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

county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

located in the central portion of the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

. As of the 2020 United States 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 parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

Fresno Fresno (; ) is a city in the San Joaquin Valley of California, United States. It is the county seat of Fresno County, California, Fresno County and the largest city in the greater Central Valley (California), Central Valley region. It covers a ...

, the fifth-most populous city in California. Fresno County comprises the Fresno, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the Fresno– Madera, CA Combined Statistical Area. It is located in the Central Valley, south of Stockton and north of

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

. Since 2010, statewide

droughts in California The historical and ongoing droughts in California result from various complex meteorological phenomena, some of which are not fully understood by scientists. Drought is generally defined as "a deficiency of precipitation over an extended perio ...

have further strained both Fresno County's and the entire Central Valley's

water security The aim of water security is to maximize the benefits of water for humans and ecosystems. The second aim is to limit the risks of destructive impacts of water to an acceptable level. These risks include too much water (flood), too little water (d ...

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 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 language, 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 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 86,333, up ...

and Tulare counties. ''Fresno'' is

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

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 The San Joaquin River ( ; ) is the longest river of Central California. The long river starts in the high Sierra Nevada and flows through the rich agricultural region of the northern San Joaquin Valley before reaching Suisun Bay, San Francis ...

that it received its name. Parts of Fresno County's territory were given to Mono County in 1861 and to Madera County 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. A special election was held on March 23, 1874, to decide if Millerton should remain the County Seat or if the County Seat should be moved to another location. Fresno won the election that day and became the new Fresno County Seat. 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 of plants) is the practice of applying controlled amounts of water to land to help grow crops, landscape plants, and lawns. Irrigation has been a key aspect of agriculture for over 5,000 years and has bee ...

, electricity, and extensive

agriculture Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...

to the area. In 1865,

William Helm William Helm (March 9, 1837 – April 10, 1919) was an American Sheep-rearing, sheep farmer and among the early pioneer settlers of Fresno County, California, Fresno County, California. He was instrumental in the growth and prosperity of the ...

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 Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface flow u ...

, called "Church Ditches", for

. These

allowed extensive cultivation of

wheat Wheat is a group of wild and crop domestication, domesticated Poaceae, grasses of the genus ''Triticum'' (). They are Agriculture, cultivated for their cereal grains, which are staple foods around the world. Well-known Taxonomy of wheat, whe ...

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

raisin A raisin is a Dried fruit, 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, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia and South Afri ...

industry in 1875, when he accidentally let some of his grapes dry on the vine. Anthony Easterby and Clovis 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. Althoug ...

, 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 ...

in 1909, the biggest in California up until that time, was an event of sufficient excitement to cause the Los Angeles Stock Exchange 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, and Kearney Mansion Museum.

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, 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 U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.9%) is water. Fresno County consists of about 38 smaller towns including Fresno, Selma, Parlier, Clovis, Reedley, Sanger, Kerman, Kingsburg, Coalinga, Firebaugh, Calwa, Friant, Mendota, Fowler, Shaver Lake, San Joaquin, Orange Cove, Del Ray, Yokuts Valley, Auberry, Huron, Caruthers, Riverdale, Laton, Big Creek, Tranquility, Biola, Raisin City, Easton, Three Rocks, Cantou Creek, Lanare, Minkler, Mayfair, Malaga, Bowles, Monmouth, and West Park. Major

watercourse A stream is a continuous body of water, body of surface water Current (stream), flowing within the stream bed, bed and bank (geography), banks of a channel (geography), channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a strea ...

s are the

, Kings River, Delta-Mendota Canal, Big Creek, Friant Kern Canal, Helm Canal and Madera Canal. 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 primari ...

. 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 (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. The county withdrew of fresh water per day in 2000, more than any other county in the United States. In recent years, statewide

have further strained both Fresno's and the entire Central Valley's

. Fresno County is part of the Madera AVA

wine region Wines are produced in significant growing regions where vineyards are planted. Wine grapes berries mostly grow between the 30th and the 50th degrees of latitude, in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, typically in regions of Mediterranea ...

