Fresno County (), officially the County of Fresno, is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

located in the central portion of the U.S. state of

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 1,008,654. The

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

is Fresno, the fifth-most populous city in California. Fresno County comprises the Fresno, CA

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...

, which is part of the Fresno- Madera, CA

Combined Statistical Area Combined statistical area (CSA) is a United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) term for a combination of adjacent metropolitan (MSA) and micropolitan statistical areas (µSA) across the 50 US states and the territory of Puerto Ric ...

. It is located in the Central Valley, south of Stockton and north of

Bakersfield Bakersfield is a city in Kern County, California, United States. It is the county seat and largest city of Kern County. The city covers about near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley and the Central Valley region. Bakersfield's populat ...

. Since 2010, statewide droughts in California have further strained both Fresno County's and the entire Central Valley's water security.

History

The area now known as Fresno County was the traditional homeland of

Yokuts The Yokuts (previously known as MariposasPowell, 1891:90–91.) are an ethnic group of Native Americans native to central California. Before European contact, the Yokuts consisted of up to 60 tribes speaking several related languages. ''Yokuts ...

and

Mono Mono may refer to: Common meanings * Infectious mononucleosis, "the kissing disease" * Monaural, monophonic sound reproduction, often shortened to mono * Mono-, a numerical prefix representing anything single Music Performers * Mono (Japanese b ...

peoples, and was later settled by Spaniards during a search for suitable mission sites. In 1846, this area became part of the United States as a result of the Mexican War. Fresno County was formed in 1856 from parts of Mariposa,

Merced Merced (; Spanish for "Mercy") is a city in, and the county seat of, Merced County, California, United States, in the San Joaquin Valley. As of the 2020 Census, the city had a population of 86,333, up from 78,958 in 2010. Incorporated on April 1 ...

and Tulare counties. ''Fresno'' is Spanish for "ash tree" and it was in recognition of the abundance of the shrubby local Ash, ''

Fraxinus dipetala ''Fraxinus dipetala'', the California ash or two-petal ash, is a species of ash native to southwestern North America in the United States in northwestern Arizona, California, southern Nevada, and Utah, and in Mexico in northern Baja California. ...

'', growing along the San Joaquin River that it received its name. Parts of Fresno County's territory were given to Mono County in 1861 and to

Madera County Madera County (), officially the County of Madera, is a county at the geographic center of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 156,255. The county seat is Madera. Madera County comprises the Madera, CA Metr ...

in 1893. The original

was along the San Joaquin River in Millerton, but was moved to the rapidly growing town of Fresno on the newly built Southern Pacific Railroad line after a flood destroyed much of the town. The settling of Fresno County was not without its conflicts, land disputes, and other natural disasters. Floods caused immeasurable damage elsewhere and fires also plagued the settlers of Fresno County. In 1882, the greatest of the early day fires wiped out an entire block of the city of Fresno, and was followed by another devastating blaze in 1883. At the same time residents brought

irrigation Irrigation (also referred to as watering) is the practice of applying controlled amounts of water to land to help grow Crop, crops, Landscape plant, landscape plants, and Lawn, lawns. Irrigation has been a key aspect of agriculture for over 5,00 ...

, electricity, and extensive

agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...

to the area. In 1865,

William Helm William Helm (March 9, 1837 – April 10, 1919) was the largest individual sheep farmer and noteworthy among the early pioneer settlers of Fresno County, California. He was instrumental in the growth and prosperity of the San Joaquin Valley. ...

brought his sheep to Fresno county, which was then a vast space of open land. Helm was the largest individual sheep grower in Fresno County. Moses Church developed the first canals, called "Church Ditches," for

. These canals allowed extensive cultivation of

wheat Wheat is a grass widely cultivated for its seed, a cereal grain that is a worldwide staple food. The many species of wheat together make up the genus ''Triticum'' ; the most widely grown is common wheat (''T. aestivum''). The archaeologi ...

. Francis Eisen, leader of the wine industry in Fresno County, also began the

raisin A raisin is a dried grape. Raisins are produced in many regions of the world and may be eaten raw or used in cooking, baking, and brewing. In the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia, the word ''raisin'' is reserved for the d ...

industry in 1875, when he accidentally let some of his grapes dry on the vine. Anthony Young Easterby and Clovis Marshal Cole developed extensive grain and cattle ranches. These and other citizens laid the groundwork for the cultivation of Fresno County – now one of the nation's leading agricultural regions. In more recent times cotton became a major crop in Fresno and the southern San Joaquin Valley, but recent drought and lower demand have lessened cotton's importance to the local economy. The discovery of oil in the western part of the county, near the town of Coalinga at the foot of the

Coast Ranges The Pacific Coast Ranges (officially gazetted as the Pacific Mountain System in the United States) are the series of mountain ranges that stretch along the West Coast of North America from Alaska south to Northern and Central Mexico. Although the ...

, brought about an economic boom in the 1900s (decade), even though the field itself was known at least as early as the 1860s. By 1910, Coalinga Oil Field, the largest field in Fresno County, was the most richly productive oil field in California; a dramatic

oil gusher A blowout is the uncontrolled release of crude oil and/or natural gas from an oil well or gas well after pressure control systems have failed.'All About Blowout', R. Westergaard, Norwegian Oil Review, 1987 Modern wells have blowout preventers i ...

in 1909, the biggest in California up until that time, was an event of sufficient excitement to cause the

Los Angeles Stock Exchange The Los Angeles Oil Exchange was a regional stock exchange in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1899, in 1900 the name was changed to the Los Angeles Stock Exchange. In 1956, it merged into the Pacific Coast Stock Exchange. History The Los Ange ...

to close for a day so that its members could come by train to view it. The Coalinga field continues to produce oil, and is currently the eighth-largest field in the state. More than thirty structures in Fresno County are on the National Register of Historic Places, including the Fresno Water Tower, which once held over of water for the city of Fresno, the

Meux Home The Meux Home is a historic mansion located in Fresno, California. It was the residence of Thomas Richard Meux, a physician who served Fresno in the initial stages of the city's growth. History Meux family background Thomas Richard Meux wa ...

, and Kearney Mansion Museum.

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.9%) is water. Major

watercourse A stream is a continuous body of surface water flowing within the bed and banks of a channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to by a variety of local or regional names. Long large streams are ...

s are the San Joaquin River, Kings River, Delta-Mendota Canal, Big Creek, Friant Kern Canal, Helm Canal and

Madera Canal The Madera Canal is a -long aqueduct in the U.S. state of California. It is part of the Central Valley Project managed by the United States Bureau of Reclamation to convey water north to augment irrigation capacity in Madera County. It was also t ...

