Editing Prunedale, California

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Prunedale, California
| settlement_type    = [[Unincorporated community]]<br/>[[Census-designated place]]
| image_skyline      = Prunedale_Pop_Sign_101_North.JPG
| imagesize          = 250px
| image_caption      = Population sign for Prunedale along northbound [[U.S. Route 101 in California|Highway 101]]
| image_seal         = 
| image_map          = Monterey_County_California_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Prunedale_Highlighted.svg
| mapsize            = 250x200px
| map_caption        = Location in [[Monterey County, California|Monterey County]] and the state of [[California]]
| image_map1         = 
| mapsize1           = 
| map_caption1       = 
| pushpin_map        = USA
| pushpin_label      = Prunedale
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in the United States
| 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  = [[Monterey County, California|Monterey]]
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = N/A
| leader_name        = 
| leader_title1      = [[California's 17th State Senate district|State Senator]]
| leader_name1       = {{Representative|casd|17|fmt=sleader}}<ref name=swd/>
| leader_title2      = [[California's 29th State Assembly district|Assemblymember]]
| leader_name2       = {{Representative|caad|29|fmt=sleader}}<ref name=swd>{{Cite web |url=http://statewidedatabase.org/gis/gis2011/index_2011.html |title=Statewide Database |publisher=UC Regents |access-date=December 29, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150201113744/http://statewidedatabase.org/gis/gis2011/index_2011.html |archive-date=February 1, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| leader_title3      = [[California's 19th congressional district|U. S. Rep.]]
| leader_name3       = {{Representative|cacd|19|fmt=usleader}}<ref>{{Cite GovTrack|CA|19|access-date=January 18, 2023}}</ref>
| established_date   = <!-- Area------------------>
| unit_pref          = US
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2022">{{cite web |title=2022 U.S. Gazetteer Files: California |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2022_Gazetteer/2022_gaz_place_06.txt |publisher=United States Census Bureau |accessdate=November 21, 2022}}</ref>
| area_total_sq_mi   = 46.204
| area_land_sq_mi    = 46.062
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.142
| area_total_km2     = 
| area_land_km2      = 
| area_water_km2     = 
| area_water_percent = 0.31
| area_note          = 
| elevation_ft       = 92
| elevation_m        = 28
| population_as_of   = 2020
| population_footnotes = <ref name="Census 2020">{{Cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=&g=1600000US0658870&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P1| title=P1. Race – Prunedale CDP, California: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| access-date=November 21, 2022}}</ref>
| population_total   = 18885
| population_metro   = 
| population_density_km2 = 
| population_density_sq_mi = 410.0
| timezone           = [[Pacific Time Zone|PST]]
| utc_offset         = -8
| coordinates        = {{coord|36|46|33|N|121|40|11|W|region:US-CA|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis>{{gnis|277580}}</ref>
| timezone_DST       = PDT
| utc_offset_DST     = -7
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]s
| postal_code        = 93907 (Prunedale)<br/>95012 ([[Castroville, California|Castroville]])<br/>95076 ([[Watsonville, California|Watsonville]])<br/>95004 ([[Aromas, California|Aromas]])
| area_code          = [[Area code 831|831]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 06-58870
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 0277580
| footnotes          = 
| website            = 
}}

'''Prunedale''' is a [[unincorporated community]] in [[Monterey County, California|Monterey County]], [[California]], United States. It is located {{convert|8|mi|0}} north of [[Salinas, California|Salinas]]<ref name=CGN>{{California's Geographic Names|942}}</ref> at an elevation of {{convert|92|ft}}.<ref name=gnis /> The population was 18,885 as of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]],<ref name="Census 2020"/> up from 17,560 in 2010. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Prunedale as a [[census-designated place]] (CDP). Plum trees were grown in Prunedale in the early days of its founding, but the trees died soon after due to poor irrigation and fertilizer.<ref>[http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=58020 Prunedale Community Profile] by aPODUNK.  Retrieved on 13 February 2008.</ref><ref>[http://www.mtycounty.com/pgs/prunedale.html Prunedale] by MTY County.com.  Retrieved on 13 February 2008.</ref>

== History ==
One of the area's earliest settlers was Charles Langley, a [[Watsonville, California|Watsonville]] banker, who also operated the Prunedale post office,<ref name="NMCoC"/> which opened in 1894, closed in 1908, and re-opened in 1953.<ref name=CGN /> Langley helped establish the Watsonville post office mail service in Prunedale.<ref name="NMCoC"/> Langley Canyon Road in Prunedale is named after the Langley family. It was around the time of Prunedale's founding that the plum orchard failed due to a lack of irrigation and fertilizer, yet the name Prunedale was retained. The unincorporated area maintains a rural feel in most areas.<ref name="NMCoC"/>

A major development in the area's history occurred when [[U.S. Route 101]] was rerouted through Prunedale between 1931 and 1932.<ref name="NMCoC"/> U.S. Highway 101 had previously run directly from [[Salinas, California|Salinas]] to [[San Juan Bautista, California|San Juan Bautista]].<ref name="NMCoC"/> That old route is now known as San Juan Grade Road. In 1946, Highway 101 was widened to four lanes.<ref name="NMCoC"/> As Prunedale has grown, increased traffic congestion made Route 101 through Prunedale a Traffic Safety Corridor and a double traffic fine zone in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with reduced speed limits to 55 miles per hour. Detailed plans to build a 101 bypass of Prunedale did not develop. After [[Caltrans]] purchased the land for the bypass, it was resolved to improve the highway through Prunedale by adding a San Miguel Canyon overpass, improving the Highway 101 and [[California State Route 156|Highway 156]] interchange, making more turn and merge lanes, and making several other improvements on the roadway.<ref>[http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist05/prunedale/ Prunedale Improvement Project] Caltrans. Retrieved 13 February 2008.</ref> These improvements were completed in the early 2000s. In the last few years, with a decline in traffic fatalities, the speed limit was increased to 60 miles per hour via state traffic formulas.

