Yosemite Valley, California

Yosemite Valley (''Yosemite'', Miwok for "killer") is a census-designated place (CDP) in Mariposa County, California, United States. It consists of the developed area of Yosemite Village and the other areas of the Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park. The population was 337 at the 2020 census.

Situated along the north side of the valley floor, its permanent population includes staff of the National Park Service, which administers the park, and some concession workers associated with various contracts in the park.

The village has some public facilities, such as a fire station, a post office ( ZIP Code 95389), a medical clinic, a convenience store, restaurants, gift shops, and a school (kindergarten through eighth grade). The park's headquarters facilities and its main visitor center are also located here.

The Yosemite Lodge is located at the west end of the village near Yosemite Falls. The Ahwahnee Hotel is a few blocks to the north. Both are operated by concessionaires under contract to the National Park Service. The architecture of Yosemite Village is characterized by shed style and makes extensive use of native woods. The earliest 20th-century buildings were designed by landscape architect Charles Punchard Jr., among others in the National Park Service.

A Miwok village called Hok-ok'-wi-dok (alternatively Hokokwito or Hococwedoc) was formerly located opposite the Yosemite falls, at the future site of the Hutchings Hotel in Yosemite Village. The first US post office opened in 1869, originally named "Yo Semite". The spelling was changed to "Yosemite" in 1908 and to "Yosemite National Park" in 1922. In 1906, Major H.C. Benson was commanded to build and garrison Fort Yosemite in the valley. US Army troops were stationed at Fort Yosemite until 1916, when the National Park Service was established to administer Yosemite and other national parks.

Curry Village is one of the lodging options in the area.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the community has a total area of , of which , or 2.88% are water. The Merced River flows westward through the center of the CDP.

Climate

Yosemite has a Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification ''Csa''), meaning most precipitation falls during the mild winter, and the other seasons are nearly dry (less than three percent of precipitation falls during the long, hot summers). Because of orographic lift, precipitation increases with elevation up to where it slowly decreases to the crest. Precipitation amounts vary from at elevation to at . Snow does not typically persist on the ground until November in the high country. It accumulates all winter and into March or early April.

Mean daily temperatures range from to at Tuolumne Meadows at . At the Wawona Entrance (elevation ), mean daily temperature ranges from . At the lower elevations below , temperatures are hotter; the mean daily high temperature at Yosemite Valley (elevation ) varies from . At elevations above , the hot, dry summer temperatures are moderated by frequent summer thunderstorms, along with snow that can persist into July. The combination of dry vegetation, low relative humidity, and thunderstorms results in frequent lightning-caused fires as well.

At the park headquarters, with an elevation of , January averages , while July averages , though in summer the nights are much cooler than the hot days. There are an average of 45.5 days with highs of or higher and an average of 105.6 nights with freezing temperatures. Freezing temperatures have been recorded in every month of the year. The record high temperature was on July 22 and July 24, 1915, while the record low temperature was on January 1, 2009. Average annual precipitation is nearly , falling on 67 days. The wettest year was 1983 with and the driest year was 1976 with . The most precipitation in one month was in December 1955 and the most in one day was on December 23, 1955. Average annual snowfall is . The snowiest winter was 1948–1949 with . The most snow in one month was in January 1993.

Demographics

Yosemite Valley first appeared as a census designated place in the 2000 U.S. Census.

2020

The 2020 United States census reported that Yosemite Valley had a population of 337. The population density was . The racial makeup of Yosemite Valley was 252 (74.8%) White, 2 (0.6%) African American, 6 (1.8%) Native American, 16 (4.7%) Asian, 1 (0.3%) Pacific Islander, 17 (5.0%) from other races, and 43 (12.8%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 43 persons (12.8%).

The census reported that 96.4% of the population lived in households, 3.6% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and no one was institutionalized.

There were 163 households, out of which 38 (23.3%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 57 (35.0%) were married-couple households, 13 (8.0%) were cohabiting couple households, 48 (29.4%) had a female householder with no partner present, and 45 (27.6%) had a male householder with no partner present. 68 households (41.7%) were one person, and 7 (4.3%) were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 1.99. There were 73 families (44.8% of all households).

The age distribution was 61 people (18.1%) under the age of 18, 25 people (7.4%) aged 18 to 24, 142 people (42.1%) aged 25 to 44, 87 people (25.8%) aged 45 to 64, and 22 people (6.5%) who were 65years of age or older. The median age was 36.3years. For every 100 females, there were 87.2 males.

There were 217 housing units at an average density of , of which 163 (75.1%) were occupied. Of these, 24 (14.7%) were owner-occupied, and 139 (85.3%) were occupied by renters.

2010

At the 2010 census Yosemite Valley had a population of 1,035. The population density was . The racial makeup of Yosemite Valley was 831 (80.3%) White, 28 (2.7%) African American, 31 (3.0%) Native American, 31 (3.0%) Asian, 7 (0.7%) Pacific Islander, 70 (6.8%) from other races, and 37 (3.6%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 123 people (11.9%).

The census reported that 511 people (49.4% of the population) lived in households, 524 (50.6%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and no one was institutionalized.

There were 282 households, 44 (15.6%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 74 (26.2%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 6 (2.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 6 (2.1%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 21 (7.4%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 3 (1.1%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 127 households (45.0%) were one person and 12 (4.3%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 1.81. There were 86 families (30.5% of households); the average family size was 2.84.

The age distribution was 81 people (7.8%) under the age of 18, 140 people (13.5%) aged 18 to 24, 413 people (39.9%) aged 25 to 44, 378 people (36.5%) aged 45 to 64, and 23 people (2.2%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 37.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 148.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 157.1 males.

There were 323 housing units at an average density of 152.3 per square mile, of the occupied units 2 (0.7%) were owner-occupied and 280 (99.3%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0%; the rental vacancy rate was 1.8%. 3 people (0.3% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 508 people (49.1%) lived in rental housing units.

Government

In the California State Legislature, Yosemite Valley is in , and .

In the United States House of Representatives, Yosemite Valley is in .

References

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Census-designated places in Mariposa County, California
Yosemite National Park
Populated places in the Sierra Nevada (United States)
Census-designated places in California