. It is bordered on the west by the Coast Range and on the east by the

Sierra Nevada The Sierra Nevada () is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Carson Range spur lies primarily ...

. It is the center of a large agricultural area, known as the most agriculturally rich county in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. The county withdrew of fresh water per day in 2000, more than any other county in the United States. In recent years, statewide droughts in California have further strained both Fresno's and the entire Central Valley's water security. Fresno County is part of the

Madera AVA The Madera AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Fresno County and Madera County, in central California. Production With a total area of , of which are planted to wine grapes, this region in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley ...

wine region This list of wine-producing regions catalogues significant growing regions where vineyards are planted. Wine grapes mostly grow between the 30th and the 50th degree of latitude, in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. Grapes will sometimes ...

. However, Fresno was named after two particular ash trees that grew near the town of Minkler on the Kings River, one of which is still alive and standing.

National protected areas

* Giant Sequoia National Monument (part) *

Kings Canyon National Park Kings Canyon National Park is an American national park in the southern Sierra Nevada, in Fresno and Tulare Counties, California. Originally established in 1890 as General Grant National Park, the park was greatly expanded and renamed to Kings ...

(part) *

Sequoia National Forest Sequoia National Forest is located in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains of California. The U.S. National Forest is named for the majestic Giant Sequoia (''Sequoiadendron giganteum'') trees which populate 38 distinct groves within the boundar ...

(part) *

Sierra National Forest Sierra National Forest is a U.S. national forest located on the western slope of central Sierra Nevada in Central California and bounded on the northwest by Yosemite National Park and the south by Kings Canyon National Park. The forest is kno ...

(part)

Geology

A number of

mineral In geology and mineralogy, a mineral or mineral species is, broadly speaking, a solid chemical compound with a fairly well-defined chemical composition and a specific crystal structure that occurs naturally in pure form.John P. Rafferty, ed. ( ...

s have been discovered in the county, including

macdonaldite Macdonaldite is a rare barium silicate mineral with a chemical formula of BaCa4Si16O36(OH)2·10H2O.Alfors, J.T., Stinson, M.C., Matthews, R.A., and Pabst, A. (1965) Seven new barium minerals from eastern Fresno County, California. American Minera ...

, krauskopfite, walstromite, fresnoite, verplanckite, muirite, traskite, and

kampfite Kampfite is a rare barium silicate–carbonate– halide mineral with the chemical formula . Discovered in 1964 and described in 2001, it is named after Anthony R. Kampf. The mineral is known only from Fresno County, California. Description Kamp ...

. In October

2019 File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...

, the

Bureau of Land Management The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior responsible for administering federal lands. Headquartered in Washington DC, and with oversight over , it governs one eighth of the country's la ...

ended a five-year moratorium on leasing federal land in California to fossil fuel companies, opening 725,000 acres (1100 sq. miles; 29,000 ha) to drilling in San Benito, Monterey, and Fresno counties.

Demographics

2020 census

''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 can be of any race.''

2010 Census

The racial makeup of Fresno County was 515,145 (55.4%)

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 49,523 (5.3%)

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 15,649 (1.7%) Native American, 89,357 (9.6%)

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

(3.3% Hmong, 1.7% Asian Indian, 1.0% Filipino, 0.8% Laotian, 0.6% Chinese, 0.5% Japanese, 0.5% Cambodian, 0.3% Vietnamese, 0.2% Korean, 0.1% Pakistani, 0.1% Thai), 1,405 (0.2%)

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, 217,085 (23.3%) from other races, and 42,286 (4.5%) from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 468,070 persons (50.3%). 46.0% of Fresno County's population is of Mexican descent; 0.7% of its residents are Salvadoran, and 0.3% of its residents are Puerto Rican.

2000

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2000, there were 799,407 people, 252,940 households, and 186,669 families residing in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was 134 people per square mile (52/km²). There were 270,767 housing units at an average density of 45 per square mile (18/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 54.3%

, 5.3%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...

, 1.6% Native American, 8.1%

, 0.1%

, 25.9% from other races, and 4.7% from two or more races. 44.0% of the population were

of any race. In terms of ancestry, the county was 7.5%

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

, 6.6% Irish, 6.3%

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

ancestry according to Census 2000. 59.3% spoke

, 31.5% Spanish and 3.1% Hmong as their first language. There were 252,940 households, out of which 41.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.5% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 15.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.2% were non-families. 20.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.09 and the average family size was 3.59. In the county, the population was spread out, with 32.1% under the age of 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 18.5% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 100.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.2 males. The median income for a household in the county was $34,725, and the median income for a family was $38,455. Males had a median income of $33,375 versus $26,501 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the county was $15,495. About 17.6% of families and 22.9% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 31.7% of those under age 18 and 9.9% of those age 65 or over. Fresno County is also known for having the highest rate of chlamydia in the state. In 2006 it had 545.2 cases per 100,000 people, compared with the statewide average of 363.5.

Metropolitan Statistical Area

The

United States Office of Management and Budget The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is the largest office within the Executive Office of the President of the United States (EOP). OMB's most prominent function is to produce the president's budget, but it also examines agency programs, pol ...

has designated Fresno County as the Fresno, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area. The

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

ranked the Fresno, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area as the 56th most populous

metropolitan statistical area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...

of the United States as of July 1, 2012. The Office of Management and Budget has further designated the Fresno, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area as a component of the more extensive

Fresno-Madera, CA Combined Statistical Area Metropolitan Fresno, officially Fresno–Madera, CA CSA, is a metropolitan area in the San Joaquin Valley, in the United States, consisting of Fresno and Madera counties. It is the third-largest metropolitan region in Northern California, behind ...

, the 49th most populous

combined statistical area Combined statistical area (CSA) is a United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) term for a combination of adjacent metropolitan (MSA) and micropolitan statistical areas (µSA) across the 50 US states and the territory of Puerto Ric ...

and the 55th most populous

primary statistical area The United States federal government defines and delineates the nation's metropolitan areas for statistical purposes, using a set of standard statistical area definitions. the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) defined and delineated 392 ...

of the United States as of July 1, 2012.

Government and policing

Government

The Government of Fresno County is defined and authorized under the

California Constitution The Constitution of California ( es, Constitución de California) is the primary organizing law for the U.S. state of California, describing the duties, powers, structures and functions of the government of California. California's original co ...

