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84-663: Lafayette (formerly La Fayette ) is a city in Contra Costa County, California , United States. As of 2020, the city's population was 25,391. It was named after the Marquis de Lafayette , a French military officer of the American Revolutionary War . Before the colonization of the region by Spain, Lafayette and its vicinity were inhabited by the Saclan tribe of the indigenous Bay Miwok . Ohlone also populated some of

168-481: A capital “F” in the middle. In 1864 the place name "Lafayette" first appeared on a map of the area, titled "Bancroft's Map of California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona (copyrighted 1863. Scale: 24 miles to 1 inch). Yet research by Ruth Dyer, Lafayette historian, shows that the name of the post office and of the new town itself soon began to be written as two words, “La Fayette.” By 1890 it had changed to one word, "Lafayette," and so appeared in an official communication from

252-619: A character actively sought by some housing purchasers. The downside of this is a corresponding lack of affordable housing for those working lower-paying service jobs — a problem endemic throughout the region. There has recently been a housing boom or tract housing in Richmond and also in the Hercules areas. These gentrifying areas are the most diverse in Contra Costa County. Commuter town Often commuter towns form when workers in

336-424: A concrete-lined and fenced irrigation canal still makes a loop through central county and provided industrial and agricultural grade water to farms and industry. While no longer used for extensive irrigation, it is still possible for adjoining landowners (now large suburban lot owners) to obtain pumping permits. Most of this water is destined for the heavy industry near Martinez. As with the railroad rights of way there

420-653: A hill overlooking the Lafayette BART station and Highway 24 "to represent and memorialize the American soldiers who have died in the ongoing Iraqi war." As of January 2014, there are approximately 6,000 crosses in place, representing the US troops who have died in Iraq , and there is also a large sign displaying the total number of deaths. The memorial has generated public attention, media coverage and counter-protests due to its visibility from

504-560: A non-Indian population of over 100,000. The number of Indians living in California in 1850 has been estimated to be from 60,000 to 100,000. By 1850 the Mission Indian populations had largely succumbed to disease and abuse and only numbered a few thousand. California's 1852 state Census gives 31,266 Indian residents, but this is an under-count since there was little incentive and much difficulty in getting it more correct. Contra Costa County

588-504: A once substantial integrated steel plant, United States Steel , now reduced to secondary production of strip sheet and wire. The San Joaquin River forms a continuation of the northern boundary turns southward to form the eastern boundary of the county. Some substantial Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta "islands" (actually leveed former marshes) are included in this corner of the county. The West County

672-470: A one-room schoolhouse, taught by a 25-year-old Kentucky migrant, Benjamin Shreve. By 1865 the school had expanded to 43 students in five classes, and so in 1868 a tax levy of $ 1,000 was used to build a new schoolhouse; school expanded from a five-month year to a nine-month year. In 1893, a new schoolhouse was built to accommodate the increasing number of students; this building still stands today. On March 2, 1857,

756-452: A population of 23,893. The population density was 1,552.8 inhabitants per square mile (599.5/km). The racial makeup of Lafayette was 20,232 (84.7%) White , 166 (0.7%) African American , 66 (0.3%) Native American , 2,162 (9.0%) Asian , (2.1%) Pacific Islander , 240 (1.0%) from other races , and 1,000 (4.2%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1,388 persons (5.8%). The Census reported that 23,794 people (99.6% of

840-699: A region cannot afford to live where they work and must seek residency in another town with a lower cost of living . The late 20th century, the dot-com bubble and United States housing bubble drove housing costs in Californian metropolitan areas to historic highs, spawning exurban growth in adjacent counties. Workers with jobs in San Francisco found themselves moving further and further away to nearby cities like Oakland, Burlingame, and San Mateo. As rental and housing costs kept increasing, even renters that would normally be considered affluent elsewhere would struggle with

924-627: Is 19 °F (−7 °C), set in December 1990. The region directly east of the hills is generally known for its more suburban or rural atmosphere, and features rolling, grassy hills which highlight a more peaceful and domestic aura. In the southwestern part of Lafayette, is the Lafayette Reservoir , and Briones Regional Park extends into the northern part of Lafayette. Lafayette's wildlife communities include mixed woods and oak woodlands . The 2010 United States Census reported that Lafayette had

