Los Banos, California

The town's Spanish name Los Baños means "the baths";{{cite book |last=Gannett |first=Henry |title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States |url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ |year=1905 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n189 190]}} it is named after a spring that feeds natural wetlands in the western San Joaquín Valley.{{Cite web | url=http://www.losbanos.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2&Itemid=125 | title=City of Los Banos}} Its official spelling, reflected in the name of its post office, omits the tilde of the ñ,{{cite web | url=http://losbanos.com/cityoflosbanos.html | title=The City We Serve: Los Banos | publisher=Los Banos Chamber of Commerce | access-date=December 26, 2015}} though some signs in town show its name as Los Baños.

Los Banos is located on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley, {{convert|26|mi}} southwest of Merced,{{California's Geographic Names|796}} at about {{convert|118|ft|abbr=on}} elevation. Its coordinates are {{coord|37|03|30|N|120|51|00|W|type:city}}. The city is at the intersection of California State Route 152 and California State Route 165. {{convert|7|mi|0}} to the west is Interstate 5, which extends north–south between Canada and Mexico. The San Luis Reservoir and the Diablo Range are farther to the west.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of {{convert|10.1|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|0.1|sqmi|km2}} (1.22%) is covered by water.

File:San Luis National Wildlife Refuge.JPG

Los Banos sits on the southwestern edge of extensive national and state game refuges; these wetlands support waterfowl and other wildlife habitat along a stretch of the San Joaquin River that still carries water and the Grassland Ecological Area, home to rare California grasslands habitat. The San Luis National Wildlife Refuge Complex includes San Luis National Wildlife Refuge, which includes the Kesterson Unit, East Bear Creek, West Bear Creek, and Blue Goose Unit. Nearby are the Merced National Wildlife Refuge and the San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge. Fishers, hunters, birdwatchers, and other recreational users come to Los Banos year round.{{Citation needed|date=March 2014}}

Los Banos has a semiarid climate (Köppen climate classification: BSk) with cool winters and hot summers. Most of the precipitation falls in the winter. Gusty winds are common in the late afternoon, especially in the vicinity of nearby Pacheco Pass.

On average, 97.1 days have highs of {{convert|90|F|C|1}} or higher, and 15.5 days have lows of {{convert|32|F|C|1}} or lower. The record high temperature of {{convert|116|°F|°C|abbr=on}} was on July 25, 1931. A record low temperature of {{convert|14|°F|°C|abbr=on}} was on January 11, 1949, and again on December 22, 1990.

The average annual rainfall is {{convert|9.48|in|cm}}, with an average of 47 days with measurable precipitation. The wettest year recorded was 1998 with {{convert|21.08|in|cm}} and the driest year was 2020 with {{convert|3.74|in|cm}}. The most rainfall in one month was {{convert|8.08|in|cm}} in March 1998. The most rainfall in 24 hours was {{convert|2.40|in|cm}} on January 18, 1914. Although snow is rare, {{convert|3|in|cm|abbr=on}} fell in January 1916 and {{convert|1.5|in|cm}} fell in January 1962.

{{Weather box

|location = Los Banos, California (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1929–present)

