118-518: Tulare County ( / t ʊ ˈ l ɛər i / tuu- LAIR -ee ) 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 Lakes . Drained for agricultural development, the site is now in Kings County , which
236-1054: A city , town , or village . A few counties directly provide public transportation themselves, usually in the form of a simple bus system. However, in most counties, public transportation is provided by one of the following: a special district that is coterminous with the county (but exists separately from the county government), a multi-county regional transit authority, or a state agency. In western and southern states, more populated counties provide many facilities, such as airports, convention centers , museums, recreation centers , beaches, harbors, zoos, clinics, law libraries , and public housing . They provide services such as child and family services, elder services, mental health services, welfare services, veterans assistance services, animal control , probation supervision, historic preservation, food safety regulation, and environmental health services. They have many additional officials like public defenders , arts commissioners, human rights commissioners, and planning commissioners. There may be
354-446: A consolidated city-county or independent city exists, a city council usually governs city/county or city affairs. In some counties, day-to-day operations are overseen by an elected county executive or by a chief administrative officer or county administrator who reports to the board, the mayor, or both. In many states, the board in charge of a county holds powers that transcend all three traditional branches of government. It has
472-476: A County Administrative Officer. Rebecca Campbell was appointed to that office effective on January 1, 2018. She succeeded Larry Spikes who held the post from 1993 through 2017. The Kings County District Attorney is Keith Fagundes. The District Attorney of each of the 58 counties in California is responsible for prosecuting the violation of California state and local laws and ordinances. The District Attorney
590-424: A county fire department and a county police department – as distinguished from fire and police departments operated by individual cities, special districts, or the state government. For example, Gwinnett County, Georgia , and its county seat, the city of Lawrenceville , each have their own police departments. (A separate county sheriff's department is responsible for security of the county courts and administration of
708-471: A female householder with no husband present, and 21.6% were non-families. 17.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.18 and the average family size was 3.56. In the county, the population was spread out, with 29.0% under the age of 18, 11.8% from 18 to 24, 35.0% from 25 to 44, 16.8% from 45 to 64, and 7.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age
826-465: A few counties bear names of Native American , French, or Spanish origin. Counties are most often named for people, often political figures or early settlers, with over 2,100 of the 3,144 total so named. The most common county name, with 31, is Washington County , for America's first president, George Washington . Up until 1871, there was a Washington County within the District of Columbia , but it
944-496: A four-acre camp on the land of a small farmer on the outskirts of Corcoran. Ultimately, the federal government intervened to force both sides to negotiate a settlement. Lemoore Army Airfield was established for training and defense during World War II . In 1961, the U.S. Navy opened NAS Lemoore 9 miles (14 km) west of Lemoore , not far from the earlier site. The completion of the California Aqueduct in
1062-445: A household in the county was $ 33,983, and the median income for a family was $ 36,297. Males had a median income of $ 30,892 versus $ 24,589 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 14,006. About 18.8% of families and 23.9% of the population were below the poverty line , including 32.6% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over. The United States Office of Management and Budget has designated Tulare County as
1180-400: A land area of 20,057 square miles (51,947 km ). The least extensive county is Kalawao County, Hawaii , with a land area of 11.991 square miles (31.058 km ). The least extensive county equivalent in the 50 states is the independent city of Falls Church, Virginia , with a land area of 1.999 square miles (5.177 km ). If U.S. territories are included,
1298-797: A large annual celebration held each May called Kings County Homecoming Week. In 2015, the event was scaled back to one day and renamed Pioneer Days. The event returned as Kings County Homecoming Week in 2016 but without the traditional parade. Kings Area Regional Transit (KART) operates regularly scheduled fixed route bus service, vanpool service for commuters and Paratransit (demand response) services throughout Kings County as well as to Fresno. Amtrak trains stop in Corcoran and Hanford. Orange Belt Stages provides inter-city bus service to and from Hanford. Connections with Greyhound can be made in Visalia or Paso Robles . Hanford Municipal Airport
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#17327823615351416-453: A large number of counties, and many Western states were sparsely populated when counties were created by their respective state legislatures. The five counties of Rhode Island and eight of the 14 counties of Massachusetts no longer have functional county governments, but continue to exist as legal and census entities. Connecticut abolished county governments in 1960, leaving its eight counties as mere legal and census entities. In 2022,
1534-400: A majority in the county was Lyndon Johnson in 1964 . In the 2016 presidential election , Republican candidate and overall winner, Donald Trump , won Tulare by a 9.39% margin of victory, the closest margin of victory for a Republican in the county since Richard Nixon 's 8.37% margin in 1960 . The Republican advantage narrowed further in the 2020 presidential election when Donald Trump won
1652-888: A matter of U.S. state law , so the specific governmental powers of counties may vary widely between the states, with many providing some level of services to civil townships , municipalities , and unincorporated areas . Certain municipalities are in multiple counties ; New York City is uniquely partitioned into five counties, referred to at the city government level as boroughs . Some municipalities have been consolidated with their county government to form consolidated city-counties , or have been legally separated from counties altogether to form independent cities . Conversely, counties in Connecticut and Rhode Island , eight of Massachusetts's 14 counties , and Alaska's Unorganized Borough have no government power, existing only as geographic distinctions. The United States Census Bureau uses
