California, Maryland

History

California, Maryland, was named after the state of California before 1897. The exact origins are unknown; however, one story is that a family from the state moved to the area, using materials from their home state to build their new house, called the “California Farmstead.” Eventually, the name stuck.

The community has been growing with the spread of population from the older adjacent community of Lexington Park and the growth in both technology-related and defense-related jobs at the Patuxent River Naval Air Station.

Historically rooted in farming and fishing along the Chesapeake Bay, the area has experienced a decades-long economic transformation. Employment is now largely concentrated at St. Mary's College of Maryland, in addition to the aforementioned Patuxent River Naval Air Station. The area has also seen a growing population of long-distance commuters to Washington, D.C.

Geography

California is located at .

According to the United States Census Bureau, California has a total area of 14.8 sqmi, of which 12.8 sqmi is land and 1.9 sqmi (12.64%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 11,857 people residing in California in 4,327 households. The population density was 928.1 PD/sqmi. There were 4,697 housing units and a 71.8% home ownership rate. The racial makeup was 70.7% White, 18.3% Black, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 4.6% Asian, 0.5% Indigenous American, and 0.1% Pacific Islander.

Of the 4,327 households, 42.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them, 57.2% had married couples, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.4% were non-families. 25.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.31.

The population consisted of 29.8% under the age of 20, 6.6% from 20 to 24, 17.7% from 25 to 34, 17.3% from 35 to 44, 11.4% from 45 to 54, 10.5% from 55 to 64, and 6.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32.5 years. The population was 49.1% male and 50.9% female.

The median household income was $85,240 and the median family income was $91,935. Male full-time year-round workers had a median income of $63,657 versus $44,390 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $35,386. Just 0.8% of families and 3.1% of people were below the poverty line, including 2.3% of people under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over. In 2017, California, Maryland was listed as the metropolitan area with the fourth highest number of households with investable assets above one million dollars. In 2019, Forbes Magazine listed California, Maryland as one of the best small places for business and careers in the nation with a ranking of 69.

References

References

1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
2. (Jul 2, 1897). "Towns named after states". Reading Eagle.
3. Shoemaker, Sandy. "Tobacco to Tomcats: St. Mary's County since the Revolution". StreamLine Enterprises.
4. (2010). "St. Mary's County, Maryland Comprehensive Plan". St. Mary's County.
5. "California, MD". Forbes.
6. (2011-02-12). "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". [[United States Census Bureau]].
7. "California CDP, Maryland". U.S. Census Bureau.
8. "California CDP, Maryland Quicklinks - Social Characteristics". U.S. Census Bureau.
9. "California CDP, Maryland Quicklinks - Demographic Characteristics". U.S. Census Bureau.
10. "California CDP, Maryland Quicklinks - Economic Characteristics". U.S. Census Bureau.
11. (9 February 2018). "Do You Live Among Millionaires?". Wall Street Journal.
12. "The Best Small Places For Business And Careers". Forbes Magazine.