|single line = Y

|collapsed = Y

|Jan record high F = 75

|Feb record high F = 80

|Mar record high F = 89

|Apr record high F = 98

|May record high F = 106

|Jun record high F = 114

|Jul record high F = 116

|Aug record high F = 114

|Sep record high F = 113

|Oct record high F = 104

|Nov record high F = 87

|Dec record high F = 75

|year record high F =

|Jan avg record high F = 66.6

|Feb avg record high F = 72.4

|Mar avg record high F = 80.6

|Apr avg record high F = 89.5

|May avg record high F = 97.5

|Jun avg record high F = 103.6

|Jul avg record high F = 105.5

|Aug avg record high F = 104.6

|Sep avg record high F = 101.9

|Oct avg record high F = 93.1

|Nov avg record high F = 78.9

|Dec avg record high F = 66.4

|year avg record high F = 107.0

|Jan high F = 55.6

|Feb high F = 61.7

|Mar high F = 67.7

|Apr high F = 73.3

|May high F = 81.2

|Jun high F = 88.9

|Jul high F = 94.6

|Aug high F = 93.9

|Sep high F = 89.6

|Oct high F = 79.2

|Nov high F = 65.5

|Dec high F = 55.8

|year high F =

|Jan mean F = 47.0

|Feb mean F = 52.4

|Mar mean F = 57.1

|Apr mean F = 61.5

|May mean F = 68.6

|Jun mean F = 74.5

|Jul mean F = 79.3

|Aug mean F = 78.1

|Sep mean F = 74.4

|Oct mean F = 66.0

|Nov mean F = 54.8

|Dec mean F = 46.7

|year mean F =

|Jan low F = 39.3

|Feb low F = 42.5

|Mar low F = 46.1

|Apr low F = 49.4

|May low F = 55.2

|Jun low F = 60.4

|Jul low F = 63.8

|Aug low F = 62.8

|Sep low F = 60.1

|Oct low F = 52.7

|Nov low F = 44.3

|Dec low F = 38.4

|year low F =

|Jan avg record low F = 29.1

|Feb avg record low F = 32.6

|Mar avg record low F = 36.8

|Apr avg record low F = 38.9

|May avg record low F = 45.6

|Jun avg record low F = 50.4

|Jul avg record low F = 54.0

|Aug avg record low F = 54.0

|Sep avg record low F = 50.5

|Oct avg record low F = 42.6

|Nov avg record low F = 34.0

|Dec avg record low F = 28.1

|year avg record low F = 26.7

|Jan record low F = 14

|Feb record low F = 20

|Mar record low F = 24

|Apr record low F = 30

|May record low F = 35

|Jun record low F = 39

|Jul record low F = 45

|Aug record low F = 46

|Sep record low F = 38

|Oct record low F = 28

|Nov record low F = 24

|Dec record low F = 14

|year record low F =

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 2.07

|Feb precipitation inch = 1.83

|Mar precipitation inch = 1.34

|Apr precipitation inch = 0.65

|May precipitation inch = 0.46

|Jun precipitation inch = 0.08

|Jul precipitation inch = 0.02

|Aug precipitation inch = 0.01

|Sep precipitation inch = 0.05

|Oct precipitation inch = 0.46

|Nov precipitation inch = 0.85

|Dec precipitation inch = 1.66

|year precipitation inch =

|Jan precipitation days = 8.9

|Feb precipitation days = 8.3

|Mar precipitation days = 7.4

|Apr precipitation days = 4.4

|May precipitation days = 2.3

|Jun precipitation days = 0.7

|Jul precipitation days = 0.1

|Aug precipitation days = 0.2

|Sep precipitation days = 0.4

|Oct precipitation days = 2.0

|Nov precipitation days = 4.6

|Dec precipitation days = 7.7

|year precipitation days = 47.0

|source 1 = NOAA{{cite web

|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00045118&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL

|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Los Banos, CA

|access-date = May 27, 2023

}}

|source 2 = National Weather Service{{cite web

|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=hnx

|publisher = National Weather Service

|title = NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Hanford

|access-date = May 27, 2023

}}

}}

{{US Census population

|1910= 745

|1920= 1276

|1930= 1875

|1940= 2214

|1950= 3868

|1960= 5272

|1970= 9188

|1980= 10341

|1990= 14519

|2000= 25869

|2010= 35972

|2020= 45532

|estyear=

|estimate=

|estref=

|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}}{{failed verification|date=July 2022|reason=No mention of Los Banos at given link}}2020

}}

File:San Francisco Earthquake of 1906, Opera House. Los Banos, California - NARA - 513320.tif]]

{{update|section|date=July 2022|reason=New information is available from the 2020 Census report.}}

In 2021, the population of Los Banos is estimated to have been around 46,398 inhabitants.{{Cite web |last=United States Census Bureau |date=2022 |title=Los Banos city, California |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/losbanoscitycalifornia |access-date= |website=United States Census Bureau}}

