Atwater, California

Atwater is in northern Merced County, between Merced, the county seat, to the southeast and Livingston to the northwest. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of {{convert|6.6|sqmi}}. 99.92% of it is land and 0.08% is water.

The city includes Castle Air Museum, but does not include the former Castle Air Force Base proper, now repurposed as Castle Airport.

The railroad reached Atwater in the 1870s, and a town grew around it. The first post office opened in 1880. Atwater incorporated in 1922. The name honors Marshall D. Atwater, a wheat farmer whose land was used by the railroad for its station.

North of the town is the site of Castle Air Force Base, the former World War II Merced Army Airfield.[http://www.militarymuseum.org/CastleAFB.html militarymuseum.org Merced Army Air Field, Castle Field] Castle was selected for closure under the 1991 Base Realignment and Closure Commission and the base closed September 30, 1995. The site is now a public airport.

On May 15, 2020, Atwater declared itself a business "sanctuary city" during the coronavirus pandemic.{{Cite news|last=Lauten-Scrivner|first=Abbie|date=May 15, 2020|title=Atwater is now a business 'sanctuary city' during coronavirus pandemic. What does it mean?|work=Merced Sun-Star|url=https://www.mercedsunstar.com/news/coronavirus/article242772536.html|access-date=May 16, 2020}}

{{US Census population

|1930= 917

|1940= 1235

|1950= 2856

|1960= 7318

|1970= 11640

|1980= 17530

|1990= 22282

|2000= 23113

|2010= 28168

|2020= 31970

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}

}}

The 2020 United States census reported that Atwater had a population of 31,970. The population density was {{convert|4,868.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of Atwater was 40.6% White, 3.4% African American, 3.0% Native American, 5.6% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 27.9% from other races, and 19.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 59.6% of the population.{{cite web |title=Atwater city, California; DP1: Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics - 2020 Census of Population and Housing |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDP2020.DP1?g=1600000US0603162 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=May 22, 2025}}

The census reported that 99.5% of the population lived in households, 0.2% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0.3% were institutionalized.

There were 9,970 households, out of which 44.8% included children under the age of 18, 49.6% were married-couple households, 7.7% were cohabiting couple households, 27.7% had a female householder with no partner present, and 15.0% had a male householder with no partner present. 18.1% of households were one person, and 8.9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.19. There were 7,676 families (77.0% of all households).{{cite web |title=Atwater city, California; P16: Household Type - 2020 Census of Population and Housing |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDHC2020.P16?g=1600000US0603162 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=May 22, 2025}}

The age distribution was 29.4% under the age of 18, 9.4% aged 18 to 24, 26.7% aged 25 to 44, 21.6% aged 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65{{nbsp}}years of age or older. The median age was 33.2{{nbsp}}years. For every 100 females, there were 95.9 males.

There were 10,296 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1,567.8|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}, of which 9,970 (96.8%) were occupied. Of these, 55.9% were owner-occupied, and 44.1% were occupied by renters.

In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that 22.2% of the population were foreign-born. Of all people aged 5 or older, 52.5% spoke only English at home, 41.3% spoke Spanish, 3.0% spoke other Indo-European languages, and 3.2% spoke Asian or Pacific Islander languages. Of those aged 25 or older, 73.8% were high school graduates and 13.1% had a bachelor's degree.{{cite web |title=Atwater city, California; CP02: Comparative Social Characteristics in the United States - 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates Comparison Profiles |url=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSCP5Y2023.CP02?g=1600000US0603162 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=May 22, 2025}}

The median household income in 2023 was $63,945, and the per capita income was $30,133. About 17.9% of families and 20.0% of the population were below the poverty line.{{cite web |title=Atwater city, California; DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics - 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates Comparison Profiles |url=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDP5Y2023.DP03?g=1600000US0603162 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=May 22, 2025}}

At the 2010 census Atwater had a population of 28,168. The population density was {{convert|4,620.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of Atwater was 18,410 (65.4%) White, 14,808 (52.6%) Hispanic or Latino of any race, 1,225 (4.3%) African American, 364 (1.3%) Native American, 1,416 (5.0%) Asian, 76 (0.3%) Pacific Islander, 5,300 (18.8%) from other races, and 1,377 (4.9%) from two or more races.{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0603162|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140715023349/http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0603162|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 15, 2014|title=2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Atwater city|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=July 12, 2014}}

The census reported that 28,066 people (99.6% of the population) lived in households, 31 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 71 (0.3%) were institutionalized.

There were 8,838 households, 4,255 (48.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 4,593 (52.0%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 1,558 (17.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, 672 (7.6%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 615 (7.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 60 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,615 households (18.3%) were one person and 738 (8.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 3.18. There were 6,823 families (77.2% of households); the average family size was 3.61.

The age distribution was 9,016 people (32.0%) under the age of 18, 2,968 people (10.5%) aged 18 to 24, 7,492 people (26.6%) aged 25 to 44, 5,760 people (20.4%) aged 45 to 64, and 2,932 people (10.4%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 30.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.5 males.

There were 9,771 housing units at an average density of 1,602.9 per square mile, of the occupied units 4,905 (55.5%) were owner-occupied and 3,933 (44.5%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 10.9%. 14,920 people (53.0% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 13,146 people (46.7%) lived in rental housing units.