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1008-558: Is a county located in the U.S. state of California , in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area . As of the 2020 United States Census , the population was 1,165,927. The county seat is Martinez . It occupies the northern portion of the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area and is primarily suburban . The county's name refers to its position on the other side of the bay from San Francisco . Contra Costa County

1092-510: Is a 58.3% registration advantage with 641 Republicans (6.1%) out of 10,550 registered voters compared to 6,793 Democrats (64.4%) and 2,746 voters who have no party preference (26.0%). The following table includes the number of incidents reported and the rate per 1,000 persons for each type of offense. The great rancheros of the Spanish period were divided and sold for agricultural uses, with intensively irrigated farming made possible in some areas by

1176-468: Is currently Lafayette was given as a Mexican land grant, Rancho Acalanes to Candelario Valencia in 1834. The name Acalanes seems to have come from the name of a native village in the area, Ahala-n. American settlement started with the arrival of Elam Brown from St. Joseph, Missouri , in 1846. He purchased Rancho Acalanes in 1848. The settlement continued to steadily grow due to its proximity to San Francisco; starting with Brown's group of 18 settlers, by

1260-699: Is in the Lafayette Elementary School District . A small portion is in the Orinda Union Elementary School District . All of Lafayette is in the Acalanes Union High School District . The following is a list of notable residents of Lafayette, past and present. City of Lafayette Contra Costa County, California Contra Costa County ( / ˌ k ɒ n t r ə ˈ k ɒ s t ə / ; Contra Costa , Spanish for 'Opposite Coast')

1344-475: Is in the cities of Richmond , where there is a 60.3% registration advantage with 3,192 Republicans (6.2%) out of 51,395 registered voters compared to 34,159 Democrats (66.5%) and 12,095 voters who have no party preference (23.5%); El Cerrito , where there is a 59.0% registration advantage with 1,169 Republicans (7.4%) out of 15,877 registered voters compared to 10,543 Democrats (67.6%) and 3,654 voters who have no party preference (23.0%); and San Pablo , where there

1428-624: Is included in the San Francisco–Oakland–Berkeley, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area . In prehistoric times, particularly the Miocene epoch , portions of the landforms now in the area (then marshy and grassy savanna ) were populated by a wide range of now extinct mammals , known in modern times by the fossil remains excavated in the southern part of the county. In the northern part of the county, significant coal and sand deposits were formed in even earlier geologic eras . Other areas of

1512-460: Is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km) of it (1.08%) is water. The city is part of the greater San Francisco Bay Area and has its own station on the BART public transit system. Lafayette is situated between Walnut Creek , Moraga , and Orinda , and, together with the latter two towns, is considered locally as part of " Lamorinda ". Lafayette is separated from greater Berkeley and Oakland by

1596-605: Is land and 88 square miles (230 km ) (11%) is water. Contra Costa County's physical geography is dominated by the bayside alluvial plain, the Oakland Hills – Berkeley Hills , several inland valleys, and Mount Diablo , an isolated 3,849-foot (1,173 m) upthrust peak at the north end of the Diablo Range of hills. The summit of Mount Diablo is the origin of the Mount Diablo Meridian and Base Line , on which

1680-430: Is now Concord/Buchanan Field Airport . Additionally, a large Naval Weapons Depot and munitions ship loading facilities at Port Chicago remain active to this day, but with the inland storage facilities recently declared surplus, extensive redevelopment is being planned for this last large central-county tract. The loading docks were the site of a devastating explosion in 1944. Port Chicago was bought out and demolished by

1764-446: Is now an extensive public trail system along these canals. The development of commuter railroads proceeded together with the subdivision of farms into parcels. In some cases, such as the development of Saranap , the same developer controlled both the railroad ( Sacramento Northern ) and the development. These early suburbanization developments were an extension of the earlier development of trolley car suburbs in what are now considered

