View source for Madera County, California

{{AI-generated|date=September 2025}}
{{short description|County in California, United States}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
 | name                     = Madera County
| settlement_type    = [[List of counties in California|County]]
<!-- Images and maps  ----------->
| image_skyline      =  {{multiple image
  | total_width        = 280
  | border             = infobox
  | perrow             = 1/2/2/1
  | caption_align      = center
  | image1             = Mt_Banner_and_Thousand_Island_Lake.jpg
  | caption1           = [[Banner Peak]] in [[Sierra National Forest]]
  | image2             = Madera County Courthouse - rear view.JPG
  | caption2           = [[Madera, California|Madera]]
  | image3             = Devils_Postpile_National_Monument_near_Mammoth_Lakes.jpg
  | caption3           = [[Devils Postpile National Monument|Devils Postpile]]
  | image4             = WV banner Madera County Landscape near Chowchilla (cropped).jpg
  | caption4           = [[Chowchilla, California|Chowchilla]]
  | image5             = Bass Lake California Duceys on the Lake.jpg
  | caption5           = [[Bass Lake, California|Bass Lake]]
  | image6             = Millerton Lake 1 (cropped).jpg
  | caption6           = [[Millerton Lake]]
  }}
 | image_size               = 
 | image_caption            = 
 | image_flag               = Flag of Madera County, California.png
 | image_blank_emblem       = Logo of County of Madera, California.svg
 | blank_emblem_type        = Logo
 | named_for                = [[Spanish language|Spanish]] word meaning "wood"
 | subdivision_type         = Country
 | subdivision_name         = United States
 | subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
 | subdivision_name1        = [[California]]
 | subdivision_type2        = [[List of regions of California|Regions]]
 | subdivision_name2        = [[San Joaquin Valley]] & [[Sierra Nevada (U.S.)|Sierra Nevada]]
 | subdivision_type3        = Metropolitan area
 | subdivision_name3        = [[Metropolitan Fresno]]
 | seat_type                = [[County seat]]
 | seat                     = [[Madera, California|Madera]]
 | seat1_type               = Largest city
 | seat1                    = Madera
 | unit_pref                = US
 | area_total_sq_mi         = 2153
 | area_land_sq_mi          = 2137
 | area_water_sq_mi         = 16
 | elevation_max_footnotes  = 
 | elevation_max_ft         = 13143
 | elevation_min_footnotes  = 
 | elevation_min_ft         = 
<!-- Population ----------->
 | population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
 | population_footnotes     = 
 | population_total         = 156255
 | pop_est_as_of            = 2025
 | pop_est_footnotes        = 
 | population_est           = 167927 {{gain}}
 | population_density_sq_mi = auto
|demographics_type2        = GDP
| demographics2_footnotes  = <ref>{{Cite web|title=Total Gross Domestic Product for Madera, CA (MSA)|url=https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/NGMP31460|work=[[Federal Reserve Economic Data]] |publisher=[[Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis]]}}</ref>
|demographics2_title1     = Total
|demographics2_info1      = $7.738 billion (2022)
 | established_title        = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
 | established_date         = 1893
<!-- Government ----------->
 | government_type          = [[Council–manager government|Council–CAO]]
 | governing_body           = Board of Supervisors
 | leader_title1            = Chair
 | leader_name1             = Robert Macaulay
 | leader_title2            = Chair Pro Tem
 | leader_name2             = Jordon Wamhoff
 | leader_title3            = Board of Supervisors<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.maderacounty.com/government/board-of-supervisors | title=Board of Supervisors &#124; Madera County }}</ref>
 | leader_name3             = {{Collapsible list
| title = Supervisors
| frame_style = border:none; padding:0;
| list_style  = text-align:left;
| 1  = Jordon Wamhoff
| 2  = David Rogers
| 3  = Robert L Poythress
| 4  = Leticia Gonzalez
| 5  = Robert Macaulay
}}
 | leader_title4            = County Administrative Officer
 | leader_name4             = Jay Varney
 | timezone                 = [[Pacific Time Zone]]
 | utc_offset               = −8
 | timezone_DST             = [[Pacific Daylight Time]]
 | utc_offset_DST           = −7
 | postal_code_type         = <!--[[ZIP Code]]-->
 | postal_code              = 
 | area_code                = 
 | image_map                = {{Maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-width=250|frame-align=center|type=shape|fill=#ffffff|fill-opacity=0|stroke-width=3}}
 | map_caption              = Interactive map of Madera County
 | image_map1               = Map of California highlighting Madera County.svg
 | mapsize1                 = 200px
 | map_caption1             = Location in the state of [[California]]
 | blank_name_sec1          = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS]] code
 | blank_info_sec1          = 06-039
 | blank1_name_sec1         = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
 | blank1_info_sec1         = {{GNIS 4|277284}}
 | blank2_name_sec1         = Congressional districts
 | blank2_info_sec1         = [[California's 5th congressional district|5th]], [[California's 13th congressional district|13th]]
 | website                  = {{URL|www.maderacounty.com}}
 | footnotes                = 
}}

'''Madera County''' ({{IPAc-en|m|ə|ˈ|d|ɛər|ə|audio=En-us-madera.ogg}}; ''Madera'', [[Spanish language in California|Spanish]] for "Wood"), officially the '''County of Madera''', is a [[County (United States)|county]] located at the geographic center of the [[U.S. state]] of [[California]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.netstate.com/states/geography/ca_geography.htm |title=California Geography |publisher=NETSTATE |access-date=March 1, 2010}}</ref> It features a varied landscape, encompassing the eastern [[San Joaquin Valley]] and the central [[Sierra Nevada (U.S.)|Sierra Nevada]], with [[Madera, California|Madera]] serving as the [[county seat]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref> Established in 1893 from part of [[Fresno County, California|Fresno County]], Madera County reported a population of 156,255 in the 2020 census.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Madera County, California|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0500000US06039|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=January 30, 2022}}</ref>

The name Madera is Spanish for "wood," a reference to the county's early lumber industry.<ref>{{cite news |title=How Counties In State Got Their Names |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SAJ19351021.2.122&srpos=6&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-madera+county+name+origin-------
 |work=Santa Ana Journal |date=October 21, 1935 |accessdate=February 12, 2024}}</ref> Portions of [[Yosemite National Park]] lie within the county, and tourism, along with agriculture—particularly [[almonds]], [[grapes]], and [[pistachios]]—form major parts of the local economy.<ref name="Mad1">{{cite web |title=Madera County, California |url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Madera_County,_California?g=050XX00US06039
 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |accessdate=February 12, 2024}}</ref> According to the United States Census Bureau, the county’s median household income is below the state average, and its poverty rate is higher than the California average.<ref name="Mad1" />

==Etymology==
[[File:Betsy1901.jpg|thumb|right|Logging in the Sierra, Madera County, {{Circa|1901}}]]
Madera is the Spanish term for wood.<ref>Madera County, [http://www.madera-county.com/history/index.html County History] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090130015050/http://madera-county.com/history/index.html |date=January 30, 2009 }}. Accessed 2009.10.09.</ref> The county derives its name from the town of Madera, named when the [[Madera Sugar Pine Company|California Lumber Company]] built a [[log flume]] to carry lumber to the [[Central Pacific Railroad]] there in 1876.<ref name=CGN>{{California's Geographic Names|798}}</ref>