1770-511: A point that was far below the cost of production according to a July 2009 quote from Bill Van Dam, CEO of the Alliance of Western Milk Producers. By December 2010, milk prices had increased to about $ 13 per hundredweight from a low of below $ 10 in 2009. However, the price of corn used for feed had increased because of its use by the ethanol industry. Van Dam was quoted that month as saying that at current prices, dairy operators are at or close to
1888-475: A population of 442,179. The racial makeup of Tulare County was 265,618 (60.1%) White , 7,196 (1.6%) African American , 6,993 (1.6%) Native American , 15,176 (3.4%) Asian , 509 (0.1%) Pacific Islander , 128,263 (29.0%) from other races , and 18,424 (4.2%) from two or more races. There were 268,065 people (60.6%) of Hispanic or Latino origin, of any race. As of the census of 2000, there were 368,021 people, 110,385 households, and 87,093 families residing in
2006-415: A population over 100,000; 137 counties have a population over 500,000; 45 counties have a population over 1,000,000; and 14 counties have a population over 2,000,000. At the other extreme, 35 counties have a population under 1,000; 307 counties have a population under 5,000; 709 counties have a population under 10,000; and 1,492 counties have a population between 10,000 and 50,000. At the 2000 U.S. Census ,
2124-668: A report in July 2011, which estimated there were 9,000 illegal immigrants living in Kings County in 2008, which would be 5.8% of the county's population. According to the California Board of State and Community Corrections, Kings County had the highest incarceration rate of California's 58 counties in 2014 at 1,384 per 100,000 population. Statewide, the rate was 567 per 100,000. As of the 2000 census, there were 129,461 people, 34,418 households, and 26,983 families residing in
2242-543: A strongly Republican county in Presidential elections. The last Democratic candidate for president to win the county was Hubert Humphrey in 1968 , and the last to win a majority was Lyndon Johnson in 1964 . In November 2008, Kings County voted 73.7% for Proposition 8 which amended the California Constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman. The following table includes
2360-428: Is Lake . Words from Native American languages, as well as the names of Native American leaders and tribes, lend their names to many counties. Quite a few counties bear names of French or Spanish origin, such as Marquette County being named after French missionary Father Jacques Marquette . The county's equivalent in the state of Louisiana, the parish (Fr. paroisse civile and Sp. parroquia ) took its name during
2478-572: Is 343 sq mi (890 km ), whereas in Utah it is 2,427 sq mi (6,290 km ). The most extensive county or county equivalent is the Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska , with a land area of 145,505 square miles (376,856 km ). All nine of the most extensive county equivalents are in Alaska. The most extensive county is San Bernardino County, California , with
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#17327823615352596-522: Is David Robinson. The Kings County Sheriff's Office provides court protection, county jail operation, and coroner services for the entire county. It provides patrol and detective services to the unincorporated areas of the county. In the California State Legislature , Kings County is in the 14th Senate District , represented by Democrat Anna Caballero , and in the 32nd Assembly District , represented by Vacant . In
2714-603: Is a general law county under the California Constitution . That is, it does not have a county charter. The county is governed by a five-member Board of Supervisors. Supervisors are elected by districts for four-year terms. There are no term limits in effect. The chairman and vice-chairman are elected annually by the Board of Supervisors from among its members. The Tulare County Sheriff provides court protection, county jail operation, patrol and detective functions in
2832-436: Is an unusual case because it encompasses multiple entire counties in one city. Each of those counties is coextensive with one of the five boroughs of the city: Manhattan (New York County), The Bronx (Bronx County), Queens (Queens County), Brooklyn (Kings County), and Staten Island (Richmond County). Kings County, California Kings County is a county located in the U.S. state of California . The population
2950-500: Is either done at the state level or at the municipal level. In Connecticut and parts of Massachusetts, regional councils have been established to partially fill the void left behind by the abolished county governments. The regional councils' authority is limited compared with a county government—they have authority only over infrastructure and land use planning, distribution of state and federal funds for infrastructure projects, emergency preparedness, and limited law enforcement duties. In
3068-637: Is from this lake that the county derives its name. The root of the name Tulare is found in the Nahuatl word tullin , designating cattail or similar reeds. In 1805, 1806 and again in 1816, the Spanish out of Mission San Luis Obispo explored Lake Tulare. Bubal was a native village located on the Western side of Lake Tulare. In 1816, Fr. Luis Martinez of Mission San Luis Obispo arrived at Bubal with soldiers and armed Christian Northern Chumash pressuring
3186-501: Is governed by a five-member Board of Supervisors . Supervisors are elected by districts for four-year terms. There are no term limits in effect. The chairman and vice-chairman are elected annually by the Board of Supervisors from among its members. On January 7, 2020, the Board elected Supervisor Doug Verboon as chairman and Supervisor Craig Pederson as vice-chairman to serve during 2020. Other Supervisors include Richard Valle, Joe Neves and Richard Fagundes. The Board of Supervisors appoints
3304-399: Is greater than the populations of 41 U.S. states, and is only slightly smaller than the combined population of the 10 least populous states and Washington, D.C. It also makes the population of Los Angeles County 17.4 times greater than that of the least populous state, Wyoming. The second most populous county is Cook County, Illinois , with a population of 5,275,541. Cook County's population
3422-405: Is land and 14 square miles (36 km), or 0.3%, is water. Sequoia National Park is a national park in the southern Sierra Nevada , east of Visalia . It was established in 1890 as the second U.S. national park, after Yellowstone . The park spans 404,051 acres (1,635.14 km). Encompassing a vertical relief of nearly 13,000 feet (3,962 m), the park contains among its natural resources
3540-455: Is larger than that of 28 individual U.S. states and the combined populations of the six smallest states. The least populous county is Loving County, Texas , with 64 residents in 2020. Eight county equivalents in the U.S. territories have no human population: Rose Atoll , Northern Islands Municipality , Baker Island , Howland Island , Jarvis Island , Johnston Atoll , Kingman Reef , and Navassa Island . The remaining three islands in