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1848-543: Is quite different from North American commuter towns that are almost exclusively the result of transportation by car. Where commuters are wealthier and small town housing markets are weaker than city housing markets, the development of a bedroom community may raise local housing prices and attract upscale service businesses in a process akin to gentrification . Long-time residents may be displaced by new commuter residents due to rising house prices. This can also be influenced by zoning restrictions in urbanized areas that prevent

1932-714: Is the Park Theater, which first opened in 1941, and then ceased operations in 2005. The Park Theater was originally a movie theater located on an intersection where the La Fayette statue was built. It then showed its last movie before ceasing operations in 2005. Recently, however, efforts have been made to reopen the Park theater for viewing. As of February 10, 2021, Lafayette has 19,151 registered voters with 10,177 (53%) registered as Democrats, 3,813 (20%) registered as Republicans, and 4,298 (22%) decline to state voters. Most of Lafayette

2016-416: Is the area near or on San Francisco and San Pablo bays. The housing stock in the region was extensively developed after the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906. Much of the housing stock in these areas is becoming quite expensive. As an alternative to moving to either the expensive central county, or the too-distant East County, this area is becoming gentrified , with a mix of races and income levels —

2100-519: The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system, the modernization of Highway 24 , and the addition of a fourth Caldecott Tunnel bore all served to reinforce the demographic and economic trends in the Diablo Valley area, with cities such as Walnut Creek and Concord becoming edge cities . The central county cities have in turn spawned their own suburbs within the county, extending east along

2184-726: The Berkeley Hills (and the Caldecott Tunnel running beneath), a geographical boundary within the East Bay which also represents interesting meteorological, cultural, and political distinctions. Like the rest of the San Francisco Bay Area, Lafayette has a Mediterranean climate ( Köppen climate classification Csa ); however, the climate differences can be striking: during the summer, temperatures can soar beyond 100 °F (38 °C) in Lafayette and its neighboring cities while

2268-635: The Brookings Institution in 2006, the term is generally used for areas beyond suburbs and specifically less densely built than the suburbs to which the exurbs' residents commute. Comparatively low density towns – often featuring large lots and large homes – create heavy motor vehicle dependency . "They begin as embryonic subdivisions of a few hundred homes at the far edge of beyond, surrounded by scrub. Then, they grow – first gradually, but soon with explosive force – attracting stores, creating jobs and struggling to keep pace with

2352-462: The Diablo thrust fault near Danville are all considered capable of significantly destructive earthquakes and many lesser related faults are present in the area that cross critical infrastructure such as water, natural gas, and petroleum product pipelines, roads, highways, railroads, and BART rail transit. Contra Costa County is broadly divided into three sub-areas: The most notable natural landmark in

2436-625: The Mexican War of Independence resulted in the secularization of the missions with the re-distribution of their lands, and a new system of land grants under the Mexican Federal Law of 1824. Mission lands extended throughout the Bay Area, including portions of Contra Costa County. Between 1836 and 1846, during the era when California was a province of independent Mexico, the following 15 land grants were made in Contra Costa County. The smallest unit

2520-565: The Pony Express . In the mid-1900s, Lafayette was transformed from an agricultural village into a commuter town , and was incorporated in 1968. Lafayette is located at 37°53′09″N 122°07′05″W  /  37.88583°N 122.11806°W  / 37.88583; -122.11806 . According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 15.4 square miles (40 km). 15.2 square miles (39 km) of it

2604-597: The San Ramon Valley . Early contact was fleeting and mostly peaceful, however, in the late 1700s, Spanish cattle were grazed the territory of the Saklan and their neighbors. The Saklans were one of the few groups who mounted resistance against the efforts of the Spanish to convert them to Christianity. Christian natives were sent to the Saklans to convince them to give up their culture and come to Mission San Jose; they were killed by

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2688-537: The surveys of much of California and western Nevada are based. The Hayward Fault Zone runs through the western portion of the county, from Kensington to Richmond. The Calaveras Fault runs in the south-central portion of the county, from Alamo to San Ramon. The Concord Fault runs through part of Concord and Pacheco, and the Clayton-Marsh Creek-Greenville Fault runs from Clayton at its north end to near Livermore. These strike-slip faults and