. 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.

Adjacent counties

* Madera County (north) * Kings County (south) * Mono County (northeast) * Merced County (northwest) *

Tulare County Tulare County ( ) is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 473,117. The county seat is Visalia. The county is named for Tulare Lake, once the largest freshwater lake west of the Great Lake ...

(southeast) * Monterey County (southwest) * Inyo County (east) *

San Benito County San Benito County (; ''San Benito'', Spanish for " St. Benedict"), officially the County of San Benito, is a county located in the Central Coast region of California. Situated in the California Coast Ranges, the county had a population of 64 ...

(west)

National protected areas

Giant Sequoia National Monument The Giant Sequoia National Monument is a U.S. National Monument located in the southern Sierra Nevada (U.S.), Sierra Nevada in eastern central California. It is administered by the United States Forest Service, U.S. Forest Service as part of th ...

(part) *

Kings Canyon National Park Kings Canyon National Park is a national park of the United States 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 ren ...

(part) * Sequoia National Forest (part) *

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

(part)

Geology

A number of

mineral In geology and mineralogy, a mineral or mineral species is, broadly speaking, a solid substance with a fairly well-defined chemical composition and a specific crystal structure that occurs naturally in pure form.John P. Rafferty, ed. (2011): Mi ...

s have been discovered in the county, including macdonaldite, krauskopfite, walstromite, fresnoite, verplanckite, muirite, traskite, and kampfite. In October

2019 This was the year in which the first known human case of COVID-19 was documented, preceding COVID-19 pandemic, the pandemic which was declared by the World Health Organization the following year. Up to that point, 2019 had been described as ...

, 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, U.S. federal lands. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the BLM oversees more than of land, or one ...

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 Monterey ( ; ) is a city situated on the southern edge of Monterey Bay, on the Central Coast of California. Located in Monterey County, the city occupies a land area of and recorded a population of 30,218 in the 2020 census. The city was fou ...

, and Fresno counties.

Demographics

2020 census

2010 census

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

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 ...

, 49,523 (5.3%)

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 ...

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

, 217,085 (23.3%) from other races, and 42,286 (4.5%) from two or more races. There were 468,070

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino residents of any race (50.3%). 46.0% of Fresno County's population was of Mexican descent; 0.7% Salvadoran, and 0.3% of Puerto Rican origin.

2000 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

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 (disambiguation), 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 geog ...

was . There were 270,767 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 54.3%

, 5.3%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

, 1.6% Native American, 8.1% Asian, 0.1%

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

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

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

, 6.6% Irish, 6.3% English ancestry according to Census 2000. 59.3% spoke English, 31.5%

and 3.1%

Hmong Hmong may refer to: * Hmong people, an ethnic group living mainly in Southwest China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand * Hmong cuisine * Hmong customs and culture ** Hmong music ** Hmong textile art * Hmong language, a continuum of closely related ...

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 recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

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 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 ...

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 ...

, 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 Chlamydia, or more specifically a chlamydia infection, is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium ''Chlamydia trachomatis''. Most people who are infected have no symptoms. When symptoms do appear, they may occur only several w ...

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). The office's most prominent function is to produce the president's budget, while it also examines agency pro ...

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

ranked the Fresno, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area as the 56th most populous metropolitan statistical area 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, the 49th most populous combined statistical area and the 55th most populous primary statistical area 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 () 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 constitution was drafted in both English ...

law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior, with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been variously described as a science and as the ar ...

, 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, the , which is common ...

, 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. , the members of the Fresno County Board of Supervisors are: * Brian Pacheco, District 1 * Garry Bredefeld, District 2 * Luis Chavez, 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 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 The year 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 even ...

Joe Biden Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...

became the first Democratic presidential candidate since

Lyndon Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), also known as LBJ, was the 36th president of the United States, serving from 1963 to 1969. He became president after assassination of John F. Kennedy, the assassination of John F. Ken ...

