Adelanto, California | |
|---|---|
 Flag  Seal | |
| Motto: The City with Unlimited Possibilities[1] | |
 Location within county and state | |
  Adelanto, California Location in California Show map of southern California Adelanto, California Adelanto, California (California) Show map of California Adelanto, California Adelanto, California (the United States) Show map of the United States | |
| Coordinates:34°35′50″N117°25′58″W / 34.59722°N 117.43278°W /34.59722; -117.43278 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | San Bernardino |
| Incorporated | December 22, 1970[2] |
| Named after | Spanish for "advance" or "progress" |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Gabriel Reyes[3] |
| Area | |
• Total | 52.88 sq mi (136.97 km2) |
| • Land | 52.87 sq mi (136.92 km2) |
| • Water | 0.015 sq mi (0.04 km2) 0.03% |
| Elevation | 2,868 ft (874 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 38,046 |
| • Density | 719.7/sq mi (277.86/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (PST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code | 92301[7] |
| Area codes | 442/760 |
| FIPS code | 06-00296 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2409663[5] |
| Website | ci.adelanto.ca.us |
Adelanto (Spanish for "Advance") is a city inSan Bernardino County, California, United States. It is approximately 9 miles (14 km) northwest ofVictorville in theVictor Valley area of theMojave Desert, in the northern region of theInland Empire.[8] The population was 38,046 at the2020 census.[6]
The area was originally inhabited by theSerrano Native American tribe.[9]
Adelanto was founded in 1915 by E. H. Richardson, the inventor of what became theHotpointelectric iron.[10] He sold his patent and purchased land for $75,000. He had planned to develop one of the firstplanned communities in Southern California.
The nameAdelanto means 'progress' or 'advance' in Spanish, and was first given to the post office that was established on the site in 1917.[11]
Acres ofdeciduous fruit trees once grew in the city, which became known in the state for its fresh fruit and cider. The orchards thrived until theGreat Depression, when they were replaced by poultry ranches. As the wartime emergency developed early in 1941, the Victorville Army Air Field was established with land within the Adelanto sphere of influence. In September 1950, the airfield was namedGeorge Air Force Base in honor of the lateBrigadier GeneralHarold H. George.[12]
Adelanto continued as a "community services district" until 1970 when the city incorporated, and Adelanto became San Bernardino County's then smallest city. The city became a charter city in November 1992.[13]
Adelanto had a card room called the Hi Desert Casino which operated from 1975 to 1997. The casino was located across from city hall at the corner of Air Expressway and U.S. Highway 395. It boasted a fine restaurant and bar and people came from all over San Bernardino County to play cards.[14]
During the2000s United States housing bubble, many large suburban subdivisions were built in the southern portion of the city, along Highway 18. Like neighboring Victorville, Adelanto suffered severely from the collapse of real estate values after the2008 financial crisis. While most of California has seen property values rise to historic highs, much of the Victor Valley region has yet to recover to the 2006 peak.[15] However, in the years since theCOVID-19 pandemic there has been a resurgence in suburban and exurban housing demand. Formerly affordable areas in theInland Empire have become increasingly expensive, and the region has experienced a major boom in logistics and industrial development. As a result, residents and businesses seeking affordable properties have been increasingly looking further north along Interstate 15 and into Victorville and Adelanto.[16]
Adelanto is in theVictor Valley of the south-centralMojave Desert, north of theCajon Pass andSan Bernardino Valley.[17]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 52.9 square miles (137 km2). 52.9 square miles (137 km2) of it is land and 0.02 square miles (0.052 km2) of it (0.03%) is water.[4]
The average elevation of the city is 3,400 ft (1,036 m).
According to theKöppen Climate Classification system, Adelanto has a Tropical and Subtropical Steppe Climate, abbreviated "BSk" on climate maps.[18]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 2,115 | — | |
| 1980 | 2,164 | 2.3% | |
| 1990 | 8,517 | 293.6% | |
| 2000 | 18,130 | 112.9% | |
| 2010 | 31,765 | 75.2% | |
| 2020 | 38,046 | 19.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[19] 1860–1870[20][21] 1880-1890[22] 1900[23] 1910[24] 1920[25] 1930[26] 1940[27] 1950[28] 1960[29][30] 1970[31] 1980[32] 1990[33]2000[34] 2010[35] | |||
Adelanto first appeared as an unincorporated place in the1970 U.S. census;[31] and then as a city in the1980 United States census.[32]
According to the 2023American Community Survey, the median household income was $68,419, and theper capita income was $19,480.[36]
Of those aged 5 or older, 52.7% spoke only English at home, 45.2% spokeSpanish, 0.9% spoke otherIndo-European languages, 0.9% spoke Asian or Pacific Islander languages, and 0.2% spoke other languages. Of those aged 25 or older, 73.5% were high school graduates and 7.8% had a bachelor's degree.[37]
The2020 United States census reported that Adelanto had a population of 38,046. The population density was 719.7 inhabitants per square mile (277.9/km2). The racial makeup of Adelanto was 22.2%White, 19.4%African American, 2.2%Native American, 2.8%Asian, 0.7%Pacific Islander, 38.6% fromother races, and 14.0% from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino of any race were 63.5% of the population.
The census reported that 92.8% of the population lived in households, 0.2% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 7.0% were institutionalized.