2772-591: The Catholic Church (with 204,070 members) and The Baptist General Conference (with 24,803 members). The Rohr Jewish Learning Institute teaches courses in the county. Since 1932, Contra Costa County has been a Democratic stronghold in presidential elections. It temporarily leaned toward the Republican Party in the 1970s and 1980s, with successive presidential wins by Richard Nixon in 1972, Gerald Ford in 1976, and Ronald Reagan in 1980 and 1984. Reagan

2856-840: The Federal Government to form a safety zone near the Naval Weapons Station loading docks. At one time the Atlas Powder Company (subsequently closed) produced gunpowder and dynamite. The site of the former Atlas Powder Company is located at Point Pinole Regional Shoreline , part of the East Bay Regional Parks District . With the postwar baby boom and the desire for suburban living, large tract housing developers would purchase large central county farmsteads and develop them with roads, utilities and housing. Once mostly rural walnut orchards and cattle ranches,

2940-542: The French general who became a hero of the American Revolution (probably not because his wife was a native of Lafayette, Indiana). The first LaFayette post office was established at 3535 Plaza Way. Shreve became the town's first permanent postmaster, holding the job for 30 years. Spelling: On the original document from the U.S. Postal Service, dated March 2, 1857, the name “LaFayette” is unmistakably written as one word with

3024-591: The LaFayette post office was established by the U.S. Postal Service. (The official document giving this exact date was supplied to the Lafayette Historical Society in 1993 by the Historical Division of the U.S. Postal Service.) Prior to 1857 the community that is now known as "Lafayette" actually had no official name but was sometimes called Dog Town, Brown's Corner, Brown's Mill, and (when Milo Hough

3108-438: The Saklans who wanted nothing to do with the Spanish way of life. A punitive expedition was sent to the area in 1797 to repress the Saklans, and a battle was fought in modern-day Lafayette. In the early 1800s, many Saklan fled to the mission as a result of societal collapse from disease. By the 1810s the Saklan's tribal range was essentially devoid of inhabitants. Early interaction of these Native Americans with Europeans came with

3192-602: The Spanish colonization via the establishment of missions in this area, with the missions in San Jose, Sonoma, and San Francisco and particularly the establishment of a Presidio (a military establishment) in 1776. Although there were no missions established within this county, Spanish influence here was direct and extensive, through the establishment of land grants from the King of Spain to favored settlers. In 1821 Mexico gained independence from Spain. While little changed in ranchero life,

3276-458: The U.S. "Post Office Department" in Feb. 1899. Then by 1905 it was back to two words. Finally on March 31, 1932, the name of the post office was officially changed to Lafayette, which has remained unchanged to this day. Lafayette was the tenth post office established in Contra Costa County. (See Salley, History of California Post Offices). In the early 1860s, Lafayette was briefly the site of a station for

3360-566: The UK , both the national railway's tracks, trains, stations and real estate were included in the privatization agreements. Japan's privately operated railroads view real estate investment and development of commuter towns as central to their business model. These railroads continuously develop new residential and commercial areas alongside their existing and new routes and stations and adjust their train schedules in order to provide existing and prospective commuters with convenient work-commute routines. This

3444-409: The area was first developed as low-cost, large-lot suburbs, with a typical low-cost home being placed on a "quarter-acre" (1,000 m ) lot — actually a little less at 10,000 square feet (930 square metres). Some of the expansion of these suburban areas was clearly attributable to white flight from decaying areas of Alameda County and the consolidated city-county of San Francisco , but much

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3528-485: The areas along Lafayette Creek. The indigenous inhabitants' first contact with Europeans was in the late 18th century with the founding of Catholic missions in the region. These initial contacts developed into conflict, with years of armed struggle, including a battle on what is currently Lafayette soil in 1797 between the Saclan and the Spanish, and eventually resulting in the subjugation of the native population. Most of what

