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Madera
cityMadera, California, the county seat of Madera County, is located in the San Joaquin Valley. Founded in 1876 as a lumber town, it transitioned to an agriculture-based economy in the 20th century. As of 2020, the city had a population of 66,224, reflecting its role as a cultural and economic hub with a strong Hispanic majority. Madera's economy is primarily driven by agriculture, manufacturing, education, and public administration. The surrounding county is a leading producer of grapes, almonds, pistachios, and figs. Food processing and distribution facilities support the region's agricultural output, while the Madera Unified School District and the City of Madera are major public employers. Madera's history is rooted in the lumber industry, with the city's name meaning "lumber" in Spanish. The city is known as the "Heart of California" due to its central location and serves as a gateway to Yosemite National Park and the Sierra Nevada mountains. Landmarks such as the Madera Water Tower and a fully operational drive-in theater reflect the city's evolution.
Madera, California
Overview
- Classification
- City
- FIPS Code
- 06-45022
- Country
- United States
- County
- Madera County
Geography
- Region
- San Joaquin Valley
- Elevation
- 272 ft
- Total Area
- 16.47 sq mi
- Land Area
- 16.47 sq mi
- Water Area
- 0 sq mi
- Latitude
- 36.96139
- Longitude
- -120.06083
- Climate
- Madera experiences a hot, dry steppe climate with hot summers and mild, relatively wet winters.
- Notable Features
- Fresno River · San Joaquin Valley · Madera AVA wine region
- Neighboring Areas
- Fresno · Merced
Demographics
- Population (2020)
- 66,224
- Est. Population (2026)
- 70,380
- Median Age
- 30.4
- Median Income
- $63,933
- Poverty Rate
- 25.58%
- Family Households
- 78.6%
- Owner-Occupied
- 51.3%
- Racial & Ethnic Composition
- The racial composition of Madera includes approximately 46.72% identifying as "Other Race", 23.25% White, 3.08% Black or African American, and smaller percentages of Native American, Asian, and Pacific Islander populations. A significant portion of the population identifies as Hispanic or Latino.
Governance
- Government Type
- Council–manager
- Governing Body
- City Council
- Body Size
- 7 members
- School District
- Madera Unified School District
- Municipal Services
- Police · Fire · Public Works · Parks & Recreation · City government
U.S. Congress
Padilla, AlexD
U.S. SenatorSchiff, Adam B.D
U.S. RepresentativeHuffman, JaredD
U.S. Representative - District 2Kiley, KevinI
U.S. Representative - District 3Thompson, MikeD
U.S. Representative - District 4McClintock, TomR
U.S. Representative - District 5Bera, AmiD
U.S. Representative - District 6Matsui, Doris O.D
U.S. Representative - District 7Garamendi, JohnD
U.S. Representative - District 8Harder, JoshD
U.S. Representative - District 9DeSaulnier, MarkD
U.S. Representative - District 10Pelosi, NancyD
U.S. Representative - District 11Simon, LateefahD
U.S. Representative - District 12Mullin, KevinD
U.S. Representative - District 15Khanna, RoD
U.S. Representative - District 17Lofgren, ZoeD
U.S. Representative - District 18Panetta, JimmyD
U.S. Representative - District 19Fong, VinceR
U.S. Representative - District 20Costa, JimD
U.S. Representative - District 21Valadao, David G.R
U.S. Representative - District 22Obernolte, JayR
U.S. Representative - District 23Carbajal, Salud O.D
U.S. Representative - District 24Ruiz, RaulD
U.S. Representative - District 25Brownley, JuliaD
U.S. Representative - District 26Whitesides, GeorgeD
U.S. Representative - District 27Chu, JudyD
U.S. Representative - District 28Rivas, Luz M.D
U.S. Representative - District 29Friedman, LauraD
U.S. Representative - District 30Cisneros, Gilbert RayD
U.S. Representative - District 31Sherman, BradD
U.S. Representative - District 32Aguilar, PeteD
U.S. Representative - District 33Gomez, JimmyD
U.S. Representative - District 34Torres, Norma J.D
U.S. Representative - District 35Lieu, TedD
U.S. Representative - District 36Kamlager-Dove, SydneyD
U.S. Representative - District 37Sánchez, Linda T.D
U.S. Representative - District 38Takano, MarkD
U.S. Representative - District 39Kim, YoungR
U.S. Representative - District 40Calvert, KenR
U.S. Representative - District 41Garcia, RobertD
U.S. Representative - District 42Waters, MaxineD
U.S. Representative - District 43Barragán, Nanette DiazD
U.S. Representative - District 44Tran, DerekD
U.S. Representative - District 45Correa, J. LuisD
U.S. Representative - District 46Min, DaveD
U.S. Representative - District 47Issa, DarrellR
U.S. Representative - District 48Levin, MikeD
U.S. Representative - District 49Peters, Scott H.D
U.S. Representative - District 50Jacobs, SaraD
U.S. Representative - District 51Vargas, JuanD
U.S. Representative - District 52Economy
- Unemployment Rate
- 10.0%
- Economic Profile
- Agricultural · Manufacturing · Distribution & Logistics · Retail · Government
- Employment Sectors
- Agriculture · Health Care & Social Assistance · Manufacturing
- Major Employers
- Madera Unified School District · City of Madera
Education
- Schools
- 20
- Students
- 8,000
- Teachers
- 500
- Student-Teacher Ratio
- 16:1
- School Districts
- Madera Unified School District
- Colleges & Universities
- Madera Community College · San Joaquin Valley College-Madera
Infrastructure
- Transportation
- State Route 99 · Madera Metro fixed-route transit services
- Utilities
- Municipal services
- Major Facilities
- Hospital · Airport
Recreation
- Outdoor Access
- Yes
- Major Recreation Areas
- Yosemite National Park · Madera Wine Trail · Lions Town and Country Park
- Parks & Trails
- City parks · Walking trails
History
- Founded
- 1876
- Incorporated
- 1907
- Named After
- The Spanish word for "lumber"
- Historical Significance
- Madera's history is rooted in the lumber industry, later transforming into a diverse agricultural and community center.
- Key Events
- Founded as a lumber town · Transitioned to agriculture-based economy · Established as county seat in 1896