Stanislaus County is a county in the San Joaquin Valley of California. As of 2023, about 564,404 people live here. The main city and county seat is Modesto.

Stanislaus County is part of the Modesto metropolitan area. It is located just east of the San Francisco Bay Area. Many people who work in the Bay Area choose to live in Stanislaus County because homes are more affordable.

History of Stanislaus County

The first European to explore this area was Gabriel Moraga in 1806.

How Stanislaus County Got Its Name

The county is named after the Estanislao River. The river was named after Estanislao, a Native American chief. He led battles against Mexican troops in the 1820s. He was defeated by General Mariano Vallejo in 1826. Estanislao was his baptismal name, given after Saint Stanislaus the Martyr.

Early Land Grants

Between 1843 and 1846, when California was part of Mexico, five large land grants were given in Stanislaus County. These grants covered over 113,000 acres. They included areas on both sides of the San Joaquin and Stanislaus Rivers.

When the County Was Formed

Stanislaus County was created in 1854 from a part of Tuolumne County. The county seat, which is the main government city, moved several times. It was first in Adamsville, then Empire, La Grange, and Knights Ferry. Finally, in 1871, it was set in Modesto, where it remains today.

Growth and Housing

Over time, housing prices in the San Francisco Bay Area have gone up a lot. This has led many people to move to Stanislaus County. They choose to live here for the more affordable homes, even if it means a longer trip to work.

Geography of Stanislaus County

Stanislaus County covers about 1,515 square miles. About 20 square miles of this area is water.

The San Joaquin River's Impact

The San Joaquin River flows north through the county. Historically, this river divided the county socially and economically. The area west of the river, known as the "West Side," has mostly remained rural. It depends on farming. This is because it was separated from the main rail lines and irrigation projects.

Some towns on the West Side, like Patterson and Newman, have grown a lot. They are becoming "bedroom communities" for people who work in the Bay Area. Other small farming towns, like Westley and Crows Landing, have not seen as much growth.

Plants and Animals

Stanislaus County is home to some rare and endangered species.

The beaked clarkia (Clarkia rostrata) is a plant that might become federally endangered. It grows in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains.
Colusa grass (Neostapfsia colusana) is listed as endangered by the state. It only grows in special wetlands called vernal pools.

Protected Natural Areas

Part of the San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge is located in Stanislaus County. This area helps protect wildlife.

Transportation in Stanislaus County

Main Roads

Many important highways run through Stanislaus County:

Interstate 5
State Route 4
State Route 33
State Route 99
State Route 108
State Route 120
State Route 132
State Route 165
State Route 219

Public Transport

The Stanislaus Regional Transit Authority runs local buses in Modesto. It also offers regional service across the county. There are even commuter services to connect with trains like Bay Area Rapid Transit and Altamont Corridor Express.
Smaller bus systems operate in cities like Ceres, Oakdale, Riverbank, and Turlock.
Both Greyhound buses and Amtrak trains have stops in Modesto and Turlock. The Amtrak stop for Turlock is actually in Denair.

Airports

The Modesto City-County Airport used to have regular passenger flights. Now, it is mainly used for general aviation. Other smaller airports in the county include Oakdale Airport, Patterson Airport, and Turlock Airpark.

Population and People

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1860	2,245	—
1870	6,499	189.5%
1880	8,751	34.7%
1890	10,040	14.7%
1900	9,550	−4.9%
1910	22,522	135.8%
1920	43,557	93.4%
1930	56,641	30.0%
1940	74,866	32.2%
1950	127,231	69.9%
1960	157,294	23.6%
1970	194,506	23.7%
1980	265,900	36.7%
1990	370,522	39.3%
2000	446,997	20.6%
2010	514,453	15.1%
2020	552,878	7.5%
2023 (est.)	551,430	7.2%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010 2020

Population in 2020

In 2020, Stanislaus County had a population of 552,878 people. The county is very diverse.

**Stanislaus County, California – Racial and ethnic composition**
*Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.*
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2010	Pop 2020	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	240,423	207,908	46.73%	37.60%
Black or African American alone (NH)	13,065	14,302	2.54%	2.59%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	2,870	2,621	0.56%	0.47%
Asian alone (NH)	24,712	33,169	4.80%	6.00%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	3,016	3,713	0.59%	0.67%
Other race alone (NH)	842	2,734	0.16%	0.49%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	13,867	22,453	2.70%	4.06%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	215,658	265,978	41.92%	48.11%
Total	514,453	552,878	100.00%	100.00%

Population in 2010

The 2010 census showed that Stanislaus County had 514,453 people.

About 65.6% were White.
About 2.9% were African American.
About 5.1% were Asian.
About 41.9% of the population was Hispanic or Latino. This group includes people of any race.

Economy of Stanislaus County

The most important industry in Stanislaus County is farming. The main product grown here is almonds.

Education in Stanislaus County

Colleges and Universities

California State University, Stanislaus is a university campus in Turlock.
The Yosemite Community College District serves a large area. It includes Modesto Junior College in Modesto. It also includes Columbia College in Sonora.
Other colleges like Kaplan College and San Joaquin Valley College have campuses in Modesto.

Schools for Kids (K-12)

Stanislaus County has many school districts. They help students from kindergarten through 12th grade.

Unified School Districts (serve all grades):
- Ceres Unified School District
- Denair Unified School District
- Hughson Unified School District
- Newman-Crows Landing Unified School District
- Oakdale Joint Unified School District
- Patterson Joint Unified School District
- Riverbank Unified School District
- Turlock Unified School District
- Waterford Unified School District

Secondary School District (high school only):
- Modesto City High School District

Elementary School Districts (younger grades only):
- Chatom Union Elementary School District
- Empire Union Elementary School District
- Gratton Elementary School District
- Hart-Ransom Union Elementary School District
- Hickman Community Charter School District
- Keyes Union Elementary School District
- Knights Ferry Elementary School District
- Modesto City Elementary School District
- Paradise Elementary School District
- Roberts Ferry Union Elementary School District
- Salida Union Elementary School District
- Shiloh Elementary School District
- Stanislaus Union Elementary School District
- Sylvan Union Elementary School District
- Valley Home Joint Elementary School District

Media in Stanislaus County

Stanislaus County gets its main TV channels from the Sacramento area.

There are also local news sources:

The Modesto Press is an online news site. It covers Modesto and the nearby Central Valley.
The Modesto Bee is a daily newspaper based in Modesto.

Communities in Stanislaus County

Cities

Census-Designated Places (CDPs)

CDPs are areas that are like towns but are not officially incorporated as cities.

Other Communities (Not Incorporated)

These are smaller communities that are not officially cities or CDPs.

Eugene
Hills Ferry
Langworth
McHenry
Montpelier
Mountain View
Oso
Roberts Ferry
Timba (or Orestimba)
Tuolumne
Wood Colony

Images for kids

Location of Stanislaus County in California

Stanislaus County, California facts for kids

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