, law, and the Charter of the County of Fresno. Much of the Government of California is in practice the responsibility of county governments, such as the Government of Fresno County. The County government provides countywide services such as elections and voter registration, law enforcement, jails, vital records, property records, tax collection, public health, and social services. In addition the County serves as the local government for all unincorporated areas. The County government is composed of the elected five-member Board of Supervisors, several other elected offices including the

Sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transla ...

, District Attorney, Assessor-Recorder, Auditor-Controller/Treasurer-Tax Collector, and Clerk/Registrar of Voters, and numerous county departments and entities under the supervision of the County Administrator. As of February 2018 the members of the Fresno County Board of Supervisors are: * Brian Pacheco, District 1 * Steve Brandau, District 2 * Sal Quintero, District 3, * Buddy Mendes, District 4 * Nathan Magsig, District 5

Policing

County Sheriff

The Fresno County Sheriff provides court protection, jail administration, and coroner services for all of Fresno County and its population of approximately of 994,400 residents. They operate the

Fresno County Jail The Fresno County Jail is a detention center made up of three different adjacent complexes, located at 1225 M. Street, in downtown Fresno, California, operated by the Fresno County Sheriff's Department. The facility is made up of the Main Jail, t ...

in downtown Fresno. The department provides police patrol and detective services for the unincorporated areas of the county which encompasses approximately 250,000 residents, or 25% of the county's total population. The department also provides law enforcement services by contract with the city of San Joaquin, population 4100.

Municipal police

Municipal police departments in the county are: Fresno, population 500,000; Clovis, 110,000; Sanger, 25,000; Reedley, 24,000; Selma, 23,000; Coalinga, 17,000; Kerman, 14,000; Kingsburg, 12,000; Huron, 7,000; Firebaugh, 8,500; Fowler, 6,500.

Politics

Overview

Fresno County's voter registration shows a majority of Democratic voters. Presidential elections have been competitive in recent decades. In

2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...

, Joe Biden became the first Democratic presidential candidate since

Lyndon Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice ...

1964 Events January * January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. * January 5 - In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patriarch ...

to win a majority of the vote in Fresno County. The cities of

Clovis Clovis may refer to: People * Clovis (given name), the early medieval (Frankish) form of the name Louis ** Clovis I (c. 466 – 511), the first king of the Franks to unite all the Frankish tribes under one ruler ** Clovis II (c. 634 – c. 657), ...

, Coalinga, and Kingsburg voted overwhelmingly for Governor

Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American politician, businessman, and lawyer serving as the junior United States senator from Utah since January 2019, succeeding Orrin Hatch. He served as the 70th governor of Massachusetts f ...

. Reedley did so by much lesser margins and is now a GOP-leaning "swing" city in the county.

Huron Huron may refer to: People * Wyandot people (or Wendat), indigenous to North America * Wyandot language, spoken by them * Huron-Wendat Nation, a Huron-Wendat First Nation with a community in Wendake, Quebec * Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi ...

, Mendota,

Orange Cove Orange Cove is a city in Fresno County, California, United States. The population was at the 2010 census, up from at the 2000 census. Description Almost all of Orange Cove's residents are Hispanic, many of them farmers. Orange Cove is locate ...

Parlier Parlier may refer to: * Parlier, California, city in Fresno County, California * Charles Jules Parlier (1827—1888), French general officer * Eugène Parlier (1929–2017), Swiss football goalkeeper * Yves Parlier Yves Parlier (born 14 Novembe ...

, Fowler, Firebaugh, Fresno,

Kerman Kerman ( fa, كرمان, Kermân ; also romanization of Persian, romanized as Kermun and Karmana), known in ancient times as the satrapy of Carmania, is the capital city of Kerman Province, Iran. At the 2011 census, its population was 821,394, in ...

, Sanger,

Selma Selma may refer to: Places * Selma, Algeria *Selma, Nova Scotia, Canada *Selma, Switzerland, village in the Grisons United States: *Selma, Alabama, city in Dallas County, best known for the Selma to Montgomery marches *Selma, Arkansas *Selma, Cal ...

and San Joaquin voted overwhelmingly for President Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012. According to the

California Secretary of State The secretary of state of California is the chief clerk of the U.S. state of California, overseeing a department of 500 people. The secretary of state is elected for four year terms, like the state's other constitutional officers; the officeho ...

, in October 2012 there were 410,188 registered voters in Fresno County. 158,267 (38.6%) were registered Republican, 164,663 (40.1%) were registered Democratic, 19,841 (4.8%) are registered with other political parties, and 67,417 (16.4%) declined to state a political party. Republicans have a plurality or majority of voter roll registration in the cities of Clovis, Coalinga, Kingsburg, Reedley, and the unincorporated areas. The other cities and towns have Democratic pluralities or majorities. From Fresno County's incorporation in 1856, it voted Democratic in every election until the 1904 election in California, when President

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...

stood for re-election. Fresno County backed Roosevelt over his Democratic opponent

Alton B. Parker Alton Brooks Parker (May 14, 1852 – May 10, 1926) was an American judge, best known as the Democrat who lost the presidential election of 1904 to Theodore Roosevelt. A native of upstate New York, Parker practiced law in Kingston, New York, ...

. This did not immediately change the county's voting tendencies, however. It supported southern Democrat

Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was an American politician and academic who served as the 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. A member of the Democratic Party, Wilson served as the president of ...

in the elections of 1912 and 1916. Fresno County was generally Republican from the onset of the "roaring 1920s" until the Great Depression, when former President

Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...

forged the New Deal Coalition that benefitted the agrarian county. From 1932 till 1976 the county consistently voted Democratic, barring

Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...

's landslide victory over former Senator

George McGovern George Stanley McGovern (July 19, 1922 – October 21, 2012) was an American historian and South Dakota politician who was a U.S. representative and three-term U.S. senator, and the Democratic Party presidential nominee in the 1972 pres ...

(D-SD) in the 1972 Presidential Election. With former President

Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he previously served as th ...

's defeat by former President Reagan, Fresno became a GOP-leaning swing county: it barely favored Reagan's successor former President

Bush Bush commonly refers to: * Shrub, a small or medium woody plant Bush, Bushes, or the bush may also refer to: People * Bush (surname), including any of several people with that name **Bush family, a prominent American family that includes: *** ...

and voted Democratic for

Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...

only in his 1992 presidential bid. Republicans won elections in Fresno County by increasing margins from 1996 to 2004, but when the GOP lost ground with

voters after 2004, the county swung Democratic, voting twice for Barack Obama, and then for Hillary Clinton in 2016. Until the 2020 election, with Joe Biden winning nearly 53% of the vote, the last time the Democratic nominee won with an absolute majority of the vote was the 1964 election. In the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...