One of the original businesses to inhabit Prunedale was Glenn's. In the 1970s, the Prunedale Shopping Center was built. The Prunedale Senior Citizens' Center was built in 1989 with grant funds secured by then Monterey County Supervisor Marc Del Piero. Meals for seniors and public assistance programs, including a bi-weekly food bank giveaway, continue to be operated from that facility. 
== Geography ==
Prunedale is located in northern Monterey County at {{Coord|36|46|33|N|121|40|11|W|type:city}}.<ref name=gnis /> It is bordered to the northeast by [[San Benito County, California|San Benito County]], to the north by the community of [[Aromas, California|Aromas]], and to the west by the community of [[Elkhorn, California|Elkhorn]]. Via U.S. Route 101, [[Salinas, California|Salinas]], the [[county seat]], is {{convert|7|mi|0}} to the south, while [[Gilroy, California|Gilroy]] is {{convert|20|mi}} to the north.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the CDP has a total area of {{convert|46.2|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|0.1|sqmi|2}}, or 0.31%, are water.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2022"/> Langley Creek flows by Highway 101 through Prunedale, and is visible at the intersection of Highway 101 and Tustin Road, and again at the intersection of Prunedale South Road and Blackie Road.<ref name="NMCoC">{{cite web|url=http://www.northmontereycountychamber.org/communityinfo.html|url-status=dead |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20180809025144/http://www.northmontereycountychamber.org/communityinfo.html |archive-date=2018-08-09|title=North Monterey Chamber of Commerce|website=Northmontereycountychamber.org|access-date=12 August 2018}}</ref>

== Demographics ==
===2010===
At the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]] Prunedale had a population of 17,560. The population density was {{convert|380.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of Prunedale was 11,771 (67.0%) White, 177 (1.0%) African American, 199 (1.1%) Native American, 672 (3.8%) Asian, 58 (0.3%) Pacific Islander, 3,639 (20.7%) from other races, and 1,044 (5.9%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7,322 persons (41.7%).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0658870|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140715032610/http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0658870|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 15, 2014|title=2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Prunedale CDP|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=July 12, 2014}}</ref>

The census reported that 17,552 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 2 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 6 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 5,703 households, 2,130 (37.3%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 3,607 (63.2%) were [[marriage|opposite-sex married couples]] living together, 513 (9.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, 323 (5.7%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 340 (6.0%) [[POSSLQ|unmarried opposite-sex partnerships]], and 54 (0.9%) [[same-sex partnerships|same-sex married couples or partnerships]]. 923 households (16.2%) were one person and 367 (6.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 3.08. There were 4,443 families (77.9% of households); the average family size was 3.45.

The age distribution was 4,348 people (24.8%) under the age of 18, 1,575 people (9.0%) aged 18 to 24, 3,933 people (22.4%) aged 25 to 44, 5,647 people (32.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 2,057 people (11.7%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 40.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.2 males.

There were 6,047 housing units at an average density of 130.9 per square mile, of the occupied units 4,352 (76.3%) were owner-occupied and 1,351 (23.7%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.8%. 13,101 people (74.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 4,451 people (25.3%) lived in rental housing units.

===2000===
At the [[2000 United States Census|2000 census]] there were 16,432 people, 5,440 households, and 4,292 families in the CDP. The population density was {{convert|356.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 5,591 housing units at an average density of {{convert|121.2|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census#2000 census|racial makeup]] of the CDP was 76.97% White, 1.27% African American, 1.03% Native American, 3.60% Asian, 0.17% Pacific Islander, 11.65% from other races, and 5.30% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 23.01%.<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>

Of the 5,440 households 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.1% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.1% were non-families. 15.5% of households were one person and 5.3% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.01 and the average family size was 3.33.

The age distribution was 26.2% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 28.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.0% 65 or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.4 males.

The median household income was $62,963 and the median family income was $69,341. Males had a median income of $48,863 versus $34,542 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $24,318. About 6.0% of families and 7.9% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 8.6% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over. Most of Prunedale's residents live in single family detached homes with individual or shared wells and [[leach field]]s.

== Transportation ==
Prunedale is served by [[Monterey–Salinas Transit]], with connections to [[Amtrak]] at [[San Jose Diridon station]]. [[Caltrans]] has a [[park and ride]] at the intersection of [[US Route 101]] and [[California State Route 156]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist05/commuter_info/parkandride.html|title=Caltrans, District 5 - Park and Ride|website=Dot.ca.gov|access-date=12 August 2018}}</ref>

== Environmental ==
In the hills above Prunedale is one of the few known colonies of [[Yadon's piperia]], an [[endangered species]] of wild [[orchid]]. [[Royal Oaks Park]] and Manzanita Park, owned by Monterey County, offer nearby recreation. Much of Prunedale's land is oak reserve to protect the California's native trees.

== Gallery ==
<gallery class="center" widths="190" heights="160">
File:101 through Prunedale.JPG|Highway 101 through Prunedale  heading north
File:San Miguel Canyon and Prunedale North intersection.JPG|San Miguel Canyon Prunedale North intersection in Prunedale
File:San Miguel Canyon Road.JPG|San Miguel Canyon Road from the 101 overpass in Prunedale
File:101 north of San Miguel Canyon Overpass.JPG|View of 101 heading north from San Miguel Canyon Road overpass in Prunedale
</gallery>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Monterey Bay Area}}
{{Monterey County, California}}
{{California}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Census-designated places in Monterey County, California]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in California]]