Lathrop is a city located south of Stockton in San Joaquin County, California, United States. The 2020 United States Census reported that Lathrop's population was 28,701. The city is located in the San Joaquin Valley in Northern California at the intersection of Interstate 5 and California State Route 120.
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 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 is on the west side of Lathrop and has elevation of 20 feet (7 m).
Neighboring towns include Manteca, Ripon, French Camp, and Tracy.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city covers an area of , of it land, and of it (4.79%) water.
Government
The mayor of Lathrop is Sonny Dhaliwal. The current city council consists of Mayor Dhaliwal, Vice-Mayor Jennifer Torres-O'Callaghan, Councilmember Paul Akinjo, Councilmember Diane Lazard, and Councilmember Minnie Diallo.
Lathrop is represented in the California State Assembly by Assemblymember .
Public transportation
The City of Lathrop is served by The San Joaquin Regional Transit District and the Altamont Commuter Express (ACE) 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 782.5 people per square mile (302.1/km2). 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. Hispanic or Latino 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%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 6 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 4,782 households, out of which 2,738 (57.3%) had children under the age of 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. There were 376 (7.9%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 35 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 484 households (10.1%) were made up of individuals, and 128 (2.7%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.77. There were 4,071 families (85.1% of all households); the average family size was 3.99.
The population was spread out, with 5,819 people (32.3%) under the age of 18, 1,814 people (10.1%) aged 18 to 24, 5,324 people (29.5%) aged 25 to 44, 3,897 people (21.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,169 people (6.5%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.7 males.
There were 5,261 housing units at an average density of 228.4 per square mile (88.2/km2), 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%. 13,191 people (73.2% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 4,820 people (26.7%) lived 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 2020 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 Motors (based in Palo Alto, about an hour southwest) announced that it would be opening a factory in Lathrop, in a facility that was once a DaimlerChrysler distribution center. The Tesla website showed 34 positions it was looking to fill to start.
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
Most of Lathrop is part of the Manteca Unified School District. But once River Islands Development is built, students from that community will be part of Tracy High School District and Banta Elementary district. The district has integrated student devices in the 2014–2015 school year, which students received in late January. Lathrop has also adopted Common Core into their curriculum.
Elementary schools
Lathrop has three schools that teach preschool to 8th grade. These include River Islands Technology Academy, Mossdale, and Stem Academy, which all of which belong to MUSD (Manteca Unified School District). A program known as the Lathrop Area Music Program, or LAMP for short, allows 7-8th graders from the schools previously stated the opportunity to take a daily elective for choir or band at Lathrop High during the high school's 4th period.
High schools
Lathrop High School is the first secondary school in Lathrop; it opened in 2008. Lathrop High, the home of the Spartans, has the Spartan band, consisting of concert band, Symphonic band, marching band, and drum line, performs at Cal Band Day at Cal Berkeley.
