Tomales, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tomales
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Tomales, viewed from the northeast
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Location in Marin County and the state of California
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 Tomales, California
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  California |
| County | Marin |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.332 sq mi (0.859 km2) |
| • Land | 0.332 sq mi (0.859 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) 0% |
| Elevation | 89 ft (27 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 187 |
| • Density | 563.3/sq mi (217.7/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (PST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code |
94971
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| Area code(s) | 707 |
| FIPS code | 06-78890 |
| GNIS feature ID | 236439 |
Tomales is a small community in Marin County, California, United States. It's known as a census-designated place (CDP). This means it's a place that the U.S. Census Bureau identifies for statistics, but it's not an officially incorporated city or town. In 2020, about 187 people lived there. Tomales is located along State Route 1, a famous highway that runs along the California coast.
Contents
Where is Tomales Located?
Tomales is found above Keys Creek, about 3 miles (4.8 km) northeast of Tomales Bay. This bay is a long, narrow inlet of the Pacific Ocean. The closest city to Tomales is Petaluma, which is about 16 miles (26 km) to the east by road. A larger city, San Francisco, is about 58 miles (93 km) south, which takes about 75 minutes to drive.
The total area of Tomales is small, covering about 0.33 square miles (0.85 square kilometers). All of this area is land.
A Look at Tomales' Past
Who Lived in Tomales First?
When Europeans first arrived in the Tomales Bay area, it was the home of the Coast Miwok people. Many Miwok villages were located here. One village, called Utumia, was very close to where the town of Tomales is today.
How Did Tomales Get Its Name?
The "Tomalles" post office first opened in 1854. Before 1879, its name was changed to the spelling we know today: "Tomales."
Tomales and the Railroad
Starting in the 1870s, Tomales became an important stop on the North Pacific Coast Railroad. This railway connected Cazadero to the Sausalito ferry. The ferry would then take people across the bay to San Francisco.
The 1906 Earthquake's Impact on Tomales
Tomales is built near the San Andreas Fault, a major fault line in California. Because of this, the town was affected by the powerful 1906 San Francisco earthquake. One of the town's two cemeteries was built before this earthquake. The damage to the older graves shows how far the earthquake's effects reached.
Who Lives in Tomales?
Population Changes Over Time
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2010 | 204 | — | |
| 2020 | 187 | −8.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2010, the population of Tomales was 204 people. By 2020, it had slightly decreased to 187 people.
Tomales in 2010: A Closer Look
According to the 2010 census, most people in Tomales were White (94.6%). There were also Native American (1.5%) and Asian (2.0%) residents. About 2.0% of the population identified as being from two or more races. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up 4.4% of the population.
All of the people counted lived in households. There were 99 households in total. About 13% of these households had children under 18 living there. The average household size was about 2 people. The average family size was about 2.5 people.
The median age in Tomales in 2010 was 50.5 years old. This means half the people were younger than 50.5, and half were older. About 10.8% of the population was under 18 years old. About 16.7% of the population was 65 or older.
Most homes (59.6%) were owned by the people living in them. The rest (40.4%) were rented.
Tomales in 2000: What the Census Showed
In 2000, Tomales had 210 people living there. There were 73 households and 41 families. The population density was about 670 people per square mile (262 per square kilometer).
In 2000, about 28.8% of households had children under 18. The average household had 2.41 people, and the average family had 3.10 people.
The median age in 2000 was 46 years. About 22.4% of the population was under 18. About 10.5% of the population was 65 or older.
The median income for a household in Tomales was $51,953. This means half of the households earned more than this amount, and half earned less.
Education in Tomales
Tomales has its own school district called the Shoreline Unified School District. This district runs two schools in the area: Tomales Elementary School and Tomales High School. Tomales High School is the biggest employer in the community. It has about 190 students from both northwest Marin County and southwest Sonoma County.
Tomales in Movies
Tomales has been a popular spot for filming movies!
- Parts of the 2001 movie Bandits were filmed in and around Tomales.
- The opening scenes of Mumford (1999) were also filmed here.
- The horror movie Scream (1996) used Tomales for some of its scenes.
- Village of the Damned (1995) also filmed parts of its story in Tomales.
Images for kids
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The general store and post office in Tomales, a historic building.
See also
In Spanish: Tomales para niños
