Mariposa County () is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the population was 17,131. The county seat is Mariposa. The county lies in the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada, north of Fresno, east of Merced, and southeast of Stockton. The eastern portion of the county encompasses the principal area of Yosemite National Park.
Mariposa County is one of only three counties in California that does not include any incorporated cities, along with Alpine and Trinity counties. The county includes 17 communities recognized as census-designated places for statistical purposes. It has no traffic signals anywhere within its borders.
History The county took its name from Mariposa Creek, named by Spanish explorers in 1806 when they discovered a large cluster of butterflies ( in Spanish) in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Each year on the first weekend in May, residents celebrate the county's butterfly namesake at the annual Mariposa Butterfly Festival.
At the time of statehood in 1850, Mariposa County was the largest of the original 27 California counties by area, covering over or about one-fifth of the state. It became known as the "Mother of Counties" because its territory was ceded over time to eventually form all of present-day Merced, Madera, Fresno, Tulare, Kings, and Kern counties; and parts of present-day San Benito, Mono, Inyo, San Bernardino, and Los Angeles counties.
The county's original seat was a now-nonexistent hamlet known as Agua Fria (Spanish for "cold water"), about west of present-day Mariposa on Agua Fria Road. The county seat then moved to Mariposa in 1854, resulting in the construction of the Mariposa County Courthouse, California's oldest court of law in continuous operation, whose grounds occupy an entire block. The courthouse, fronted by Bullion Street with Jones Street to the rear and 9th and 10th Streets on either side, is depicted on the Mariposa County Seal.
Indigenous peoples The territory now comprising Mariposa County was inhabited by the Southern Sierra Miwok, whose villages occupied the foothills and lower mountain slopes along the Merced, Tuolumne, and Chowchilla river drainages. The Yokuts occupied the San Joaquin Valley floor and adjacent foothills; early Spanish and American accounts applied the name "Mariposas" to the Yokuts bands near the creek. The two groups maintained trade relationships across the foothill boundary.
During the Gold Rush, the rapid expansion of mining camps into indigenous territories produced violent conflict. In December 1850, Governor John McDougal authorized the Mariposa Battalion, a state militia unit mustered on February 12, 1851, under Major James D. Savage. The battalion's pursuit of the Ahwahnechee leader Tenaya into the Sierra Nevada resulted in the first documented entry by non-indigenous people into Yosemite Valley, in March 1851. The conflict, known as the Mariposa War, ended with Tenaya's capture and the forced removal of Ahwahnechee to a reservation on the Fresno River.
Gold Rush
Mariposa County lies at the southern end of California's Mother Lode region. During the California Gold Rush, large quantities of gold were found and extracted, first in local stream beds and later in hard-rock mines. One of the most notable beneficiaries was John C. Frémont, explorer and 1856 Republican presidential candidate, for whom the local hospital and Charles Street (more commonly known as "Highway 140") are named. Jessie Street in Mariposa is named for Frémont's wife, Jessie Benton Frémont, who accompanied him on extended visits to Las Mariposas between 1849 and 1861.
Many aspects of the area's mining history are depicted in exhibits at two local museums: the Mariposa History Museum in the town of Mariposa, and the California Mining and Mineral Museum at the Mariposa Fairgrounds, southeast of Mariposa on State Route 49.
The Coulterville Main Street Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982, preserves 24 Gold Rush-era buildings along the main street of Coulterville.
Two small gold mines in Mariposa County, the Mockingbird mine and the Colorado Quartz mine, intermittently produce world-class specimens of crystalline gold for mineral collectors. "Specimens from these occurrences commonly have bright luster and rich color, with well-developed crystals in unusual and attractive arrangements." The best-known example is "The Dragon", on display at the Houston Museum of Natural Science.
Among the county's Gold Rush-era settlements, Cat Town gave its name to the Cat Town Mining District, a gold-bearing area in the western Sierra Nevada foothills catalogued by the California Division of Mines and Geology.
Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (1.0%) is water. The county extends:
West from the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada to the edge of the Central Valley East into the Sierra including Yosemite Valley and a portion of the Cathedral Range
Water Much of the Merced River's course lies within the county, including its whitewater runs through Yosemite and the Merced River Canyon. The canyon supports the only known population of the limestone salamander (Hydromantes brunus), a species endemic to a short stretch of the Merced River in Mariposa County. Becknell Creek is located near the historic community of Ben Hur.