==History==
Madera County was formed in 1893 from [[Fresno County]] during a special election held in Fresno on May 16, 1893. Citizens residing in the area that was to become Madera County voted 1,179 to 358 for separation from Fresno County and the establishment of Madera County.<ref>Madera County GenWeb, [http://cagenweb.com/madera/MadHistory.html Madera County History]. Accessed 2017.09.01.</ref>

The Madera County Sheriff's Department employed the first woman in California to die in the line of duty as a sworn law enforcement officer—Tulare native Lucille Helm (1914–1959). For 15 years, the Madera housewife and mother of four worked on call as a "matron" assisting with female transfers.<ref>"Memorial for law agents," [http://www.maderatribune.com The Madera Tribune], May 13, 2014, Pages A1 and A3</ref>

===Native people===
[[File:Photograph with text of a Mono couple living near Northfork, California. This is from a survey report of Fresno and... - NARA - 296289 (cropped).jpg|thumb|[[Mono people|Mono]] Native American couple living near Northfork, California, ca. 1920]]

The region now known as Madera County was historically inhabited by the [[Mono people|Mono]], [[Yokuts|Chukchansi]], and [[Miwok]]. The Mono lived along the upper [[San Joaquin River]], including areas near [[North Fork, California|North Fork]] and [[Bass Lake (Madera County, California)|Crane Valley]]. The Chukchansi occupied lands around present-day [[Oakhurst, California|Oakhurst]], [[Coarsegold, California|Coarsegold]], [[Ahwahnee, California|Ahwahnee]], and the lower foothills of the [[San Joaquin Valley]]. The Miwok lived in the areas of [[Ahwahnee, California|Ahwahnee]], [[Wawona, California|Wawona]], [[Mariposa, California|Mariposa]], and the [[Yosemite Valley]].<ref name="Dwight 2001">{{cite book |last=Barnes |first=Dwight H. |date=2001 |title=Miners, Lumberjacks and Cowboys: A History of Eastern Madera County |publisher=Sierra Historic Sites Association |isbn=0-9707605-0-7}}</ref>{{rp|8}}

Following the [[California Gold Rush]], many Native American communities were displaced during events such as the [[Mariposa War]] and by the [[Act for the Government and Protection of Indians]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Freeman |first=Marcia Penner |date=2013 |title=Willow Creek History: Tales of Cow Camps, Shake Makers & Basket Weavers |url=https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/
 |publisher=The History Press |pages=23–29 |isbn=978-1-60949-644-9}}</ref> The establishment of the [[Sierra National Forest]] in 1897 required land-use permits available only to citizens, which excluded Native Americans until citizenship was extended under the [[Indian Citizenship Act]] of 1924.<ref name="Dwight 2001"/>{{rp|13}}

===Early United States era===
The county's history of immigration and migration dates back to the [[California Gold Rush]], when people from across the United States and abroad settled in the area.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fresno Census in the 1800's |url=https://abc30.com/archive/7298949/
 |publisher=ABC30 |date=February 28, 2010 |access-date=}}</ref> Chinese laborers contributed to construction of the Madera Flume and worked in the [[Madera Sugar Pine Company#Chinese Labor|Sugar Pine lumber yards]]. Their numbers declined after federal immigration restrictions such as the [[Chinese Exclusion Act]] and the [[Immigration Act of 1917]]. Mexican immigrants later filled many of these labor roles.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--not stated--> |date=August 8, 2017 |title=Sugar Pine's Chinatown had its revenge |url=https://www.maderatribune.com/single-post/2017/08/08/sugar-pines-chinatown-had-its-revenge
 |work=The Madera Tribune |access-date=August 3, 2022}}</ref><ref name="Johnston 1968">{{Cite book |last=Johnston |first=Hank |title=Thunder in the Mountains: The Life and Times of Madera Sugar Pine |publisher=Stauffer Publishing |year=1968 |isbn=0-87046-017-X |edition=Second Edition (Revised) |location=Costa Mesa, Calif. |oclc=239958}}</ref>{{rp|81}} Following the [[Mexican–American War]], the region retained a significant population of residents of Mexican ([[Californios|Californio]]) descent .<ref>{{cite web |last1=Nateras |first1=Myrna Martínez |last2=Stanley |first2=Eduardo |title=Latino Immigrant Civic and Political Participation in Fresno and Madera, California |url=https://www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/publication/Fresno%20Eng.pdf
 |publisher=Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars |page=6 |access-date=}}</ref>

===20th century===
In the 1930s, Madera County received significant numbers of refugees from the [[Dust Bowl]], particularly from Oklahoma and Arkansas.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dust Bowl Refugees in Madera |url=https://maderamethod.com/dust-bowl-refugees-in-madera/
 |website=Madera Method Living History |access-date=}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Maderan in Discussion on Migrants: State Chamber Told "Okies" Must Work Out Own Problems |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=MT19400203.2.51&srpos=1&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-madera+county+migrants-------
 |work=Madera Tribune |volume=LXXV |number=78 |date=February 3, 1940 |access-date=}}</ref>

During the mid-20th century, the [[Bracero Program]] brought agricultural laborers from Mexico to address shortages during [[World War II]] and the [[Korean War]]. The Madera County Chamber of Commerce supported extending the program, which ended in 1964.<ref>{{cite news |title=Mexican Labor Slated To Arrive In August |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=MT19510302.2.17&srpos=4&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-%22madera%22+Mexican+immigrants-------1
 |publisher=Madera Tribune |volume=59 |number=283 |date=March 2, 1951 |access-date=January 29, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Farm Labor Bill Wins Approval |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=MT19631101.2.46&srpos=5&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-%22madera%22+bracero-------1
 |publisher=Madera Tribune |volume=72 |number=121 |date=November 1, 1963 |access-date=January 29, 2024}}</ref> After the program ended, migration from Mexico continued. By the 1990s, an estimated 5,000 [[Mixtec]] migrants from Oaxaca were working in the county’s agricultural sector.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mydans |first=Seth |title=A New Wave of Immigrants On Farming's Lowest Rung |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/08/24/us/a-new-wave-of-immigrants-on-farming-s-lowest-rung.html
 |work=New York Times |date=August 24, 1995 |access-date=January 29, 2024}}</ref><ref name="Mix-1995">{{cite journal | access-date=August 28, 2022 | year=1995 | title=Mixtec Farm Workers | department=Rural Migration News | journal=Migration Dialogue | publisher=Regents of the [[University of California, Davis]] | volume=1 | number=4 | url=https://migration.ucdavis.edu/rmn/more.php?id=71}}
</ref>

==Geography==
[[File:170828-FS-Inyo-PRW-MountRitter (36911169891).jpg|thumb|The highest point in Madera county is [[Mount Ritter]], standing at {{convert|13149|ft}}.]]

Madera County includes portions of the [[San Joaquin Valley]], the Sierra Nevada foothills, and the [[Sierra Nevada]] mountains. Part of [[Yosemite National Park]] lies within the county. Major waterways include sections of the [[San Joaquin River]] and several reservoirs.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web |title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_06.txt |publisher=United States Census Bureau |date=August 22, 2012 |access-date=September 28, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121003083420/https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_06.txt |archive-date=October 3, 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

The county has a total area of {{convert|2153|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|2137|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|16|sqmi}}, or 0.8 percent, is water.<ref name="GR1" /> The highest point is [[Mount Ritter]], at {{convert|13149|ft}}.

