. In the 20th century, proposals were advanced to link the San Joaquin Valley and the Eastern Sierra by highway or tunnel across Minaret Summit. To preserve the option for such a project, an area southwest of the summit was excluded from the Wilderness Act of 1964.
In the 1970s, Governor Ronald Reagan opposed the highway proposal after visiting the region. The area was later designated as wilderness under the California Wilderness Act of 1984.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Public transportation
- Madera County Connection provides service between the cities of Madera and Chowchilla. Routes also run to eastern Madera County. A connection to Fresno can be made at Valley Children's Hospital near the county line.
- The cities of Madera and Chowchilla also have their own local, intracity transit services named Madera Metro and Chowchilla Area Transit, respectively.
- Greyhound buses and Amtrak trains stop in Madera
Airports
- Madera Municipal Airport and Chowchilla Airport are general aviation airports.
Communities
Cities
- Chowchilla
- Madera (county seat)
Census-designated places
- Ahwahnee
- Bass Lake
- Bonadelle Ranchos
- Coarsegold
- Fairmead
- La Vina
- Madera Acres
- Madera Ranchos
- Nipinnawasee
- North Fork
- Oakhurst
- Parksdale
- Parkwood
- Rolling Hills
- Yosemite Lakes
Unincorporated communities
Population ranking
The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Madera County.<ref>2010 Census</ref>
† county seat
| Rank | City/Town/etc. | Municipal type | Population (2010 Census) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | † Madera | City | 61,416 |
| 2 | Chowchilla | City | 18,720 |
| 3 | Madera Acres | CDP | 9,163 |
| 4 | Bonadelle Ranchos-Madera Ranchos | CDP | 8,569 |
| 5 | Yosemite Lakes | CDP | 4,952 |
| 6 | Oakhurst | CDP | 2,829 |
| 7 | Parksdale | CDP | 2,621 |
| 8 | Parkwood | CDP | 2,268 |
| 9 | Ahwahnee | CDP | 2,246 |
| 10 | Coarsegold | CDP | 1,840 |
| 11 | Fairmead | CDP | 1,447 |
| 12 | Rolling Hills | CDP | 742 |
| 13 | Bass Lake | CDP | 527 |
| 14 | Nipinnawasee | CDP | 475 |
| 15 | La Vina | CDP | 279 |
| 16 | Picayune Rancheria (Chukchansi Indians)<ref>2010 Census Interactive Population Search</ref> | AIAN | 69 |
| 17 | Northfork Rancheria (Mono Indians)<ref>2010 Census Interactive Population Search</ref> | AIAN | 60 |
See also
- Sierra National Forest
- Nelder Grove
- Fresno Dome
- List of museums in the San Joaquin Valley
- List of school districts in Madera County, California
- Madera Community Hospital
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Madera County, California
- USS Madera County (LST-905)
Notes
References
External links
- Template:Official website
- Madera County GenWeb - Genealogy
- Madera County History—Transcription of 1933 document on the county's history
- Oakhurst Area Chamber of Commerce
- Yosemite Sierra Visitors Bureau
- Madera Tribune, newspaper for the western half of the county founded March 31, 1892
- Superior Court of Madera County
- Madera County Library
- Madera Community Hospital
- Madera Values Quarterly Magazine
Template:Cities of Madera County, California Template:San Joaquin Valley Template:US state navigation box Template:Authority control Template:Coord