, Fresno County is split among four congressional districts: * * * * In the

California State Senate The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature, the lower house being the California State Assembly. The State Senate convenes, along with the State Assembly, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento, Cal ...

, the county is split among 3 legislative districts: * , * , and * . In the

California State Assembly The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature, the upper house being the California State Senate. The Assembly convenes, along with the State Senate, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The A ...

, Fresno County is split between , and . Fresno tends to remain socially conservative while being more moderate on economic issues, which can be seen in Fresno's support for socially conservative proposition amendments but occasionally voting for a Democratic Presidential Candidate if economic times are poor such as former President Bill Clinton's victory over incumbent former President George H.W. Bush in 1992 and President Barack Obama over

Senator John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American politician and United States Navy officer who served as a United States senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. He previously served two terms ...

in 2008. As of 2022, elections for president lean Democratic. Statewide races have historically been competitive. Elections for governor are considered safe for Republicans. This is a somewhat unusual difference in voting patterns for a California county. For example, although Fresno County gave a majority of its votes to Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election and has voted for the Democrat running for president ever since 2008, it voted “Yes” in the

2021 California gubernatorial recall election The 2021 California gubernatorial recall election was a special recall election, recall election that began in August 2021 and concluded on September 14, 2021, when California voters chose not to recall incumbent Democratic Party (United States), ...

and has voted for the Republican candidate for governor in every election since 1978. On November 4, 2008, Fresno County voted 68.6% for Proposition 8, which amended the

to ban

same-sex marriage Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same Legal sex and gender, sex or gender. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 33 countries, with the most recent being ...

Voter registration statistics

Cities by population and voter registration

Crime

The following table includes the number of incidents reported and the rate per 1,000 persons for each type of offense.

Economy

Agriculture

Agriculture is the primary industry in Fresno County. are under cultivation, almost half the total county area of . Ag production totaled $7.98 billion in 2017, making it the number one agricultural county in the nation. Over 300 different

crop A crop is a plant that can be grown and harvested extensively for profit or subsistence. When the plants of the same kind are cultivated at one place on a large scale, it is called a crop. Most crops are cultivated in agriculture or hydroponic ...

s are grown here. Major crops and livestocks include: *

Grape A grape is a fruit, botanically a berry, of the deciduous woody vines of the flowering plant genus ''Vitis''. Grapes are a non- climacteric type of fruit, generally occurring in clusters. The cultivation of grapes began perhaps 8,000 years ago, ...

s (see also

Grape in California Agriculture is a significant sector in Economy of California, California's economy, producing nearly $50 billion in revenue in 2018. There are more than 400 commodity crops grown across California, including a significant portion of all fruits, ...

) *

Cotton Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus ''Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor perce ...

Almond The almond (''Prunus amygdalus'', syn. ''Prunus dulcis'') is a species of tree native to Iran and surrounding countries, including the Levant. The almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree. Within the genus ...

s *

Tomato The tomato is the edible berry of the plant ''Solanum lycopersicum'', commonly known as the tomato plant. The species originated in western South America, Mexico, and Central America. The Mexican Nahuatl word gave rise to the Spanish word ...

es (see also

Tomato in California Agriculture is a significant sector in Economy of California, California's economy, producing nearly $50 billion in revenue in 2018. There are more than 400 commodity crops grown across California, including a significant portion of all fruits, ...

) *

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...

s *

Cattle Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus ''Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult mal ...

Milk Milk is a white liquid food produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals (including breastfed human infants) before they are able to digestion, digest solid food. Immune factors and immune ...

* Plums (see also

Plum in California Agriculture is a significant sector in California's economy, producing nearly $50 billion in revenue in 2018. There are more than 400 commodity crops grown across California, including a significant portion of all fruits, vegetables, and nuts f ...

) *

Oranges An orange is a fruit of various citrus species in the family Rutaceae (see list of plants known as orange); it primarily refers to ''Citrus'' × ''sinensis'', which is also called sweet orange, to distinguish it from the related ''Citrus × ...

Peach The peach (''Prunus persica'') is a deciduous tree first domesticated and cultivated in Zhejiang province of Eastern China. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and others (the glossy-skinned, non-fu ...

es (see also

Peach in California Agriculture is a significant sector in Economy of California, California's economy, producing nearly $50 billion in revenue in 2018. There are more than 400 commodity crops grown across California, including a significant portion of all fruits, ...

) *

Nectarine The peach (''Prunus persica'') is a deciduous tree first domesticated and cultivated in Zhejiang province of Eastern China. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and others (the glossy-skinned, non-fuz ...

s (see also Nectarine in California) The grape harvest brought in $1,046,356,645 in 2017. Production is chronically threatened by the presence of the Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter and the disease it carries, Pierce's Disease. See Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter in California and Pierce's Disease in California. The peach harvest was worth $264,139,238 in 2017. Fresno is the second highest cotton producer in the state, harvesting 223,443 bales in 2017. This is a close second to neighboring

Kings Kings or King's may refer to: *Monarchs: The sovereign heads of states and/or nations, with the male being kings *One of several works known as the "Book of Kings": **The Books of Kings part of the Bible, divided into two parts **The ''Shahnameh'' ...

. Due to its tremendous agricultural success, the county also has a tremendous problem with

glyphosate resistance Glyphosate (IUPAC name: ''N''-(phosphonomethyl)glycine) is a broad-spectrum systemic herbicide and crop desiccant. It is an organophosphorus compound, specifically a phosphonate, which acts by inhibiting the plant enzyme 5-enolpyruvylshik ...

. Okada ''et al.'', 2013 finds a high degree of resistance in Marestail (''

Conyza canadensis ''Erigeron canadensis'' ( synonym ''Conyza canadensis'') is an annual plant native throughout most of North America and Central America. It is also widely naturalized in Eurasia and Australia. Common names include horseweed, Canadian horseweed ...

''). These reviews cite Okada:

Companies based in Fresno County

* Gottschalks Department Stores (liquidated in 2010 ) *

Sun-Maid Sun-Maid Growers of California is an American privately owned cooperative of raisin growers headquartered in Fresno, California. Sun-Maid is one of the largest raisin and dried fruit processors in the world. As a cooperative, Sun-Maid is made up ...

Raisins *

Pinnacle Armor Dragon Skin was a type of ballistic vest first-produced by the now-defunct company, Pinnacle Armor, and was subsequently manufactured by North American Development Group LLC. The vest manufacturer claimed that it could absorb a high number of bull ...