3612-479: The areas west of the hills and nearer to the bay remain up to 20 °F (11 °C) cooler. Summers are warm, dry and very sunny (although mornings can be foggy); winters are cool and damp, with occasional freezes. Most of the annual rainfall comes in the winter, although there are still plenty of clear days during that time. The record high temperature is 115 °F (46 °C), set in July 1972. The record low temperature

3696-474: The bayside portions opposite San Francisco and northern portions of Santa Clara County , were given up to form Alameda County effective March 25, 1853. The land titles in Contra Costa County may be traced to multiple subdivisions of a few original land grants. The grantee's family names live on in a few city and town names such as Martinez , Pacheco and Moraga and in the names of streets, residential subdivisions, and business parks. A few mansions from

3780-876: The brunt of the public operating budget in higher property or income taxes . Such municipalities may scramble to encourage commercial growth once an established residential base has been reached. In the UK, commuter towns were developed by railway companies to create demand for their lines. One 1920s pioneer of this form of development was the Metropolitan Railway (now part of London Underground ) which marketed its Metro-land developments. This initiative encouraged many to move out of central and inner-city London to suburbs such as Harrow , or out of London itself, to commuter villages in Buckinghamshire or Hertfordshire . Commuter towns have more recently been built ahead of adequate transportation infrastructure, thus spurring

3864-512: The census in 1852, 76 people were listed as living in the area. Brown founded a mill in 1853. One of the original settlers in Brown's party was Milo J. Hough. He built a hotel in 1853 near Plaza Park and in 1854 was named postmaster of the Acelanus post office, an alternate spelling of the original land grant, Acalanes. The post office was short-lived, closing the following year. A school began in 1852 in

3948-495: The commuter thoroughfare below. Also, since the creation of the memorial, there have been several incidents of vandalism . While some show support for the protest, other residents complain that it is disrespectful to the US military in Iraq and that it is an eyesore to the community. The memorial is on private property and modifications and trespassing without consent of the owners has been common. Another historical site found in Lafayette

4032-577: The construction of a house within a year. Fences were not required and were forbidden where they might interfere with roads or trails. Locally a large family required roughly 2000 head of cattle and two square leagues of land (fourteen square miles) to live comfortably. Foreign entrepreneurs came to the area to provide goods that Mexico could not, and trading ships were taxed. The exclusive land ownership in California by Hispanics in California would soon end. John Marsh , owner of Rancho Los Meganos in Contra Costa County, sent letters to influential people in

4116-476: The construction of suitably cheap housing closer to places of employment. The number of commuter towns increased in the US and the UK during the 20th century because of a trend for people to move out of the cities into the surrounding green belt . In the United States, it is common for commuter towns to create disparities in municipal tax rates. When a commuter town collects few business taxes, residents must pay

4200-409: The county have ridges exposing ancient but intact (not fossilized) seashells, embedded in sandstone layers alternating with limestone . Layers of volcanic ash ejected from geologically recent but now extinct volcanoes , compacted and now tilted by compressive forces, may be seen at the site of some road excavations. This county is an agglomeration of several distinct geologic terranes , as is most of

4284-476: The county is the 3,849-foot (1,173 m) Mount Diablo , at the northerly end of the Diablo Range . Mount Diablo and its neighboring North Peak are the centerpiece of Mt. Diablo State Park (MDSP), created legislatively in 1921 and rededicated in 1931 after land acquisitions had been completed. At the time this park comprised a very small portion of the mountain. In the 1960s, suburban development expanding from

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4368-459: The county's estuarine north shore; with the older development areas of Bay Point and Pittsburg being augmented by extensive development in Antioch , Oakley , and Brentwood . The effects of the housing value crash (2008–2011) varied widely throughout the county. Values of houses in prosperous areas with good schools declined only modestly in value, while houses recently built in outlying suburbs in

4452-412: The development of canals that brought water from the eastern riverside portions of the county to the central portion. Other areas could use the more limited water available from local creeks and from wells. Orchards dominated where such water was available, while other, seasonally dry areas were used for cattle ranching. In central parts of the county walnuts were an especially attractive orchard crop, using