3658-782: Is no formal level of government (municipality, public education, or otherwise) existing below that of the county in the state. In most Midwestern and Northeastern states, counties are further subdivided into townships or towns , which sometimes exercise local powers or administration. Throughout the United States, counties may contain other independent, self-governing municipalities . In New England, counties function at most as judicial court districts and sheriff's departments (presently, in Connecticut only as judicial court districts—and in Rhode Island , they have lost both those functions and most others but they are still used by
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3776-410: Is rarely a county responsibility, execution of capital punishment is never a county responsibility, and the state's responses to prisoners' appeals are the responsibility of the state attorney general , who has to defend before the state appellate courts the prosecutions conducted by locally elected district attorneys in the name of the state. Furthermore, county-level trial court judges are officers of
3894-562: Is simultaneously a city, which is a municipality (municipal corporation), and a county, which is an administrative division of a state, having the powers and responsibilities of both types of entities. The city limit or jurisdiction is synonymous with the county line, as the two administrative entities become a non-dichotomous single entity. For this reason, a consolidated city-county is officially remarked as name of city – name of county (i.e., Augusta–Richmond County in Georgia). The same
4012-793: Is the sole criminal prosecuting entity in the county. In addition to the prosecution duties of the District Attorney, the Kings County District Attorney also has civil and criminal investigative authority with its own Bureau of Investigations composed of sworn peace officers with arresting authority. The Kings County District Attorney's Victim-Witness Assistance Program also provides assistance to victims of crime through federal, state, and local resources. Within Kings County, there are four city police departments: Hanford (the county seat), Corcoran, Lemoore, and Avenal. The Kings County Sheriff-Coroner-Public Administrator
4130-506: Is true of the boroughs of New York City , each of which is coextensive with a county of New York State. For those entities in which the city uses the same name as the county, city and county of name may be used (i.e., City and County of Denver in Colorado). Similarly, some of Alaska 's boroughs have merged with their principal cities, creating unified city-boroughs. Some such consolidations and mergers have created cities that rank among
4248-669: The 2020 census , the population was 473,117, up from 442,179 at the 2010 census . The land was occupied for thousands of years by the Yokuts . Beginning in the eighteenth century, Spain established missions to colonize California and convert the American Indians to Christianity. Comandante Pedro Fages , while hunting for deserters in the Central Valley in 1772, discovered a great lake surrounded by marshes and filled with rushes ; he named it Los Tules (the tules). It
4366-488: The 80th most populous combined statistical area and the 92nd most populous primary statistical area of the United States as of July 1, 2012. According to the United States Census Bureau, Tulare County is the 7th largest county in California by total area. Tulare is a strongly Republican county in presidential and congressional elections. The last Democratic candidate for president to win
4484-652: The Alaska Constitutional Convention wanted to avoid the traditional county system and adopted their own unique model with different types of boroughs varying in powers and duties. In some states, these powers are partly or mostly devolved to the counties' smaller divisions usually called townships , though in New York, New England and Wisconsin they are called "towns". The county may or may not be able to override its townships on certain matters, depending on state law. The newest county in
4602-458: The City and County of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ; City and County of San Francisco, California ; and Lynchburg-Moore County, Tennessee A consolidated city-county may still contain independent municipalities maintaining some governmental powers that did not merge with the rest of the county. For example, the government of Jacksonville–Duval County, Florida , still provides county-level services to
4720-634: The Mexican Cession and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, the area became part of the United States. Tulare County was soon formed from parts of Mariposa County only four years later in 1852. There were two early attempts to split off a new Buena Vista County in 1855 and Coso County in 1864, but both failed. Parts of the county's territory were given to Fresno County in 1856, to Kern County and Inyo County in 1866 and to Kings County in 1893. The infectious disease Tularemia caused by
4838-603: The Mid-Atlantic and Midwest , counties typically provide, at a minimum, courts, public utilities , libraries, hospitals, public health services, parks, roads, law enforcement, and jails. There is usually a county registrar, recorder, or clerk (the exact title varies) who collects vital statistics , holds elections (sometimes in coordination with a separate elections office or commission), and prepares or processes certificates of births, deaths, marriages, and dissolutions (divorce decrees). The county recorder normally maintains
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4956-566: The New York City Borough of Manhattan), with 72,033 persons per square mile (27,812 persons/km ) in 2015. The Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska , is both the most extensive and the least densely populated county or county equivalent with 0.0380 persons per square mile (0.0147 persons/km ) in 2015. In the 50 states (plus the District of Columbia), a total of 981 counties have a population over 50,000; 592 counties have
5074-576: The Province of Maine founded York County . Massachusetts followed in 1643. Pennsylvania and New York delegated significant power and responsibility from the colony government to county governments and thereby established a pattern for most of the United States, although counties remained relatively weak in New England . When independence came, the framers of the Constitution left
5192-437: The U.S. Minor Outlying Islands ( Midway Atoll , Palmyra Atoll and Wake Island ) have small non-permanent human populations. The county equivalent with the smallest non-zero population counted in the census is Swains Island, American Samoa (17 people), although since 2008 this population has not been permanent either. The most densely populated county or county equivalent is New York County, New York (coextensive with
