For the final leg of our journey, we are going to the Southland, which includes the 3 biggest counties in the state. Back in 1910, these counties held just about 30% of the state’s population, while the Bay Area held 40%. Now, the Southland’s slice of the pie has been pumped up to 55%, while the Bay Area holds barely 20%. Looking at the PVI results from 1992, it made perfect sense for Clinton to focus his California efforts more on SoCal, because it was making up a greater share of the state. His efforts plus the demographic changes already underway played a big part in pulling this very populous region, and the state, leftward.
Los Angeles
| Year |
Population |
Change |
% of state |
PVI |
| 1920 |
936,455 |
85.8% |
27.33% |
R+9.1 |
| 1930 |
2,208,492 |
135.8% |
38.90% |
R+5.8 |
| 1940 |
2,785,643 |
26.1% |
40.33% |
D+4.7 |
| 1950 |
4,151,687 |
49.0% |
39.22% |
R+1.7 |
| 1960 |
6,038,771 |
45.5% |
38.42% |
D+1.3 |
| 1970 |
7,041,980 |
16.6% |
35.29% |
D+2.4 |
| 1980 |
7,477,239 |
6.2% |
31.59% |
R+0.2 |
| 1990 |
8,863,052 |
18.5% |
29.78% |
D+8.7 |
| 2000 |
9,519,338 |
7.4% |
28.10% |
D+13.5 |
| 2008* |
9,862,049 |
3.6% |
26.96% |
D+16.0 |
Orange
| Year |
Population |
Change |
% of state |
PVI |
| 1920 |
61,375 |
78.20% |
1.79% |
R+14.2 |
| 1930 |
118,674 |
93.40% |
2.09% |
R+14.6 |
| 1940 |
130,760 |
10.20% |
1.89% |
R+15.2 |
| 1950 |
216,224 |
65.40% |
2.04% |
R+10.4 |
| 1960 |
703,925 |
225.60% |
4.48% |
R+13.7 |
| 1970 |
1,421,233 |
101.90% |
7.12% |
R+17.3 |
| 1980 |
1,932,921 |
36.00% |
8.17% |
R+13.1 |
| 1990 |
2,410,668 |
24.70% |
8.10% |
R+10.4 |
| 2000 |
2,846,289 |
18.10% |
8.40% |
R+7.1 |
| 2008* |
3,010,759 |
5.80% |
8.23% |
R+6.8 |
San Diego
| Year |
Population |
Change |
% of state |
PVI |
| 1920 |
112,248 |
82.00% |
3.28% |
R+4.0 |
| 1930 |
209,659 |
86.80% |
3.69% |
R+5.9 |
| 1940 |
289,348 |
38.00% |
4.19% |
D+1.6 |
| 1950 |
556,808 |
92.40% |
5.26% |
R+5.8 |
| 1960 |
1,033,011 |
85.50% |
6.57% |
R+6.8 |
| 1970 |
1,357,854 |
31.40% |
6.81% |
R+6.5 |
| 1980 |
1,861,846 |
37.10% |
7.87% |
R+11.0 |
| 1990 |
2,498,016 |
34.20% |
8.39% |
R+4.8 |
| 2000 |
2,813,833 |
12.60% |
8.31% |
R+4.0 |
| 2008* |
3,001,072 |
6.70% |
8.20% |
R+0.2 |
Imperial
| Year |
Population |
Change |
% of state |
PVI |
| 1920 |
43,453 |
219.70% |
1.27% |
R+1.4 |
| 1930 |
60,903 |
40.20% |
1.07% |
D+0.5 |
| 1940 |
59,740 |
-1.90% |
0.86% |
R+1.6 |
| 1950 |
62,975 |
5.40% |
0.59% |
R+6.7 |
| 1960 |
72,105 |
14.50% |
0.46% |
R+1.2 |
| 1970 |
74,492 |
3.30% |
0.37% |
R+5.5 |
| 1980 |
92,110 |
23.70% |
0.39% |
R+3.5 |
| 1990 |
109,303 |
18.70% |
0.37% |
R+1.0 |
| 2000 |
142,361 |
30.20% |
0.42% |
D+5.2 |
| 2008* |
163,972 |
15.20% |
0.45% |
D+7.0 |
Riverside
| Year |
Population |
Change |
% of state |
PVI |
| 1920 |
50,297 |
45.00% |
1.47% |
R+13.2 |
| 1930 |
81,024 |
61.10% |
1.43% |
R+15.8 |
| 1940 |
105,524 |
30.20% |
1.53% |
R+9.6 |
| 1950 |
170,046 |
61.10% |
1.61% |
R+10.3 |
| 1960 |
306,191 |
80.10% |
1.95% |
R+5.6 |
| 1970 |
456,916 |
49.20% |
2.29% |
R+2.8 |
| 1980 |
663,199 |
45.10% |
2.80% |
R+5.8 |
| 1990 |
1,170,413 |
76.50% |
3.93% |
R+4.3 |
| 2000 |
1,545,387 |
32.00% |
4.56% |
R+4.9 |
| 2008* |
2,100,516 |
35.90% |
5.74% |
R+4.9 |
San Bernardino
| Year |
Population |
Change |
% of state |
PVI |
| 1920 |
73,401 |
29.40% |
2.14% |
R+6.4 |
| 1930 |
133,900 |
82.40% |
2.36% |
R+11.5 |
| 1940 |
161,108 |
20.30% |
2.33% |
R+0.9 |
| 1950 |
281,642 |
74.80% |
2.66% |
R+2.6 |
| 1960 |
503,591 |
78.80% |
3.20% |
R+0.8 |
| 1970 |
682,233 |
35.50% |
3.42% |
R+3.1 |
| 1980 |
895,016 |
31.20% |
3.78% |
R+5.9 |
| 1990 |
1,418,380 |
58.50% |
4.77% |
R+4.7 |
| 2000 |
1,709,434 |
20.50% |
5.05% |
R+2.7 |
| 2008* |
2,015,355 |
17.90% |
5.51% |
R+2.6 |
