Editing Oakley, California

{{Short description|City in California, United States}}
{{More citations needed|date=July 2019}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
 | official_name            = City of Oakley
 | settlement_type          = [[List of municipalities in California|City]]
 | image_skyline            = City Hall Oakley California.jpg
 | imagesize                = 300px
 | image_caption            = Oakley City Hall
 | image_flag               = Flag of Oakley, California.gif
 | image_seal               = 
 | image_blank_emblem       = Oakley California Logo.png
 | image_map                = Contra_Costa_County_California_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Oakley_Highlighted.svg
 | mapsize                  = 250x200px
 | map_caption              = Location in [[Contra Costa County, California|Contra Costa County]] and the state of [[California]]
 | image_map1               = 
 | mapsize1                 = 
 | map_caption1             = 
 | pushpin_map              = USA
 | pushpin_map_caption      = Location in the United States
 | pushpin_relief           = 1
 | subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
 | subdivision_name         = {{USA}}
 | subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
 | subdivision_name1        = {{flag|California}}
 | subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in California|County]]
 | subdivision_name2        = [[Contra Costa County, California|Contra Costa]]
 | government_type          = 
 | leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
 | leader_name              = Shannon Shaw<ref>{{Cite web
 |url         = https://www.oakleyca.gov/276/City-Council
 |title       = City Council
 |publisher   = City of Oakley
 |access-date  = March 27, 2025
}}</ref>
 | leader_title1            = [[California's 3rd State Senate district|State Senator]]
 | leader_name1             = {{Representative|casd|3|fmt=sleader}}<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://senate.ca.gov/senators 
 |title=Senators 
 |access-date=March 27, 2025
|publisher=State of California}}</ref>
 | leader_title2            = [[California's 11th State Assembly district|State&nbsp;Assembly]]
 | leader_name2             = {{Representative|caad|11|fmt=sleader}}<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://assembly.ca.gov/assemblymembers
 |title=Members Assembly
 |access-date=March 23, 2013
|publisher=State of California}}</ref>
 | leader_title3            = [[California's 10th congressional district|U. S. Congress]]
 | leader_name3             = {{Representative|cacd|10|fmt=usleader}}<ref>{{Cite GovTrack|CA|10|access-date=May 6, 2023}}</ref>
 | established_title        = Incorporated
 | established_date         = July 1, 1999<ref>{{Cite web
 |url         = http://www.calafco.org/docs/Cities_by_incorp_date.doc
 |title       = California Cities by Incorporation Date
 |format      = Word
 |publisher   = California Association of [[Local Agency Formation Commission]]s
 |access-date  = March 24, 2013
|url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20130221091414/http://www.calafco.org/docs/Cities_by_incorp_date.doc
 |archive-date = February 21, 2013
}}</ref>
<!-- Area------------------>
 | area_magnitude           = 
 | unit_pref                = Imperial
 | area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_06.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 1, 2020}}</ref>
 | area_total_sq_mi         = 16.17
 | area_land_sq_mi          = 15.86
 | area_water_sq_mi         = 0.30
 | area_total_km2           = 41.88
 | area_land_km2            = 41.09
 | area_water_km2           = 0.79
 | area_water_percent       = 1.87
 | area_note                = 
 | elevation_ft             = 20
 | elevation_m              = 6
 | population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
 | population_footnotes     = <ref name=quif>{{Cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/oakleycitycalifornia|title=Oakley (city) QuickFacts|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
 | population_total         = 43,357
 | population_metro         = 
 | population_density_km2   = auto
 | population_density_sq_mi = auto
 | timezone                 = [[Pacific Time Zone|PST]]
 | utc_offset               = -8
 | coordinates              = {{coord|37|59|51|N|121|42|45|W|region:US-CA|display=inline,title}}
 | timezone_DST             = PDT
 | utc_offset_DST           = -7
 | postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
 | postal_code              = 94561
 | area_code                = [[Area code 925|925]]
 | blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
 | blank_info               = 06-53070
 | blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature IDs
 | blank1_info              = {{GNIS4|277567}}, {{GNIS4|2411294}}
 | footnotes                = 
 | website                  = [https://www.oakleyca.gov/ oakleyca.gov]
 | pop_est_as_of            = 
 | pop_est_footnotes        = 
 | population_est           = 
}}

'''Oakley''' is a city in [[Contra Costa County, California|Contra Costa County]], [[California]], United States. It is within the nine-county [[San Francisco Bay Area]]. The population at the [[2020 United States census]] was 43,357. Oakley was [[municipal corporation|incorporated]] in 1999, making it the newest incorporated city in Contra Costa County.