5310-582: The USGS counts Guam's election districts (villages) as county equivalents. The U.S. Census Bureau counts the 3 main islands in the U.S. Virgin Islands as county equivalents, while the USGS counts the districts of the U.S. Virgin Islands (of which there are 2) as county equivalents. Common sources of county names are names of people, geographic features, places in other states or countries, and animals. Quite
5428-552: The United States , a county or county equivalent is an administrative or political subdivision of a U.S. state or other territories of the United States which consists of a geographic area with specific boundaries and usually some level of governmental authority. The term " county " is used in 48 states, while Louisiana and Alaska have functionally equivalent subdivisions called parishes and boroughs , respectively. Counties and other local governments exist as
5546-689: The United States Census Bureau and some other federal agencies for some federal functions), and most of the governmental authority below the state level is in the hands of towns and cities . In several of Maine's sparsely populated counties, small towns rely on the county for law enforcement, and in New Hampshire several social programs are administered at the state level. In Connecticut, Rhode Island, and parts of Massachusetts, counties are now only geographic designations, and they do not have any governmental powers. All government
5664-606: The United States House of Representatives , Kings County in California's 21st District and is represented by Republican David Valadao . According to the Kings County Election Office, as of March 24, 2017, 51,323 residents were registered to vote. There were 22,341 voters registered as Republicans, 17,429 registered as Democrats and 9,443 did not state a party preference. The remaining 2,104 registered with minor parties. Kings has long been
5782-471: The county seat ("parish seat" in Louisiana, "borough seat" in Alaska, or " shire town " in several New England counties). The county seat usually resides in a municipality. However, some counties may have multiple seats or no seat. In some counties with no incorporated municipalities, a large settlement may serve as the county seat. The power of county governments varies widely from state to state, as does
5900-478: The median land area of U.S. counties was 622 sq mi (1,610 km ), which is two-thirds of the median land area of a ceremonial county of England , and a little more than a quarter of the median land area of a French département . Counties in the western United States typically have a much larger land area than those in the eastern United States. For example, the median land area of counties in Georgia
6018-648: The 19th century, it was the largest freshwater lake west of the Great Lakes. The 2010 United States Census reported that Kings County had a population of 152,982. The census included inmates of the three men's state prisons. According to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation , there were 18,640 inmates in Kings County prisons on March 31, 2010, which was 12.2% of the population. The inmate population had been reduced to 13,894 on December 31, 2013. The racial makeup of Kings County
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#17327823615356136-451: The 50 states and District of Columbia. There are an additional 100 county equivalents in the territories of the United States . The average number of counties per state is 62, with a range from the three counties of Delaware to the 254 counties of Texas . Southern and Midwestern states generally tend to have more counties than Western or Northeastern states, as many Northeastern states are not large enough in area to warrant
6254-461: The 50 states and the District of Columbia. If the 100 county equivalents in the U.S. territories are counted, then the total is 3,244 counties and county-equivalents in the United States. The idea of counties originated with the counties of England . English (after 1707, British ) colonists brought to their colonies in North America a political subdivision that they already used in
6372-997: The British metropole : the counties. Counties were among the earliest units of local government established in the Thirteen Colonies that would become the United States. Virginia created the first counties in order to ease the administrative workload in Jamestown . The House of Burgesses divided the colony first into four "incorporations" in 1617 and finally into eight shires (or counties) in 1634: James City , Henrico , Charles City , Charles River , Warrosquyoake , Accomac , Elizabeth City , and Warwick River . America's oldest intact county court records can be found at Eastville, Virginia , in Northampton (originally Accomac) County , dating to 1632. Maryland established its first county, St. Mary's in 1637. In 1639,
6490-611: The Business Forecasting Center at the University of the Pacific , stated in an October 2010 newspaper interview that nearly half of Kings County's personal earnings come from government jobs, which pay more than agricultural employment. Kings County's dairy industry dropped from $ 670 million in milk sold in 2008 to $ 411 million in 2009 - a 39% drop. By mid-2009, the price paid to milk producers had dropped to
6608-574: The U.S. Census Bureau began to also count Connecticut's Councils of Governments , which took over some of the regional powers from the state's former county governments, as county equivalents. Territories of the United States do not have counties; instead, the United States Census Bureau also divides them into county equivalents. The U.S. Census Bureau counts American Samoa 's districts and atolls as county equivalents. American Samoa locally has places called "counties", but these entities are considered to be " minor civil divisions " (not true counties) by
6726-423: The U.S. Census Bureau estimated that the median household income in the county was $ 47,035 and that 17.6% of the population was below the poverty line . In 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis , average per capita income was $ 35,306 in Kings County, which ranked it last of California's 58 counties. Per capita personal income is calculated by dividing the population by the total personal income of
6844-473: The U.S. Census Bureau recognized the state's nine Councils of Governments as replacement for the state's eight legacy counties for all statistical purposes; full implementation was completed in 2024. The average U.S. county population was 104,435 in 2019, while the median county, which is Nicholas County, West Virginia , had a population of 25,965 in 2019. The most populous county is Los Angeles County, California , with 10,014,009 residents in 2020. This number