Climate ranges from arid in the valley to alpine in the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada.<ref name="GR1" />

Madera County is part of the [[Madera AVA]] wine region.<ref name="GR1" />

===National protected areas===
* [[Devils Postpile National Monument]]
* [[Inyo National Forest]] (part)
* [[Sierra National Forest]] (part)
* [[Yosemite National Park]] (part)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1900= 6364
|1910= 8368
|1920= 12203
|1930= 17164
|1940= 23314
|1950= 36964
|1960= 40468
|1970= 41519
|1980= 63116
|1990= 88090
|2000= 123109
|2010= 150865
|2020= 156255
|estyear=2025
|estimate=167927
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2025">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2025|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 10, 2026}}</ref> {{increase}}
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|title=Census of Population and Housing from 1790-2000|publisher=[[US Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 24, 2022}}</ref><br />1790–1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=September 28, 2015}}</ref> 1900–1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ca190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|editor-last=Forstall|editor-first=Richard L.|date=March 27, 1995|access-date=September 28, 2015}}</ref><br />1990–2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|date=April 2, 2001|access-date=September 28, 2015}}</ref> 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2/> 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2/>
| align = right
}}

===2020 Census===
As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the county had a population of 156,255 and a median age of 35.0 years; 27.5 percent of residents were under the age of 18 and 14.7 percent were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 99.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 98.0 males age 18 and over.<ref name="Census2020DP">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dp?get=NAME,DP1_0021P,DP1_0024P,DP1_0025C,DP1_0049C,DP1_0045C,DP1_0069C,DP1_0073C,DP1_0125P,DP1_0126P,DP1_0129P,DP1_0138P,DP1_0139P,DP1_0141P,DP1_0142P,DP1_0143P,DP1_0145P,DP1_0146P,DP1_0147C,DP1_0148C,DP1_0149C,DP1_0156C,DP1_0157C,DP1_0158C,DP1_0159P,DP1_0160P&for=county%3A039&in=state%3A06|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=December 21, 2025|df=mdy}}</ref>

The racial makeup of the county was 41.8% White, 2.9% [[African Americans|Black or African American]], 4.9% [[Native Americans in the United States|American Indian and Alaska Native]], 2.5% [[Asian Americans|Asian]], 0.1% [[Native Hawaiians|Native Hawaiian]] and [[Pacific Islander]], 31.6% from some other race, and 16.2% from [[Multiracial Americans|two or more races]]. [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] residents of any race comprised 59.6% of the population.<ref name="Census2020PL">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=NAME,P1_001N,P1_003N,P1_004N,P1_005N,P1_006N,P1_007N,P1_008N,P1_009N,P2_001N,P2_002N,H1_001N,H1_002N&for=county%3A039&in=state%3A06|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=December 21, 2025|df=mdy}}</ref>

61.4% of residents lived in urban areas, while 38.6 percent lived in rural areas.<ref name="Census2020DHC">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dhc?get=NAME,P2_002N,P2_003N&for=county%3A039&in=state%3A06|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2023|access-date=December 21, 2025|df=mdy}}</ref>

There were 45,607 households in the county, of which 42.6 percent had children under the age of 18 living with them and 23.5 percent had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 17.2 percent of all households were made up of individuals and 9.3 percent had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

There were 49,572 housing units, of which 8.0 percent were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 64.0 percent were owner-occupied and 36.0 percent were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4 percent and the rental vacancy rate was 3.1 percent.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

===2022 American Community Survey===
According to the 2022 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, the county's median household income was $76,920, compared to $91,551 for California and $69,717 nationally, and the poverty rate was 24.3 percent, higher than the state average of 12.2 percent and the national average of 22.0 percent.<ref name="2022sur">{{cite web |title=2022 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates |url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Madera_County,_California?g=050XX00US06039
 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=February 3, 2024}}</ref>

The homeownership rate was 69.0 percent, compared with 55.8 percent statewide, and median gross rent was $1,189, below the California average of $1,870.<ref name="2022sur" /> Educational attainment was below the state average, with 21.4 percent of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.<ref name="2022sur" />

In 2022, 59.6 percent of residents identified as Hispanic or Latino, 20.3 percent of the population was foreign-born, and about 46.5 percent reported speaking a language other than English at home.<ref name="2022sur" />

===Immigration estimates===
Estimates place the number of undocumented immigrants in the county between 12,500 and 15,000.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ppic.org/wp-content/uploads/content/pubs/jtf/JTF_UndocumentedImmigrantsJTF.pdf
 |title=Undocumented Immigrants in California |publisher=Public Policy Institute of California |date=March 2017 |access-date=February 1, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Profile of the Unauthorized Population: Madera County, CA |publisher=Migration Policy Institute |url=https://www.migrationpolicy.org/data/unauthorized-immigrant-population/county/6039
 |access-date=February 3, 2024}}</ref>

