It’s not abstract California dreaming.
The American Dream — homeownership – is alive and well in Manteca and Lathrop.
Based on the 2024 Census Bureau’s American Community Survey data, 72.4 percent of the city’s dwelling units are owner occupied.
It’s even higher in Lathrop at 85.3 percent.
Both Manteca and Lathrop top the national average of 65.3 percent.
The two cities that share a common border and have literally grown up together also easily surpass the California home ownership average of 56 percent.
“Honestly, I love it here,” said Manteca Councilwoman Regina Lackey, who wasn’t surprised about the high rate of home ownership in Manteca and Lathrop. “I know a lot of other people that came from the By Area that love it here too.”
“I know there are people who think Manteca is turning into the Bay Area, but it’s not. It’s a completely different pace.”
The three-county Northern San Joaquin Valley — consisting of San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Merced counties — is the second fastest growing region in California.
The Census survey data shows Escalon is tied with Manteca at 72.4 percent when it comes to home ownership.
The breakdown for other cities in the three-county area in terms of ownership rates is as follows:
*72.3 percent in Riverbank.
*71.6 percent in Delhi.
*70.5 percent in Denair.
*69.9 percent in Mountain House.
*65.5 percent in Newman.
*65.2 percent in Hilmar.
*65.2 percent in Atwater.
*65 percent for Tracy.
*64.3 percent in Hughson.
*62.6 percent in Oakdale.
*62.6 percent in Livingston.
*60.2 percent in Dos Palos.
*59.8 percent in Los Banos.
*58.9 percent in Modesto.
*56.8 percent in Lodi.
*56.6 percent in Gustine.
*55.8 percent in Waterford.
*54.4 percent in Merced.
*53.9 percent in Stockton.
*52.1 percent in Atwater.
The home ownership rate in Lathrop and Manteca is also higher than most Bay Area cities.
Among those cities are San Franisco at 38.2 percent, Oakland at 42.3 percent, San Jose at 55.8 percent, Fremont at 60.8 percent, Dublin at 65.7 percent, Pleasanton at 67 percent and Livermore at 72 percent.
“It tells me people want to settle here,” Lackey said of the high rate of ownership in Manteca and Lathrop. “They are coming here to establish roots.”
Lackey said the city is working to help provide amenities, dining and retail options that people want.
She noted “Manteca has problems” like any other city but they are working hard at addressing them.
“It takes time and money,” she said.
Lackey gives a lot of credit to builders such as Raymus Homes that make it a point to work with buyers to secure financing.
“It’s still definitely hard to do,” Lackey said of becoming a home owner, adding people see the value of spending the energy and money to do so in Manteca.
The location of Manteca and Lathrop in proximity to the Bay Area is a driving factor.
But Lackey noted the city working with developers by “putting their foot down” to make it clear what infrastructure is needed has helped to make Manteca appealing to more and more home buyers.
“We (Manteca) must be doing something right for people to want to buy homes here,” Mayor Gary Singh noted.
Singh said an effort has been made to have a wide variety of housing — including rentals as noted with the recent surge of apartment and 100 percent rental neighborhoods built in recent years.
Other Manteca data
Other American Community Survey data concerning Manteca households show:
*The median income in 2025 of $97,905 was 2 percent lower than the state average.
*17 percent of households had income in excess of $200,000 or 18.1 percent below the state average.
*10 percent of households had income below $20,000 which was 20.24 percent below the state average.
*62 percent of homes have family households, 15 percent higher than the state average.
*56 percent of homes have married couples, 12 percent higher than the state average.
*18 percent of homes are single households, 24 percent lower than the state average.
*9 percent have seniors living alone, 5 percent lower than the state average.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