, maker of the Dragon Skin Body Armor *

Pelco Pelco Incorporated is a U.S.-based security and surveillance technologies company, founded in 1957 and headquartered in Fresno, California. Pelco is a provider of security cameras, recording and management systems, software, and services. Pelco p ...

, maker of surveillance cameras (acquired by Schneider Electric October 2007) *

David Sunflower Seeds David Sunflower Seeds, also known as DAVID Seeds, is a brand of roasted and salted sunflower seeds produced by ConAgra Foods in the United States. History The company was founded in 1926 by Armenians, Armenian-American people, American David Der H ...

, now part of

ConAgra Foods Conagra Brands, Inc. (formerly ConAgra Foods) is an American consumer packaged goods holding company headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Conagra makes and sells products under various brand names that are available in supermarkets, restaurants, ...

* Flicks Candy Company *

Harris Ranch Beef Company Harris Ranch, or the Harris Cattle Ranch, feedlot is California's largest beef producer, producing of beef per year in 2010. It is located alongside Interstate 5 at its intersection with State Route 198 east of Coalinga, in the San Joaquin ...

Saladino's Inc Saladino's Foodservice is a privately owned foodservice distributor based in Fresno, California. They are currently the largest independent foodservice distributor in California, and the 19th largest foodservice distributor in the United States ...

* National Raisin Company *

Pacific Ethanol The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...

* United Security Bank * Central Valley Community Bank * Electronic Recyclers International

Major employers

;Commercial/Industrial *

Cargill Cargill, Incorporated, is a privately held American global food corporation based in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and incorporated in Wilmington, Delaware. Founded in 1865, it is the largest privately held corporation in the United States in ter ...

* Zacky Farms * Kraft Foods *

Foster Farms Dairy Crystal Creamery (formerly Foster Farms Dairy) was founded in 1901 by Max and Verda Foster in Modesto, California, a venture following their 1939 founding of Foster Farms. The company claims to be the "largest privately owned dairy in Califor ...

Foster Farms Foster Farms is an American poultry company. The company has been privately owned since 1939. It was operated by the Foster family since 1939 until recently, now operated and owned by Atlas Holdings, after their purchase of the company in 2022. ...

E & J Gallo Winery E & J Gallo Winery is a winery and distributor headquartered in Modesto, California. It was founded in 1933 by Ernest Gallo and Julio Gallo, and is the largest exporter of California wines. E & J Gallo Winery is the largest family-owned wine ...

Del Monte Foods Del Monte Foods, Inc (trading as Del Monte Foods) is an American food production and distribution company headquartered in Walnut Creek, California. Del Monte Foods is one of the country's largest producers, distributors and marketer of bran ...

Pepsi Bottling Group The Pepsi Bottling Group, Inc. was the world's largest bottling company, bottler of Pepsi-Cola beverages. PBG sales of Pepsi-Cola beverages accounted for more than one-half of the Pepsi-Cola beverages sold in the United States and Canada and abou ...

PPG Industries PPG Industries, Inc. is an American Fortune 500 company and global supplier of paints, coatings, and specialty materials. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, PPG operates in more than 70 countries around the globe. By revenue it is ...

Chevron Chevron (often relating to V-shaped patterns) may refer to: Science and technology * Chevron (aerospace), sawtooth patterns on some jet engines * Chevron (anatomy), a bone * ''Eulithis testata'', a moth * Chevron (geology), a fold in rock lay ...

* Electronic Recyclers International * Saladino's Inc. *

Grundfos Grundfos () is the largest pump manufacturer in the world, based in Denmark, with more than 19,000 employees globally. The annual production of more than 16 million pump units, circulator pumps (UP), submersible pumps (SP), and centrifugal pump ...

Amazon Amazon most often refers to: * Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek mythology * Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin * Amazon River, in South America * Amazon (company), an American multinational technology c ...

;Government *

Internal Revenue Service The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the revenue service for the United States federal government, which is responsible for collecting U.S. federal taxes and administering the Internal Revenue Code, the main body of the federal statutory ta ...

Caltrans The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is an Executive (government), executive department of the U.S. state of California. The department is part of the Government of California#State agencies, cabinet-level California State Tran ...

* Mendota Federal Prison * Pleasant Valley State Prison *

Coalinga State Hospital Coalinga State Hospital (CSH) is a state mental hospital in Coalinga, California. The facility opened on September 5, 2005; it was the first state hospital to be constructed in California in more than 50 years. It is a maximum security facility ...

144th Fighter Wing The 144th Fighter Wing (144 FW) is a unit of the California Air National Guard, stationed at Fresno Air National Guard Base, California. As part of the Air Reserve Component of the United States Air Force, the wing is operationally gained by th ...

of the California Air National Guard ;Healthcare *

Children's Hospital Central California Valley Children's Hospital (VCH), formerly Children's Hospital Central California is a stand-alone, pediatric acute care children's teaching hospital located in Madera County, California. The hospital has 358 pediatric beds and is affiliated the ...

* Community Medical Center - Clovis *

Coalinga Regional Medical Center Coalinga ( or ) is a city in Fresno County, California, Fresno County and the western San Joaquin Valley, in central California about 80 miles (128 km) southeast of Salinas, California, Salinas. It was formerly known as ''Coaling Station A' ...

* Fresno Surgery Center *

Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Fresno ''Kaiser'' is the German word for "emperor" (female Kaiserin). In general, the German title in principle applies to rulers anywhere in the world above the rank of king (''König''). In English, the (untranslated) word ''Kaiser'' is mainly ap ...

* Kingsburg Medical Center * San Joaquin Valley Rehabilitation Hospital * Saint Agnes Medical Center * Sanger General Hospital *

Selma Community Hospital Adventist Health is a faith-based, nonprofit integrated health system serving more than 80 communities on the West Coast and in Hawaii. Founded on Seventh-day Adventist heritage and values, Adventist Health provides care in hospitals, clinics, ...

* Sierra Kings Hospital - Reedley *

University Medical Center - Fresno A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...

