During the harvest season, the population swells to over 15,000 people due to the influx of migrant farm workers.

[7] Huron was the city with the highest proportion of Hispanic or Latino people in the United States, according to the 2000 census.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.6 square miles (4.1 km2), all of it land.

[11] The community of Huron was founded in 1888 as a water stop along the Southern Pacific Railroad's western route, approximately 15 miles (24 km) northeast of Coalinga.

There were 1,602 housing units at an average density of 1,006.9 per square mile (388.8/km2),of which 1,532 were occupied, 493 (32.2%) by the owners and 1,039 (67.8%) by renters.

[14] The greatest percentage of farmland surrounding Huron is devoted to the production of lettuce, onions and tomatoes.

In July 2009, action by the Federal Bureau of Reclamation to protect threatened fish reduced irrigation pumping to parts of the California Central Valley, causing canals leading into Huron and the surrounding areas and the farms that rely on them to dry up.

Governor Schwarzenegger stated the federal action is putting the fish "above the needs of millions of Californians.

"[16] The issue received coverage on the Hannity program from Fox News broadcasting from Huron.

[17] Comedian Paul Rodriguez acted as a celebrity spokesperson criticizing the action, as his mother owns a farm in the area.

[17] Fox's coverage of the issue has been criticized, and the California Progress Report argued that Huron's problems are more the result of poor water management decisions by the local water district than by the federal government.