The Clearlake post office opened in 1923, "Konocti" then Clearlake Highlands until incorporation in 1981 when the official name became City of Clearlake.[clarification needed]
The first inhabitants of Clearlake were the Pomo Indians, who named many of the area's features, includingMount Konocti. Beginning in 1821, enslavement and mistreatment by Spanish soldiers and missionaries, Mexican land barons, European settlers, and gold diggers, combined with a lack of natural immunity to European diseases, resulted in a massive wave of deaths. The result of this was massive amounts of land freed up for the white settlers who arrived during thegold rush.[5]
Clearlake is located at 38°57'30" North, 122°37'35" West.[3]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.6 square miles (27 km2), of which 10.1 square miles (26 km2) is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km2) is water. The total area is 4.27% water.
The census reported that 99.4% of the population lived in households, 0.2% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0.5% were institutionalized.[10]
There were 6,366 households, out of which 31.9% included children under the age of 18, 31.0% were married-couple households, 10.0% werecohabiting couple households, 32.0% had a female householder with no partner present, and 27.0% had a male householder with no partner present. 31.8% of households were one person, and 15.3% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.6.[10] There were 3,762families (59.1% of all households).[11]
The age distribution was 25.3% under the age of 18, 7.6% aged 18 to 24, 25.2% aged 25 to 44, 24.8% aged 45 to 64, and 17.1% who were 65years of age or older. The median age was 37.5years. For every 100 females, there were 103.0 males.[10]
There were 7,665 housing units at an average density of 756.7 units per square mile (292.2 units/km2), of which 6,366 (83.1%) were occupied. Of these, 54.6% were owner-occupied, and 45.4% were occupied by renters.[10]
In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $41,580, and theper capita income was $19,944. About 17.6% of families and 25.4% of the population were below the poverty line.[12]
At the2010 census, Clearlake had a population of 15,250. The population density was 1,441.3 inhabitants per square mile (556.5/km2). The racial makeup of Clearlake was 11,262 (73.8%) White, 614 (4.0%) African American, 400 (2.6%) Native American, 161 (1.1%) Asian, 27 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 1,805 (11.8%) from other races, and 981 (6.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3,248 persons (21.3%).[13]
The census reported that 14,790 people (97.0% of the population) lived in households, 366 (2.4%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 94 (0.6%) were institutionalized.
There were 5,970 households, 1,859 (31.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,957 (32.8%) wereopposite-sex married couples living together, 1,013 (17.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, 448 (7.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 650 (10.9%)unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 71 (1.2%)same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,898 households (31.8%) were one person and 739 (12.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.48. There were 3,418 families (57.3% of households); the average family size was 3.11.
The age distribution was 3,656 people (24.0%) under the age of 18, 1,528 people (10.0%) aged 18 to 24, 3,384 people (22.2%) aged 25 to 44, 4,389 people (28.8%) aged 45 to 64, and 2,293 people (15.0%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 39.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.6 males.
There were 8,035 housing units at an average density of 759.4 per square mile (293.2/km2), of which 3,190 (39.7) were owner-occupied, 2,780 (34.6%) were occupied by renters and 2065 (25.7%) were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 5.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 12.1%. 7,595 people (49.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 7,195 people (47.2%) lived in rental housing units.
^Durham, David L. (1998).California's Geographic Names: A Gazetteer of Historic and Modern Names of the State. Clovis, California: Word Dancer Press. p. 39.ISBN1-884995-14-4.