Pacifica, California

Pacifica is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States. It is on the coast of the Pacific Ocean, between the big city of San Francisco and the town of Half Moon Bay. The name Pacifica comes from the Spanish word Pacífica, which means "Peaceful."

In 2020, Pacifica had 38,640 residents. Many people live there because they love being close to the ocean, with sandy beaches and nice views. The city values its peaceful setting and natural beauty.

History

Before European settlers arrived, Pacifica was home to two Ohlone Indian villages: Pruristac and Timigtac.

Pacifica is where the first Europeans saw the San Francisco Bay. An expedition led by Gaspar de Portolà saw the bay in 1769. Before that, other Spanish explorers had missed the bay because of fog. Seeing the bay helped the Spanish colonization of Alta California, as it was the only large, safe harbor on the coast. In the Spanish time, Pacifica had the San Pedro Valley Mission Outpost from 1786 to 1793. Pacifica is also where the Mexican-era Sánchez Adobe was built in 1846. The city is on land from the Mexican grant Rancho San Pedro given to Francisco Sanchez in 1839.

During World War II, a facility was built near Sharp Park for processing people during a difficult time. Pacifica became a city in 1957, joining nine communities together. Its first mayor was Jean Fassler, one of the first women mayors in California.

Geography

Topography

Pacifica is built along San Pedro Creek, which runs from the western slope of Sweeney Ridge. The far eastern part of Pacifica includes San Andreas Creek, which flows down the eastern slope of Sweeney Ridge. Long ago, the Portola expedition followed these creeks when they discovered San Francisco Bay. Another creek, Calera Creek, runs through Pacifica Quarry and is protected because it is an important natural habitat.

Climate

Pacifica has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification Csb), which is typical for coastal areas of California. The National Weather Service has kept weather records in Pacifica since November 1, 1983. In January, temperatures usually range from about 46 °F (8 °C) to 57 °F (14 °C), and in September, they range from about 54 °F (12 °C) to 72 °F (22 °C). It is very rare for temperatures to reach 90 °F (32 °C) or go below 32 °F (0 °C). Pacifica gets about 30 inches (760 mm) of rain each year, with most of it falling between October and May. Fog is common in the summer and can bring light rain at night and in the morning. Some parts of Pacifica, like Park Pacifica, get more sunshine than others.

Cityscape

Pacifica is divided into about eleven different areas, including Fairmont, Westview, Pacific Manor, Edgemar, Sharp Park, Fairway Park, Vallemar, Rockaway Beach, Pedro Point, Shelter Cove, Linda Mar, and Park Pacifica.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Pacifica had 38,640 people. There were 3,070.8 people for each square mile. The median age was 42.7 years. People ages were 19.0% under 18, 6.7% aged 18 to 24, 27.5% aged 25 to 44, 28.5% aged 45 to 64, and 18.3% aged 65 or older. For every 100 females, there were 97.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.8 males age 18 and over.

Most people, 99.6%, lived in homes. A small number, 0.2%, lived in group homes, and another 0.2% were in other special homes. Almost everyone, 99.9%, lived in towns and cities.

There were 14,180 homes. About 30.7% had children under 18. More than half, 54.6%, were married couples living together. Some homes, 7.0%, were cohabiting couples. Others had a single parent, 23.3% female and 15.1% male. About 20.9% of homes had just one person, and 10.0% of these were people aged 65 or older. The average number of people per home was 2.72. There were 10,050 families, which was 70.9% of all homes.

There were 14,652 places to live, called housing units. Most, 96.8%, were used. Of these, 67.8% were owned by the people living there, and 32.2% were rented. Not many homes were empty – 0.4% of owned homes and 3.2% of rented homes.

2023 ACS 5-year estimates

In 2023, about 21.9% of Pacifica's people were born in another country. Of people aged 5 or older, 73.4% spoke only English at home. Some spoke Spanish, 9.0%, and other Indo-European languages, 4.3%. Others spoke Asian or Pacific Islander languages, 12.2%, or other languages, 1.1%. Of people aged 25 or older, 95.5% had finished high school and 48.5% had a bachelor's degree.

In 2023, the average home earned $156,819 each year. The per capita income was $69,917. A small part, about 4.2% of families and 6.2% of all people, had very little money and lived below the poverty line.

2010 census

The 2010 census recorded 37,234 people in Pacifica. There were 2,941.1 people for each square mile. The racial makeup was 55.6% white, 16.8% Hispanic or Latino of any race, 2.6% African American, 0.6% Native American, 19.4% Asian, 0.8% Pacific Islander, 4.6% from other races, and 7.1% from two or more races.