There are several lakes within the county, including Lake McClure, Lake McSwain, Merced Lake, and Tenaya Lake.
Adjacent counties Tuolumne County – north Mono County – east Madera County – southeast Merced County – southwest Stanislaus County – west
National protected areas Sierra National Forest (part) Stanislaus National Forest (part) Yosemite National Park (part)
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 17,131. The median age was 52.1 years. 17.2% of residents were under 18 and 28.0% were 65 or older. For every 100 females there were 101.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 100.4 males.
There were 7,372 households, of which 22.6% had children under 18 living with them and 24.5% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 or older.
There were 9,760 housing units, of which 24.5% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 72.1% were owner-occupied and 27.9% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.7%.
The racial makeup of the county was 78.1% White, 0.6% Black or African American, 2.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 4.6% from some other race, and 11.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 12.5% of the population.
100% of residents lived in rural areas.
Racial and ethnic composition +Mariposa County, California – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)10,09912,77114,53915,19212,83890.92%89.30%84.87%83.24%74.94%Black or African American alone (NH)701201111291050.63%0.84%0.65%0.71%0.61%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)3575935304594103.21%4.15%3.09%2.51%2.39%Asian alone (NH)551131202012870.50%0.79%0.70%1.10%1.68%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x Included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census.x Included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census.1726150.10%0.14%0.10%0.14%0.09%Other race alone (NH)23821221140.21%0.06%0.12%0.12%0.67%Mixed race or multiracial (NH)x Not an option in the 1980 Census.x Not an option in the 1990 Census.4635461,222xx2.70%2.99%7.13%Hispanic or Latino (any race)5046971,3291,6762,1404.54%4.87%7.76%9.18%12.49%Total11,10814,30217,13018,25117,131100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%
Ancestry According to the American Community Survey 2019–2023 five-year estimates, the largest self-reported ancestry groups in Mariposa County were English (16.6%), Irish (15.9%), German (15.3%), Italian (6.1%), French (3.5%), "American" (3.2%), Portuguese (2.5%), and Swedish (2.3%).
2010 census The 2010 United States census reported that Mariposa County had a population of 18,251. The racial makeup was 16,103 (88.2%) White, 138 (0.8%) African American, 527 (2.9%) Native American, 204 (1.1%) Asian, 26 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 508 (2.8%) from other races, and 745 (4.1%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1,676 persons (9.2%).
Population reported at 2010 United States census Mariposa County18,25116,103138527204265087451,676 Bear Valley1251170120148Bootjack960811234110317176Buck Meadows31230000537Catheys Valley825730612121333180Coulterville201181051001420El Portal474434195052028Fish Camp59570010013Greeley Hill91584771416112953Hornitos75660210065Lake Don Pedro1,0779797181221841109Mariposa2,1731,895101053005974215Midpines1,204990463709743208Wawona169138234081412Yosemite Valley1,03583128313177037123 All others not CDPs (combined)8,9288,004712308610170357729
2000 census As of the 2000 census, there were 17,130 people, 6,613 households, and 4,490 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 8,826 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 88.9% White, 0.7% Black or African American, 3.5% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.7% from other races, and 3.4% from two or more races. 7.8% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 17.8% were of German, 13.4% English, 12.7% Irish, and 6.7% American ancestry according to Census 2000. 96.0% spoke English and 3.5% Spanish as their first language.
There were 6,613 households, of which 25.6% had children under 18, 55.8% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.1% were non-families. 26.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.86.
The population was spread out, with 21.6% under 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 29.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 104.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.4 males.
The median income for a household was $34,626, and the median income for a family was $42,655. Males had a median income of $31,194 versus $25,440 for females. The per capita income was $18,190. About 10.5% of families and 14.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.5% of those under 18 and 9.0% of those 65 or over.
Government and policing The Government of Mariposa County is defined and authorized under the California Constitution and law as a general law county. The county government is composed of the Board of Supervisors, which has legislative and executive power. The board consists of five members elected from five separate districts on a nonpartisan basis to serve four-year staggered terms.
State and federal representation In the California State Legislature, Mariposa County is in , and in .
In the United States House of Representatives, Mariposa County is in .