Norco, California
Encyclopedia
Norco is a city in Riverside County
, California
, in the United States
. As of the 2010 census
, the city population was 27,063, up from 24,157 at the 2000 census. The city's name is an abbreviation of "North Corona
."
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 14.3 square miles (37 km²) of which 14 square miles (36.3 km²) is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²), or 2.22%, is water.
was 1,895.4 people per square mile (731.8/km²). The racial makeup of Norco was 20,641 (76.3%) White, 1,893 (7.0%) African American, 248 (0.9%) Native American, 844 (3.1%) Asian, 59 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 2,514 (9.3%) from other races
, and 864 (3.2%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8,405 persons (31.1%).
The Census reported that 22,666 people (83.8% of the population) lived in households, 75 (0.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 4,322 (16.0%) were institutionalized.
There were 7,023 households, out of which 2,831 (40.3%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 4,353 (62.0%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 777 (11.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 453 (6.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 354 (5.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 61 (0.9%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,030 households (14.7%) were made up of individuals and 458 (6.5%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.23. There were 5,583 families
(79.5% of all households); the average family size was 3.53.
The population was spread out with 5,488 people (20.3%) under the age of 18, 2,798 people (10.3%) aged 18 to 24, 7,854 people (29.0%) aged 25 to 44, 8,303 people (30.7%) aged 45 to 64, and 2,620 people (9.7%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.5 years. For every 100 females there were 136.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 146.7 males.
There were 7,322 housing units at an average density of 512.8 per square mile (198.0/km²), of which 5,702 (81.2%) were owner-occupied, and 1,321 (18.8%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.8%. 18,572 people (68.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 4,094 people (15.1%) lived in rental housing units.
of 2000, there were 24,157 people, 6,136 households, and 4,945 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,714.8 people per square mile (662.0/km²). There were 6,277 housing units at an average density of 445.6 per square mile (172.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 82.4% White, 6.1% African American, 0.8% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 6.4% from other races
, and 3.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.8% of the population.
There were 6,136 households out of which 37.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.7% were married couples
living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.4% were non-families. 13.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.2 and the average family size was 3.4.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.4% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 37.7% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 6.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 128.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 137.6 males.
The median income
for a household in the city was $62,652, and the median income for a family was $66,204. Males had a median income of $41,599 versus $30,652 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $20,710. About 3.3% of families and 5.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.9% of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over.
Norco is located in the 37th Senate
District, represented by Republican
Bill Emmerson
, and in the 71st Assembly
District, represented by Republican Jeff Miller
. Federally, Norco is located in California's 44th congressional district
, which has a Cook PVI
of R +6 and is represented by Republican Ken Calvert
.
City politics can be quite heated, with long time friends and allies becoming outspoken critics of one another in the biannual City Council Elections.
In 2003 Norco became a Charter City for the express purpose of protecting and preserving animal keeping rights. The Charter was not extensive, maintaining all aspects of California's General Law provisions except in three areas: horse trails, lot size, and animal keeping rights. To change any ordinances in Norco relating to those three topics requires a supermajority (4/5 ths) vote of the City Council.
with 1,146 employees, and Naval Surface Warfare Center
with 1,010 employees.
, there are few sidewalks in the city of Norco; instead there are horse trails. Riders can ride to town and tie their horses at the many hitching rails and corrals placed close to businesses. There are many associations that are a part of the city, including the Norco Horsemen's Association and the Norco Junior Horsemen's Association. Politics in Norco also are dominated by concerns about horses and animal-keeping vs. suburbanization, a battle that has played out over development in the Norco Hills. In that area, which borders eastern Corona and Riverside, an influx of Orange County commuters are buying homes for $500,000 and up that have few provisions for animal-keeping—regarded by longtime residents, who believe their town's character is in jeopardy, as an affront. The original spirit of the town's incorporation was to promote "City living in a rural atmosphere".