===Racial and ethnic composition===
The following table presents racial and ethnic composition across multiple decennial censuses.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Madera County, California – racial and ethnic composition'''<br><small>{{nobold|''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.''}}</small>
!Race / ethnicity <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!Pop 1980<ref>{{Cite web |title=California: 1980, General Social and Economic Characteristics, Part 1 - Table 59: Persons by Race, Hispanic Origin, and Sex|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1980a_caCs1-01.pdf|access-date=}}</ref>
!Pop 1990<ref>{{Cite web |title=California: 1990, Part 1 - Table 5: Race and Hispanic Origin|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1990/cp-1/cp-1-6-1.pdf |access-date=July 14, 2024}}</ref>
!Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Madera County, California|url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=050XX00US06039&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Madera County, California|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US06039&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" | Pop 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Madera County, California|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US06039&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!% 1980
!% 1990
!% 2000
!% 2010
!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|42,136
|52,974
|57,391
|57,380
|style='background: #ffffe6; |48,399
|66.76%
|60.14%
|46.62%
|38.03%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |30.97%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|2,072
|2,294
|4,710
|5,009
|style='background: #ffffe6; |4,131
|3.28%
|2.60%
|3.83%
|3.32%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.64%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|1,045
|1,165
|1,694
|1,790
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,738
|1.66%
|1.32%
|1.38%
|1.19%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.11%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|625
|1,084
|1,480
|2,533
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3,581
|0.99%
|1.23%
|1.20%
|1.68%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.29%
|-
|[[Native Hawaiian]] or [[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|x <ref>included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census</ref>
|x <ref>included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census</ref>
|160
|107
|style='background: #ffffe6; |122
|0.13%
|0.07%
|0.13%
|0.07%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.08%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|322
|173
|287
|649
|style='background: #ffffe6; |723
|0.51%
|0.20%
|0.23%
|0.43%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.46%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed-race or multiracial]] (NH)
|x <ref>not an option in the 1980 Census</ref>
|x <ref>not an option in the 1990 Census</ref>
|2,872
|2,405
|style='background: #ffffe6; |4,383
|x
|x
|2.33%
|1.59%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.81%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|16,916
|30,400
|54,515
|80,992
|style='background: #ffffe6; |93,178
|26.80%
|34.51%
|44.28%
|53.69%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |59.63%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''63,116'''
|'''88,090'''
|'''123,109'''
|'''150,865'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''156,255 '''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+Madera County, California - places by population, income, and employment
! Place
! Total population
! Bachelor's degree or higher (%)
! Total housing units
! Total households
! Median household income
! Employment rate (%)
! Without health care coverage (%)
|-
| [[Ahwahnee, California|Ahwahnee]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Ahwahnee CDP, California - 2020 Decennial Census |publisher=United States Census Bureau |url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Ahwahnee_CDP,_California?g=160XX00US0600478 |access-date=February 3, 2024}}</ref>
| 2,296
| 30.3
| 1,000
| 785
| $79,250
| 45.6
| 2.8
|-
| [[Bass Lake (Madera County, California)|Bass Lake]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Bass Lake CDP, California - 2020 Decennial Census |publisher=United States Census Bureau |url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Bass_Lake_CDP,_California?g=160XX00US0604198 |access-date=February 3, 2024}}</ref>
| 575
| 59.9
| 868
| 139
| $145,083
| 38.8
| 12.6
|-
| [[Chowchilla, California|Chowchilla]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Chowchilla City, California - 2020 Decennial Census |publisher=United States Census Bureau |url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Chowchilla_city,_California?g=160XX00US0613294 |access-date=February 3, 2024}}</ref>
| 23,377
| 13
| 5,765
| 5,399
| $69,139
| 37.7
| 8.2
|-
| [[Coarsegold, California|Coarsegold]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Coarsegold CDP, California - 2020 Decennial Census |publisher=United States Census Bureau |url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Coarsegold_CDP,_California?g=160XX00US0614288 |access-date=February 3, 2024}}</ref>
| 4,144
| 22.7
| 1,837
| 1,738
| $81,814
| 49.8
| 4.9
|-
| [[Fairmead, California|Fairmead]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Fairmead CDP, California - 2020 Decennial Census |publisher=United States Census Bureau |url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Fairmead_CDP,_California?g=160XX00US0623210 |access-date=February 3, 2024}}</ref>
| 1,235
| 9.5
| 374
| 394
| $53,203
| 45.3
| 10.1
|-
| [[La Vina, California|La Vina]]<ref>{{cite web |title=La Vina CDP, California - 2020 Decennial Census |publisher=United States Census Bureau |url=https://data.census.gov/profile/La_Vina_CDP,_California?g=160XX00US0640872 |access-date=February 3, 2024}}</ref>
| 637
| 0
| 161
| 157
| 
| 43.4
| 2.6
|-
| [[Madera, California|Madera]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Madera City, California - 2020 Decennial Census |publisher=United States Census Bureau |url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Madera_city,_California?g=160XX00US0645022 |access-date=February 3, 2024}}</ref>
| 97,838
| 13.2
| 27,454
| 25,497
| $70,272
| 54
| 8.2
|-
| [[Madera Acres, California|Madera Acres]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Madera Acres CDP, California - 2020 Decennial Census |publisher=United States Census Bureau |url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Madera_Acres_CDP,_California?g=160XX00US0645050 |access-date=February 3, 2024}}</ref>
| 9,162
| 11.4
| 2,554
| 2,599
| $80,221
| 51.3
| 6.8
|-
| [[Bonadelle Ranchos-Madera Ranchos, California|Madera Ranchos]]<ref>{{cite web |title=2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates |publisher=United States Census Bureau |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs.html |access-date=February 3, 2024}}</ref>
| 
| 24.6
| 
| 3,010
| $82,292
| 53.1
| 4.0
|-
| [[Nipinnawasee, California|Nippinawasse]]
| 434
| 0
| 188
| 172
| $71,622
| 44.9
| 27.6
|-
| [[Oakhurst, California|Oakhurst]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Oakhurst CDP, California - 2020 Decennial Census |publisher=United States Census Bureau |url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Oakhurst_CDP,_California?g=160XX00US0652764 |access-date=February 3, 2024}}</ref>
| 5,945
| 29.4
| 3,134
| 2,180
| $73,333
| 53.3
| 6.2
|-
| [[Parksdale, California|Parksdale]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Parksdale CDP, California - 2020 Decennial Census |publisher=United States Census Bureau |url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Parksdale_CDP,_California?g=160XX00US0655751 |access-date=February 3, 2024}}</ref>
| 3,234
| 7.4
| 784
| 611
| $45,281
| 43.8
| 8.9
|-
| [[Yosemite Lakes Park, California|Yosemite Lakes]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Yosemite Lakes CDP, California - 2020 Decennial Census |publisher=United States Census Bureau |url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Yosemite_Lakes_CDP,_California?g=160XX00US0686878 |access-date=February 3, 2024}}</ref>
| 5,022
| 36.6
| 2,153
| 1,909
| $99,491
| 53.6
| 6.4
|}

According to the United States Census Bureau, 59.6% of Madera County's population identifies as Hispanic or Latino, and 20.3% of residents are foreign-born, both above the national averages.<ref name="Mad1"/> Nearly half of the county's residents speak a language other than English at home.<ref name="Mad1"/> The area also has a significant [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native American]] population.

==Economy==

===19th and 20th century===
[[File:Typical-log-at-Sugar-Pine-California-1915.jpg|thumb|Typical log felled in [[Sugar Pine, California|Sugar Pine]], 1915]]Madera County's origins are deeply rooted in boom-and-bust cycles, primarily driven by extractive industries. Initially, the county's economy was heavily reliant on mineral extraction and timber harvesting. Over time, agriculture and related industries became the predominant employer and economic force.

====Gold====
Gold mining in Madera County began during the [[California Gold Rush]]. When the county was created in 1893 from a portion of [[Fresno County, California|Fresno County]], it included many of the region's productive mines. These were located along the contact between the [[Sierra Nevada Batholith|Sierra Nevada batholith]] and older schist and slate formations, extending from [[Grub Gulch, California|Grub Gulch]] to [[Hildreth, California|Hildreth]].<ref name="Mining History">{{cite web |last1=Koschmann |first1=A. H. |last2=Bergendahl |first2=M. H. |title=Madera County California Gold Production |year=1968 |publisher=USGS |url=https://westernmininghistory.com/library/39/page1/
 |access-date=}}</ref>

Grub Gulch developed in the late 19th century as a mining settlement near present-day [[California State Route 49|Highway 49]]. At its peak, the town supported several businesses, including saloons, a general store, a post office, and a boarding house.<ref>{{cite news |title=Monument Requested For Once Roaring Grub Gulch |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=MT19660405.2.131&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN--------
 |work=Madera Tribune |volume=74 |number=228 |date=April 5, 1966 |access-date=}}</ref> Of the estimated $1.35 million in gold extracted from Madera County, about $1 million came from mines in the Grub Gulch area.<ref name="Mining History" />

By the 1950s, production had declined to dredging operations along the [[Fresno River|Fresno]], [[Chowchilla River|Chowchilla]], and [[San Joaquin River]]s, with little activity after 1959.<ref name="Mining History" />

====Tungsten====
In the mid-20th century, tungsten was mined in Madera County's [[Ecology of the Sierra Nevada#Alpine Zone|High Sierra]] near [[Mammoth Lakes, California|Mammoth Lakes]], [[Central Camp, California|Central Camp]], and [[Fish Camp, California|Fish Camp]]. The Strawberry Tungsten Mine was valued at $1 million in 1955 and by 1981 had the capacity to process 310 metric tons of ore daily.<ref>{{cite news |title=Plans Told To Reopen Local Mine |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=MT19650416.2.3&srpos=1&e=------196-en--20--1--txt-txIN-%22strawberry+tungsten+mine%22-------
 |newspaper=Madera Tribune |volume=73 |number=233 |date=April 16, 1965 |access-date=}}</ref>

