Indio, California is a city located in the Coachella Valley of Southern California's desert region. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 49,116.

Indio has hosted the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival since 1999 as well as other regularly-scheduled festivals. Notable among these are the "Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival" held each February and the "Indio International Tamale Festival" held each December. The largest festival of its kind in the US, the Tamale Festival earned Indio the official nickname of "The City Of Festivals."

The town was laid out in 1894 by A.G. Tingman, a Southern Pacific Railroad construction boss. Tingman was also Indio's first storekeeper and postmaster. Indio was chosen as a railroad stop because it was the halfway point between Los Angeles and Yuma, Arizona. Today, the Southern Pacific's successor, the Union Pacific Railroad maintains that original rail corridor as the main transcontinental line between Los Angeles and New Orleans, Louisiana. Indio's growth over the years was attributable both to the railroad and the coming of U.S. Highway 99 in 1926. Once California's main north-south highway, US 99 was decommissioned in 1964. Its present-day replacements are California State Highway 111, California State Highway 86 and Interstate 10. The original 1903 railroad station, a two-story wooden structure unique to the Southern Pacific, burned to the ground in 1966. Some of the station's artifacts were salvaged and can be viewed at the Coachella Valley Museum and Cultural Center in downtown Indio.

Indio is one of Southern California's most important agricultural regions as well, responsible for an overwhelming percentage of the nation's date crop.

Geography

Indio is located at 33°43'12" North, 116°13'55" West (33.719871, -116.231889).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 69.2 km² (26.7 mi²). 69.1 km² (26.7 mi²) of it is land and 0.04% is water.

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there are 49,116 people, 13,871 households, and 11,069 families residing in the city. The population density is 710.5/km² (1,840.3/mi²). There are 16,909 housing units at an average density of 244.6/km² (633.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 48.67% White, 2.77% Black or African American, 1.04% Native American, 1.51% Asian American, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 42.02% from other races, and 3.89% from two or more races. 75.39% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 13,871 households out of which 48.2% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.9% are married couples living together, 16.7% have a female householder with no husband present, and 20.2% are non-families. 16.0% of all households are made up of individuals and 7.0% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 3.48 and the average family size is 3.88.

In the city the population is spread out with 35.3% under the age of 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 15.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.1% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 27 years. For every 100 females there are 101.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 98.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $34,624, and the median income for a family is $35,564. Males have a median income of $25,651 versus $21,093 for females. The per capita income for the city is $13,525. 21.5% of the population and 16.8% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 28.2% of those under the age of 18 and 12.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

External links

• Indio Vacation Adventure - Local attractions, recreation, golf and events.

• City of Indio website

• Official Tamale Festival site

• Official Date Festival site

• Official Music and Arts Festival site

• Official Coachella Valley Museum and Cultural Center site

• Clark's Travel Center and Route 99 Museum