4536-521: The development of roads and public transportation systems. These can take the form of light rail lines extending from the city center to new streetcar suburbs and new or expanded highways , whose construction and traffic can lead to the community becoming part of a larger conurbation . A 2014 study by the British Office for National Statistics found that commuting also affects wellbeing. Commuters are more likely to be anxious, dissatisfied and have

4620-457: The eastern United States extolling the climate, soil, and potential for agriculture in California, with the purpose of encouraging Americans to immigrate to California and lead to its becoming part of the United States. His letters were published in newspapers throughout the East which started the first wagon trains to California. He invited the settlers to stay on his ranch , and Rancho Los Meganos became

4704-467: The eastern part of the county experienced severe reductions in value, accelerated by high unemployment and consequent mortgage foreclosures, owner strategic walk-aways , and the too-rapid conversion of neighborhoods from owner-occupancy to rentals. Home values rebounded as the economy recovered from the recession. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 804 square miles (2,080 km ), of which 716 square miles (1,850 km )

4788-534: The greater San Francisco Bay Area , which is one of the most geologically complex regions in the world. The great local mountain Mount Diablo has been formed and continues to be elevated by compressive forces resulting from the action of plate tectonics and at its upper reaches presents ancient seabed rocks scraped from distant oceanic sedimentation locations and accumulated and lifted by these great forces. Younger deposits at middle altitudes include pillow lavas ,

4872-578: The highly urban environments of the near East Bay. Owing to its extensive waterfront on San Francisco , San Pablo , and Suisun bays the northwestern and northern segments have long been sites for heavy industry, including a number of still active oil refineries (particularly Chevron in Richmond, Phillips 66 in Rodeo , Shell Oil (now PBF) and Tesoro (now Marathon)- in Martinez), chemical plants ( Dow Chemical ) and

4956-399: The more prosperous farms have been preserved as museums and cultural centers and one of the more rustic examples has been preserved as a working demonstration ranch, Borges Ranch . In the 1860 United States Census, Contra Costa County had a population of 4,381. During World War II, Richmond hosted one of the two Bay Area sites of Kaiser Shipyards and wartime pilots were trained at what

5040-628: The name of the mountain, one in 2005 and another in 2011, but these were not successful. The 2010 United States Census reported that Contra Costa County had a population of 1,049,025. The racial makeup of Contra Costa County was 614,512 (58.6%) White ; 97,161 (9.3%) African American ; 6,122 (0.6%) Native American ; 151,469 (14.4%) Asian (4.6% Filipino, 3.8% Chinese, 2.1% Indian); 4,845 (0.5%) Pacific Islander ; 112,691 (10.7%) from other races ; and 62,225 (5.9%) from two or more races. There were 255,560 people (24.4%) of Hispanic or Latino ancestry, of any race; 17.1% of Contra Costa County's population

5124-512: The open spaces that stretch to the north. The open spaces controlled by cities, the East Bay Regional Park District, Mount Diablo State Park, and various regional preserves now adjoin and protect most of the elevated regions of the mountain. The name Mount Diablo is said to originate from an incident involving Spanish soldiers who christened a thicket as Monte del Diablo when natives they were pursuing apparently disappeared into

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5208-959: The park. MDSP was the first of twenty-nine Diablo-area parks and preserves that have been created around the peaks; today these preserves protect more than 89,000 acres (360 km ). These Diablo public lands stretch southeast and include the Concord Naval Weapons Station , Shell Ridge Open Space and Lime Ridge Open Spaces near Walnut Creek, to the State Park, and east to the Los Vaqueros Reservoir watershed and four surrounding East Bay Regional Park District preserves, including Morgan Territory Regional Preserve , Brushy Peak Regional Preserve , Vasco Caves Regional Preserve , and Round Valley Regional Preserve . The new Marsh Creek State Park , formerly known as Cowell Ranch State Park, and Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve , are among

