Calexico is a city located in Imperial County, California, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 27,109. It is a bordertown that is adjacent to Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico. Calexico is about 122 miles south east of San Diego and about 70 miles west of Yuma, Arizona.
Over 60,000 people pass through Calexico per day. The Police Department of Calexico consists of about 8 patrol cars on duty at one time. However their traffic department has about 25 employees that patrol and control traffic and intersections clogged by border commuters daily.
Its major event every year is the Mariachi festival on March 25 followed by the SDSU "Perspective of the Latino Race" art exhibition on April 3rd.
Orson Welles' Touch of Evil was filmed largely in Calexico in 1958.
Calexico is located at 32°40'42" North, 115°29'53" West (32.678246, -115.497997).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 16.1 km2 (6.2 mi2). 16.1 km2 (6.2 mi2) of it is land and none of it is covered by water. Calexico is located 230 miles southeast of Los Angeles, 125 miles east of San Diego, 260 miles west of Phoenix, and adjacent to the City of Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico.
Calexico's location provides easy overnight trucking access to all those transportation hubs plus the ports of Long Beach, and Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.
Calexico's strategic location is seen by many as the prime link between the interior of Mexico and the major markets along the west coast of the U.S. and Canada.
Calexico is served by California State Highways 98 and 111, with direct connection to Interstate 8 (7 miles north) and State Highway 86. There are eighteen (18) regular and irregular common carriers for intrastate and interstate truck service to Calexico.
Rail service is provided by Southern Pacific Railroad, and connects with the main line to Portland, Rock Island, Tucumcari, St. Louis, and New Orleans.
Within city limits is Calexico International Airport, the U.S. Immigration check-point for private passenger and air-cargo flights entering the U.S. from Mexico. Private charter services are also available there.
General aviation facilities and scheduled passenger and air-cargo service to Los Angeles (LAX), Phoenix and other points in Arizona are available at Imperial County Airport (Boley Field), located 17 miles north.
As of the census of 2000, there are 27,109 people, 6,814 households, and 5,982 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,680.1/km2 (4,353.4/mi2). There are 6,983 housing units at an average density of 432.8/km2 (1,121.4/mi2). The racial makeup of the city is 46.56% White, 0.49% Black or African American, 0.67% Native American, 1.81% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 46.99% from other races, and 3.45% from two or more races. 95.29% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 6,814 households out of which 53.4% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.2% are married couples living together, 22.0% have a female householder with no husband present, and 12.2% are non-families. 10.4% of all households are made up of individuals and 6.9% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 3.96 and the average family size is 4.21.
In the city the population is spread out with 34.9% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 17.6% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 29 years. For every 100 females there are 87.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 80.6 males. The amount of teen pregnancy in the city is ranked 3rd in the nation with 17.3% of females between the ages of 14 and 18 being pregnant.
The median income for a household in the city is $28,929, and the median income for a family is $30,277. Males have a median income of $27,712 versus $18,857 for females. The per capita income for the city is $9,981. 25.7% of the population and 22.6% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 30.8% of those under the age of 18 and 16.2% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Calexico began as a tent city of the Imperial Land Company and has grown into a larger thriving city on the U.S.-Mexico border.
During the era of prohibition, it was a widely known fact that the Calexico mayor at the time, Joseph O'Hara, routinely harbored Pancho Villa during Villa's many attempts to free the state of California.
Calexico was founded in 1900 and incorporated by ? in 1908.
Although it gained a reputation for a while as a typical U.S.-Mexico border town with all the tawdry aspects usually associated with such places, the modern city of Calexico is a far cry from what it was back in those early days. Hundreds of acres are now being devoted to industrial parks use and commercial and retail incentives are being offered to encourage industrial development.
Since Calexico represents the mixing of two cultures and areas and because of its proximity to the Mexican border, the name Calexico was coined for a combination of Mexico and California.
Source:
CalexicoCalifornia.com
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