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 Patria ...

to win a majority of the vote in Fresno County, only for

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...

to become the first Republican in 20 years to win the county just four years after Biden's victory. The cities of Clovis, Coalinga, and Kingsburg are considered solidly Republican, while the city of Fresno itself is split. The most Republican areas of Fresno are along the

bluffs, while southern Fresno itself is considered heavily Democratic. Most smaller cities in Fresno such as Firebaugh, Selma, and Sanger are split, with Democratic-leaning urban centers and Republican-leaning exteriors. Unincorporated Fresno County, as well as its mountain communities, are considered heavily Republican. 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 (U.S. state government), secretary of state is elected for four year terms, like the state's o ...

, 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

1904 Events January * January 7 – The distress signal ''CQD'' is established, only to be replaced 2 years later by ''SOS''. * January 8 – The Blackstone Library is dedicated, marking the beginning of the Chicago Public Library system. * ...

, when President

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. (October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), also known as Teddy or T.R., was the 26th president of the United States, serving from 1901 to 1909. Roosevelt previously was involved in New York (state), New York politics, incl ...

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. He was the Democratic nominee in the 1904 United States presidential election, losing in a landslide to incumbent Republican Theodore Roosevelt. A native of upstate New ...

. 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 the 28th president of the United States, serving from 1913 to 1921. He was the only History of the Democratic Party (United States), Democrat to serve as president during the Prog ...

in the elections of

1912 This year is notable for Sinking of the Titanic, the sinking of the ''Titanic'', which occurred on April 15. In Albania, this leap year runs with only 353 days as the country achieved switching from the Julian to Gregorian Calendar by skippin ...

and

1916 Events Below, the events of the First World War have the "WWI" prefix. January * January 1 – The British Empire, British Royal Army Medical Corps carries out the first successful blood transfusion, using blood that has been stored ...

. Fresno County was generally Republican from the onset of the "roaring 1920s" until the Great Depression, when President

Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), also known as FDR, was the 32nd president of the United States, serving from 1933 until his death in 1945. He is the longest-serving U.S. president, and the only one to have served ...

forged the New Deal Coalition that benefitted the agrarian county. From 1932 United States presidential election in California, 1932 to 1976 United States presidential election in California, 1976, the county consistently voted Democratic, barring Richard Nixon's landslide victory over former Senator George McGovern (D-SD) in 1972 United States presidential election in California, 1972. With President Jimmy Carter's defeat by Ronald Reagan, Fresno became a GOP-leaning swing county. It barely favored Reagan's successor (then) vice president George H. W. Bush in 1988 United States presidential election in California, 1988. Fresno would narrowly vote Democratic for Bill Clinton in 1992 United States presidential election in California, 1992, marking the first time that Democrats won the county since Jimmy Carter in 1976 United States presidential election in California, 1976. Republicans won elections in Fresno County by increasing margins from 1996 United States presidential election in California, 1996 to 2004 United States presidential election in California, 2004, then again in 2024 United States presidential election in California, 2024. In the United States House of Representatives, Fresno County is split among four congressional districts: * * * * In the California State Senate, the county is split among three legislative districts: * , * , and * . In the California State Assembly, Fresno County is split between the 8th Assembly District, represented by Republican Jim Patterson, and . Fresno tends to remain socially conservative but more moderate on economic issues, which can be seen in Fresno's support for both socially conservative proposition amendments and Democratic candidates in presidential elections, especially if economic times are poor. In contrast, gubernatorial elections are considered safe for Republicans in the county. It voted "Yes" in the 2021 California gubernatorial recall election, 2021 gubernatorial recall election and has voted for the Republican gubernatorial candidate in every election since 1978 California gubernatorial election, 1978. On November 4, 2008, Fresno County voted 68.6% for California Proposition 8 (2008), Proposition 8, which amended the

to ban same-sex marriages.