5292-640: The population) lived in households, 38 (0.2%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 61 (0.3%) were institutionalized. There were 9,223 households, out of which 3,262 (35.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 5,871 (63.7%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 651 (7.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 273 (3.0%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 306 (3.3%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships , and 75 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships . 1,916 households (20.8%) were made up of individuals, and 802 (8.7%) had someone living alone who

5376-534: The population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 4,769 people (20.0%) lived in rental housing units. In 2016, the median household income in Lafayette was over $ 140,000. The Lafayette Library and Learning Center of the Contra Costa County Library is located in Lafayette. Oakmont Memorial Park is a cemetery in Lafayette. Oakwood serves as a country club/fitness center for Lamorindans. In November 2006, area residents began placing crosses on

5460-594: The population, while ethnic Asians constituted 13.1%. Latinos, representing people of Spanish, Portuguese, indigenous and mestizo populations of the Western hemisphere, comprised 21.1% of the county population. In 2000, there were 344,129 households, out of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.5% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.6% were non-families. 22.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.00% had someone living alone who

5544-613: The product of undersea volcanic eruptions. The Bay Miwok , Yokut and Ohlone people lived in the area now known as Contra Costa County before the arrival of Spanish colonists. The Volvon triblet of the Miwok lived on Tuyshtak ( Mount Diablo near present day Walnut Creek ) until they were forcibly moved from their land into the Spanish missions in the early 1800s. The Saklan tribe lived between Moraga , along San Leandro Creek , to Lafayette . Beginning in 1772, expeditions of Spanish missionaries and soldiers from Mission San José entered

5628-401: The prospect of home ownership in an area with higher quality schools and amenities. As of 2003 , over 80% of the workforce of Tracy, California , was employed in the San Francisco Bay Area . In some cases, commuter towns can result from changing economic conditions. Steubenville, Ohio along with neighboring Weirton, West Virginia had an independent regional identity until the collapse of

5712-409: The sense that their daily activities lack meaning than those who don't have to travel to work, even if they are paid more. The term exurb (a portmanteau of "extra & urban") was coined by Auguste Comte Spectorsky in his 1955 book The Exurbanites , to describe the ring of prosperous communities beyond the suburbs that are commuter towns for an urban area. However, since a landmark report by

5796-510: The steel industry in the 1980s. Steubenville Pike and the Parkway West also created easier access to the much larger city of Pittsburgh . In 2013, Jefferson County, Ohio (where Steubenville is located) was added to the Pittsburgh metropolitan area as part of its larger Combined Statistical Area . In Japan, most of the national railway network was privatized by the 1980s but unlike in

5880-411: The surrounding valleys began to threaten the open space of the mountain. In 1971, MDSP consisted of 6,788 acres (27.5 km ). That year, concerned residents formed the non-profit organization Save Mount Diablo to raise funds and awareness to protect more open space. In addition to encouraging acquisition by the state and local authorities, SMD started fundraising and acquiring properties to transfer to

5964-686: The terminus of the California trail. This led to the Bear Flag Revolt in 1846 when about 30 settlers originally from the United States declared a republic in June 1846 and were enlisted and fighting under the U.S. flag by July 1846. Following the Mexican–American War of 1846–48, California was controlled by U.S. settlers organized under the California Battalion and the U.S. Navy 's Pacific Squadron . After some minor skirmishes, California

6048-510: The thicket. Anglo settlers later misunderstood the use of the word 'monte' (which can mean 'mountain', or 'thicket'), and applied the name to the most obvious local landmark. According to the Contra Costa Times , in 2011, there were rumors that Contra Costa County was going to rename the mountain as "Mt. Ronald Reagan" or "Mt. Reagan", after the former US president and California governor. Residents have generated multiple petitions to change

6132-477: The thin-shelled English Walnut branches grafted to the hardy and disease-resistant American Walnut root stock. In the Moraga region, pears dominated, and many old (but untended) roadside trees are still picked seasonally by passers-by. In eastern county, stone fruit, especially cherries, is still grown commercially, with seasonal opportunities for people to pick their own fruit for a modest fee. The Contra Costa Canal ,