At the 2010 census, Los Banos had a population of 35,972.{{Cite web|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/0644028.html|title=Los Banos (city) QuickFacts|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=March 18, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150322235253/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/0644028.html|archive-date=March 22, 2015|url-status=dead}} The population density was {{convert|3,555.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of Los Banos was 20,846 (58.0%) White, 1,354 (3.8%) African American, 512 (1.4%) Native American, 1,162 (3.2%) Asian, 134 (0.4%) Pacific Islander, 10,123 (28.1%) from other races, and 1,841 (5.1%) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 23,346 persons (64.9%).{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0644028|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140715030917/http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0644028|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 15, 2014|title=2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA – Los Banos city|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=July 12, 2014}}

The census reported that 35,791 people (99.5% of the population) lived in households, 103 (0.3%) lived in noninstitutionalized group quarters, and 78 (0.2%) were institutionalized.

Of the 10,259 households, 5,451 (53.1%) had children under 18 living in them, 6,018 (58.7%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 1,474 (14.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 838 (8.2%) had a male householder with no wife present, 791 were (7.7%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, 78 (0.8%) were same-sex married couples or partnerships, and 1,551 households (15.1%) were one person and 653 (6.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 3.49. There were 8,330 families (81.2% of households); the average family size was 3.84.

The age distribution was 12,102 people (33.6%) under 18, 3,703 people (10.3%) from 18 to 24, 9,596 people (26.7%) from 25 to 44, 7,494 people (20.8%) from 45 to 64, and 3,077 people (8.6%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 29.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.2 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 96.0 males.

The 11,375 housing units had an average density of 1,124.4 per square mile, of the occupied units 6,197 (60.4%) were owner-occupied and 4,062 (39.6%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 4.1%; the rental vacancy rate was 8.4%. 20,687 people (57.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 15,104 people (42.0%) lived in rental housing units.

File:SP 3771 at Los Banos 8 91x - Flickr - drewj1946.jpg

At the 2000 census there were 25,869 people in 7,721 households, including 6,223 families, in the city. The population density was {{convert|3,218.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 8,049 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1,001.5|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 58.61% White, 4.25% African American, 1.35% Native American, 2.34% Asian, 0.33% Pacific Islander, 26.90% from other races, and 6.21% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 50.44%.{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}

Of the 7,721 households, 48.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.5% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.4% were non-families. Of all households, 15.8% were one person and 7.0% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.33 and the average family size was 3.69.

The age distribution was 35.1% under 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 16.8% from 45 to 64, and 9.3% 65 or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.0 males.

The median household income was $43,690 and the median family income was $45,304. Males had a median income of $38,294 versus $27,994 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,582. About 9.8% of families and 12.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.9% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over.

In the California State Legislature, Los Banos is in {{Representative|casd|14|fmt=sdistrict}}, and in {{Representative|caad|27|fmt=adistrict}}.{{Cite web |url=https://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/ |title=Find Your California Representative }}

In the United States House of Representatives, Los Banos is in California's 13th congressional district, which has a Cook PVI of D +4{{cite web | title = 2022 House Race Ratings | publisher = Cook Political | url=https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/house-race-ratings | access-date = January 26, 2022}} and is represented by {{Representative|cacd|13|fmt=pfl}}.{{Cite GovTrack|CA|13}}

As of 2022, Paul Llanez is the mayor.

{{story|section|date=December 2011}}

The Los Banos area was initially settled, according to Mexican land-grant records, in the 1840s. The first white settler in the area was Uriah Wood, who built his two-room cabin in 1859.{{cite report |title=Merced County: Multi-jurisdictional Local Hazard Mitigation Plan |url=https://web2.co.merced.ca.us/pdfs/oes/2014-Merced-County-HMP.pdf#page=11 |publisher=Merced County, California |access-date=April 15, 2022 |page=11 |date=August 2014}} The original site of Los Banos was located several miles from the current town center, about a mile and half west of the railroad near present-day Volta. The town was essentially a trading post and received its name when the post office was established and the Post Office Department designated the office "Los Banos" after the nearby creek. When the railroad arrived, Los Banos relocated to its present-day site.{{cite book |last1=Outcalt |first1=John |title=A History of Merced County California Being an Account in Brief Outline of the Period from the Days of the Spanish Occupation Down to the Present Time |date=1925 |pages=215–233 |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/historyofmercedc00outc/page/215 |access-date=April 15, 2022 |chapter=Chapter XII: Early Days on the West Side}}

The first post office opened in 1873.