In 2006 Norco began promoting itself as "Horsetown U.S.A". A large cement mural with this logo and reliefs of horses can be seen on the freeway near the I-15 southbound onramp at 6th St. The nickname can also be found on stickers and other promotional items sold around town.
Norco is also the home of the Norco Animal Rescue Team (NART). NART was founded after the October 2003 wildfires that savaged San Bernardino County and San Diego County. During the fires, Norco citizens banded together to provide a place of refuge for horses and other animals being evacuated from the fire areas. In the aftermath of these fires, the community of Norco recognized a need for an organized group to assist in the evacuation of mainly large animals from floods, fires and other dangers. NART's main purpose is to rescue large animals, mainly horses, from dangerous situations such as being stranded in areas where they cannot remove themselves from, such as canyons or ravines, using the Anderson Sling and a helicopter. Such major rescues have been accomplished twice and NART has mobilized during every major fire that has hit southern California since 2004.
The largest event highlighting Norco's community and lifestyle is the annual Norco Valley Fair, sponsored by the Norco Chamber of Commerce. Tickets for the fair are in the form of colorful button pins. Each year a contest is held to design the button. Buttons are sold in the weeks before the Fair by teenage girls competing to be the next Miss Norco. Buttons must be worn at all time by patrons of the Fair or they risk being locked in 'jail' by the Fair's marshals.
The Norco Valley Fair begins on a Thursday evening with the Miss Norco Contest and continues until Sunday and is being held at Raahauge's Shooting Range. Events included at the Fair are the rodeo, rodeo dance, calf dressing competition, pageants, exhibitions, cowboy poker, wild cow milking, snail races, talent show, pet parade, and "Family Fun Day."
Norco's largest event center, George Ingall's Equestrian Event Center at 6th St. and Crestview is a popular location for weekend horse shows, community events, and is now home to the California Finals Rodeo and the 2010 Norco Fair. Construction is underway to expand the equestrian center to include a second covered horse arena and other amenities. The arena is open for free public riding to Norco residents several nights a week.
The Norco Fire Department operates out of two stations --- one located on Sixth Street and Hillside Avenue, where the Fire Chief's office is; and one located on Corydon Avenue adjacent to Wayne Makin little league fields and Shearer soccer fields. The Norco Fire Department staffs its fire engines with four professional firefighters: a captain, an engineer, and firefighter, and a firefighter/paramedic. By having four firefighters on an engine, the Norco Fire Department is compliant with the "2 in/2 out" safety standard accepted by both state and national professional firefighters organizations. "2 in / 2 out" allows for two firefighters to be inside a burning building while two are outside the fire to maintain water pressure and to respond to any emergencies that may threaten the lives of the firefighters inside the burning building.
Riverside County, California
Riverside County is a county in the U.S. state of California. One of 58 California counties, it covers in the southern part of the state, and stretches from Orange County to the Colorado River, which forms the state border with Arizona. The county derives its name from the city of Riverside,...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. As of the 2010 census
United States Census, 2010
The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...
, the city population was 27,063, up from 24,157 at the 2000 census. The city's name is an abbreviation of "North Corona
Corona, California
Corona is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 152,374, up from 124,966 at the 2000 census...
."
Geography
Norco is located at 33°55′38"N 117°33′41"W (33.927124, -117.561326).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 14.3 square miles (37 km²) of which 14 square miles (36.3 km²) is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²), or 2.22%, is water.
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Norco had a population of 27,063. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,895.4 people per square mile (731.8/km²). The racial makeup of Norco was 20,641 (76.3%) White, 1,893 (7.0%) African American, 248 (0.9%) Native American, 844 (3.1%) Asian, 59 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 2,514 (9.3%) from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 864 (3.2%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8,405 persons (31.1%).
The Census reported that 22,666 people (83.8% of the population) lived in households, 75 (0.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 4,322 (16.0%) were institutionalized.