6216-545: Was $ 73,039 (these figures had risen to $ 75,483 and $ 87,435 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $ 52,670 versus $ 38,630 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 30,615. About 5.4% of families and 7.6% of the population were below the poverty line , including 9.8% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over. In 2000, the largest denominational groups were Catholics (with 204,070 adherents) and Evangelical Protestants (with 74,449 adherents). The largest religious bodies were

6300-430: Was 45.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males. There were 9,651 housing units at an average density of 627.2 per square mile (242.2/km), of which 9,223 were occupied, of which 6,937 (75.2%) were owner-occupied, and 2,286 (24.8%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.8%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.7%. 19,025 people (79.6% of

6384-419: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58. There were 6,795 families (73.7% of all households); the average family size was 3.01. The population was spread out, with 5,956 people (24.9%) under the age of 18, 1,220 people (5.1%) aged 18 to 24, 4,676 people (19.6%) aged 25 to 44, 8,069 people (33.8%) aged 45 to 64, and 3,972 people (16.6%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age

6468-403: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.23. In the county, the population was spread out, with: The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males. The median income for a household in the county was $ 63,675, and the median income for a family

6552-576: Was due to the postwar baby boom of the era creating demand for three- and four-bedroom houses with large yards that were unaffordable or unavailable in the established bayside cities. A number of large companies followed their employees to the suburbs, filling large business parks. The establishment of a large, prosperous population in turn fostered the development of large shopping centers and created demand for an extensive supporting infrastructure including roads, schools, libraries, police, firefighting, water, sewage, and flood control. The establishment of

6636-693: Was of Mexican ancestry, while 1.9% was of Salvadoran heritage. As of the census of 2000, there were 948,816 people, 344,129 households, and 242,266 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,318 inhabitants per square mile (509/km ). There were 354,577 housing units at an average density of 492 units per square mile (190 units/km ). Of residents who identified with European ethnicities, 9.0% were German, 7.7% Irish, 7.3% English, and 6.5% Italian ancestry according to Census 2000 . 74.1% spoke English, 13.1% Spanish, and 2.6% Tagalog . By 2005, 53.2% of Contra Costa County's population were non-Hispanic whites. African Americans made up 9.6% of

6720-433: Was one of the original 27 counties of California, created in 1850 at the time of statehood. The county was originally to be called Mt. Diablo County, but the name was changed prior to incorporation as a county. The county's Spanish language name means opposite coast , because of its location opposite San Francisco, in an easterly direction, on San Francisco Bay . Southern portions of the county's territory, including all of

6804-506: Was one square league, or about seven square miles, or 4,400 acres (17.8 square kilometers), maximum to one individual was eleven leagues, or 48,400 acres (195.9 km ), including no more than 4,428 acres (17.9 km ) of irrigable land. Rough surveying was based on a map, or diseño , measured by streams, shorelines, and/or horseman who marked it with rope and stakes. Lands outside rancho grants were designated el sobrante , as in surplus or excess, and considered common lands. The law required

6888-430: Was postmaster in 1854–1855) Alcalanus. The name "LaFayette" came together with the community's first post office. In 1857 Benjamin Shreve, owner and manager of a roadside hotel-general store (which faced today's Lafayette Plaza), applied for a post office for the community, first requesting the name Centerville. When informed that a post office with that name already existed in California, Shreve suggested La Fayette, after

6972-734: Was the last Republican presidential candidate to win the county. In the United States House of Representatives , Contra Costa County is split among three congressional districts: In the State Assembly , Contra Costa County is split among four districts: In the State Senate , the county is split among three districts: Democrats hold wide advantages in voter registration numbers in all political subdivisions in Contra Costa County. The Democrats' largest registration advantage in Contra Costa

7056-530: Was under U.S. control by January 1847 and formally annexed and paid for by the U.S. in 1848. By 1850, California's population of over 100,000 was rapidly growing due to the gold rush and the large amount of gold being exported east, which gave California enough clout to choose its own boundaries, write its own constitution, and be admitted to the Union as a free state in 1850 without going through territorial status as required for most other states. In 1850 California had

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