Most people, 99.5%, lived in homes. A very small number, 0.2%, lived in group homes, and 0.3% were in other special homes.

There were 13,967 homes. About 32.3% had children under 18. More than half, 52.9%, were opposite-sex married couples living together. Some homes, 11.4%, had a female parent with no husband, and 5.1% had a male parent with no wife. There were also unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, 6.2%, and same-sex married couples or partnerships, 1.7%. About 22.4% of homes had just one person, and 7.9% had someone aged 65 or older living alone. The average number of people per home was 2.65. There were 9,686 families, which was 69.3% of homes. The average family size was 3.12.

There were 14,523 housing units. On average, there were 1,147.2 units for each square mile. Of the units people used, 68.3% were owned and 31.7% were rented. The rate of empty owned homes was 0.9% and the rate of empty rented homes was 4.8%. Most people, 71.4%, lived in homes they owned, and 28.2% lived in rented homes.

2000 census

At the 2000 census, the average income for a home was $31,737, and for a family it was $48,361. Males earned $50,761 on average, while females earned $40,261. The per capita income was $30,183. About 1.2% of families and 2.9% of all people had very little money and lived below the poverty line. This included 1.2% of children under 18 and 4.9% of people aged 65 or older.

Economy

Top employers

Pacifica has many jobs. Some of the biggest companies that hire people there are listed in a report from 2019.

Government

Pacifica is run by a group of five elected leaders called a city council. Each leader takes turns being the mayor for one year. They have help from important workers like a city manager, lawyer, and clerk who support their decisions.

The city has several important services. The police and communication services use the most money, followed by fire and emergency services. Other services include childcare programs, city legal help, public works, parks and beaches, and finance.

Culture

Pacifica is a great place for surfing, especially at Pacifica State Beach, also called Linda Mar Beach, where the World Dog Surfing Championships are held. Rockaway Beach is a nice spot for scenery, shopping, and dining. The area is perfect for hiking, with trails along beaches and bluffs like Mori Point, San Pedro Valley County Park, and Frontierland Park. It’s also popular for mountain biking on trails around the city, such as those on Pedro Mountain Road and Sweeney Ridge. Fishermen enjoy the local beaches and the Pacifica Pier, where they often catch fish like striped bass and salmon. In 2005, the well-known Pacifica Skatepark opened. The Sharp Park Golf Course, designed in 1931 by Alister MacKenzie, is loved by many golf fans.

Pacifica has local theater groups like the Pacifica Spindrift Players and Pacifica Performances, which bring live music and shows to the community. Nearby, Shelldance Orchid Gardens is a lovely place to see beautiful plants, located close to Highway 1. The Taco Bell Cantina in Pacifica, a building from 1960, is famous for being one of the most beautiful restaurant buildings in the world.

Media

Pacifica has a local weekly newspaper called the Pacifica Tribune. It is mailed out every Wednesday and is part of Coastside News Group, which also includes the Half Moon Bay Review and Coastside Magazine.

Other media in Pacifica include the San Mateo Daily Journal, The Coastsider, Coastside Magazine, Pacificariptide, and Peninsula Press, a project of Stanford_journalism.

Pacifica Community Television is a local public-access television channel that has been operating for 30 years. It is known for winning an Emmy Award.

Some famous movies and TV shows were filmed in Pacifica, including scenes from Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and Harold and Maude. The book Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr is set in Pacifica.

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Pacifica has many schools for young students. The Pacifica School District includes several elementary and middle schools, like Vallemar, Cabrillo, and Sunset Ridge. There are also two private schools: Good Shepherd School and Pacific Bay Christian School.

Pacifica has two public high schools: Oceana High School and Terra Nova High School. Some students from the north go to nearby Jefferson High School or Westmoor High School in Daly City.

There are libraries in Pacifica, run by the San Mateo County Libraries, which are part of the Peninsula Library System. These include the Pacifica-Sanchez Library and the Pacifica-Sharp Park Library.

Notable people

Pacifica has been home to many interesting people. Chuy Campusano was a Chicano muralist. Anthony Gordon grew up here and later played college football for the Washington State Cougars and joined the National Football League. Famous baseball player Keith Hernandez lived in Pacifica. He won a World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals and the New York Mets. Other well-known people from Pacifica include Kevin Kelly, a founding editor of Wired magazine, and comics artist Derek Kirk Kim. Greg Reynolds, a former baseball pitcher for the Colorado Rockies, and actor Rob Schneider also grew up in the city.

Sister city

Pacifica has a sister city named Balaguer. It is in Catalonia, Spain.