There were 7,023 households, out of which 2,831 (40.3%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 4,353 (62.0%) were opposite-sex married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 777 (11.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 453 (6.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 354 (5.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
POSSLQ
POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....
, and 61 (0.9%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,030 households (14.7%) were made up of individuals and 458 (6.5%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.23. There were 5,583 families
Family (U.S. Census)
A family or family household is defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes as "a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state...
(79.5% of all households); the average family size was 3.53.
The population was spread out with 5,488 people (20.3%) under the age of 18, 2,798 people (10.3%) aged 18 to 24, 7,854 people (29.0%) aged 25 to 44, 8,303 people (30.7%) aged 45 to 64, and 2,620 people (9.7%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.5 years. For every 100 females there were 136.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 146.7 males.
There were 7,322 housing units at an average density of 512.8 per square mile (198.0/km²), of which 5,702 (81.2%) were owner-occupied, and 1,321 (18.8%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.8%. 18,572 people (68.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 4,094 people (15.1%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 24,157 people, 6,136 households, and 4,945 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,714.8 people per square mile (662.0/km²). There were 6,277 housing units at an average density of 445.6 per square mile (172.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 82.4% White, 6.1% African American, 0.8% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 6.4% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 3.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.8% of the population.
There were 6,136 households out of which 37.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.7% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.4% were non-families. 13.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.2 and the average family size was 3.4.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.4% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 37.7% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 6.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 128.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 137.6 males.
The median income
Income
Income is the consumption and savings opportunity gained by an entity within a specified time frame, which is generally expressed in monetary terms. However, for households and individuals, "income is the sum of all the wages, salaries, profits, interests payments, rents and other forms of earnings...
for a household in the city was $62,652, and the median income for a family was $66,204. Males had a median income of $41,599 versus $30,652 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $20,710. About 3.3% of families and 5.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.9% of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over.
Politics
In the state legislatureCalifornia State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
Norco is located in the 37th Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
District, represented by Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Bill Emmerson
Bill Emmerson
William "Bill" Emmerson is a Republican California State Senator, representing the 37th district in Riverside County, having been elected in a June 8, 2010 special election and sworn into office the next day...
, and in the 71st Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
District, represented by Republican Jeff Miller
Jeff Miller
Jefferson B. "Jeff" Miller is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district includes all of Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Holmes, and Washington Counties....
. Federally, Norco is located in California's 44th congressional district
California's 44th congressional district
California's 44th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California that currently covers an area of Southern California from San Clemente in Orange County on the coast, north-by-northeast inland to Riverside County, including the cities of Corona, Norco, Rubidoux,...
, which has a Cook PVI
Cook Partisan Voting Index
The Cook Partisan Voting Index , sometimes referred to as simply the Partisan Voting Index , is a measurement of how strongly an American congressional district or state leans toward one political party compared to the nation as a whole...
of R +6 and is represented by Republican Ken Calvert
Ken Calvert
Kenneth Stanton "Ken" Calvert is the U.S. Representative for , and previously the 43rd, serving since 1993. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district is part of the Inland Empire and south Orange County areas of Southern California.-Early life, education and career:Calvert was born in...
.
City politics can be quite heated, with long time friends and allies becoming outspoken critics of one another in the biannual City Council Elections.
In 2003 Norco became a Charter City for the express purpose of protecting and preserving animal keeping rights. The Charter was not extensive, maintaining all aspects of California's General Law provisions except in three areas: horse trails, lot size, and animal keeping rights. To change any ordinances in Norco relating to those three topics requires a supermajority (4/5 ths) vote of the City Council.
Major employers
According to the City of Norco, the major area employers are Corona-Norco Unified School District with 5,215 employees, California Rehabilitation CenterCalifornia Rehabilitation Center
California Rehabilitation Center is a co-ed state prison located in Norco, Riverside County, California. There are approx 5000 male inmates at CRC...
with 1,146 employees, and Naval Surface Warfare Center
Naval Surface Warfare Center
The Naval Sea Systems Command Warfare Centers are composed of the Naval Surface Warfare Centers and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center . They operate in a seamless, integrated manner, and they collaborate with customers using a common work assignment process to get the right work to the right...
with 1,010 employees.
