Pacifica, California

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

In the year 2020, when people counted how many lived there, Pacifica had 38,640 residents. The city is a place where many enjoy living close to the ocean, with sandy beaches and scenic views. It is a community that values its peaceful setting and natural beauty.

History

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

Pacifica is the location of the oldest European encounter with the San Francisco Bay. An expedition led by Gaspar de Portolà sighted the bay in 1769. Before then, earlier Spanish explorers had missed the bay because of heavy fog. Sighting the bay helped speed up the Spanish colonization of Alta California, as it was the only large, safe harbor on the coast. In the Spanish era, Pacifica was the site of the San Pedro Valley Mission Outpost (1786–1793). Pacifica is also the site of the Mexican-era Sánchez Adobe, built in 1846. The city is located on a part of the Mexican land grant Rancho San Pedro given to Francisco Sanchez in 1839.

During World War II, the area around Sharp Park held a processing facility for Japanese Americans and others during a time of internment. Pacifica was incorporated in 1957, the union of nine previously separate communities. Its first elected 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). The highest temperature ever recorded was 102 °F (39 °C) on October 5, 1987, and the coldest was 23 °F (−5 °C) on December 22, 1990. 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. There has never been any snow recorded since weather records began. 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 a population of 38,640. The population density was 3,070.8 people per square mile. The median age was 42.7 years. The age distribution was 19.0% under the age of 18, 6.7% aged 18 to 24, 27.5% aged 25 to 44, 28.5% aged 45 to 64, and 18.3% who were 65 years of age 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.

The census reported that 99.6% of the population lived in households, 0.2% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0.2% were institutionalized. Additionally, 99.9% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.1% lived in rural areas.

There were 14,180 households, out of which 30.7% included children under the age of 18, 54.6% were married-couple households, 7.0% were cohabiting couple households, 23.3% had a female householder with no partner present, and 15.1% had a male householder with no partner present. 20.9% of households were one person, and 10.0% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.72. There were 10,050 families (70.9% of all households).

There were 14,652 housing units at an average density of 1,164.4 units per square mile, of which 14,180 (96.8%) were occupied. Of these, 67.8% were owner-occupied, and 32.2% were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 3.2%.

2023 ACS 5-year estimates

In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that 21.9% of the population were foreign-born. Of all people aged 5 or older, 73.4% spoke only English at home, 9.0% spoke Spanish, 4.3% spoke other Indo-European languages, 12.2% spoke Asian or Pacific Islander languages, and 1.1% spoke other languages. Of those aged 25 or older, 95.5% were high school graduates and 48.5% had a bachelor's degree.

The median household income in 2023 was $156,819, and the per capita income was $69,917. About 4.2% of families and 6.2% of the population were below the poverty line.

2010 census

At the 2010 census Pacifica had a population of 37,234. The population density was 2,941.1 inhabitants per square mile. The racial makeup of Pacifica 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.

The census reported that 37,052 people (99.5% of the population) lived in households, 64 (0.2%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 118 (0.3%) were institutionalized.

There were 13,967 households, 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them, 52.9% were opposite-sex married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 5.1% had a male householder with no wife present. There were 6.2% unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 1.7% same-sex married couples or partnerships. 22.4% of households were one person and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.65. There were 9,686 families (69.3% of households); the average family size was 3.12.

The age distribution was 20.7% under the age of 18, 7.6% aged 18 to 24, 26.9% aged 25 to 44, 32.6% aged 45 to 64, and 12.1% who were 65 or older. The median age was 41.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.4 males.

There were 14,523 housing units at an average density of 1,147.2 per square mile, of the occupied units 68.3% were owner-occupied and 31.7% were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.8%. 71.4% of the population lived in owner-occupied housing units and 28.2% lived in rental housing units.

2000 census

At the 2000 census, the median income for a household in the city was $31,737, and the median family income was $48,361. Males had a median income of $50,761 versus $40,261 for females. The per capita income for the city was $30,183. About 1.2% of families and 2.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.2% of those under age 18 and 4.9% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Top employers

The city has many jobs, and 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, with the police and communication services using 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 favorite spot 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 place to visit for scenery, shopping, and dining. The area is great 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 also home to many golf lovers.

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 wonderful 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, which later became a Lifetime movie, is set in Pacifica.

Education

Primary and secondary schools

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

For high school, Pacifica has two public schools: Oceana High School and Terra Nova High School. Some students from the northern part of Pacifica go to nearby Jefferson High School or Westmoor High School in Daly City.

There are also libraries in Pacifica, run by the San Mateo County Libraries, 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, and Anthony Gordon grew up here before playing college football for the Washington State Cougars and joining the National Football League. Famous baseball player Keith Hernandez, who won a World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals and the New York Mets, also lived in Pacifica. Other notable residents include Kevin Kelly, a founding editor of Wired magazine, and comics artist Derek Kirk Kim, whose book Same Difference includes scenes from Pacifica. 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 located in Catalonia, Spain.