==Etymology==
The name "oak" comes from the abundance of [[oak|oak trees]], while the suffix "-ley" comes from the Old English word for "field" or "meadow".
The name Oakley is of Old English origin and its meaning is "meadow of oak trees". This aptly describes the area when first settled and to some extent even today. However, if not for the flip of a coin and cribbage board the community may have been named Dewey. City founder Randolph Marsh wanted to name the city Dewey, after Admiral Dewey, in honor of Dewey's success at Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish–American War. His friend J.T. Whightman preferred the name "Oakley" because the terrain was largely meadows and oaks. To determine which name would prevail they battled it out over a game of cribbage. Marsh may have lost the game and the right to name the city but he ensured his immortality by choosing downtown street names whose first initials spelled "Marsh" — Main, Acme, Ruby, Star and Home.<br /><ref>Gudde, Erwin G. "California Place Names: The Origin and Etymology of Current Geographic Names", 4th ed, University of California Press, p. 266</ref>

==History==
[[File:José_Noriega_(Mayor_of_San_Jose).jpg|thumb|left|Don [[José Noriega]], a wealthy [[Californio]] ranchero, was granted [[Rancho Los Méganos]] in 1835, covering all of modern Oakley.]]

===Indigenous history===

Archeologists have found [[Prehistory|prehistoric]] sites in the Oakley area. One substantial shell mound was discovered early in the 20th century near what is now the eastern edge of town. The Northwest Information Center of the California Historical Resources Information System monitors the archeological investigations undertaken in Oakley. Around three dozen such projects have been completed in the past 25 years, yielding only four prehistoric sites in the city. However, the information center believes there is a high possibility that other prehistoric sites remain within the city. To enable further [[archaeological excavation]], the site referred to as Simon Mound was purchased by [[the Archaeological Conservancy]] after many of the ancient settlement places had already been destroyed by urban encroachment. Simone Mound has provided bones and fragments from burial sites starting around 1000 A.D. and is near a similar Conservancy preserve, the Hotchkiss Mound.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Conservancy's recent California acquisitions: Part 2: Simone Mound, in: The Archaeological|date=June 24, 2020 |url=https://www.archaeologicalconservancy.org/new-sites-west-part2//#|access-date=March 26, 2021}}</ref>

The first accounts of identifiable cultural community in the west delta are attributed to the [[Bay Miwok]]s, who occupied the region between 1100 and 1770 AD. The Bay [[Miwok people]], usually called the Julpunes or Pulpunes by European explorers, were organized into "[[tribelet]]s"—political units that included several fairly permanent villages and a set of seasonal campsites arrayed across a well-defined territory.

===Spanish exploration===
Incursions of the [[Spanish Empire]] into the Oakley area began in the 1770s. The first group to enter the present-day city limits was the De Anza expedition of 1775–76. However, after a failed attempt to find a route through the tule swamps to the Sierra, the De Anza expedition returned to Monterey. Subsequent expeditions by the Spanish did not result in colonization. Europeans settled in the Delta in the 19th century, but were killed by malaria and smallpox.{{Citation needed|date=August 2014}}

===American period===
Oakley's first post office was established in 1898.<ref name=CGN>{{California's Geographic Names|674}}</ref>

Oakley became an [[municipal corporation|incorporated]] city in 1999.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ci.oakley.ca.us/|title=City of Oakley - City of Oakley|website=City of Oakley|access-date=April 4, 2018}}</ref>

==Geography and environment==
According to reports provided by Money.com,<ref>{{cite web |title=Money Official Site - Finance News & Advice Since 1972 |url=https://money.com/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220601002747/https://money.com/ |archive-date=June 1, 2022 |access-date=April 4, 2018 |website=Money.com}}</ref> Oakley experiences {{convert|21.16|in|mm}} of annual rainfall with an average high temperature in July of {{convert|96.0|F|C}} and an average low temperature in January of {{convert|40.0|F|C}}. Oakley experiences 52% clear days throughout the year.

Oakley's western border is [[California State Route 160]]. The City of [[Antioch, California|Antioch]] adjoins Oakley on the west, the city of [[Brentwood, California|Brentwood]] adjoins Oakley on the south, and [[Bethel Island]] lies to the east. The [[Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta]] forms the northern boundary. The southwestern skyline is dominated by [[Mt. Diablo]].