Horse community
As a horse communityHorse Community
A horse community or equestrian community is a planned real estate development or community where people live with their horses on their property or at a facility within the rural or suburban development, with a shared trails network for pleasure riding...
, there are few sidewalks in the city of Norco; instead there are horse trails. Riders can ride to town and tie their horses at the many hitching rails and corrals placed close to businesses. There are many associations that are a part of the city, including the Norco Horsemen's Association and the Norco Junior Horsemen's Association. Politics in Norco also are dominated by concerns about horses and animal-keeping vs. suburbanization, a battle that has played out over development in the Norco Hills. In that area, which borders eastern Corona and Riverside, an influx of Orange County commuters are buying homes for $500,000 and up that have few provisions for animal-keeping—regarded by longtime residents, who believe their town's character is in jeopardy, as an affront. The original spirit of the town's incorporation was to promote "City living in a rural atmosphere".
In 2006 Norco began promoting itself as "Horsetown U.S.A". A large cement mural with this logo and reliefs of horses can be seen on the freeway near the I-15 southbound onramp at 6th St. The nickname can also be found on stickers and other promotional items sold around town.
Norco is also the home of the Norco Animal Rescue Team (NART). NART was founded after the October 2003 wildfires that savaged San Bernardino County and San Diego County. During the fires, Norco citizens banded together to provide a place of refuge for horses and other animals being evacuated from the fire areas. In the aftermath of these fires, the community of Norco recognized a need for an organized group to assist in the evacuation of mainly large animals from floods, fires and other dangers. NART's main purpose is to rescue large animals, mainly horses, from dangerous situations such as being stranded in areas where they cannot remove themselves from, such as canyons or ravines, using the Anderson Sling and a helicopter. Such major rescues have been accomplished twice and NART has mobilized during every major fire that has hit southern California since 2004.
The largest event highlighting Norco's community and lifestyle is the annual Norco Valley Fair, sponsored by the Norco Chamber of Commerce. Tickets for the fair are in the form of colorful button pins. Each year a contest is held to design the button. Buttons are sold in the weeks before the Fair by teenage girls competing to be the next Miss Norco. Buttons must be worn at all time by patrons of the Fair or they risk being locked in 'jail' by the Fair's marshals.
The Norco Valley Fair begins on a Thursday evening with the Miss Norco Contest and continues until Sunday and is being held at Raahauge's Shooting Range. Events included at the Fair are the rodeo, rodeo dance, calf dressing competition, pageants, exhibitions, cowboy poker, wild cow milking, snail races, talent show, pet parade, and "Family Fun Day."
Norco's largest event center, George Ingall's Equestrian Event Center at 6th St. and Crestview is a popular location for weekend horse shows, community events, and is now home to the California Finals Rodeo and the 2010 Norco Fair. Construction is underway to expand the equestrian center to include a second covered horse arena and other amenities. The arena is open for free public riding to Norco residents several nights a week.
Public safety
Norco contracts out for law enforcement services with the Riverside County Sheriff's Department through a regional station off Hamner Street, but maintains its own fire department.The Norco Fire Department operates out of two stations --- one located on Sixth Street and Hillside Avenue, where the Fire Chief's office is; and one located on Corydon Avenue adjacent to Wayne Makin little league fields and Shearer soccer fields. The Norco Fire Department staffs its fire engines with four professional firefighters: a captain, an engineer, and firefighter, and a firefighter/paramedic. By having four firefighters on an engine, the Norco Fire Department is compliant with the "2 in/2 out" safety standard accepted by both state and national professional firefighters organizations. "2 in / 2 out" allows for two firefighters to be inside a burning building while two are outside the fire to maintain water pressure and to respond to any emergencies that may threaten the lives of the firefighters inside the burning building.