Mining in the region declined in the 1980s due to lower tungsten prices and competition from imports, particularly from China. Tungsten production in Madera County and the Sierra Nevada has since ceased.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Carroll |first1=Thomas R. |last2=Schmeda |first2=German |last3=Karl |first3=Nick A |last4=Burger |first4=Meredith H. |last5=Long |first5=Keith R |last6=Reyes |first6=Tyler A |title=Tungsten Deposits in the United States |chapter=Mineralogy |year=2020 |publisher=USGS |chapter-url=https://www.usgs.gov/data/tungsten-deposits-united-states
 |doi=10.5066/P9XA8MJ4 |access-date=January 28, 2024}}</ref>

====Lumber====
[[File:California Lumber Company Log Flume.jpg|thumb|The record-breaking Madera log flume was {{convert|65|mi|km|0|abbr=on}} long.]] The first sawmill in Madera County was constructed in 1852 on the east fork of Redwood Creek, north of [[Oakhurst, California|Oakhurst]], in an area known as Old Corral. It supplied lumber to miners and settlers in the [[Coarsegold, California|Coarsegold]] and Fresno Flats (now Oakhurst) areas.<ref name="Sawmill History">{{cite web |url=https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5304587.pdf
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240128004932/https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5304587.pdf
 |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 28, 2024 |title=A Sawmill History of the Sierra National Forest 1852-1940 |author=Ben Hurt |publisher=Sierra National Forest |access-date=January 21, 2024}}</ref> In 1854, [[Charles P. Converse|Charles Converse]] and Bill Chitister relocated the mill to Crane Valley, now [[Bass Lake (Madera County, California)|Bass Lake]].<ref name="Sawmill History" />

In 1872, the [[Madera Sugar Pine Company#The California Lumber Company (1874–1878)|California Lumber Company]] established a steam mill near [[Nelder Grove]] and constructed a {{convert|65|mi|km|0|abbr=on}} [[Log flume#V-flumes|log flume]] to transport lumber to Madera.<ref name="Sawmill History" /> The company was reorganized in 1874 and operated for several decades.<ref name="Coarsegold">{{Cite book |title=As We Were Told: An Oral and Written History |publisher=Coarsegold Historical Society |editor-first1=Jane |editor-last1=Stenzel|year=2006 |isbn=0-9626377-7-7 |edition=Third Edition (Revised) |location=Coarsegold, California}}</ref>{{rp|146}}

Logging operations in the county declined during the [[Great Depression in the United States|Great Depression]]. Activity resumed in 1941 with the opening of a new sawmill in North Fork, which used trucks and modern equipment to reach deeper areas of the [[Sierra National Forest]]. The industry contracted again in the early 1990s due to federal regulations that reduced timber harvests. The North Fork mill closed in February 1994.

The annual [[North Fork Loggers Jamboree]] commemorates the county's logging history.

===21st century===

====Employment====
Madera County's employment sectors are a blend of traditional industries like farming and manufacturing, coupled hospitality and service-oriented fields.<ref name="M2021">{{cite web |title=Madera County Economic Forecast 2021: Employment Sectors 2015-2021 History, 2022-2050 Forecast |url=https://dot.ca.gov/-/media/dot-media/programs/transportation-planning/documents/data-analytics-services/transportation-economics/socioeconomic-forecasts/2022/madera-2022--a11y.pdf |website=California Department of Transportation |access-date=January 28, 2024}}</ref>{{rp|8}} Based on the average employment percentages from 2015 to 2022, the employment sectors in Madera County are ranked as follows:

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Madera County employment sectors<ref name="M2021" />{{rp|8}}
! Sector
! Employment share
|-
| Government
| 12.71%
|-
| Farm
| 12.08%
|-
| Health & education
| 11.08%
|-
| Wholesale & retail trade
| 5.45%
|-
| Leisure
| 4.26%
|-
| Professional services
| 3.63%
|-
| Manufacturing
| 3.31%
|-
| Construction
| 2.14%
|-
| Transportation and utilities
| 1.44%
|-
| Financial activities
| 0.71%
|-
| Information
| 0.30%
|}

The sectors that saw the largest decrease in the period were information (-25%), financial activities (-12.50%) and manufacturing (-5.71%). Government, health and education, and professional sectors are forecast to be the fastest growing employment sectors.<ref name="M2021" />{{rp|8}}

====Agriculture====
Agriculture is a major sector of Madera County's economy. In 2022, the county's gross crop value was reported at $1.9 billion.<ref name="cas1">{{cite web |title=County Agriculture Stats |url=https://maderafb.com/county-agriculture-stats/
 |publisher=Madera County Farm Bureau |access-date=January 29, 2024}}</ref> The leading commodities were [[almond]]s, [[grape]]s, and [[pistachio]]s.<ref>{{cite web |title=Madera County, California, farmers feel the pain of groundwater rules |url=https://fruitgrowersnews.com/news/madera-county-california-farmers-feel-the-pain-of-groundwater-rules/
 |website=Fruit Growers News |date=April 22, 2022 |access-date=January 29, 2024}}</ref> Cattle ranching and pollination services also ranked among the county’s top five agricultural sectors.<ref name="cas1"/>

Madera County ranked first in California for fig production, and fourth statewide in almonds, pistachios, and grapes (primarily raisin varieties).<ref name="cas1"/>

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Leading crops of Madera County<ref>{{cite web |title=2022 Crop & Livestock Report |url=https://www.maderacounty.com/home/showpublisheddocument/35712/638306511100370000 |publisher=Madera County Department of Agriculture |access-date=January 29, 2024}}</ref>
! Commodity
! 2022 rank
! 2022 dollar value
! 2021 rank
|-
| Almonds, nuts & hulls
| 1
| $570,739,000
| 1
|-
| Milk
| 2
| $454,727,000
| 2
|-
| Grapes
| 3
| $233,893,000
| 3
|-
| Pistachios
| 4
| $227,873,000
| 4
|-
| Pollination
| 5
| $66,880,000
| 5
|-
| Cattle & calves
| 6
| $62,317,000
| 6
|-
| Mandarins & tangerines
| 7
| $45,036,000
| 7
|-
| Corn silage
| 8
| $37,293,000
| 9
|-
| Replacement heifers
| 9
| $34,255,000
| 8
|-
| Alfalfa, hay & silage
| 10
| $26,845,000
| 
|}

In the 1990s, [[Mixtec people|Mixtec]] farmworkers were a large presence in the southern part of the state, and were beginning to filter northwards here along with other Mexican indigenous agricultural laborers to work in the county's farms.<ref name="Mix-1995"/>

==Education==
Madera County is mostly covered by the [[State Center Community College District]] centered on [[Fresno City College]] in [[Fresno]]. Other districts with territory within Madera County also include the [[West Hills Community College District]] and the [[Merced Community College District]].

