Modesto Basic Data
| City of Modesto |
| — City — |
|
Modesto Arch, including the city motto |
| Nickname(s): Motown, Modo, "The Treasure City" |
| Motto: Water Wealth Contentment Health |
|
Location in Stanislaus County and the state of California |
Coordinates: 37°39′41″N 120°59′40″W / 37.66139°N 120.99444°W / 37.66139; -120.99444
Coordinates: 37°39′41″N 120°59′40″W / 37.66139°N 120.99444°W / 37.66139; -120.99444 |
| Country |
 United States |
| State |
 California |
| County |
Stanislaus |
| Incorporated |
1884 |
| Government |
| - Type |
Council-Manager |
| - City Council |
Mayor Jim Ridenour
Dave Lopez
Janice Keating
Garrad Marsh
Will O’Bryant
Kristin Olsen
Brad Hawn |
| - City Attorney |
Susan Alcala Wood |
| - City Auditor |
Frank DeMattos |
| - City Clerk |
Stephanie Lopez |
| - City Manager |
|
| Area |
| - City |
39.0 sq mi (93.1 km) |
| - Land |
35.8 sq mi (92.7 km) |
| - Water |
0.2 sq mi (0.4 km) |
| Elevation |
92 ft (28 m) |
| Population ((January 1, 2009)) |
| - City |
211,156 |
| - Density |
5,277.3/sq mi (2,037.4/km) |
| - Metro |
516,784 |
| Time zone |
PST (UTC-8) |
| - Summer (DST) |
PDT (UTC-7) |
| ZIP codes |
95350-95358 |
| Area code(s) |
209 |
| FIPS code |
06-48354 |
| GNIS feature ID |
0277609 |
| Website |
http://www.modestogov.com/ |
|
Photos of Modesto and surrounding area
Modesto History
Modesto, originally a stop on the railroad connecting Sacramento to Los Angeles, was founded in 1870 and was to be named for William C. Ralston, financier of many projects in early California. However, he declined the suggestion and a Spanish-speaking railroad worker at the naming ceremony said that Ralston was "Muy modesto" (very modest). Thus, the town was named Modesto. It is unknown at this time if this story is mere folklore or actual fact.
The city was incorporated in 1884, at which time it had over 1000 people. With fields of grain and the proximity of the river (grain barges during the flood season) and railroad traffic, the town grew. Later, dams were installed in the foothills, irrigation water came, and irrigated fields of vegetables and fruit or nut trees prospered. By 1900, its population was over 4,500. During World War II, the area provided canned goods, powdered milk, and eggs for the US armed forces and allied forces. For the next few decades, Modesto's population grew at about two percent per year to over 100,000 in 1980, and over 200,000 in 2001.
Modesto's official slogan is "Water Wealth Contentment Health," which is emblazoned on a large downtown arch featured in local photographs and postcards. A contest was run in 1911 to determine the slogan. The original winning slogan was: "Nobody's got Modesto's goat". The second place entry was the final winner.
City Information
Zip Code(s): 95350 95351 95352 95353 95354 95355 95356 95357 95358 95397
Area Code(s): 209
State: California State
County: Stanislaus County
Average House Value: $126,000
Average Household Income: $40,394
People Per Household: 0
Time Zone: Pacific (GMT -8:00)
MSA: 5170
PMSA: n/a
CSA: n/a
CBSA: 33700
Geography
Land Area: 35.8 Sq. Mi.
Elevation: 87 feet
City Population
Total Population: 188,856
Male Population: 91,572
Female Population: 97,284
Average Resident Age: 32.7%
Percent Foreign Born: 15.8%
City Marital Status
| Never Married |
 (25.6%) |
| Married |
(53.6%) |
| Separated (Married) |
(2.5%) |
| Widowed |
(6.4%) |
| Divorced |
(11.8%) |
| |
| Races |
| White Non-Hispanic | (59.6%) | | Hispanic | (25.6%) | | Other race | (12.7%) | | Two or more races | (5.9%) | | Black | (4.0%) | | American Indian | (2.6%) | | Other Asian | (2.5%) |
| |
| Ancestries |
| German | (11.5%) | | Irish | (8.8%) | | English | (8.4%) | | United States | (4.7%) | | Italian | (4.5%) | | Portuguese | (3.4%) |
| |
| Schooling |
| High School |
(75.0%) |
| Bachelors |
(16.5%) |
| Graduates |
(5.3%) |
|