* VA Medical Center - Fresno ;Nonprofits (community-based organizations) *Fresno Regional Foundation *Big Brothers Big Sisters
Central California Legal Services
*Centro La Familia *Comprehensive Youth Services
Fresno Rescue Mission
* Marjaree Mason Center, Inc. * Poverello House * United Way, Fresno County *Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission

Education

Tertiary education

Educational institutions in Fresno County include: * California State University, Fresno which opened in 1911. *

California Health Sciences University California Health Sciences University (CHSU) is a private, for-profit university located in Clovis, in the U.S. state of California. Founded in 2012, the school operates two academic programs, which offer doctoral degrees in pharmacy and osteo ...

is a private university established in 2012. It currently offers a College of Pharmacy and College of Osteopathic Medicine and is committed to health sciences research and improving the access and delivery of quality health care in the San Joaquin Valley. *

San Joaquin College of Law San Joaquin College of Law (SJCL) is a private law school in Clovis, California. History SJCL was founded in Fresno in 1969 by Fresno County Municipal Court Judge Dan Eymann, U.S. District Court Judge Oliver Wanger, and attorney John Loomis. T ...

is a private, nonprofit law school founded in 1969 and located in the City of

. * Fresno Pacific University is a private university in the City of Fresno. Within the

California Community Colleges System The California Community Colleges is a postsecondary education system in the U.S. state of California.California Education CodSection 70900(added to the Education Code by Chapter 973 of the California Statutes of 1988Assembly Bill No. 1725 sectio ...

, Fresno County is mostly covered by the State Center Community College District and the

West Hills Community College District West Hills Community College District (WHC) is a public community college district in California serving students in the San Joaquin Valley. Colleges in the district include West Hills College Coalinga and West Hills College Lemoore. The ori ...

. The following campuses are in Fresno County: * Clovis Community College near the City of

* Fresno City College in the City of Fresno *

Reedley College Reedley College (Reedley or RC) is a public community college in Reedley, California. It is a part of the California Community Colleges system within the State Center Community College District (SCCCD). It is accredited by the WASC Accrediting ...

in the City of Reedley *

West Hills College Coalinga West Hills College Coalinga is a public community college in Coalinga, California, with a satellite facility in Firebaugh. Both locations serve students in the central San Joaquin Valley. Established in 1932, West Hills College Coaling is in the ...

in the City of Coalinga

K-12 education

School districts include: K-12: * Caruthers Unified School District - Covers some areas for PK-12 and some for 9-12 only *

Central Unified School District The Central Unified School District is a school district in Fresno County, California. Incorporates approximately of suburban population and ag land. List of schools Here is a list of all the schools in the Central Unified School District: E ...

Clovis Unified School District Clovis Unified School District is a public school system located in Clovis, California, with its headquarters located at 1450, Herndon Avenue, Clovis. Its 43 schools serve a student population of nearly 40,000 students in a geographic area cov ...

* Coalinga-Huron Unified School District *

Cutler-Orosi Joint Unified School District The Cutler-Orosi Joint Unified School District is a school district in California. The towns of Cutler (pop. 6,999; elev. 358') and Orosi (pop. 11,181; elev. 373), separated by about 1 mile, are located in Tulare County, California. The Cutler- ...

Dos Palos-Oro Loma Joint Unified School District } Dos Palos Oro-Loma Joint Unified is a public school district based in Merced County, California, United States. Notable alumni *Dave Henderson David Lee Henderson (July 21, 1958 – December 27, 2015), nicknamed "Hendu", was an American pro ...

* Firebaugh-Las Deltas Unified School District *

Fowler Unified School District Fowler Unified School District is a public school district based in Fresno County, California, United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primari ...

* Fresno Unified School District *

Golden Plains Unified School District Golden means made of, or relating to gold. Golden may also refer to: Places United Kingdom *Golden, in the parish of Probus, Cornwall * Golden Cap, Dorset *Golden Square, Soho, London *Golden Valley, a valley on the River Frome in Gloucestershi ...

* Kerman Unified School District *

Kings Canyon Joint Unified School District Kings or King's may refer to: *Monarchs: The sovereign heads of states and/or nations, with the male being kings *One of several works known as the "Book of Kings": **The Books of Kings part of the Bible, divided into two parts **The ''Shahnameh' ...

Laton Joint Unified School District Laton may mean: * Laton, California, a census designated place in California *Latopolis Esna ( ar, إسنا , egy, jwny.t or ; cop, or ''Snē'' from ''tꜣ-snt''; grc-koi, Λατόπολις ''Latópolis'' or (''Pólis Látōn'') o ...

* Mendota Unified School District *

Parlier Unified School District Parlier may refer to: * Parlier, California, city in Fresno County, California * Charles Jules Parlier (1827—1888), French general officer * Eugène Parlier (1929–2017), Swiss football goalkeeper * Yves Parlier Yves Parlier (born 14 Novembe ...

Riverdale Joint Unified School District Riverdale may refer to: Buildings *Riverdale Centre, former name for Lewisham Shopping Centre, London, England *Riverdale House, a Victorian mansion in Sheffield, England * Riverdale (Selma, Alabama), a historic plantation house in Dallas County, A ...

- Covers some areas for PK-12 and some for 9-12 only *

Sanger Unified School District Sanger Unified School District is a public school district in Fresno County, California, United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily loc ...

Selma Unified School District Selma Unified School District is a school system located in Selma, California Selma is a city in Fresno County, California. The population was 23,319 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census, up from 19,240 at the 2000 United States Censu ...

Sierra Unified School District Sierra Unified School District is a public school district based in Fresno County, California, United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primari ...

- Covers some areas for PK-12 and some for 9-12 only *

Washington Unified School District Washington Unified School District (WUSD) is a school district headquartered in West Sacramento, California West Sacramento (also known as West Sac) is a city in Yolo County, California, United States. The city is separated from Sacramento by ...

- Covers some areas for PK-12 and some for 9-12 only Secondary: *

Kingsburg Joint Union High School District The Kingsburg Joint Union High School District is a school district located in Kingsburg, Fresno County, California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents acr ...

Dinuba Unified School District Dinuba is a city in Tulare County, California, United States. The population was 21,453 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Visalia-Porterville metropolitan statistical area. The Alta District Museum is located in Dinuba in a restored rai ...

(while it is a unified school district, in this county it only covers areas for grades 9-12) Elementary: * Alvina Elementary School District * Big Creek Elementary School District *

Burrel Union Elementary School District The Burrel Union Elementary School District is a public school district based in Fresno County, California Fresno County (), officially the County of Fresno, is a county located in the central portion of the U.S. state of California. As of t ...

Clay Joint Elementary School District Clay is a type of fine-grained natural soil material containing clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolin, Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4). Clays develop plasticity when wet, due to a molecular film of water surrounding the clay par ...

Kingsburg Elementary Charter School District Kingsburg Elementary Charter School District is a school district A school district is a special-purpose district that operates local public primary and secondary schools in various nations. North America United States In the U.S, most K ...