==Government==
The City of Oakley is a [[General-law municipality|general-law city]], as opposed to a [[charter city]], formed under state legislative statutes and governed by a body of laws in the state Constitution. Oakley operates under a council-manager form of government. {{Citation needed|date=July 2019}}

The Oakley City Council consists of five non-partisan council members elected by district. Oakley's city council members are considered part-time because, aside from being council members, they have full-time jobs. This part-time nature of the council opens up opportunities for ordinary citizens who are working in the private sector to participate.{{Citation needed|date=August 2014}}

At the first council meeting in December, the mayor is selected by a majority of the city council from among currently serving council members. At this time a vice mayor is also selected.

===Politics===
In 2017, Oakley had 19,906 registered voters with 9,921 (49.8%) registered as Democrats, 4,705 (23.6%) registered as Republicans, and 4,371 (22%) [[Decline to State|decline to state]] voters.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/ror/ror-pages/ror-odd-year-2017/politicalsub.pdf | title=Report of Registration as of February 10, 2017 - Registration by Political Subdivision by County | access-date=2024-05-18 | website=elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov}}</ref> Records show that 662 Oakley voters are registered Independents, with an additional 55 registered Green Party members.<ref>{{cite web |title=California Elections Data |url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/ror/ror-pages/ror-odd-year-2017/politicalsub.pdf |access-date=October 16, 2019}}</ref>

==Agriculture==

Oakley has had vineyards since the late 1800s. Early Portuguese and Italian immigrants found the climate amenable and planted thousands of acres of vineyards.

Nearly 80 percent of Oakley's roughly {{convert|700|acre|km2}} of vineyards are planted in [[Zinfandel]]. Oakley's grape harvest can conservatively be estimated at 2,000 tons. These grapes are distributed to a number of local wineries.{{Citation needed|date=July 2019}}

==Transportation==
The [[BNSF]] Railway runs through town from east to west. This line also carries [[Amtrak California]]'s [[San Joaquin (train)|''San Joaquin'']] service. In March 2023 the decision was made to close the Amtrak [[Antioch–Pittsburg station]] and replace it with [[Oakley station (California)|Oakley Station]].

[[California State Route 4]] used to run right through town from Antioch to Brentwood on Main Street. From 2000 to 2008 a Bypass was constructed from [[California State Route 160]] to Marsh Creek Road south of [[Brentwood, California|Brentwood]] to extend the freeway from Antioch. Oakley relinquished Hwy 4 through downtown to the state in 2012, and is now connected through the Laurel Rd exit.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.cahighways.org/ROUTE004.html | title=State Route 4 | publisher=California Highways | access-date=2024-05-18}}</ref>

Oakley is part of the East Contra Costa Bicycle Plan, which has existing facilities in Oakley as well as plans for further expansion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/depart/cd/transportation/committee/transplan/bike/fin/fig1.pdf|title=East Contra Costa County Bicycle Facilitees|website=contra-costa.ca.us|access-date=April 4, 2018}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1970= 1306
|1980= 2816
|1990= 18374
|2000= 25619
|2010= 35432
|2020= 43357
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

The [[2020 United States census]] reported that Oakley had a population of 43,357. The population density was {{convert|2,732.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of Oakley was 45.9% [[White Americans|White]], 8.4% [[African Americans|African American]], 1.0% [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]], 9.5% [[Asian Americans|Asian]], 0.7% [[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]], 16.9% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 17.6% from two or more races. [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] of any race were 36.7% of the population.<ref name=DP1>{{cite web |title=Oakley city, California; DP1: Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics - 2020 Census of Population and Housing |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDP2020.DP1?g=1600000US0653070 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=March 27, 2025}}</ref>

The census reported that 99.7% of the population lived in households, 0.2% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0.1% were institutionalized.<ref name=DP1/>

There were 13,045 households, out of which 45.6% included children under the age of 18, 61.1% were married-couple households, 6.6% were [[cohabitation|cohabiting]] couple households, 19.9% had a female householder with no partner present, and 12.4% had a male householder with no partner present. 13.6% of households were one person, and 6.0% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.31.<ref name=DP1/> There were 10,628 [[family (U.S. Census)|families]] (81.5% of all households).<ref name=P16>{{cite web |title=Oakley city, California; P16: Household Type - 2020 Census of Population and Housing |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDHC2020.P16?g=1600000US0653070 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=March 27, 2025}}</ref>

