Biggs, California

Biggs (formerly Biggs Station)<ref>Template:Gnis</ref> is a city in Butte County, California, United States. The population was 1,964 at the 2020 census, up from 1,707 at the 2010 census.<ref name="GR2">Template:Cite web</ref>

Geography

Biggs is located at Template:Coord (39.413820, -121.710316).<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of Template:Convert, all of it land.

File:Marion Biggs.jpeg

Marion Biggs, the city's namesake.

History

File:Colonia Building, Biggs, in November 2023-L1003957.jpg

The Colonia Building, a renovated 1905 hotel in Biggs, Butte County, California, as seen from B Street on November 24, 2023

A post office was established at Biggs Station in 1871, and the name changed to Biggs in 1884.<ref name=CGN>Template:California's Geographic Names</ref> It was incorporated in 1903.<ref name=CGN /> Biggs is named for Maj. Marion Biggs, who first shipped grain by rail from the town's location.<ref name=CGN />

In 1877, ancestors of the scientist Linus Pauling left Missouri and travelled to California, where they lived for a time in Biggs, "a settlement composed mostly of Germans"<ref name="Pauling">Template:Cite web</ref> (the ancestors in question were themselves of German descent).<ref name="Pauling" />

In late 2002, the town's mayor received a letter from Jeff Manning, executive director of the California Milk Processor Board, proposing that the town change its name to "Got Milk?". The town council of Biggs subsequently rejected the proposal.<ref>Raine, George. "Biggs Goes Sour on Got Milk?" SFGate. Hearst Communications, Inc., November 6, 2002. Web. March 10, 2010. <https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Biggs-goes-sour-on-Got-Milk-2774581.php>.</ref>

As of 2019, Biggs has been declared a sister city to Woburn, MA by the mayor of Woburn—Ralph Grande.

Demographics

The 2020 United States census reported that Biggs had a population of 1,964. The population density was Template:Convert. The racial makeup of Biggs was 57.1% White, 1.2% African American, 1.9% Native American, 4.1% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 25.5% from other races, and 10.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 39.6% of the population.<ref name=DP1>Template:Cite web</ref>

The whole population lived in households. There were 642 households, out of which 42.8% included children under the age of 18, 53.6% were married-couple households, 7.3% were cohabiting couple households, 27.1% had a female householder with no partner present, and 12.0% had a male householder with no partner present. 15.1% of households were one person, and 8.4% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.06.<ref name=DP1/> There were 499 families (77.7% of all households).<ref name=P16>Template:Cite web</ref>

The age distribution was 27.6% under the age of 18, 9.0% aged 18 to 24, 23.6% aged 25 to 44, 25.9% aged 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65Template:Nbspyears of age or older. The median age was 35.4Template:Nbspyears. For every 100 females, there were 96.8 males.<ref name=DP1/>

There were 676 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert, of which 642 (95.0%) were occupied. Of these, 70.6% were owner-occupied, and 29.4% were occupied by renters.<ref name=DP1/>

Education

File:Biggs Elementary School-L1003950.jpg

Entrance of Biggs Elementary School on B Street in Biggs, Butte County, California, on November 24, 2023

Biggs's public schools are operated by the Biggs Unified School District.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The public schools in the Biggs Unified School District are Biggs Elementary School, Richvale Elementary School and Biggs High School.