* Monroe Elementary School District * Monson-Sultana Joint Union Elementary School District *

Orange Center Elementary School District Orange most often refers to: *Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis'' ** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower *Orange (colour), from the color of an orange, occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum * ...

* Pacific Union Elementary School District *

Pine Ridge Elementary School District A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden accep ...

Raisin City Elementary School District A raisin is a dried grape. Raisins are produced in many regions of the world and may be eaten raw or used in cooking, baking, and brewing. In the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia, the word ''raisin'' is reserved for the ...

Washington Colony Elementary School District Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered on ...

West Park Elementary School District West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some R ...

Westside Elementary School District West Side or Westside may refer to: Places Canada * West Side, a neighbourhood of Windsor, Ontario * West Side, a neighbourhood of Vancouver, British Columbia United Kingdom * West Side, Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Scotland * Westside, Birmingham En ...

Public libraries

In addition, the

Fresno County Public Library The Fresno County Public Library provides books, ebooks, music, movies, magazines, newspapers, reference assistance, wireless Internet access and a variety of other services at its 35 locations throughout Fresno County, California. The library syst ...

operates public libraries throughout the county.

Transportation

Major highways

Interstate 5 * California 33

State Route 33 * California 41

State Route 41 The following highways are numbered 41: International * AH41, Asian Highway 41 * European route E41 Australia * Olympic Highway * Mid-Western Highway Canada * Alberta Highway 41 * British Columbia Highway 41 * Manitoba Highway 41 * Newfoundlan ...

State Route 43 * California 63

State Route 63 * California 99

State Route 99 International * European route E99 Australia * Springbrook Road, Queensland Canada * British Columbia Highway 99 * Ontario Highway 99 (former) * Saskatchewan Highway 99 China * G99 Expressway India * National Highway 99 (India) I ...

State Route 145 * California 168

State Route 168 * California 180

State Route 180 The following highways are numbered 180: Australia * Pyrenees Highway Canada * New Brunswick Route 180 * Prince Edward Island Route 180 * Winnipeg Route 180 Costa Rica * National Route 180 Ireland * R180 road (Ireland) Japan * Japan Na ...

State Route 198 * California 201

State Route 201 * California 245

State Route 245 * California 269

State Route 269

Rail

BNSF Railway BNSF Railway is one of the largest freight railroads in North America. One of seven North American Class I railroads, BNSF has 35,000 employees, of track in 28 states, and nearly 8,000 locomotives. It has three transcontinental routes that ...

Union Pacific Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad , legally Union Pacific Railroad Company and often called simply Union Pacific, is a freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Paci ...

San Joaquin Valley Railroad The San Joaquin Valley Railroad is one of several short line railroad companies and is part of the Pacific Region Division of Genesee & Wyoming Inc. It operates over about of owned or leased track primarily on several lines in California's C ...

* Biola Branch (Southern Pacific) (abandoned) *

Shaver Lake Railroad The Shaver Lake Railroad was a standard gauge logging railroad that operated in the Sierra Nevada of Fresno County, California. The line was abandoned in 1927. History The Shaver Lake Railroad traces its beginnings to October 31, 1891, when t ...

(abandoned) *

San Joaquin and Eastern Railroad The San Joaquin & Eastern Railroad (SJ&E) was a standard gauge common carrier railroad that operated in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains of Fresno County in the U.S. state of California. The line was abandoned in 1933. The railro ...

(abandoned)

Airports

; Commercial service * Fresno Yosemite Int'l Airport ;

General Aviation General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations with the exception of commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services ...

* Fresno Chandler Executive Airport *

Firebaugh Airport Firebaugh Airport , formerly Q49, is a public airport located one mile (1.6 km) west of Firebaugh, serving Fresno County, California, United States. It is mostly used for general aviation. Facilities Firebaugh Airport covers 37 acres and ...

Mendota Airport William Robert Johnston Municipal Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located in Mendota, a city in Fresno County, California, United States. This airport is included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015, wh ...

* New Coalinga Municipal Airport *

Reedley Municipal Airport Reedley Municipal Airport , sometimes referred to in shorthand but not officially as RMA, is a public airport located four miles (6.4 km) north of Reedley, serving southeast Fresno County and northeast Tulare County, California, USA. History of ...

Sierra Sky Park Airport Sierra Sky Park Airport is a privately owned, public-use airport northwest of the central business district of Fresno, a city in Fresno County, California, United States. Other area airports are Fresno Chandler Executive Airport and Fresno Yos ...

Public transportation

Fresno Area Express Fresno Area Express (FAX), is a public transportation operator in Fresno, California. The system has over 100 buses, 1,606 bus stops, and 18 routes as of August 2022. In , the system had a ridership of , or about per weekday as of . FAX fixed r ...

or FAX is the local bus operator in Fresno. *

Clovis Transit Stageline Clovis Transit is the public transportation agency which provides fixed intra-city routes (branded Clovis Transit Stageline) and dial-a-ride service (as Clovis Transit Round Up) for Clovis, the second-largest city in Fresno County, California aft ...

is the bus service in Clovis. * Reedley Transit a.k.a. Dial-A-Ride services Reedley. *

Fresno County Rural Transit Agency Fresno County Rural Transit Agency (FCRTA) is the primary bus agency providing intra- and inter-city routes for smaller cities and unincorporated rural communities in Fresno County, California since 1979, including Coalinga, Firebaugh, Fowler, H ...

(FCRTA) offers a variety of local and intercity transit services around Fresno County. * Greyhound and

Orange Belt Stages Orange Belt Stages was a bus company based in Visalia, California, affiliated with the Trailways Transportation System. The company was incorporated on November 30, 1935, and operated scheduled service in California as well as charter services. T ...

provide intercity, long-distance bus service. *

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...

San Joaquins The ''San Joaquins'' is a passenger train service operated by Amtrak in California's San Joaquin Valley. Six daily round trips run between its southern terminus at Bakersfield and Stockton, with onward service to Sacramento (all round trips) an ...

'' stop in Fresno.

Attractions

* China Peak Ski Resort *

Courtright Reservoir Courtright Reservoir is a reservoir in Fresno County, California. The reservoir is at an elevation of 8,170 feet (2,490 m) in the Sierra National Forest, in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, bordering the John Muir Wilderness and the Dinkey Lakes W ...

Dinkey Lakes Wilderness The Dinkey Lakes Wilderness is a federally designated wilderness area located northeast of Fresno, in the state of California, United States. It comprises within the Sierra National Forest and was added to the National Wilderness Preservation ...