The age distribution was 26.7% under the age of 18, 9.0% aged 18 to 24, 28.0% aged 25 to 44, 25.3% aged 45 to 64, and 11.0% who were 65{{nbsp}}years of age or older. The median age was 35.6{{nbsp}}years. For every 100 females, there were 96.1 males.<ref name=DP1/>

There were 13,379 housing units at an average density of {{convert|843.2|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}, of which 13,045 (97.5%) were occupied. Of these, 77.2% were owner-occupied, and 22.8% were occupied by renters.<ref name=DP1/>

In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that 17.8% of the population were foreign-born. Of all people aged 5 or older, 69.5% spoke only English at home, 21.0% spoke [[Spanish language|Spanish]], 3.0% spoke other [[Indo-European languages]], 5.7% spoke Asian or Pacific Islander languages, and 0.8% spoke other languages. Of those aged 25 or older, 88.5% were high school graduates and 23.2% had a bachelor's degree.<ref>{{cite web |title=Oakley city, California; CP02: Comparative Social Characteristics in the United States - 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates Comparison Profiles |url=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSCP5Y2023.CP02?g=1600000US0653070 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=March 27, 2025}}</ref>

The median household income was $132,067, and the [[per capita income]] was $43,879. About 4.9% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the poverty line.<ref>{{cite web |title=Oakley city, California; DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics - 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates Comparison Profiles |url=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDP5Y2023.DP03?g=1600000US0653070 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=March 27, 2025}}</ref>

==Education==
The majority of the city is in the [[Oakley Union Elementary School District]] (K–8),<!--ELM 28080--> while there are pieces in [[Knightsen Elementary School District]]<!--ELM 20040--> and [[Brentwood Union Elementary School District]]<!--ELM 05910-->. Those portions are also within the [[Liberty Union High School District]].<!--SEC 21600--> Additionally, a western portion is in a K-12 school district, [[Antioch Unified School District]].<!--UNI 02850--><ref name=SDMap2020>{{cite map|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st06_ca/schooldistrict_maps/c06013_contra_costa/DC20SD_C06013.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Contra Costa County, CA|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|place=[[Suitland, Maryland]]|access-date=2025-01-24}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st06_ca/schooldistrict_maps/c06013_contra_costa/DC20SD_C06013_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref>

===Elementary schools===
*Oakley Elementary School
*Gehringer Elementary School
*Laurel Elementary School
*Vintage Parkway Elementary School
*Iron House Elementary School
*Orchard Park School (K–8, located in Antioch USD)
*Almond Grove Elementary School
*Summer Lake Elementary School (starting the 2019–20 academic year)

===Middle schools===
*O'Hara Park Middle School
*Delta Vista Middle School
*Orchard Park School (K–8, located in the Antioch Unified School District)

===High schools===
*[[Freedom High School (Oakley, California)|Freedom High School]]

===Public libraries===
The Oakley branch of the [[Contra Costa County Library|Contra Costa County Library system]] is located in Oakley.<ref>"[http://ccclib.org/locations/oakley.html Oakley Library]." [[Contra Costa County Library]]. Retrieved on April 1, 2010.</ref>

== Notable people==
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* The fact of their association should have a reliable source cited.
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* [[Joe Mixon]], [[Houston Texans]] running back, 2024 - former [[Cincinnati Bengals]] running back 2017–2023.
* [[Nguyen Do]], poet, editor, and translator, relocated from San Francisco to Oakley.
* [[Lisa Joann Thompson]], dancer, actress, choreographer, starred in ''[[In Living Color]]'', ''[[Fame L.A.]]'' and ''[[Motown Live TV Show|Motown Live]]'', lived in Oakley during her high school years.{{Citation needed|date=July 2019}}
* Malik Izaak Taylor, known professionally as [[Phife Dawg]] (or simply Phife), was an American rapper and a member of the group [[A Tribe Called Quest]], relocated from New York to Oakley.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
*{{gnis|277567}}

==External links==
*{{Official website}}
*[http://www.Eastcountytoday.net Local News (Eastcountytoday.net)]
*[http://www.oakleypress.com/ Oakley Local News (Oakley Press)]
*[http://www.eastcountylive.com/enewsletter/current.htm (Oakley Events EastCountyLive.com SPOTLIGHT)]

{{SF Bay Area}}
{{Contra Costa County, California}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Contra Costa County, California]]
[[Category:Cities in the San Francisco Bay Area]]
[[Category:Incorporated cities and towns in California]]
[[Category:Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta]]