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 crops are grown here. Major crops and livestocks include: *Grapes (see also Grape in California) *Pistachios *Cotton *Almonds *Tomatoes (see also Tomato in California) *Domestic turkey, Turkeys *Cattle *Milk *Plums (see also Plum in California) *orange (fruit), Oranges *Peaches (see also Peach in California) *Nectarines (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. Pistachio production in the United States was 523,900 MT in 2021, with 40% of that number being from Fresno, California. The peach harvest was worth $264,139,238 in 2017. Fresno is the second highest cotton producer in the state, harvesting 223,443 cotton bale, bales in 2017. This is a close second to neighboring Kings County, California, Kings. Due to its tremendous agricultural success, the county also has a tremendous problem with glyphosate resistance. Okada ''et al.'', 2013 finds a high degree of resistance in Marestail (''Conyza canadensis''). These reviews cite Okada:

Companies based in Fresno County

*Gottschalks Department Stores (liquidated in 2010 ) *Sun-Maid Raisins *Pinnacle Armor, maker of the Dragon Skin Body Armor *Pelco, maker of surveillance cameras (acquired by Schneider Electric October 2007) *David Sunflower Seeds, now part of ConAgra Foods *Flicks Candy Company *Harris Ranch Beef Company *JD Food *Saladino's Inc *National Raisin Company *Pacific Ethanol *United Security Bank *Central Valley Community Bank *Electronic Recyclers International

Major employers

;Commercial/Industrial *Cargill *Kraft Foods *Foster Farms Dairy *Foster Farms (poultry company), Foster Farms *E & J Gallo Winery *Del Monte Foods *Pepsi Bottling Group *PPG Industries *Chevron Corporation, Chevron *Pelco *Sun-Maid *Electronic Recyclers International *Saladino's Inc. *Grundfos *Amazon.com, Amazon ;Government *Internal Revenue Service *Caltrans *Mendota Federal Prison *Pleasant Valley State Prison *Coalinga State Hospital *144th Fighter Wing of the California Air National Guard ;Healthcare *Children's Hospital Central California *Community Medical Center - Clovis *Community Regional Medical Center *Coalinga Regional Medical Center *Fresno Surgery Center *Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Fresno *Kingsburg Medical Center *San Joaquin Valley Rehabilitation Hospital *Saint Agnes Medical Center *Sanger General Hospital *Selma Community Hospital *Sierra Kings Hospital - Reedley *University Medical Center - Fresno *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 of America, 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 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 is a private, nonprofit law school founded in 1969 and located in the City of Clovis. *Fresno Pacific University is a private university in the City of

. Within the California Community Colleges System, Fresno County is mostly covered by the State Center Community College District and the West Hills Community College District. The following campuses are in Fresno County: * Clovis Community College (California), Clovis Community College near the City of Clovis * Fresno City College in the City of

* Reedley College in the City of Reedley, California, Reedley * West Hills College Coalinga 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 * Clovis Unified School District * Coalinga-Huron Unified School District * Cutler-Orosi Joint Unified School District * Dos Palos-Oro Loma Joint Unified School District * Firebaugh-Las Deltas Unified School District * Fowler Unified School District * Fresno Unified School District * Golden Plains Unified School District * Kerman Unified School District * Kings Canyon Joint Unified School District * Laton Joint Unified School District * Mendota Unified School District * Parlier Unified School District * Riverdale Joint Unified School District - Covers some areas for PK-12 and some for 9–12 only * Sanger Unified School District * Selma Unified School District * Sierra Unified School District - Covers some areas for PK-12 and some for 9–12 only * Washington Unified School District - Covers some areas for PK-12 and some for 9–12 only Secondary: * Kingsburg Joint Union High School District * Dinuba Unified School District (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 * Clay Joint Elementary School District * Kingsburg Elementary Charter School District * Monroe Elementary School District * Monson-Sultana Joint Union Elementary School District * Orange Center Elementary School District * Pacific Union School District (Fresno, California), Pacific Union Elementary School District * Pine Ridge Elementary School District * Raisin City Elementary School District * Washington Colony Elementary School District * West Park Elementary School District * Westside Elementary School District

Public libraries

In addition, the Fresno County Public Library operates public libraries throughout the county.