School districts include:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st06_ca/schooldistrict_maps/c06039_madera/DC20SD_C06039.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Madera County, CA|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|accessdate=July 25, 2022}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st06_ca/schooldistrict_maps/c06039_madera/DC20SD_C06039_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref>

Unified:
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Chawanakee Unified School District]]
* [[Firebaugh-Las Deltas Unified School District]]
* [[Golden Valley Unified School District]]
* [[Madera Unified School District]]
* [[Yosemite Unified School District]] - includes some sections zoned for K-12 and some for grades 9–12 only
{{div col end}}

Secondary:
* [[Chowchilla Union High School District]]

Elementary:
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Alview-Dairyland Union Elementary School District]]
* [[Bass Lake Joint Union Elementary School District]]
* [[Chowchilla Elementary School District]]
* [[Raymond-Knowles Union Elementary School District]]
{{div col end}}

==Government, policing, and politics==
===Government===
The government of Madera County is a general law county, mandated by the California Constitution to have a five-member board of supervisors elected to staggered four-year terms. The board consists of: District 1, Jordan Wamhoff; District 2, David Rogers; District 3, Robert Poythress; District 4, Leticia Gonzalez; District 5, Robert Macaulay; and County Administrator Jay Varney. Staff provide for voter registration and elections, law enforcement, jails, vital records, property records, tax collection, public health, roads, and social services for the entire county. It is the local government for all unincorporated areas. Other elected offices include Sheriff Tyson Pogue, District Attorney Sally Orme Moreno, Assessor Brian Glover (acting), Auditor-Controller David Richstone, Treasurer-Tax Collector Tracy Kennedy, and Clerk/Registrar of Voters-Recorder Rebecca Martinez.{{citation needed|date=April 2026}}

===Policing===
====Madera County Sheriff's Office====
The sheriff's office and staff provide court protection, jail administration, and coroner service for all of Madera County with its total population of approximately 156,000 residents. The sheriff provides police patrol and detective services to the unincorporated areas of the county, which contain approximately 70,000 residents, or 45% of Madera County's total population. The sheriff's main station and offices are in the City of Madera. There are two sheriff's substations: Oakhurst, population 3,000, and the Madera Ranchos, population 12,000, both on Highway 41 to Yosemite National Park in the Sierras.

====Municipal police departments====
The municipal police departments within Madera County are Madera, the county seat, population 62,000, and Chowchilla, population 19,600.

===Correctional facilities===
Madera County has three correctional facilities. The Madera County Jail is managed by the elected sheriff.[[Valley State Prison]] is a state-run prison located in [[Chowchilla]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/facility-locator/vsp/ |title=Valley State Prison (VSP) |publisher=California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation |access-date=February 14, 2024}}</ref> The [[Central California Women's Facility]] is also in Chowchilla, across from Valley State Prison. Inmates are counted in the county's census population.

===Politics===
====Voter registration====

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|-
! colspan="3" | Population and registered voters
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Total population<ref name="US-CB-B02001">U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B02001. [https://www.census.gov U.S. Census website]. Retrieved October 26, 2013.</ref>
| colspan="2" | 149,611
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;Registered voters<ref name="CA-SS">California Secretary of State. [http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ror/ror-pages/ror-odd-year-2013/political-sub.pdf February 10, 2013 - Report of Registration] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130727173649/http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ror/ror-pages/ror-odd-year-2013/political-sub.pdf |date=July 27, 2013 }}. Retrieved October 31, 2013.</ref><ref name="PCT-RV" group=note>Percentage of registered voters with respect to total population. Percentages of party members with respect to registered voters follow.</ref>
| 53,782
| 35.9%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Democratic<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| 18,212
| 33.9%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Republican<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| 23,858
| 44.4%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Democratic–Republican spread<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| <span style="color: #d6002b;">'''-5,646'''</span>
| <span style="color: #d6002b;">'''-10.5%'''</span>
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Independent<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| 1,615
| 3.0%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Green<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| 208
| 0.4%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Libertarian<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| 264
| 0.5%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Peace and Freedom<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| 131
| 0.2%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Americans Elect<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| 0
| 0.0%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| 191
| 0.4%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No party preference<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| 9,303
| 17.3%
|}

====Cities by population and voter registration====

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed sortable" style="width: 100%;"
|-
! colspan="8" | Cities by population and voter registration
|-
! City
! data-sort-type="number" | Population<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>
! data-sort-type="number" | Registered voters<ref name="CA-SS"/><br /><ref name="PCT-RV" group=note/>
! data-sort-type="number" | Democratic<ref name="CA-SS"/>
! data-sort-type="number" | Republican<ref name="CA-SS"/>
! data-sort-type="number" | D–R spread<ref name="CA-SS"/>
! data-sort-type="number" | Other<ref name="CA-SS"/>
! data-sort-type="number" | No party preference<ref name="CA-SS"/>
|-
| [[Chowchilla, California|Chowchilla]] || 18,465 || 22.5% || 30.8% || 45.1% || <span style="color: #d6002b;">'''-14.3%'''</span> || 9.0% || 18.8%
|-
| [[Madera, California|Madera]] || 60,221 || 26.8% || 44.9% || 33.1% || <span style="color: #2b00d6;">'''+11.8%'''</span> || 6.2% || 18.4%
|}

===Overview===
Madera is a strongly [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] county in presidential and congressional elections. The last Democrat to win a majority in the county was [[Jimmy Carter]] in [[United States presidential election in California, 1976|1976]].

{{PresHead|place=Madera County, California|source=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=August 31, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2008-general/17_22_pres_by_county.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250425081311/https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2008-general/17_22_pres_by_county.pdf |archive-date=2025-04-25 |url-status=live|title=United States President by County|last=Bowen|first=Debra|author-link=Debra Bowen|date=December 13, 2008|work=[[Secretary of State of California]]|access-date=October 3, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2012-general/10-president.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250324192251/https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2012-general/10-president.pdf |archive-date=2025-03-24 |url-status=live|title=President by County|last=Bowen|first=Debra|author-link=Debra Bowen|date=December 14, 2012|work=[[Secretary of State of California]]|access-date=October 3, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2016-general/sov/17-presidential-formatted.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250831051712/https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2016-general/sov/17-presidential-formatted.pdf |archive-date=2025-08-31 |url-status=live|title=President by County|last=Padilla|first=Alex|author-link=Alex Padilla|date=December 16, 2016|work=[[Secretary of State of California]]|access-date=October 3, 2025}}</ref>|source2=<ref group=note>This total comprised 943 votes for [[Progressive Party (United States, 1912)|Progressive]] [[Theodore Roosevelt]] (who was official Republican nominee in California), 226 votes for [[Socialist Party of America|Socialist]] [[Eugene V. Debs]] and 89 votes for [[Prohibition Party]] nominee [[Eugene W. Chafin]].</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|452|739|20|California}}
{{PresRow|1900|Republican|764|737|40|California}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|784|610|118|California}}
{{PresRow|1908|Republican|596|574|159|California}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|1|1,154|1,264|California}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|1,323|1,880|278|California}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|1,779|1,145|284|California}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|1,518|450|1,590|California}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|2,354|1,896|39|California}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|1,243|3,457|228|California}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|1,387|4,646|101|California}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|2,653|5,749|101|California}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|2,865|4,276|49|California}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|3,416|5,226|340|California}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|6,278|6,244|118|California}}
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|5,239|7,162|38|California}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|5,869|8,126|62|California}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|4,461|9,391|10|California}}
{{PresRow|1968|Democratic|6,229|6,932|1,142|California}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|7,835|6,580|477|California}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|6,844|7,625|423|California}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|10,599|7,783|1,398|California}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|13,954|8,994|293|California}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|13,255|10,642|384|California}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|13,066|10,863|6,316|California}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|16,510|11,254|2,898|California}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|20,283|11,650|1,462|California}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|24,871|13,481|498|California}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|23,583|17,952|820|California}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|22,852|16,018|996|California}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|23,357|17,029|2,726|California}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|29,378|23,168|1,186|California}}
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|32,344|20,981|1,307|California}}
{{PresFoot}}