Fashion Fair Mall Fashion Fair is a medium-sized, enclosed shopping mall in Fresno, California, anchored by two Macy's stores, JCPenney, and Forever 21. Originally opened in 1970, Fashion Fair was expanded in 1983 (to accommodate Macy's and a new food court) and in ...

Forestiere Underground Gardens The Forestiere Underground Gardens in Fresno, California are a series of subterranean structures built by Baldassare Forestiere, an immigrant from Sicily, over a period of 40 years from 1906 to his death in 1946. The gardens are operated by member ...

Fresno Art Museum The Fresno Art Museum is an art museum in Fresno, California. The museum's collection includes contemporary art, modern art, Mexican and Mexican-American art, and Pre-Columbian sculpture. Mission Statement "The Fresno Art Museum offers a dynami ...

Fresno Chaffee Zoo The Fresno Chaffee Zoo is a zoo in Roeding Park in Fresno, California covering 39 acres and housing over 190 species. Its attractions include Stingray Bay, Dino Dig, Valley Farm, Sea Lion Cove, African Adventure, and Ross Laird's Winged Wonders ...

Fresno Fairgrounds The Big Fresno Fair, founded in 1884, is an annual fair held at the Fresno County Fairgrounds. The Big Fresno Fair is managed by the 21st District Agricultural Association, an entity of the California Department of Food and Agriculture Division of ...

Fresno Metropolitan Museum The Fresno Metropolitan Museum of Art and Science was a Smithsonian Institution Affiliate and American Alliance of Museums accredited museum located in downtown Fresno, California, in the San Joaquin Valley. The Museum was established in 1984 a ...

(dissolved January 2010) * Fresno Water Tower *

Hume Lake Hume Lake is a reservoir in the Sierra Nevada, within Sequoia National Forest and Fresno County, central California. Hume Lake is on Tenmile Creek, which is a tributary of the Kings River, and adjacent to the unincorporated community of Hume ...

Huntington Lake Huntington Lake is a reservoir in Fresno County, California on Big Creek, located in the Sierra Nevada at an elevation of 7000 ft. The lake receives water from Southern California Edison's Big Creek Hydroelectric Project, as well as the ...

*Lost Lake *

Millerton Lake Millerton Lake is an artificial lake near the town of Friant, California, Friant about north of downtown Fresno, California, Fresno. The reservoir was created by the construction of 319 ft (97 m) high Friant Dam on the San Joaquin River wh ...

* Mount Darwin *

North Palisade North Palisade is the third-highest mountain in the Sierra Nevada (U.S.), Sierra Nevada range of California, and one of the state's small number of peaks over 14,000 feet, known as fourteeners. It is the highest peak of the Palisades (California ...

Pine Flat Lake Pine Flat Lake is an artificial lake or reservoir in the Sierra Nevada foothills of eastern Fresno County, California on the western north-south border to the Sierra- and Sequoia National Forests, about east of Fresno. The lake is managed by the ...

* River Park *

Roeding Park Roeding Park is a regional city park in Fresno, California established in 1903 via a gift from the Roeding family. The Fresno Chaffee Zoo occupies approximately one third of the acreage in the middle of the southern half of the park. The south ...

Shaver Lake Shaver Lake is an artificial lake on Stevenson Creek, in the Sierra National Forest of Fresno County, California. At elevation , several smaller streams also flow into the lake, and it receives water from the tunnels of Southern California Edis ...

Sierra Vista Mall Sierra Vista Mall is an enclosed shopping mall in Clovis, California. Opened in 1988, the mall features Kohl's, and Target, plus a go-kart track, indoor Laser Tag park, and 16-screen movie theater. Two empty anchors were formerly occupied by Sears ...

* Simonian Farms * William Saroyan Theatre *

Save Mart Center Save Mart Center at Fresno State is a multi-purpose arena, on the campus of California State University, Fresno (Fresno State), located in Fresno, California. An open house was held for the community on November 5, 2003, with the official ribbon ...

Wishon Reservoir Wishon Dam (National ID # CA00411) is a dam in Fresno County, California in the Sierra National Forest, in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. It impounds the North Fork Kings River to form Wishon Reservoir. The earthen and rockfill gravity dam was ...

Woodward Park Woodward Park may refer to: *Woodward Park (Fresno) *Woodward Park (Tulsa) Woodward Park is a public park, botanical garden, and arboretum located between 21st Street and 24th Street east of South Peoria Avenue and west of South Rockford Street ...

Communities

Cities

* Coalinga * Firebaugh * Fowler * Fresno (county seat) *

* Kingsburg * Mendota *

* Reedley * San Joaquin * Sanger *

Census-designated places

* Auberry * Big Creek * Biola * Bowles * Calwa * Cantua Creek * Caruthers * Centerville * Del Rey * Easton * Fort Washington * Friant * Lanare * Laton * Malaga *

Mayfair Mayfair is an affluent area in the West End of London towards the eastern edge of Hyde Park, in the City of Westminster, between Oxford Street, Regent Street, Piccadilly and Park Lane. It is one of the most expensive districts in the world. ...

* Millerton * Minkler *

Monmouth Monmouth ( , ; cy, Trefynwy meaning "town on the Monnow") is a town and community in Wales. It is situated where the River Monnow joins the River Wye, from the Wales–England border. Monmouth is northeast of Cardiff, and west of London. I ...

Old Fig Garden Old Fig Garden (formerly, Fig Garden) is a census-designated place in Fresno County, California, Fresno County, California. It lies at an elevation of 312 feet (95 m). The city of Fresno, California, Fresno, through annexations, has entirely circl ...

* Raisin City * Riverdale *

* Squaw Valley * Sunnyside * Tarpey Village * Three Rocks *

Tranquillity Tranquillity (also spelled tranquility) is the quality or state of being tranquil; that is, calm, serene, and worry-free. The word tranquillity appears in numerous texts ranging from the religious writings of Buddhism, where the term ''passaddhi'' ...

* West Park * Westside

Unincorporated communities

Avocado The avocado (''Persea americana'') is a medium-sized, evergreen tree in the laurel family (Lauraceae). It is native to the Americas and was first domesticated by Mesoamerican tribes more than 5,000 years ago. Then as now it was prized for i ...

* Burrel * Dunlap * Highway City * Hume * Mercey Hot Springs * Prather * Rolinda * Tollhouse

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Fresno County. † ''county seat''

Notes

References

External links

*
Fresno County Public LibraryFresno County SequicentennialSize of California Counties
{{Authority control California counties San Joaquin Valley 1856 establishments in California Populated places established in 1856 Majority-minority counties in California