6962-479: The U.S. Census Bureau treats American Samoa's three districts and two atolls as county equivalents). American Samoa's counties are treated as minor civil divisions. Most territories are directly divided into municipalities or similar units, which are treated as equivalent of counties for statistical purposes: The U.S. Census Bureau counts all of Guam as one county equivalent (with the FIPS code 66010), while
7080-690: The U.S. Census Bureau. The number of counties per state ranges from the three counties of Delaware to the 254 counties of Texas . County populations also vary widely: in 2017, according to the Census Bureau, more than half the U.S. population was concentrated in just 143 of the more than 3,000 counties, or just 4.6% of all counties; the five most populous counties, ordered from most to least, are Los Angeles County, California ; Cook County, Illinois ; Harris County, Texas ; Maricopa County, Arizona ; and San Diego County, California . As of 2022 , there are 3,144 counties and county-equivalents in
7198-489: The United States is the city and county of Broomfield, Colorado , established in 2001 as a consolidated city-county , previously part of four counties. The newest county equivalents are the Alaskan census areas of Chugach and Copper River , both established in 2019, and the Alaskan boroughs of Petersburg established in 2013, Wrangell established in 2008, and Skagway established in 2007. A consolidated city-county
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#17327823615357316-546: The Visalia-Porterville, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area. The United States Census Bureau ranked the Visalia-Porterville, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area as the 111th most populous metropolitan statistical area of the United States as of July 1, 2012. The Office of Management and Budget has further designated the Visalia-Porterville, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area as a component of the more extensive Visalia-Porterville-Hanford, CA Combined Statistical Area,
7434-464: The Yokuts a military advantage. At one point, the Spanish considered building a presidio with 100 soldiers at Bubal to control the resistance, but that never came to pass. The Spanish called the natives of the area Tulareños, and before 1816 and after 1834, they were incorporated into Mission San Miguel and Mission San Luis Obispo. After Mexico achieved independence, it continued to rule California. After
7552-429: The age of 18 living with them, 52.5% were married couples living together, 15.2% had a male householder with no spouse present, 24.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 20.8% were non-families, and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.20 and the average family size was 3.57. There were 150,652 household units, and 141,987 occupied housing units in
7670-659: The area on the Santa Rosa Rancheria . It was colonized by Spain, Mexico and the United States. An 1805 expedition probably led by Spanish Army Lieutenant Gabriel Moraga recorded discovering the river, which they named El Rio de los Santos Reyes (River of the Holy Kings) after the Three Wise Men of the Bible . At the time of the United States conquest of California in 1848, the new government changed
7788-413: The area's residents. In Kings County's case, the U.S. Census Bureau's estimated population of 151,366 was used for that calculation. However, the population estimate includes incarcerated persons with little or no income. The homeownership rate was 54.2% at the time of the 2010 census. According to Zillow Real Estate Research, an estimated 24% of homeowners in the county owned their homes free and clear in
7906-424: The bacterium Francisella tularensis is named after Tulare County. In 1908 Colonel Allen Allensworth and associates founded the town of Allensworth as a black farming community. They intended to develop a place where African Americans could thrive free of white discrimination. It was the only community in California founded, financed and governed by African Americans. While its first years were highly successful,
8024-778: The baseball Visalia Rawhide of the class-A level California League (an affiliate to the Arizona Diamondbacks ), two teams of the Minor League Football Association in Tulare and Visalia, and four teams of the Central California Basketball League based in Porterville, attract many residents and add to the amenities in the county. According to the county's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report ,
8142-402: The board. These positions may include county clerk , county treasurer , county surrogate, sheriff , and others. District attorneys or state attorneys are usually state-level as opposed to county-level officials, but in many states, counties and state judicial districts have coterminous boundaries. The site of a county's administration, and often the county courthouse , is generally called
8260-472: The break-even point. By the summer of 2012, it was reported that despite a milk price of about $ 15 per hundredweight, the rising cost of cattle feed had caused many dairy farmers to sell all or part of their herds and even file for bankruptcy. In 2014, milk prices were topping $ 22 per hundredweight and the value of milk sold rose to $ 970 million in that year. However, by March 2016 milk was reportedly selling closer to $ 13 per hundredweight. Kings County has
8378-410: The city and the county at least nominally exist, they are properly classified as counties in their own right. Likewise, the boroughs of New York City are coextensive with counties and are therefore by definition also not county equivalents. There are technically no counties in U.S. territories. American Samoa has its own counties , but the U.S. Census Bureau does not treat them as counties (instead,
8496-578: The community encountered environmental problems from dropping water tables which eventually caused it to fail. Today the historic area is preserved as the Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park , which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places . According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 4,839 square miles (12,530 km), of which 4,823 square miles (12,490 km)
8614-421: The county (which merely implements state law). A typical criminal defendant will be arraigned and subsequently indicted or held over for trial before a trial court in and for a particular county where the crime occurred, kept in the county jail (if he is not granted bail or cannot make bail), prosecuted by the county's district attorney, and tried before a jury selected from that county. But long-term incarceration
8732-573: The county by a 7.82% margin despite losing nationally to Joe Biden , the closest margin of victory for a Republican in the county since Dwight D. Eisenhower 's 5.33% margin in 1956 . In the United States House of Representatives , Tulare County is split between three congressional districts: In the California State Senate , it is split between two legislative districts: In the California State Assembly ,
