Maricopa, California

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of {{convert|1.5|sqmi|km2}}, all of it land. Maricopa is in the extreme southwestern corner of the San Joaquin Valley, on the first rise of land into the foothills of the Coast Ranges, with the Temblor Range, following the San Andreas Fault, trending northwest of town, and the San Emigdio Mountains to the southeast. The climate of the area is hot and semi-arid, with summertime temperatures routinely exceeding {{Convert|100|F|}}. Freezes occur in the winter, with the mean period without freezes being about 275 days. About six inches of rain falls annually in Maricopa.{{cite web |url=http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/projects/ecoregions/262az.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050311011517/http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/projects/ecoregions/262az.htm |archive-date=March 11, 2005 |title=Ecoregion description |publisher=U.S. Forest Service |access-date=February 22, 2014}}

The first post office opened in 1901, and Maricopa incorporated in 1911. The city was named after the Maricopa people.{{cite book|last=Gannett|first=Henry|title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ|year=1905|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n198 199]}}

{{US Census population

|1920= 1121

|1930= 1071

|1940= 670

|1950= 800

|1960= 648

|1970= 740

|1980= 946

|1990= 1193

|2000= 1111

|2010= 1154

|estyear=2019

|estimate=1192

|estref={{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.2019.html|date=May 24, 2020|title=Population and Housing Unit Estimates|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 27, 2020}}

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}

}}

At the 2010 census Maricopa had a population of 1,154. The population density was {{convert|768.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of Maricopa was 958 (83.0%) White, 1 (0.1%) African American, 27 (2.3%) Native American, 16 (1.4%) Asian, 2 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 112 (9.7%) from other races, and 38 (3.3%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 232 people (20.1%).{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0645736|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140715031211/http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0645736|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 15, 2014|title=2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Maricopa city|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=July 12, 2014}}

The whole population lived in households, no one lived in non-institutionalized group quarters and no one was institutionalized.

There were 414 households, 157 (37.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 191 (46.1%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 66 (15.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 34 (8.2%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 50 (12.1%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 2 (0.5%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 91 households (22.0%) were one person and 33 (8.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.79. There were 291 families (70.3% of households); the average family size was 3.20.

The age distribution was 306 people (26.5%) under the age of 18, 112 people (9.7%) aged 18 to 24, 252 people (21.8%) aged 25 to 44, 349 people (30.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 135 people (11.7%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 39.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.4 males.

There were 466 housing units at an average density of 310.3 per square mile, of the occupied units 268 (64.7%) were owner-occupied and 146 (35.3%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.8%; the rental vacancy rate was 9.8%. 704 people (61.0% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 450 people (39.0%) lived in rental housing units.

At the 2000 census there were 1,111 people in 404 households, including 302 families, in the city. The population density was {{convert|739.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 460 housing units at an average density of {{convert|306.3|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 85.87% White, 1.98% Native American, 0.45% Asian, 8.91% from other races, and 2.79% from two or more races. 13.50% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}

Of the 404 households 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.2% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.2% were non-families. 23.5% of households were one person and 9.2% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.22.

The age distribution was 29.8% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 26.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 111.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $27,917, and the median family income was $31,761. Males had a median income of $31,161 versus $23,333 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,692. About 15.6% of families and 21.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.2% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.

Maricopa Fire Department was established in 1910 with Chief F. W. Ball serving as the first fire chief. Maricopa Hospital opened on April 22, 1911, and the city was incorporated on July 25, 1911. Gary Biggerstaff was the chief of police when budget problems forced the city to close its police department in 1998. The Kern County Sheriff's Department provided police services to the citizens of Maricopa from 1998 until 2006 when the city reopened its police department in the old building.

As reported in the Los Angeles Times on July 4, 2011, the Maricopa Police Department has become embroiled in a local controversy playing out through large signs posted on the city's main thoroughfare. The police have been accused of racial profiling and "over-enforcement" regarding traffic violations and frequent towing of vehicles driven by drivers without proof of insurance or with license or license plate infractions. In mid-2011, American Civil Liberties Union lawyer Jennie Pasquarella is quoted as saying, "Maricopa has been a shining example of impoundments gone wrong," and "They're essentially creating a racket to steal people's cars."{{Cite web | url=http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-adv-maricopa-20110704,0,7126125.story | title=News from California, the nation and world| website=Los Angeles Times| date=July 4, 2011}}

The damage done during this era to the city of Maricopa's reputation persists, as recently as May 2022, Reason magazine reported that, "...the town of Maricopa gained a reputation for targeting drivers, especially farm workers, in the hopes that they'd be undocumented immigrants, thus allowing the small police department to impound their cars without much fuss."{{cite web |last1=CIARAMELLA |first1=C.J. |title=11 Insanely Corrupt Speed-Trap Towns |url=https://reason.com/2022/05/08/11-insanely-corrupt-speed-trap-towns/ |website=reason.com |publisher=Reason |access-date=May 10, 2022}}

Maricopa lies at the junction of Route 166 and Route 33.

The City of Taft operates Taft-Maricopa Area Transit, with buses serving Taft and Maricopa.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cityoftaft.org/pview.aspx?id=5385&catid=562|title = StackPath}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{commons category-inline|Maricopa, California}}
• {{wikivoyage inline|Maricopa}}

{{Cities of Kern County, California}}

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Category:1911 establishments in California

Category:Cities in Kern County, California

Category:Incorporated cities and towns in California

Category:Populated places established in 1911