Madera is split between the [[California's 5th congressional district|5th]] and [[California's 13th congressional district|13th]] congressional districts,<ref>{{Cite web
 | url = http://wedrawthelines.ca.gov/downloads/meeting_handouts_072011/handouts_20110729_q2_cd_finaldraft_splits.zip
 | title = Counties by County and by District
 | publisher = California Citizens Redistricting Commission
 | access-date = September 24, 2014
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130930184128/http://wedrawthelines.ca.gov/downloads/meeting_handouts_072011/handouts_20110729_q2_cd_finaldraft_splits.zip
 | archive-date = September 30, 2013
| url-status = dead
 }}</ref> represented by {{Representative|cacd|5}} and {{Representative|cacd|13}}, respectively.<ref>{{Cite GovTrack|CA|4|access-date=March 1, 2013}}</ref>

With respect to the [[California State Assembly]], the county is split between {{Representative|caad|8|fmt=adistrict}}, and {{Representative|caad|27|fmt=adistrict}}.<ref name=ccrc>{{Cite web |title=Final Maps {{!}} California Citizens Redistricting Commission |url=https://wedrawthelines.ca.gov/final-maps/ |access-date=November 4, 2025 |language=en}}</ref>

In the [[California State Senate]], Madera is split between {{Representative|casd|4|fmt=sdistrict}}, and {{Representative|casd|14|fmt=sdistrict}}.<ref name=ccrc/>

On November 4, 2008, Madera County voted 73.4% for Proposition 8, which amended the California Constitution to define marriage as a union between one man and one woman.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bowen |first=Debra |url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2008-general/sov_complete.pdf |title=Statement of Vote November 4th, 2008, General Election |publisher=California Secretary of State |year=2008 |location=California |pages=13}}</ref>

The county is one of three counties in California to establish a separate department to deal with [[corrections]], pursuant to California Government Code §23013, the [[Madera County Department of Corrections]], along with [[Napa County]] and [[Santa Clara County]]. The officers receive their powers under 831 and 831.5 of the California Penal Code.<ref>{{cite web|title=California Penal Code - PEN|url=http://codes.findlaw.com/ca/penal-code/pen-sect-830-1.html|work=FindLaw|access-date=January 26, 2017}}</ref>

==Crime==

The following table includes the number of incidents reported and the rate per 1,000 persons for each type of offense.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|-
! colspan="3" | Population and crime rates
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Population<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>
| colspan="2" | 149,611
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Violent crime<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11">Office of the Attorney General, Department of Justice, State of California. [http://stats.doj.ca.gov/cjsc_stats/prof09/00/11.pdf Table 11: Crimes – 2009] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202222315/http://stats.doj.ca.gov/cjsc_stats/prof09/00/11.pdf |date=December 2, 2013 }}. Retrieved November 14, 2013.</ref>
| 685 || 4.58
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;Homicide<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>
| 3 || 0.02
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;Forcible rape<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>
| 36 || 0.24
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;Robbery<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>
| 162 || 1.08
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;Aggravated assault<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>
| 484 || 3.24
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Property crime<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>
| 2,144 || 14.33
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;Burglary<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>
| 1,166 || 7.79
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;Larceny-theft<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/><ref name="LT-note group=note">Only larceny-theft cases involving property over $400 in value are reported as property crimes.</ref>
| 1,484 || 9.92
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;Motor vehicle theft<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>
| 520 || 3.48
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Arson<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>
| 18 || 0.12
|}

===Cities by population and crime rates===

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed sortable" style="width: 100%;"
|-
! colspan="9" | Cities by population and crime rates
|-
! City
! data-sort-type="number" | Population<ref name="FBI-UCR-T8">United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation. [https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2012/crime-in-the-u.s.-2012/tables/8tabledatadecpdf/table-8-state-cuts/table_8_offenses_known_to_law_enforcement_by_california_by_city_2012.xls Crime in the United States, 2012, Table 8 (California)]. Retrieved November 14, 2013.</ref>
! data-sort-type="number" | Violent crimes<ref name="FBI-UCR-T8"/>
! data-sort-type="number" | Violent crime rate<br />per 1,000 persons
! data-sort-type="number" | Property crimes<ref name="FBI-UCR-T8"/>
! data-sort-type="number" | Property crime rate<br />per 1,000 persons
|-
| [[Chowchilla, California|Chowchilla]] || 19,221 || 115 || 5.98 || 446 || 23.20
|-
| [[Madera, California|Madera]] || 62,796 || 466 || 7.42 || 1,621 || 25.81
|}

==Attractions==

{{col-begin}}
{{col-break|width=30%}}
*[[Balls (mountain range)|The Balls]]
*[[Bass Lake (Madera County, California)|Bass Lake]]
*[[Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino]]
*[[Corlieu Falls]]
*[[Ducey's Bass Lake Lodge]]
*[[The Forks Resort]]
*[[Fresno Dome]]
*[[Hidden Dam|Hensley Lake]]
*[[Madera AVA]]
*[[Mammoth Pool Reservoir]]
*[[Mount Ritter]]
*[[Nelder Grove]]
*[[The Pines Resort]]
*[[Shuteye Peak]]
*[[Sierra Vista Scenic Byway]]
*[[Willow Creek (Madera County, California)|Willow Creek]]
*[[Yosemite National Park]]
{{col-break}}
{{col-end}}

==Transportation==

===Major highways===
* [[File:California 41.svg|25px|link= |alt=]] [[California State Route 41|State Route 41]]
* [[File:California 49.svg|25px|link= |alt=]] [[California State Route 49|State Route 49]]
* [[File:California 99.svg|25px|link= |alt=]] [[California State Route 99|State Route 99]]
* [[File:California 145.svg|25px|link= |alt=]] [[California State Route 145|State Route 145]]
* [[File:California 152.svg|25px|link= |alt=]] [[California State Route 152|State Route 152]]
* [[File:California 233.svg|25px|link= |alt=]] [[California State Route 233|State Route 233]]

===Areas inaccessible by road===
{{See also|Trans-Sierra Highway}}
[[File:Sunset from the Minarets Vista viewpoint near Mammoth Lakes.jpg|thumb|Minaret Summit, located on the border between Madera and Mono counties, is inaccessible by road from the rest of Madera County.]]

Eastern Madera County includes areas such as [[Devils Postpile National Monument]] and [[Minaret Summit]] that are not accessible by road from the rest of the county. Access is through [[California State Route 203]], which crosses into [[Mono County]] and connects to [[Mammoth Lakes, California|Mammoth Lakes]]. Red's Meadow Road branches from this route to reach Devils Postpile.

