The area was considered territory of the Yokuts people, but Chumash Indians from the Pacific Coast are also known to have frequented the area. The imprint of an old Indian trail can still be seen leading over the hills of present-day Ventura County to the headwaters of Piru Creek. The name "Cuyama" comes from an Indian village named for the Chumash word kuyam, meaning "clam" or "freshwater mollusk".[2]
Following the 1949 discovery of oil at the South Cuyama Oil Field, in 1952 the Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO) settled and developed the town of New Cuyama, building housing and associated commercial business – including the New Cuyama Airport (L88), reopened in May 2015,[3][4] which bears the distinction of being the only public-use paved airport within easy flying range of Los Angeles for more than 50 miles (80 km).[citation needed] Much of the infrastructure from ARCO's settling of the town still exists today and is used by town residents. The original ARCO-built gas processing plant is still in use and easily seen due south of New Cuyama, though ARCO has since sold off interest in the facility.[5]
The town of New Cuyama, at its founding, was considered the pearl of eastern Santa Barbara County, due to the flow of oil that was coming out of the region. During this time Richfield Oil Company built the town funded schools and provided all the important utilities other than electricity. Now that oil and gas production have declined, the principal industry is once again agriculture.
In 2024, Santa Barbara County approved the construction of a mixed-use development project, including 33 residential units, in New Cuyama.[6]
The Census reported that 517 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 177 households, out of which 69 (39.0%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 95 (53.7%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 15 (8.5%) had a female householder with no husband present, 12 (6.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 15 (8.5%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 1 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 45 households (25.4%) were made up of individuals, and 20 (11.3%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.92. There were 122 families (68.9% of all households); the average family size was 3.54.
The population was spread out, with 160 people (30.9%) under the age of 18, 43 people (8.3%) aged 18 to 24, 125 people (24.2%) aged 25 to 44, 126 people (24.4%) aged 45 to 64, and 63 people (12.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.2 males.
There were 215 housing units at an average density of 304.7 units per square mile (117.6 units/km2), of which 119 (67.2%) were owner-occupied, and 58 (32.8%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7%; the rental vacancy rate was 9.2%. 313 people (60.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 204 people (39.5%) lived in rental housing units.
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