8850-446: The county is represented by the 33rd Assembly district , represented by Republican Devon Mathis , and the 32nd Assembly District, represented by Republican Vince Fong . The dairy industry, with sales of milk products, brings in the most revenue for the county, typically more than US$ 1 billion a year annually. Oranges, grapes, and cattle-related commodities also earn hundreds of millions of dollars annually. In 2001, Tulare became
8968-463: The county jail.) In several southern states, public school systems are organized and administered at the county level. As of 2024 , there were 2,999 counties, 64 Louisiana parishes , 19 organized boroughs and 11 census areas in Alaska, 9 Councils of Government in Connecticut, 41 independent cities , and the District of Columbia for a total of 3,144 counties and county equivalents in
9086-530: The county. The Porterville Municipal Airport , located 3 nautical miles (3.5 mi; 5.6 km) from Downtown Porterville. The airport offers general aviation to the public; it is also home to Porterville Air Attack Base on the south part of the airport. The Visalia Municipal Airport is a city-owned airport for the city of Visalia, California . Mefford Field is a city-owned general aviation airport located in Tulare. The nearest full-operation commercial airports are Bakersfield 's Meadows Field Airport to
9204-585: The county. However, the California Department of Finance estimates that the population had grown 154,434 as of January 1, 2008. The population density based on the 2000 census was 36/km (93/sq mi). There were 36,563 housing units at an average density of 26 per square mile (10/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 53.7% White , 8.3% Black or African American , 1.7% Native American , 3.1% Asian , 0.2% Pacific Islander , 28.3% from other races , and 4.8% from two or more races. 43.6% of
9322-409: The county. The population density was 76 people per square mile (29 people/km). There were 119,639 housing units at an average density of 25 units per square mile (9.7 units/km). The racial makeup of the county was 58.1% White , 1.6% Black or African American , 1.6% Native American , 3.3% Asian , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 30.8% from other races , and 4.6% from two or more races. 50.8% of
9440-454: The county. The population density was 98.1 people per square mile (37.9 people/km). The median income for a household in the county was $ 57,692, and the median income for a family was $ 53,330. The per capita income for the county was $ 23,096. About 18.8% of the population were below the poverty line , including 26.0% of those under age 18 and 13.8% of those age 65 or over. The 2010 United States Census reported that Tulare County had
9558-426: The early 1970s brought needed water for agriculture and domestic use to the west side of the county. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 1,392 square miles (3,610 km ), of which 1,389 square miles (3,600 km ) is land and 2.1 square miles (5.4 km ) (0.2%) is water. Kings County is bordered on the north and northwest by Fresno County , on the east by Tulare County , on
9676-399: The four independent municipalities within its borders: Atlantic Beach , Baldwin , Jacksonville Beach , and Neptune Beach . The term county equivalents is used by the United States Census Bureau to describe divisions that are comparable to counties but called by different names: Consolidated city-counties are not designated county equivalents for administrative purposes; since both
9794-461: The general law of the state or by a charter specific to that county. States may allow only general-law counties, only charter counties, or both. Generally, general-law local governments have less autonomy than chartered local governments. Counties are usually governed by an elected body, variously called the county commission , board of supervisors , commissioners' court , county council , county court , or county legislature . In cases in which
9912-626: The geographically largest cities in the world, though often with population densities far below those of most urban areas. There are 40 consolidated city-counties in the U.S., including Augusta–Richmond County; the City and County of Denver, Colorado; the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii ; Indianapolis–Marion County, Indiana ; Jacksonville–Duval County, Florida ; Louisville–Jefferson County, Kentucky ; Lexington–Fayette County, Kentucky ; Kansas City–Wyandotte County, Kansas ; Nashville–Davidson County, Tennessee ; New Orleans–Orleans Parish, Louisiana ;
10030-978: The highest point in the contiguous 48 United States, Mount Whitney , at 14,505 feet (4,421 m) above sea level. The park is south of and contiguous with Kings Canyon National Park ; the two are administered by the National Park Service as one unit, called Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks . Tulare County is rich in native plant species due in part to a diversity in habitats, including creeks, rivers, hills, and mountains. Native plants include incense cedar ( Calocedrus decurrens ), valley oak ( Quercus lobata ), California bay ( Umbellularia californica ), manzanita ( Arctostaphylos manzanita ), Salvia spathacea , mountain mahogany ( Cercocarpus betuloides ), milkweed ( Asclepias speciosa ), Epilobium cleistogamum , monkeyflower ( Mimulus ), Penstemon , California melic ( Melica californica ), and deer grass ( Muhlenbergia rigens ). Tulare County
10148-405: The judicial branch of the state government rather than county governments. In many states, the county controls all unincorporated lands within its boundaries. In states with a township tier, unincorporated land is controlled by the townships. Residents of unincorporated land who are dissatisfied with county-level or township-level resource allocation decisions can attempt to vote to incorporate as
10266-560: The least extensive county equivalent is Kingman Reef , with a land area of 0.01 square miles (0.03 km ). In some states, a municipality may be in only one county and may not annex territory in adjacent counties, but in the majority of states, the state constitution or state law allows municipalities to extend across county boundaries. At least 32 states include municipalities in multiple counties . Dallas , for example, contains portions of five counties, while numerous other cities comprise portions of four counties. New York City
10384-416: The legislative power to enact laws for the county; it has the executive power to oversee the executive operations of county government; and it has quasi-judicial power with regard to certain limited matters (such as hearing appeals from the planning commission if one exists). In many states, several important officials are elected separately from the board of commissioners or supervisors and cannot be fired by
