Yuba County (; Maidu: Yubu) is a county located in north-central Central Valley, California, United States. As of the 2020 U.S. census, its population was 81,575.
History
Yuba County was one of California's original counties, formed in 1850 at the time of statehood. Parts of the county's territory were given to Placer County in 1851, to Nevada County in 1851, and to Sierra County in 1852.
The county was named after the Yuba River by Captain John Sutter for the Maidu village Yubu, Yupu, or Juba near the confluence of the Yuba and Feather Rivers. General Mariano Vallejo said the river was named Uba by an exploring expedition in 1824 because of the quantities of wild grapes (uvas silvestres in Spanish) that they found growing on its banks.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of , of which (1.9%) are covered by water. It is California's fifth-smallest county by area. The county lies along the western slope of the Sierra Nevada, the steep slopes making it prime territory for the siting of hydroelectric power plants.
Part of the county, where Marysville (the county seat) and most of the population lives, is west of the mountains on the valley floor; a great deal of agricultural business occurs in this part of the county, especially fruit orchards, rice fields, and cattle ranching.
Ecology
Yuba is the most biodiverse county in the contiguous United States, with a documented 1,968 native vascular plant species per , and 2,772 total species verifiably observed. Flowering plant species include the yellow mariposa lily (Calochortus luteus).
National protected areas in Yuba County include parts of the Plumas National Forest and the Tahoe National Forest. The county also has natural areas consisting of forests, grasslands, riparian areas, and meadows.
Adjacent counties
- Butte County to the north
- Sierra County to the northeast
- Nevada County to the east
- Placer County to the southeast
- Sutter County to the southwest
Crime
This table includes the number of incidents reported and the rate per 1,000 persons for each type of offense:
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
! colspan="3" | Population and crime rates
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Population
| colspan="2" | 71,817
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Violent crime
| 279 || 3.88
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Homicide
| 836 || 11.64
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Motor vehicle theft
! data-sort-type="number" | Violent crimes
| colspan="2" | 81,575
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Registered voters
| 44,078
| 54.03%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Democratic|source2=
<!-- PresRow should be -->
In the United States House of Representatives, Yuba County is split between , and .
In the California State Legislature, the county is in , and .
Transportation
Major highways
- 20px State Route 20
- 20px State Route 49
- 20px State Route 65
- 20px State Route 70
Public transportation
Yuba Sutter Transit operates local bus service, as well as commuter runs to downtown Sacramento. Greyhound buses stop in Marysville.
Airports
Yuba County Airport is south of Marysville. It is a general-aviation airport.
Brownsville Aero Pines Airport is off La Porte Rd in Brownsville.