Lathrop, California

Lathrop, California
Lathrop is a city located south of Stockton in San Joaquin County, California, United States. The 2020 census reported that Lathrop's population was 28,701. The city is located in Northern California at the intersection of Interstate 5 and California State Route 120, in the San Joaquin Valley.
History
Lathrop was platted when the transcontinental railroad was extended to that point around 1868. A post office has been in operation at Lathrop since 1871. The city was named for Jane Stanford, née Lathrop, wife of Leland Stanford.
On September 6, 1869, four months after the golden spike ceremony of the first transcontinental railroad at Promontory Summit, the San Joaquin Railroad Bridge at Mossdale Crossing at Lathrop was finished by Western Pacific. This actually completed the last westbound link of the transcontinental railroad to the Pacific coast with the first through train from Sacramento arriving that evening at the Alameda Wharf in San Francisco Bay.
On August 14, 1889, former Chief Justice of California David S. Terry assaulted United States Supreme Court Justice Stephen J. Field, at the train station in Lathrop. Field's bodyguard, United States Marshal David Neagle (formerly assigned to Tombstone, Arizona), shot and killed Terry. The events led to the United States Supreme Court decision In re Neagle, which granted immunity from state prosecution to federal officers acting within the scope of their federal authority.
Geography
Lathrop is located at (37.816904, -121.288633). The San Joaquin River cuts through the middle of Lathrop, the Old River (California) on the west side, and has elevation of 20 feet (7 m).
Neighboring cities and towns include Stockton, Manteca, Ripon, French Camp, and Tracy.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city covers an area of of which (4.79%) is covered by water.
Government
The mayor of Lathrop is Sonny Dhaliwal. The current city council consists of Mayor Dhaliwal, Vice-Mayor Diane Lazard, Councilmember Jennifer Torres-O'Callaghan, Councilmember Paul Akinjo, and Councilmember Minnie Diallo.
Lathrop is represented in the California State Assembly by Assemblymember and California State Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman.
Public transportation
The City of Lathrop is served by the San Joaquin Regional Transit District and the Altamont Corridor Express commuter rail train at Lathrop/Manteca station.
Demographics
The 2010 United States Census reported that Lathrop had a population of 18,023. The population density was . The racial makeup of Lathrop was 7,410 (41.1%) White, 1,300 (7.2%) African American, 231 (1.3%) Native American, 3,968 (22.0%) Asian (mostly Filipino), 144 (0.8%) Pacific Islander, 3,735 (20.7%) from other races, and 1,235 (6.9%) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 7,674 persons (42.6%).
The census reported that 18,011 people (99.9% of the population) lived in households, 6 (<0.1%) lived in noninstitutionalized group quarters, and 6 (<0.1%) were institutionalized.
Of the 4,782 households, 2,738 (57.3%) had children under 18 living in them, 2,973 (62.2%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 719 (15.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, 379 (7.9%) had a male householder with no wife present; 376 (7.9%) were unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 35 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. About 10.1% of households were made up of individuals, and 2.7% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 3.77. The average family size was 3.99.
The age distribution was 5,819 people (32.3%) under 18, 1,814 people (10.1%) 18 to 24, 5,324 people (29.5%) 25 to 44, 3,897 people (21.6%) 45 to 64, and 1,169 people (6.5%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 30.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.7 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 97.7 males.
The 5,261 housing units had an average density of , of which 3,604 (75.4%) were owner-occupied, and 1,178 (24.6%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.7%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.5%, and 13,191 people (73.2% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units with 4,820 people (26.7%) in rental housing units.
Sister city
Lathrop participates in the Sister City program and is tied to Bacarra, Ilocos Norte, Philippines.
Economy
According to the city's 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top 10 employers in the city are:
Economic potential
The City of Lathrop has a seven-mile (11 km) radius population of 105,893 with an average household income of $63,072.
Lathrop is centered between the Stockton and Tracy submarkets – both within a radius.
In April 2014, electric car maker Tesla announced that it would be opening a facility in Lathrop, in a building that was once a Chrysler distribution center. Since that time, the company has expanded its footprint in the city, growing to become Lathrop’s largest employer.
Lathrop large development
Mossdale Village, located west of I-5 and east of the San Joaquin River, consists of 2375 units and is of unique historical significance. The development abuts, and is named after, the site of the San Joaquin Railroad Bridge at Mossdale crossing, which was the final link to the Pacific coast for the Transcontinental Railroad, actually completed on September 6, 1869, four months after the official celebration and driving of the golden spike at Promontory Utah. California State Historical Marker number 781-7 is at Mossdale Crossing Park.
Education
Manteca Unified School District serves the City of Lathrop with the exception of the River Islands development on the west side of Interstate 5, which is served by Public Charter Schools under Banta Unified School District.
Elementary schools
Manteca Unified School District serves the Lathrop community with three elementary schools, Joseph Widmer Jr, Lathrop School, and Mossdale School. Residents of the River Islands development are served by three public chartered elementary schools under Banta Unified School District.
High schools
Lathrop High School, under Manteca Unified School District, was the first secondary school in Lathrop; it opened in 2008. Lathrop High features the Spartan band which has performed at Cal Band Day at Cal Berkeley. The Spartan music program includes concert band, symphonic band, marching band, and drum line.
A second high school, River Islands High School, opened in 2022 as part of the Banta Unified School District.
References
External links
Cities in San Joaquin County, California
Incorporated cities and towns in California
First transcontinental railroad