10502-686: The matter to the states. Subsequently, state constitutions conceptualized county governments as arms of the state. Louisiana instead adopted the local divisions called parishes that dated back to both the Spanish colonial and French colonial periods when the land was dominated by the Catholic Church . In the twentieth century, the role of local governments strengthened and counties began providing more services, acquiring home rule and county commissions to pass local ordinances pertaining to their unincorporated areas . In 1955, delegates to
10620-450: The most productive county in the U.S. in terms of agricultural revenues, at US$ 3.5 billion annually. It surpassed Fresno County 's US$ 3.2 billion, which had held the top spot for over two decades. Due to the importance of agriculture in the county as well as its location in the state, since 1968 the city of Tulare has been the site of the annual World Ag Expo , the world's largest agricultural exposition. Minor league sports teams, such as
10738-563: The name to Kings River after which the county was named. In 1880, a dispute over land titles between settlers and the Southern Pacific Railroad resulted in a bloody gun battle on a farm 5.6 mi (9.0 km) northwest of Hanford; seven men died. This event became known as the Mussel Slough Tragedy . Kings County was formed in 1893 from the western part of Tulare County . In 1909, by an act of
10856-521: The next most common source of county names are geographic features and locations, with some counties even being named after counties in other states, or for places in other countries, such as the United Kingdom (the latter is most common in the area of the original Thirteen Colonies in the case of the United Kingdom, or in places which had a large number of immigrants from a particular area for other countries). The most common geographic county name
10974-409: The number of incidents reported and the rate per 1,000 persons for each type of offense. The economy is based on agriculture. About 87% of Kings County's 890,000 acres is agricultural farmland. The gross value of all agricultural crops and products produced during 2018 in Kings County was $ 2,351,983,000. Kings County is 10th among California counties in agricultural production. The top commodity in 2018
11092-424: The official record of all real estate transactions. Other key county officials include the coroner / medical examiner , treasurer , assessor , auditor , comptroller , and district attorney . In most states, the county sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer in the county. However, except in major emergencies where clear chains of command are essential, the county sheriff normally does not directly control
11210-523: The people to send their children for baptism at his mission on the coast. Conflict broke out, and Martinez's party burned Bubal to the ground, destroying the cache of food harvested for the winter. Although Bubal's relationship with the Christian Salinans under Fr. Cabot at Mission San Miguel was better, between 1816 and 1834, Bubal was a center of native resistance. The marshes around Lake Tulare were impenetrable by Spanish horses, which gave
11328-448: The police departments of city governments, but merely cooperates with them (e.g., under mutual aid pacts). Thus, the most common interaction between county and city law enforcement personnel is when city police officers deliver suspects to sheriff's deputies for detention or incarceration in the county jail. In most states, the state courts and local law enforcement are organized and implemented along county boundaries, but nearly all of
11446-847: The population was spread out, with 31.0% under the age of 18, 69.0% from 18 to 64, 6.5% from 65 to 74, 3.2% from 75 to 84 and 1.4% who were 85 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. The racial makeup of Tulare County including Hispanics was 186,255 (39.4%) White , 6,668 (1.4%) African American , 10,645 (2.2%) Native American , 17,194 (3.6%) Asian , 723 (0.1%) Pacific Islander , 165,230 (34.9%) from other races , and 86,402 (18.2%) from two or more races. There were 309,895 people (65.5%) of Hispanic or Latino origin, of any race. 3.7% were of German , 3.2% English , 2.8% Irish, 2.4% Portuguese and 2.3% American ancestry according to Census 2020 . 48.7% spoke English , 47.4% Spanish and 1.0% Indo-European as their first language. There were 144,109 households , out of which 45.9% had children under
11564-561: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 6.2% were of American , 5.7% German and 5.0% English ancestry according to Census 2000 . 56.3% spoke English , 38.9% Spanish and 1.1% Portuguese as their first language. There were 110,385 households, out of which 44.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.1% were married couples living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.1% were non-families. 17.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.7% had someone living alone who
11682-442: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 7.1% were of Portuguese , 6.2% German , 5.3% Irish and 5.1% American ancestry according to Census 2000 . 63.6% spoke English , 30.9% Spanish , 1.4% Tagalog , 1.4% Portuguese and 1.3% Samoan as their first language. There were 34,418 households, out of which 46.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.0% were married couples living together, 14.3% had
11800-501: The region. Other important employers include a Del Monte Foods tomato processing plant, Adventist Health , the J. G. Boswell Company , an Olam International tomato processing facility, Leprino Foods , the largest mozzarella cheese maker in the world, the Kings County Government and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation which operates three state prisons in Kings County. In 2011–2013,
11918-582: The relationship between counties and incorporated cities. The powers of counties arise from state law and vary widely. In Connecticut and Rhode Island , counties are geographic entities, but not governmental jurisdictions. At the other extreme, Maryland counties and the county equivalent City of Baltimore handle almost all services, including public education , although the state retains an active oversight authority with many of these services. Counties in Hawaii also handle almost all services since there
12036-490: The south by Kern County and a small part of San Luis Obispo County and on the west by Monterey County . Table Mountain is the highest point in Kings County at an elevation of 3,476 feet (1,059 m). It is located in the Diablo Range in southwestern Kings County on the boundary between Kings and Monterey counties. Most of the historic Tulare Lake was within Kings County. Although reclaimed for farming late in
12154-542: The south, and Fresno 's Fresno Yosemite International Airport to the north. V-LINE buses operate daily service between the Visalia Transit Center and the Fresno Airport. The following table includes the number of incidents reported and the rate per 1,000 persons for each type of offense, as of 2019. The 2020 United States Census reported that Tulare County had a population of 473,117 and
