Clearlake is a city in
Lake County, California
Lake County is a County (United States), county located in the north central portion of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 68,163. The county seat is Lakeport, California, Lakepor ...
.
Clearlake is north-northwest of
Lower Lake,
at an elevation of .
As of the
2020 census, the city had a total population of 16,685, up from 15,250 in the
2010 census. It takes its name from
Clear Lake.
History
The Clearlake post office opened in 1923, "Konocti" then Clearlake Highlands until incorporation in 1981 when the official name became City of Clearlake.
The first inhabitants of Clearlake were the Pomo Indians, who named many of the area's features, including
Mount Konocti
Mount Konocti is a volcano in Lake County, California, Lake County, California on the south shore of Clear Lake (California), Clear Lake. At , it is the second highest peak in the Clear Lake Volcanic Field, which consists of numerous volcanic d ...
. Beginning in 1821, enslavement and mistreatment by Spanish soldiers and missionaries, Mexican land barons, European settlers, and gold diggers, combined with a lack of natural immunity to European diseases, resulted in a massive wave of deaths. The result of this was massive amounts of land freed up for the white settlers who arrived during the
gold rush
A gold rush or gold fever is a discovery of gold—sometimes accompanied by other precious metals and rare-earth minerals—that brings an onrush of miners seeking their fortune. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, ...
.
Geography
Clearlake is located at 38°57'30" North, 122°37'35" West.
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. The total area is 4.27% water.
Climate
Clearlake has a
hot-summer Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...
(
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...
: ''Csa'') with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters.
Diurnal temperature variation
In meteorology, diurnal temperature variation is the variation between a high air temperature and a low temperature that occurs during the same day.
Temperature lag
Temperature lag, also known as thermal inertia, is an important factor in diur ...
is high, especially in the summer. Snowfall is rare.
Demographics
2020
The
2020 United States census reported that Clearlake had a population of 16,685. The population density was . The racial makeup of Clearlake was 59.3%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 3.4%
African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 2.7%
Native American, 1.0%
Asian, 0.2%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, 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 th ...
, 18.8% from
other races, and 14.6% from two or more races.
Hispanic or Latino of any race were 32.4% of the population.
The census reported that 99.4% of the population lived in households, 0.2% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0.5% were institutionalized.
[
There were 6,366 households, out of which 31.9% included children under the age of 18, 31.0% were married-couple households, 10.0% were ]cohabiting
Cohabitation is an arrangement where people who are not legally married live together as a couple. They are often involved in a romantic or sexually intimate relationship on a long-term or permanent basis. Such arrangements have become incr ...
couple households, 32.0% had a female householder with no partner present, and 27.0% had a male householder with no partner present. 31.8% of households were one person, and 15.3% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.6.[ There were 3,762 ]families
Family (from ) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictability, structure, and safety as ...
(59.1% of all households).
The age distribution was 25.3% under the age of 18, 7.6% aged 18 to 24, 25.2% aged 25 to 44, 24.8% aged 45 to 64, and 17.1% who were 65years of age or older. The median age was 37.5years. For every 100 females, there were 103.0 males.[
There were 7,665 housing units at an average density of , of which 6,366 (83.1%) were occupied. Of these, 54.6% were owner-occupied, and 45.4% were occupied by renters.][
In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $41,580, and the ]per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year.
In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
was $19,944. About 17.6% of families and 25.4% of the population were below the poverty line.
2010
At the 2010 census Clearlake had a population of 15,250. The population density was . The racial makeup of Clearlake was 11,262 (73.8%) White, 614 (4.0%) African American, 400 (2.6%) Native American, 161 (1.1%) Asian, 27 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 1,805 (11.8%) from other races, and 981 (6.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3,248 persons (21.3%).
The census reported that 14,790 people (97.0% of the population) lived in households, 366 (2.4%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 94 (0.6%) were institutionalized.
There were 5,970 households, 1,859 (31.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,957 (32.8%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 1,013 (17.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, 448 (7.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 650 (10.9%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 71 (1.2%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,898 households (31.8%) were one person and 739 (12.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.48. There were 3,418 families (57.3% of households); the average family size was 3.11.
The age distribution was 3,656 people (24.0%) under the age of 18, 1,528 people (10.0%) aged 18 to 24, 3,384 people (22.2%) aged 25 to 44, 4,389 people (28.8%) aged 45 to 64, and 2,293 people (15.0%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 39.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.6 males.
There were 8,035 housing units at an average density of , of which 3,190 (39.7) were owner-occupied, 2,780 (34.6%) were occupied by renters and 2065 (25.7%) were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 5.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 12.1%. 7,595 people (49.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 7,195 people (47.2%) lived in rental housing units.
Government
In the state legislature
A state legislature is a Legislature, legislative branch or body of a State (country subdivision), political subdivision in a Federalism, federal system.
Two federations literally use the term "state legislature":
* The legislative branches of ...
, Clearlake is in , and in .
Federally, Clearlake is in .
Infrastructure
According to a 2012 road report, approximately 44% of the city's roads are unpaved, including dozens of miles of urban residential streets.
Notable people
* Michael Berryman, actor
* Randy Hennis, baseball player, was born in Clearlake
See also
* Eastlake Landfill
References
External links
*
{{authority control
1980 establishments in California
Cities in Lake County, California
Incorporated cities and towns in California
Populated places established in 1980