Transportation

Major highways

* Interstate 5 in California, Interstate 5 * California 33

California State Route 33, State Route 33 * California 41

California State Route 41, State Route 41 * California 43

California State Route 43, State Route 43 * California 63

California State Route 63, State Route 63 * California 99

California State Route 99, State Route 99 * California 145

California State Route 145, State Route 145 * California 168

California State Route 168, State Route 168 * California 180

California State Route 180, State Route 180 * California 198

California State Route 198, State Route 198 * California 201

California State Route 201, State Route 201 * California 245

California State Route 245, State Route 245 * California 269

California State Route 269, State Route 269

Rail

*BNSF Railway *Union Pacific Railroad *San Joaquin Valley Railroad *Biola Branch (Southern Pacific) (abandoned) *Shaver Lake Railroad (abandoned) *San Joaquin and Eastern Railroad (abandoned)

Airports

;Airline, Commercial service *Fresno Yosemite International Airport, Fresno Yosemite Int'l Airport ;General Aviation *Fresno Chandler Executive Airport *Firebaugh Airport *Mendota Airport *New Coalinga Municipal Airport *Reedley Municipal Airport *Sierra Sky Park Airport

Public transportation

*Fresno Area Express or FAX is the local bus operator in Fresno, including daily service to Fresno Yosemite International Airport. *Clovis Transit Stageline is the bus service in Clovis. *Reedley Transit a.k.a. Dial-A-Ride services Reedley. *Fresno County Rural Transit Agency (FCRTA) offers a variety of local and intercity transit services around Fresno County. *Greyhound Lines, Greyhound, FlixBus, and Orange Belt Stages provide intercity, long-distance bus service. *Amtrak ''San Joaquins'' stop in Santa Fe Passenger Depot (Fresno, California), Fresno.

Attractions

*China Peak, China Peak Ski Resort *Courtright Reservoir *Dinkey Lakes Wilderness *Fashion Fair Mall *Forestiere Underground Gardens *Fresno Art Museum *Fresno Chaffee Zoo *Fresno Fairgrounds *Fresno Metropolitan Museum of Art and Science, Fresno Metropolitan Museum (dissolved January 2010) * Fresno Water Tower *Hume Lake *Huntington Lake *

*Lost Lake *Millerton Lake *Mount Darwin (California), Mount Darwin *North Palisade *Pine Flat Lake *River Park (Fresno, California), River Park *Roeding Park *Shaver Lake *Sierra Vista Mall *Simonian Farms *Saroyan Theatre, William Saroyan Theatre *Save Mart Center *Wishon Dam, Wishon Reservoir *Woodward Park (Fresno), Woodward Park Forestiere Gardens

Communities

Cities

* Clovis * Coalinga * Firebaugh *Fowler, California, Fowler *

(county seat) *Huron, California, Huron *Kerman, California, Kerman * Kingsburg *Mendota, California, Mendota *Orange Cove, California, Orange Cove *Parlier, California, Parlier *Reedley, California, Reedley * San Joaquin * Sanger * Selma

Census-designated places

*Auberry, California, Auberry *Big Creek, California, Big Creek *Biola, California, Biola *Bowles, California, Bowles *Calwa, California, Calwa *Cantua Creek, California, Cantua Creek *Caruthers, California, Caruthers *Centerville, Fresno County, California, Centerville *Del Rey, California, Del Rey *Easton, California, Easton *Fort Washington, California, Fort Washington *Friant, California, Friant *Lanare, California, Lanare *Laton, California, Laton *Malaga, California, Malaga *Mayfair, Fresno County, California, Mayfair *Millerton, Fresno County, California, Millerton *Minkler, California, Minkler *Monmouth, California, Monmouth *Old Fig Garden, California, Old Fig Garden *Raisin City, California, Raisin City *Riverdale, California, Riverdale *Shaver Lake, California, Shaver Lake *Yokuts Valley, Fresno County, California, Yokuts Valley *Sunnyside, Fresno County, California, Sunnyside *Tarpey Village, California, Tarpey Village *Three Rocks, California, Three Rocks *Tranquillity, California, Tranquillity *West Park, California, West Park *Westside, Fresno County, California, Westside

Unincorporated communities

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

Population ranking

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

Notes

References

External links

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