Ford City, California

Ford City
Location in Kern County and the state of California
Ford City
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 35°09′16″N 119°27′22″W / 35.15444°N 119.45611°W / 35.15444; -119.45611
Country United States
State California
CountyKern
Government
 • State senatorShannon Grove (R)[1]
 • AssemblymemberStan Ellis (R)[1]
 • U. S. rep.Vince Fong (R)[2]
Area
 • Total
1.535 sq mi (3.975 km2)
 • Land1.535 sq mi (3.975 km2)
 • Water0 sq mi (0 km2)  0%
Elevation892 ft (272 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
4,348
 • Density2,833/sq mi (1,094/km2)
Time zoneUTC-8 (PST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code
93268
Area code661
FIPS code06-24764
GNIS feature ID1660645

Ford City is a census-designated place (CDP) in Kern County, California, United States. Ford City is located 1 mile (1.61 km) north of Taft,[5] at an elevation of 892 feet (272 m).[4] The population was 4,348 at the 2020 census, up from 4,278 at the 2010 census. It is immediately north of Taft, between the huge Midway-Sunset Oil Field to the southwest, and the almost exhausted Buena Vista Oil Field to the northeast. State Route 119 passes east of town from its junction with SR 33 to the south.

Geography

Ford City is located at 35°09′16″N 119°27′22″W / 35.15444°N 119.45611°W / 35.15444; -119.45611.[4]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 1.5 square miles (3.9 km2), all of it land.

History

Originally an oil boom town, the place was named after Ford Motor Company due to the abundance of Ford Model T cars there.[5]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
19504,347
19603,926−9.7%
19703,503−10.8%
19803,392−3.2%
19903,78111.5%
20003,512−7.1%
20104,27821.8%
20204,3481.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
1860–1870[7][8] 1880-1890[9]
1900[10] 1910[11] 1920[12]
1930[13] 1940[14] 1950[15]
1960[16][17] 1970[18] 1980[19]
1990[20] 2000[21] 2010[22]
2020[23]

Ford City first appeared as an unincorporated place in the 1950 U.S. census;[15] and as a census designated place in the 1980 United States census.[19]

2020

Ford City CDP, California – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000[24] Pop 2010[25] Pop 2020[23] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 2,546 2,140 1,441 72.49% 50.02% 33.14%
Black or African American alone (NH) 8 12 19 0.23% 0.28% 0.44%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 47 14 11 1.34% 0.33% 0.25%
Asian alone (NH) 45 31 13 1.28% 0.72% 0.30%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) 19 31 2 0.54% 0.72% 0.05%
Other race alone (NH) 11 11 24 0.31% 0.26% 0.55%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 65 68 102 1.85% 1.59% 2.35%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 771 1,971 2,736 21.95% 46.07% 62.93%
Total 3,512 4,278 4,348 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

The 2020 United States census reported that Ford City had a population of 4,348. The population density was 2,832.6 inhabitants per square mile (1,093.7/km2). The racial makeup of Ford City was 38.9% White, 0.7% African American, 5.5% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 41.4% from other races, and 13.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 62.9% of the population.[26]

The whole population lived in households. There were 1,260 households, out of which 47.4% included children under the age of 18, 43.7% were married-couple households, 14.7% were cohabiting couple households, 24.2% had a female householder with no partner present, and 17.5% had a male householder with no partner present. 17.9% of households were one person, and 8.0% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.45.[26] There were 943 families (74.8% of all households).[27]

The age distribution was 32.6% under the age of 18, 12.2% aged 18 to 24, 27.9% aged 25 to 44, 18.7% aged 45 to 64, and 8.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.5 males.[26]

There were 1,410 housing units at an average density of 918.6 units per square mile (354.7 units/km2), of which 1,260 (89.4%) were occupied. Of these, 45.2% were owner-occupied, and 54.8% were occupied by renters.[26]

In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $45,976, and the per capita income was $19,149. About 32.9% of families and 39.2% of the population were below the poverty line.[28]

2010

At the 2010 census Ford City had a population of 4,278. The population density was 2,787.6 inhabitants per square mile (1,076.3/km2). The racial makeup of Ford City was 2,735 (63.9%) White, 28 (0.7%) African American, 153 (3.6%) Native American, 36 (0.8%) Asian, 32 (0.7%) Pacific Islander, 1,113 (26.0%) from other races, and 181 (4.2%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1,971 persons (46.1%).[29]

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

There were 1,260 households, 596 (47.3%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 607 (48.2%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 189 (15.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, 148 (11.7%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 138 (11.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 4 (0.3%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 242 households (19.2%) were one person and 94 (7.5%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 3.40. There were 944 families (74.9% of households); the average family size was 3.76.

The age distribution was 1,351 people (31.6%) under the age of 18, 622 people (14.5%) aged 18 to 24, 1,182 people (27.6%) aged 25 to 44, 772 people (18.0%) aged 45 to 64, and 351 people (8.2%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 27.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 110.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 113.0 males.

There were 1,426 housing units at an average density of 929.2 per square mile, of the occupied units 620 (49.2%) were owner-occupied and 640 (50.8%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.8%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.3%. 1,843 people (43.1% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 2,435 people (56.9%) lived in rental housing units.

References

  1. ^ a b "Final Maps | California Citizens Redistricting Commission". Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  2. ^ "California's 20th Congressional District - Representatives & District Map". Civic Impulse, LLC. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  3. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Ford City, California
  5. ^ a b Durham, David L. (1998). California's Geographic Names: A Gazetteer of Historic and Modern Names of the State. Clovis, California: Word Dancer Press. p. 1036. ISBN 1-884995-14-4.
  6. ^ "Decennial Census by Decade". United States Census Bureau.
  7. ^ "1870 Census of Population - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties - California - Almeda County to Sutter County" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 26, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  8. ^ "1870 Census of Population - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties - California - Tehama County to Yuba County" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 2, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  9. ^ "1890 Census of Population - Population of California by Minor Civil Divisions" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 11, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  10. ^ "1900 Census of Population - Population of California by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  11. ^ "1910 Census of Population - Supplement for California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 4, 2025. Retrieved February 4, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  12. ^ "1920 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 28, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  13. ^ "1930 Census of Population - Number and Distribution of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 17, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  14. ^ "1940 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 26, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  15. ^ a b "1950 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 19, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  16. ^ "1960 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 22, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  17. ^ "1960 Census of Population - General population Characteristics - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 22, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  18. ^ "1970 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 26, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  19. ^ a b "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 26, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  20. ^ "1990 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 26, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  21. ^ "2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 22, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  22. ^ "2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 28, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  23. ^ a b "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Ford City CDP, California". United States Census Bureau.
  24. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Ford City CDP, California". United States Census Bureau.
  25. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Ford City CDP, California". United States Census Bureau.
  26. ^ a b c d "Ford City CDP, California; DP1: Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics - 2020 Census of Population and Housing". US Census Bureau. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  27. ^ "Ford City CDP, California; P16: Household Type - 2020 Census of Population and Housing". US Census Bureau. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  28. ^ "Ford City CDP, California; DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics - 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates Comparison Profiles". US Census Bureau. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  29. ^ "2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Ford City CDP". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 12, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)