12272-473: The state legislature, 208 square miles (540 km ) of Fresno County territory was added to the northwest portion of Kings County. Settlers reclaimed Tulare Lake and its wetlands for agricultural development. In surface area, it was formerly the largest body of freshwater west of the Great Lakes , and supported a large population of migratory birds as well as local birds and wildlife. Monoculture has sharply reduced habitat for many species. In 1928, oil
12390-556: The state's French and Spanish colonial periods. Before the Louisiana Purchase and granting of statehood, government was often administered in towns where major church parishes were located. Of the original 19 civil parishes of Louisiana that date from statehood in 1807, nine were named after the Roman Catholic parishes from which they were governed. The structure and powers of a county government may be defined by
12508-421: The substantive and procedural law adjudicated in state trial courts originates from the state legislature and state appellate courts. In other words, most criminal defendants are prosecuted for violations of state law, not local ordinances, and if they, the district attorney, or police seek reforms to the criminal justice system, they will usually have to direct their efforts towards the state legislature rather than
12626-399: The term "county equivalent" to describe places that are comparable to counties, but called by different names. Louisiana parishes, the organized boroughs of Alaska, independent cities, and the District of Columbia are equivalent to counties for administrative purposes. Alaska's Unorganized Borough is further divided into 11 census areas that are statistically equivalent to counties. In 2024,
12744-1205: The third quarter of 2012. Taxable sales in 2015 totaled about $ 1.7 billion. Kings County did not escape the effects of the Great Recession . The unemployment rate in May 2012 was 14.9%, up from 10.1% in July 2008. However, the rate had dropped to 9.8% in February 2020 at the eve of the COVID-19 pandemic. The unemployment rate had risen to 16.8% in April of that year. According to the California Employment Development Department, as of December 2012, civilian employment totaled 53,100 and an additional 8,900 people were unemployed. Many residents of Kings County were employed in services (31,900 persons, including 14,800 government employees) and agriculture (5,500 employees) as well as in some manufacturing enterprises (4,300 employees) and construction (1,000 employees). Jeffrey Michael, director of
12862-509: The top employers in the county are: Electricity service in Tulare County is provided by Southern California Edison and PG&E . Gas is provided by SoCalGas and PG&E. TV and Internet service is provided by several companies, such as Spectrum , DISH , DirecTV and HughesNET . The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Tulare County. † county seat County (United States) In
12980-595: The unincorporated areas of the county. Incorporated towns have municipal police departments or contract with the Sheriff for their police operations. Tulare County Area Transit (TCaT) provides an intracounty bus service linking the population centers. One TCaT route connects to Delano in Kern County. The cities of Tulare , Porterville , and Visalia have their own local intracity bus services. Greyhound Lines provides long-distance, intercity bus service outside
13098-627: Was 152,486 at the 2020 census . The county seat is Hanford . Kings County comprises the Hanford - Corcoran , CA metropolitan statistical area , which is also included in the Visalia - Porterville -Hanford, CA combined statistical area . It is in the San Joaquin Valley , a rich agricultural region. The area was inhabited for thousands of years by Native Americans including the Tachi Yokuts tribe. They continue to live in
13216-413: Was 30 years in 2000, which had increased to 31.1 by the time of the 2010 census. For every 100 females there were 134.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 148.8 males. The ratio may be attributed to the presence of three men's state prisons in the county. Kings County is a general law county under the California Constitution . That is, it does not have a county charter . The county
13334-451: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.28 and the average family size was 3.67. In the county, the population was spread out, with 33.8% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 18.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 100.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.7 males. The median income for
13452-506: Was 83,027 (54.3%) White , 11,014 (7.2%) African American , 2,562 (1.7%) Native American , 5,620 (3.7%) Asian , 271 (0.2%) Pacific Islander , 42,996 (28.1%) from other races , and 7,492 (4.9%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 77,866 persons (50.9%). The U.S. Census does not identify how many residents are undocumented immigrants. However, the Public Policy Institute of California issued
13570-651: Was created in 1893 from the western portion of the formerly larger Tulare County. Tulare County comprises the Visalia- Porterville , CA Metropolitan Statistical Area . The county is located south of Fresno , spanning from the San Joaquin Valley east to the Sierra Nevada . Sequoia National Park is located in the county, as is part of Kings Canyon National Park , in its northeast corner (shared with Fresno County ), and part of Mount Whitney , on its eastern border (shared with Inyo County ). As of
13688-686: Was discovered in the Kettleman Hills located in the southwestern part of Kings County. The Kettleman North Dome Oil Field became one of the most productive oil fields in the United States. During the Great Depression , over 18,000 cotton pickers in the southern San Joaquin Valley, mostly migrant Mexican workers, went on strike in the California agricultural strikes of 1933 . During the strike, 3,500 striking farm workers lived in
13806-440: Was dissolved by the District of Columbia Organic Act . Jefferson County , for Thomas Jefferson , is next with 26. The most recent president to have a county named for him was Warren G. Harding , reflecting the slowing rate of county creation since New Mexico and Arizona became states in 1912. The most common names for counties not named after a president are Franklin (25), Clay (18), and Montgomery (18). After people,
13924-399: Was milk with a value of $ 676.7 million. Other major agricultural commodities included pistachios, cotton, cattle and calves, almonds and processing tomatoes. Another major employer is NAS Lemoore , the U.S. Navy 's newest and largest master jet base. According to a Navy study in 2008, payroll, base spending, retiree and veterans' checks total more than $ 1 billion in annual economic impact to
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