New Cuyama, California

New Cuyama
New Cuyama in an aerial photo looking west, taken in 2015
New Cuyama in an aerial photo looking west, taken in 2015
New Cuyama is located in California
New Cuyama
New Cuyama
Position in California
Coordinates: 34°56′53″N 119°41′21″W / 34.94806°N 119.68917°W / 34.94806; -119.68917
Country United States
State California
CountySanta Barbara
Settled1822
Area
 • Total0.706 sq mi (1.827 km2)
 • Land0.706 sq mi (1.827 km2)
 • Water0 sq mi (0 km2)  0%
Elevation
2,150 ft (660 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total542
 • Density770/sq mi (300/km2)
Time zoneUTC-8 (PST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code
93254
Area code661
Websitewww.countyofsb.org
New Cuyama in a 2015 aerial photo of the Cuyama Valley

New Cuyama (Chumash: Kuyam, meaning "Clam")[2] is a census-designated place in the Cuyama Valley, Santa Barbara County, California. It was named after the Chumash word for "clams", most likely due to the millions of petrified prehistoric clamshell fossils that are found in the surrounding areas. The town is home to the majority of the utility infrastructure for its residents, including nearby neighbor Cuyama, California. New Cuyama is located very close to the intersection points for Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Ventura and Kern counties. The town is served by Highway 166 (connecting U.S. Route 101 and Interstate 5) and the public-use New Cuyama Airport. The population was 542 at the 2020 census.

  1. ^ U.S. Census Archived 2011-02-20 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ Bright, William; Erwin G. Gudde (1998). 1500 California Place Names: Their Origin and Meaning. University of California Press. p. 46. ISBN 0-520-21271-1.