A gap of less than {{convert|10|mi|km}} separates the end of Minaret Road, extending northeast from [[North Fork, California|North Fork]], from the terminus of Red's Meadow Road in the Eastern Sierra. In the 20th century, proposals were advanced to link the San Joaquin Valley and the Eastern Sierra by highway or tunnel across Minaret Summit. To preserve the option for such a project, an area southwest of the summit was excluded from the [[Wilderness Act of 1964]].

In the 1970s, Governor [[Ronald Reagan]] opposed the highway proposal after visiting the region. The area was later designated as wilderness under the [[California Wilderness Act of 1984]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Skelton |first=George |date=1997-07-28 |title=The Man in the White Hat Who Saved the Sierra |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-jul-28-mn-17071-story.html
 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |access-date=2025-01-17}}</ref>

===Public transportation===
* [[Madera County Connection]] provides service between the cities of Madera and Chowchilla. Routes also run to eastern Madera County. A connection to Fresno can be made at [[Children's Hospital Central California|Valley Children's Hospital]] near the county line.
* The cities of Madera and Chowchilla also have their own local, intracity transit services named [[Madera Metro]] and [[Chowchilla Area Transit]], respectively.
* [[Greyhound Lines|Greyhound]] buses and [[Amtrak]] trains stop in [[Madera station (Amtrak)|Madera]].

===Airports===
* [[Madera Municipal Airport]] and [[Chowchilla Airport]] are general aviation airports.

==Communities==
[[File:Hensley Lake and Eastman Lake and Madera Lake.jpg|thumb|right|Aerial view from [[Madera, California]], toward the snow-capped [[Sierra Nevada (U.S.)|Sierras]]. [[Eastman Lake]] (upper left) is on the border of Madera County and [[Mariposa County]]. [[Hensley Lake]] (upper right) is near the center of Madera County. [[Madera Lake]] (lower left) is on the outskirts of Madera.]]

===Cities===
* [[Chowchilla, California|Chowchilla]]
* [[Madera, California|Madera]] (county seat)

===Census-designated places===
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* [[Ahwahnee, California|Ahwahnee]]
* [[Bass Lake, California|Bass Lake]]
* [[Bonadelle Ranchos, California|Bonadelle Ranchos]]
* [[Coarsegold, California|Coarsegold]]
* [[Fairmead, California|Fairmead]]
* [[La Vina, California|La Vina]]
* [[Madera Acres, California|Madera Acres]]
* [[Madera Ranchos, California|Madera Ranchos]]
* [[Nipinnawasee, California|Nipinnawasee]]
*[[North Fork, California|North Fork]]
* [[Oakhurst, California|Oakhurst]]
* [[Parksdale, California|Parksdale]]
* [[Parkwood, California|Parkwood]]
* [[Rolling Hills, Madera County, California|Rolling Hills]]
* [[Yosemite Lakes, California|Yosemite Lakes]]
{{div col end}}

===Unincorporated communities===
* [[Knowles, California|Knowles]]
* [[Oneals, California|O'Neals]]
* [[Raymond, California|Raymond]]
* [[Ripperdan, California|Ripperdan]]
* [[Sugar Pine, California|Sugar Pine]]
* [[Sumner Hill, California|Sumner Hill]]

===Population ranking===

The population ranking of the following table is based on the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]] of Madera County.<ref>[https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.2010.html 2010 Census<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

'''†''' ''county seat''

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Rank
!City/town
!Municipal type
!Population (2010 Census)

|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"
| 1
|'''†''' [[Madera, California|Madera]]
| City
| 61,416
|- style="background-color:#FFFACD;"
| 2
|[[Chowchilla, California|Chowchilla]]
| City
| 18,720
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 3
|[[Madera Acres, California|Madera Acres]]
| CDP
| 9,163
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 4
|[[Bonadelle Ranchos-Madera Ranchos, California|Bonadelle Ranchos-Madera Ranchos]]
| CDP
| 8,569
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 5
|[[Yosemite Lakes, California|Yosemite Lakes]]
| CDP
| 4,952
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 6
|[[Oakhurst, California|Oakhurst]]
| CDP
| 2,829
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 7
|[[Parksdale, California|Parksdale]]
| CDP
| 2,621
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 8
|[[Parkwood, California|Parkwood]]
| CDP
| 2,268
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 9
|[[Ahwahnee, California|Ahwahnee]]
| CDP
| 2,246
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 10
|[[Coarsegold, California|Coarsegold]]
| CDP
| 1,840
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 11
|[[Fairmead, California|Fairmead]]
| CDP
| 1,447
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 12
|[[Rolling Hills, Madera County, California|Rolling Hills]]
| CDP
| 742
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 13
|[[Bass Lake, California|Bass Lake]]
| CDP
| 527
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 14
|[[Nipinnawasee, California|Nipinnawasee]]
| CDP
| 475
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 15
|[[La Vina, California|La Vina]]
| CDP
| 279
|- style="background-color:#FFFF99;"
| 16
|[[Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians|Picayune Rancheria (Chukchansi Indians)]]<ref>[https://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=2775 2010 Census Interactive Population Search<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
| [[AIAN (U.S. Census)|AIAN]]
| 69
|- style="background-color:#FFFF99;"
| 17
|[[Northfork Rancheria of Mono Indians of California|Northfork Rancheria (Mono Indians)]]<ref>[https://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=2495 2010 Census Interactive Population Search<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
| AIAN
| 60
|}

==See also==
* [[Sierra National Forest]]
* [[Nelder Grove]]
* [[Fresno Dome]]
* [[List of museums in the San Joaquin Valley (California)|List of museums in the San Joaquin Valley]]
* [[List of school districts in Madera County, California]]
* [[Madera Community Hospital]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Madera County, California]]
* [[USS Madera County (LST-905)|USS ''Madera County'' (LST-905)]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|https://www.maderacounty.com/}}
* [http://www.cagenweb.com/madera/ Madera County GenWeb - genealogy]
* [http://www.cagenweb.com/madera/MadHistory.html Madera County History - transcription of 1933 document on the county's history*] [http://www.oakhurstchamber.com/ Oakhurst Area Chamber of Commerce]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20040825000005/http://www.yosemite-sierra.org/ Yosemite Sierra Visitors Bureau]
* ''[http://www.maderatribune.com/ Madera Tribune]'', newspaper for the western half of the county, founded March 31, 1892
* [http://madera.courts.ca.gov/ Superior Court of Madera County]
* [http://www.maderacountylibrary.org/ Madera County Library]
* [http://www.maderahospital.org/ Madera Community Hospital]
* [http://www.maderavalues.com ''Madera Values'' quarterly magazine]

{{Geographic Location
| Centre    = Madera County, California
| North     = [[Mariposa County, California|Mariposa County]]
| Northeast = [[Tuolumne County, California|Tuolumne County]] and [[Mono County, California|Mono County]]
| East      =
| Southeast =
| South     = [[Fresno County, California|Fresno County]]
| Southwest =
| West      = [[Fresno County, California|Fresno County]]
| Northwest = [[Merced County, California|Merced County]]
}}

{{Cities of Madera County, California}}
{{San Joaquin Valley}}
{{California}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|37.22|-119.77|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-CA_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:Madera County, California| ]]
[[Category:California counties]]
[[Category:San Joaquin Valley]]
[[Category:1893 establishments in California]]
[[Category:Populated places in the United States established in 1893]]
[[Category:Majority-minority counties in California]]