• Cutler-Orosi California Demographics Data

The unincorporated towns of Cutler, Orosi, East-Orosi, and Yettem are located in Tulare County, in the south central region of California’s fertile but impoverished San Joaquin Valley.  Agriculture is the primary industry, with over 50% of the families working in agriculture-related jobs in the fields or packing houses.  Among the main products of the area are citrus, grapes, dairy and peaches. 

The table below shows 2000 and 2010 population data for total population and the percent of community members who are Hispanic or Latino.  Data is also included for the Orosi-Cutler Census County Division (CCD), which includes the three CDPs (Census Designated Places).

1. SMART database and U.S. Census website

2. U.S. Census 2010 Redistricting Data
* Data not available

As shown in the table above, Latinos are overwhelmingly the largest ethnic group in the community, and the proportion of this group in relation to other groups has grown since 2000.  The 2010 Census Redistricting Data show the following statistics for other racial and ethnic groups: White (Non-Hispanic) 5.7%, African American 0.1%, American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%, Asian 5.2%.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, per capita income for the Orosi-Cutler CCD was approximately $8,176, compared to a national figure of $21,587.  Income data for the 2010 Census is not yet available, but information from the 2005-09 American Community Survey (administered by the US Census Bureau) shows the following estimated per capita income figures:

Source: American Community Survey 

100% of the students in the school district qualify for the Free/Reduced Meals Program, and all students in the district receive free breakfast and lunch every school day (California Department of Education, 2011).  Unemployment in Cutler-Orosi is often dramatically higher than state and national averages, especially because the availability of agricultural jobs is inconsistent.  The table below presents recent unemployment data for the Cutler, Orosi, and East Orosi CDPs.  Please note that rates are not seasonally adjusted, since seasonally adjusted data was unavailable at the local level.

Source: California Economic Development Department

The combined statistics contribute to making Cutler-Orosi the largest unincorporated community in one of the poorest counties in California, and these factors are compounded by educational, linguistic, and other social factors.  55% of adults aged 25 years and older in Cutler-Orosi do not have a high school diploma. Of these, 81% percent have less than a ninth grade education (American Community Survey, 2005-09).  Given that many community members are recent immigrants, language and other factors combine with low education levels to affect the extent to which they are able to access social services. 

57% of students in the school district are designated English Learners; of these, 98% are Spanish speaking (California Department of Education, 2011).  Student ethnic demographics vary little from school to school, and are reflective of the community demographics: of the district’s 4,178 students, approximately 94% are Hispanic or Latino, 3.3% are Filipino, 1.9% is White, and the remaining 0.8% is made up of African American and Asian students.  The table below details demographic information for the district’s students.