In the California State Legislature, Atwater is in {{Representative|casd|12|fmt=sdistrict}}, and in {{Representative|caad|21|fmt=adistrict}}.{{Cite web

| url = http://statewidedatabase.org/gis/gis2011/index_2011.html

| title = Statewide Database

| publisher = UC Regents

| access-date = December 10, 2014

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150201113744/http://statewidedatabase.org/gis/gis2011/index_2011.html

| archive-date = February 1, 2015

| url-status = dead

}}

In the United States House of Representatives, Atwater is in {{Representative|cacd|13|fmt=district}}.{{Cite GovTrack|CA|13|access-date=October 1, 2014}}

Most of the city is zoned to the Atwater Elementary School District. Schools of AESD within Atwater and serving Atwater include:{{cite web|url=http://www.aesd.edu/attendance_area.htm |title=Attendance Area |access-date=September 2, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080509160347/http://www.aesd.edu/attendance_area.htm |archive-date=May 9, 2008 }}

• K-6
• Aileen Colburn Elementary School
• Shaffer Elementary School
• Thomas Olaeta Elementary School
• Elmer Wood Elementary School
• Mitchell K-6 Elementary School
• Peggy Heller Elementary School
• Bellevue Elementary School
• 7-8
• Mitchell Senior Elementary School
• Bellevue Senior Elementary School
• Peggy Heller Junior High School
• High School
• Atwater High School
• Buhach Colony High School
• Other
• Atwater Valley Community Day School
• Atwater Senior Academy

A small section of eastern Atwater is located in the Merced City School District; that section is zoned to Rudolph Rivera Middle School."[http://www.mcsd.k12.ca.us/files/tsaechao/Proposed%20Middle%20School%20Boundaries%202008-2009.pdf Proposed Middle School Boundaries 2008-2009]{{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}." Merced City School District. Franklin Elementary School is the closest elementary school to the section of Atwater.

Merced Union High School District operates Atwater High School and Buhach Colony High School, both of which serve and reside in Atwater.

Atwater currently does not have a daily newspaper, although many of its residents use the daily paper, the Merced Sun-Star, which is published in nearby Merced. Additionally Atwater residents rely on local Facebook pages such as "Merced County news".

Atwater has two weekly newspapers called The Atwater Signal and The Atwater Times. The Atwater Signal was first published in 1911. The Atwater Times{{cite web|url=http://www.usnewspapers.com|title=Newspaper Advertising - Nationwide Classified or Display Ads Cheap|website=www.usnewspapers.com|access-date=April 17, 2018}} is published by Mid Valley Publications, once a week.

==Notable residents==

File:BlossHouseAtwaterCAJuly06.jpg

• Bernard Berrian, NFL Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver{{Cite web |title=Bernard Berrian Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BerrBe00.htm |access-date=December 17, 2023 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}
• Chuck Compton, NFL Green Bay Packers defensive back{{Cite web |title=Chuck Compton Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/CompCh20.htm |access-date=December 17, 2023 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}
• Jamill Kelly, 2004 Olympics silver medal in wrestling{{Cite web |title=Jamill Kelly - Wrestling Coach |url=https://gostanford.com/sports/wrestling/roster/coaches/jamill-kelly/903 |access-date=December 17, 2023 |website=Stanford University Athletics |language=en}}
• Sheryl Underwood, actress{{Cite web |title=Actress, TV Host Sheryl Underwood Also Served in the Air Force |url=https://www.defense.gov/News/Feature-Stories/story/Article/2937499/actress-tv-host-sheryl-underwood-also-served-in-the-air-force/https://www.defense.gov/News/Feature-Stories/Story/Article/2937499/actress-tv-host-sheryl-underwood-also-served-in-the-air-force/ |access-date=December 17, 2023 |website=U.S. Department of Defense |language=en-US}}{{dead link|date=April 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
• Willow Wisp, experimental Gothic/metal band{{Cite web |title=Willow Wisp on Apple Music |url=https://music.apple.com/us/artist/willow-wisp/110917041 |access-date=December 17, 2023 |website=Apple Music Web Player |language=en-US}}

• Atwater Aviators, of the Golden State Collegiate Baseball League{{cite web|url=http://pointstreaksites.com/view/goldenstatecollegiatebaseballleague/teams-397/atwater-aviators|title=Atwater Aviators - Golden State Collegiate Baseball League|website=pointstreaksites.com|access-date=April 17, 2018}}
• Atwater Falcons - football and baseball{{cite web|url=http://www.mascotdb.com/team.php?id=126351|title=MascotDB.com - Atwater Angels|website=www.mascotdb.com|access-date=April 17, 2018}}
• Buhach Colony Thunder - football and basketball

• List of cities and towns in California

{{Reflist}}

• Compass Maps: Merced, Atwater, Merced County
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20060615162927/http://www.atwater.org/doc_files/Annexations%20%28Approved%203-8-05%29.pdf City of Atwater -- Approved Annexations]

• {{Official website|www.atwater.org}}

{{Atwater, California}}

{{Merced County, California}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Incorporated cities and towns in California

Category:Cities in Merced County, California

Category:1922 establishments in California

Category:Populated places established in 1922