There were 9,185 households, out of which 57.2% included children under the age of 18, 45.4% were married-couple households, 10.7% werecohabiting couple households, 27.7% had a female householder with no partner present, and 16.2% had a male householder with no partner present. 11.8% of households were one person, and 3.9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.84. There were 7,594families (82.7% of all households).
The age distribution was 32.2% under the age of 18, 11.0% aged 18 to 24, 29.9% aged 25 to 44, 19.7% aged 45 to 64, and 7.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 109.6 males.
There were 9,601 housing units at an average density of 181.6 units per square mile (70.1 units/km2), of which 9,185 (95.7%) were occupied. Of these, 58.4% were owner-occupied, and 41.6% were occupied by renters.[38][39]
Historically Adelanto was a fruit-growing town.[40] Prior to 1992, much of the economy was related to theGeorge Air Force Base. After its closure the city began having economic difficulties.[41] The openings of several area prisons began in 1991, and the city government approved the construction of two private prisons. The prisons were not required to hire people within the Adelanto city limits.[42] The city, as of 2016, collects $160,000 annually in total from the prisons within the city limits. That year Jimi Devine of theSan Francisco Chronicle wrote that the prisons "had mixed effects on the community for 25 years."[40] Matt Tinoco ofVice wrote that "the prisons have failed to stimulate lasting growth in Adelanto" and that "all ultimately ended up contributing little to the city's coffers."[42] Tinoco further stated that Adelanto had an "image as one big jail."[42]
The privately ownedAdelanto Detention Center, run by theGEO Group to houseimmigrant detainees, was built in Adelanto in 1991 as a state prison.[43] In 2014, when a private developer proposed another prison, the city council approved a development agreement with the private developer that under California subdivision law allows the city to negotiate terms to provide additional benefits to the city. The city had little latitude to deny the private project as the land was appropriately zoned for use as a prison.[44]
The city has only a few retail stores and restaurants. A bed tax contributes about $200,000 annually from the detention facilities.[8] The small city has struggled as tax revenue fell far short of the city budget. In 2013, they closed a fire station and laid off a quarter of the town's staff. Residents though turned down a nearly 8% utility users tax in November 2013.[8]
Upon the legalization of the sale and distribution ofcannabis in 2016, marijuana cultivation was considered a possible new source of revenue for the city.[40] Companies must be licensed by the local agency and the state to grow, test, or sell cannabis and the city may authorize none or only some of these activities. Local governments may not prohibit adults, who are in compliance with state laws, from growing, using, or transporting marijuana for personal use.
The city decided to allow multiple types of marijuana businesses, including cultivation, manufacturing and retail sales.[45] By 2019, two cannabis dispensaries were servingrecreational users as the city council considered proposed changes to the city's cannabis laws to generate additional revenue to help close the city budget gap.[46] The city is the only Victor Valley municipality to allow storefront cannabis dispensaries.[45][47] A 14-acre (5.7 ha) indoor cultivation facility was opened in 2019 by the California arm ofTikun Olam.[48]
Federal prisons of theFederal Bureau of Prisons near Adelanto:
Established in 1921 as part of the San Bernardino County's library system, the Adelanto Library began in the office of a fruit company.[49]
El Mirage Dry Lake, west of Adelanto, has been used for filming movies and television commercials, most notably the opening sequence of the later episodes of the TV seriesSky King.
From 1991 to 2016, the city was home to theHigh Desert Mavericks, aMinor League Baseball team of theClass A-AdvancedCalifornia League.[50]
For the 2017 season, thePecos League established theHigh Desert Yardbirds to fill the void atAdelanto Stadium. The team closed their last season at the stadium in 2019.
In thestate legislature, Adelanto is inthe 23rd senatorial district, represented byRepublican Suzette Martinez Valladares, and inthe 39th Assembly district, represented byDemocrat Juan Carrillo.[51]
In theUnited States House of Representatives, Adelanto is inCalifornia's 23rd congressional district, represented byRepublican Jay Obernolte.[52]
The majority of Adelanto is in theAdelanto Elementary School District (AESD) for preschool, elementary and middle school levels, while a very small portion is in theOro Grande Elementary School District.[53] The Adelanto Elementary District has nine elementary schools, three combined K-8 schools (one of them a virtual school, and three middle schools.[54] High school-aged students in all of those elementary and middle school districts attend schools in theVictor Valley Union High School District (VVUSD),[53] includingAdelanto High School, the first high school in Adelanto city limits,[55] or in the neighboringSnowline Joint Unified School District centered inPhelan.
Charter schools include:
Until 2001, Adelanto had its own police department, which was disbanded due to corruption, but now contracts with theSan Bernardino County Sheriff's Department for police services.[1] The Adelanto Substation is onUS Highway 395 and Bartlett Avenue. The station provides full service law enforcement for the City of Adelanto, and unincorporated areas of the Victor Valley such as Phelan,Lucerne Valley, andSpring Valley Lake. The former regional station (next to the Victorville Courthouse), serving unincorporated areas of the Victor Valley, was consolidated into the Adelanto Station in 2009.
Until 1999, fire protection was provided by the city's own fire department. The city now contracts with the San Bernardino County Fire Department. There is one station within the city limits providing paramedic service as well as fire and rescue services. Ambulance and patient transportation is provided by American Medical Response.[57]
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