Land and water rights were important to early Los Banos residents, but those rights were recognized only when the land and deed were registered. Sometimes, those rights depended on fleet footedness, as it did in the "race" between Los Banos residents Uriah Wood and Henry Miller. Wood, whose homestead was located off of Badger Flat Road, raced Miller to the land office in Stockton to insure his claim to the land would be recognized. After crossing the San Joaquin River, Wood paid the ferryman $5 to hold the boat on the east side of the river to insure he would gain sufficient distance from Miller to ensure he would reach the land office first. Wood succeeded and the seven sections that he registered cost him only 45¢ an acre.

The centerpiece of downtown Los Banos is Henry Miller Plaza, honoring early California rancher Henry Miller. The {{convert|10|acre|ha|adj=on}} half-oval public plaza features a monumental scale bronze arrangement of Miller with cattle. At one time in the late 19th century, Miller was the largest land owner in the United States. The success of his business monopolized the California agricultural industry, funneling resources and supplies to create his prosperous company. Centered around cattle farming, the Miller and Lux Corporation ultimately transformed the San Joaquin Valley into what can be considered as a precursor to corporate farming and turning independent farmers into wageworkers.Henry Miller Papers Collection, "Correspondence to Superintendent Turner," July 18, 1912, Special Collections, Henry Madden Library, California State University Fresno His company, the Miller & Lux Corporation, was headquartered in Los Banos on a site currently housing the Mexican restaurant España's and the Canal Farm Inn.

Los Banos has a long history of Portuguese and Spanish immigrants, as do many of the nearby towns on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley. This is reflected both in local restaurants and in several festivals and parades that take place during the year. There is also a significant community of Basques. Los Banos is locally known for its annual May Day Fair during the first week of May.

Los Banos is home to The Randall Fawcett House, a Frank Lloyd Wright designed Usonian home.{{cite web|title=Frank Lloyd Wright Fawcett House|url=http://swipelife.com/2009/03/17/frank-lloyd-wright-fawcett-house/|publisher=Swipelife|date=March 17, 2009|access-date=January 13, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120718084616/http://swipelife.com/2009/03/17/frank-lloyd-wright-fawcett-house/|archive-date=July 18, 2012|url-status=dead}}

A member of the Manson family, Susan Atkins attended Los Banos High School, before joining the family.

Since the 1980s, the city's population has changed with a continuing influx of people who work in the San Jose/Silicon Valley area but seek more affordable housing and slower pace of semi-rural life, a pattern seen in many other small towns within commuting distance of Silicon Valley.{{citation needed|date=September 2014}}

File:Canal Farm Inn.jpg

• California Historical Landmark Canal Farm Inn is located at 1460 E Pacheco Blvd, Los Banos. Canal Farm Inn is a California Historical Landmarks, number 548.

The California Historical Landmark reads:

:NO. 548 CANAL FARM INN – This original San Joaquin Valley ranch headquarters of California pioneer and cattle baron Henry Miller (1827–1916) was established in 1873. His farsighted planning and development in the 1870s of a vast gravity irrigation system, and the founding of Los Banos in 1889, provided the basis for this area's present stability and wealth. [https://www.californiahistoricallandmarks.com/landmarks/chl-548 californiahistoricallandmarks.com # 548]

• Mack Wheat, (1893–1979), was a Major League Baseball catcher from 1915 to 1921 for Brooklyn and the Philadelphia Phillies.

K–12 education is provided by the Los Banos Unified School District. In addition, the Los Banos Campus of Merced College has served community college students since 2007.

According to the city's 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[http://www.losbanos.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Los-Banos-CAFR-final.pdf City of Los Banos California Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2018] the top employers in the city are:

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Los Banos, California|
Los Banos, California}}

• {{Official website}}

{{Merced County, California|position=collapsed}}

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Category:1907 establishments in California

Category:Cities in Merced County, California

Category:San Joaquin Valley

Category:Incorporated cities and towns in California

Category:Populated places established in 1907