Pismo Beach, California

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The coast at Pismo Beach

Pismo Beach is a city in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. The population was 8,551 at the 2000 census.

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 Schools
4 Other facts
5 Images
6 External links

[edit] Geography

Pismo Beach is located at 35°8′54″N, 120°38′53″W (35.148336, -120.648054)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 34.8 km² (13.4 mi²). 9.3 km² (3.6 mi²) of it is land and 25.5 km² (9.8 mi²) of it (73.09%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 8,551 people, 4,230 households, and 2,322 families residing in the city. The population density was 914.6/km² (2,366.0/mi²). There were 5,496 housing units at an average density of 587.8/km² (1,520.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.35% White, 0.60% African American, 0.71% Native American, 2.92% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.65% from other races, and 2.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.89% of the population.

There were 4,230 households out of which 17.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.1% were married couples living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.1% were non-families. 35.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.02 and the average family size was 2.58.

In the city the population was spread out with 15.3% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 28.4% from 45 to 64, and 24.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females there were 93.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $46,396, and the median income for a family was $61,036. Males had a median income of $48,606 versus $30,189 for females. The per capita income for the city was $30,835. About 6.3% of families and 9.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.5% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.

The population had a wave of expansion starting in the 1980s after completion of wastewater treatment facilities expansion designed by Kennedy Jenks Engineers, which infrastructure had previously limited population growth.

Shell Beach Elementary

[edit] Schools

Shell Beach Elementary School, 2100 Shell Beach Rd., Pismo Beach, CA 93449 (Grades K-6)
Judkins Middle School, 680 Wadsworth, Pismo Beach, CA 93449 (Grades 7-8)
High school students attend Arroyo Grande High School, 495 Valley Road, Arroyo Grande, CA 93420

Colleges and Universities:

Cuesta Community College, San Luis Obispo
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly)

[edit] Other facts

Pismo means "tar" in the language of the native Chumash Indians.
Pismo Beach is famous for being the place Bugs Bunny was headed to when he took that wrong left turn at Albuquerque.
Pismo Beach is the Clam Capital of the World. The city holds the Clam Festival every October, complete with clam chowder competitions and a clam-themed parade. Additionally, at the southern end of Price Street upon first entering Pismo Beach, a gigantic clam statue greets visitors. However, clamming is now restricted, due to over clamming in earlier decades.
Pismo Beach hosts one of the largest gatherings of custom and classic cars every June, on Father's Day weekend.
Quads and dirt bikes for recreational use are run at the Pismo OHV dunes.
The codename for the last revision of Apple Computer's PowerBook G3 is "Pismo", named after Pismo Beach. (The previous PowerBook, "Lombard", takes its name from San Francisco's Lombard Street.)
In the film Clueless, relief supplies were sent to Pismo Beach due to the fictitious Pismo Beach disaster.
In the past, many visitors camp out on the beach in Pismo Beach (known as Beach Camping)

[edit] Images

Taken from the Sea Crest Resort Motel	Taken of the coast at sunset in the August of 2004	Taken of the pier at night in June of 2005.	Pismo Beach Pier
Pomeroy Avenue, downtown	View from hill overlooking Pismo Beach	Pismo Beach car show	Pismo Beach Wave
Houses in Pismo Beach, built up the hillside.