Johannesburg, California
Johannesburg, California | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Rand District Cemetery | |
 Location in Kern County and California | |
  Johannesburg, California Location in the United States | |
| Coordinates: 35°22′22″N 117°38′05″W / 35.37278°N 117.63472°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Kern |
| Government | |
| • State senator | Melissa Hurtado (D)[1] |
| • Assemblymember | Tom Lackey (R)[1] |
| • U.S. rep. | Jay Obernolte (R)[2] |
| Area | |
• Total | 2.453 sq mi (6.353 km2) |
| • Land | 2.453 sq mi (6.353 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) 0% |
| Elevation | 3,517 ft (1,072 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 113 |
| • Density | 46/sq mi (18/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (PST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP codes | 93528, 93554 |
| Area codes | 442/760 |
| FIPS code | 06-37400 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0244074 |
Johannesburg is a census-designated place (CDP) in Kern County, California, in a mining district of the Rand Mountains. Johannesburg is located 1 mile (1.6 km) east-northeast of Randsburg,[6] at an elevation of 3,517 feet (1,072 m).[4] The terminus of the Randsburg Railway was here from 1897 to 1933. The population was 113 at the 2020 census, down from 172 at the 2010 census. Johannesburg is divided from the neighboring community of Randsburg by a ridge. The town is frequently referred to as "Jo-burg" by locals and frequent visitors to the northwest Mojave Desert.
History
[edit]Johannesburg was founded to support mining operations at Randsburg. In addition to providing rail access, the region's first wells were operated by companies located in Johannesburg. During the first half of the 20th century, the Rand Mining District was the principal gold producing region of California. Activity centered on the Yellow Aster Mine, discovered in 1894. In 1919, the Rand Silver Mine was discovered east of town on Red Mountain. The Rand Mine produced more silver than any mine in California.
Johannesburg was named by miners who had previously worked in the gold-producing region of South Africa. Containing the city of Johannesburg, South Africa, this region is in the Witwatersrand, and is frequently referred to as "the Rand."
The first post office at Johannesburg opened in 1897.[6]
Transportation
[edit]Transportation to Johannesburg is provided by Ridgecrest Transit as a lifeline service once a week.[7]
Geography
[edit]Johannesburg is located at 35°22′22″N 117°38′05″W / 35.37278°N 117.63472°W.[4]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 2.4 square miles (6.2 km2), all of it land.
Demographics
[edit]| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 176 | — | |
| 2010 | 172 | −2.3% | |
| 2020 | 113 | −34.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[8] | |||
2020
[edit]The 2020 United States census reported that Johannesburg had a population of 113. The population density was 46.1 inhabitants per square mile (17.8/km2). The racial makeup of Johannesburg was 91 (80.5%) White, 1 (0.9%) African American, 0 (0.0%) Native American, 8 (7.1%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 1 (0.9%) from other races, and 12 (10.6%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7 persons (6.2%).[9]
The whole population lived in households. There were 61 households, out of which 11 (18.0%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 18 (29.5%) were married-couple households, 6 (9.8%) were cohabiting couple households, 15 (24.6%) had a female householder with no partner present, and 22 (36.1%) had a male householder with no partner present. 26 households (42.6%) were one person, and 12 (19.7%) were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 1.85.[9] There were 29 families (47.5% of all households).[10]
The age distribution was 9 people (8.0%) under the age of 18, 2 people (1.8%) aged 18 to 24, 10 people (8.8%) aged 25 to 44, 51 people (45.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 41 people (36.3%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 60.7 years. There were 61 males and 52 females.[9]
There were 109 housing units at an average density of 44.4 units per square mile (17.1 units/km2), of which 61 (56.0%) were occupied. Of these, 50 (82.0%) were owner-occupied, and 11 (18.0%) were occupied by renters.[9]
2010
[edit]At the 2010 census Johannesburg had a population of 172. The population density was 71.2 inhabitants per square mile (27.5/km2). The racial makeup of Johannesburg was 152 (88.4%) White, 2 (1.2%) African American, 2 (1.2%) Native American, 8 (4.7%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 0 (0.0%) from other races, and 8 (4.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8 people (4.7%).[11]
The whole population lived in households, no one lived in non-institutionalized group quarters and no one was institutionalized.
There were 95 households, 10 (10.5%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 32 (33.7%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 2 (2.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 3 (3.2%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 7 (7.4%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 1 (1.1%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 47 households (49.5%) were one person and 21 (22.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 1.81. There were 37 families (38.9% of households); the average family size was 2.76.
The age distribution was 21 people (12.2%) under the age of 18, 4 people (2.3%) aged 18 to 24, 26 people (15.1%) aged 25 to 44, 75 people (43.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 46 people (26.7%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 55.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 109.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 109.7 males.
There were 139 housing units at an average density of 57.6 per square mile, of the occupied units 73 (76.8%) were owner-occupied and 22 (23.2%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.7%; the rental vacancy rate was 14.8%. 137 people (79.7% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 35 people (20.3%) lived in rental housing units.
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Statewide Database". Regents of the University of California. Archived from the original on February 1, 2015. Retrieved April 6, 2015.
- ^ "California's 23rd Congressional District - Representatives & District Map". Civic Impulse, LLC.
- ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
- ^ a b c U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Johannesburg, California
- ^ "US Census Bureau". www.census.gov. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
- ^ a b Durham, David L. (1998). California's Geographic Names: A Gazetteer of Historic and Modern Names of the State. Clovis, California: Word Dancer Press. p. 1052. ISBN 1-884995-14-4.
- ^ "Transit Division | Ridgecrest, CA". www.ridgecrest-ca.gov. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
- ^ a b c d "Johannesburg CDP, California; DP1: Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics - 2020 Census of Population and Housing". US Census Bureau. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
- ^ "Johannesburg CDP, California; P16: Household Type - 2020 Census of Population and Housing". US Census Bureau. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
- ^ "2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Johannesburg CDP". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved July 12, 2014.
- Nunn, Cynthia Ackley (2019). Abandoned California: King Solomon Mine. Arcadia Publishing.
- Wynn, Marcia Rittenhouse (1963). Desert Bonanza. Glendale, CA., A. H. Clark Co.
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