Manteca highlight
Growing Central Valley suburb
Manteca, incorporated in 1861 and known as The Family City, has grown rapidly as remote work and Bay Area housing costs have driven people to the Central Valley, with a population that has more than doubled in recent decades.
Manteca was established in 1861 by Joshua Cowell, who claimed around 1,000 acres in what was then an agricultural frontier. For the next century it remained primarily a farm town, known for its grain silos and canneries. The character of the city began to shift significantly in the 1980s and 1990s as Bay Area residents seeking affordable housing moved inland, commuting to jobs in the Silicon Valley and San Francisco. The change accelerated as highways improved and remote work became more common, making a Central Valley location feasible for workers whose employers were elsewhere.
Today Manteca has a population of over 83,000, up from a few thousand just fifty years ago. The city has built new suburban neighborhoods, schools and retail centers to accommodate these new residents. Many people who live in Manteca work in the Bay Area or work remotely for Bay Area companies while enjoying a lower cost of living and a more relaxed pace of life. The city markets itself as a family-friendly community with parks, events and schools, attracting young families and established households alike who want to own a home at a reasonable price.
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