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Empire

CaliforniaCDP

Photograph of Empire
Featured view

Empire

Total population

3,429

Median home value

$335,200

7.7%

Bachelor's+

Median income

$52,563

Empire$53k
National$74k
Elevation36 m
Land area4.05 km²
Weather93°F · Sunny
Coordinates37.64°, -120.91°

Demographic figures from US Census Bureau · ACS 5-year estimates. Overview below cites Wikipedia and may reference a different year.

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Active weather alerts
  • Heat Advisory · Moderate
    Heat Advisory issued October 1 at 9:34AM PDT until October 5 at 10:00PM PDT by NWS Sacramento CA

Source: NOAA National Weather Service.

City facts

Elevation
36 m
Area
4.05 km²

Facts from Wikidata (CC0).

Overview

Empire is a census-designated place (CDP) in Stanislaus County, California, United States. The population was 4,202 at the 2020 census, up from 4,189 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Modesto Metropolitan Statistical Area. Empire is agriculturally active, and is home to the new Empire Community Park.

Read more on Wikipedia

History & geography

History

In 1854, the town of Empire City was founded on the south bank of the Tuolumne River, one mile south of present-day Empire. It was reputedly named after New York City, the "Empire City". However, some sources indicate that the town was founded as early as 1850. The town shows on the 1852 Gibbes map as Empire. It is alleged to have been almost destroyed and deserted twice, in 1852 and 1855. The town served as the head of navigation for steamboats on the Tuolumne River. Empire City became the county seat of Stanislaus County, and was flooded in the Great Flood of 1862. In 1896, the town relocated one mile north of the river, and was renamed Empire for the Santa Fe Railroad. (Part of the San Francisco and San Joaquin Valley Railroad line which the Santa Fe acquired in 1898.)

Geography

Empire is located at (37.644298, -120.907592). According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , all land. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Empire has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, Csa on climate maps.

Read full article on Wikipedia

Excerpted from the corresponding Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA).

Demographics & economy

Median age
41.1
Median home value
$335,200
Housing units
1,217
Poverty rate
22.3%
Unemployment
13%

Race & ethnicity

White
47.5%
Black
0.2%
Asian
0%
Hispanic
48.6%

Source: US Census Bureau — American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

Geography

Latitude
37.6431
Longitude
-120.9070
Water area
—
View on OpenStreetMap

Coordinates & boundaries from the US Census TIGER/Line shapefiles.

Climate

Current forecast

This Afternoon
93°F
Sunny
Tonight
62°F
Mostly Clear
Friday
90°F
Mostly Sunny
Friday Night
64°F
Partly Cloudy
Saturday
95°F
Sunny
Saturday Night
67°F
Clear

Forecast for Empire, CA from NOAA NWS API.

Air quality

Industrial & pollution facilities

Natural hazard risk

Health (adults)

Walkability

Amenities nearby

Wildlife & biodiversity

Observations (last 5 yrs, 10 mi)
215,754
Distinct species (top 10)
10

Most-observed species

  • California/Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay
    Aphelocoma californica (Vigors, 1839) · Aves
    10,295
  • House Finch
    Haemorhous mexicanus (P.L.Statius Müller, 1776) · Aves
    9,049
  • European Starling
    Sturnus vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
    8,010
  • Black Phoebe
    Sayornis nigricans (Swainson, 1827) · Aves
    7,201
  • Northern Mockingbird
    Mimus polyglottos (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
    7,125
  • Mourning Dove
    Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
    7,010
  • Anna's Hummingbird
    Calypte anna (R.Lesson, 1829) · Aves
    6,895
  • Lesser Goldfinch
    Spinus psaltria (Say, 1822) · Aves
    5,948

Citizen-science & research observations from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF).

Schools

Earthquake history

Quakes ≥ 2.5 (25 yrs, 62 mi)
1,049
Largest magnitude
5.45
Largest event
2007-10-31

Most recent

Events from the USGS Earthquake Catalog (global) (FDSN Event Web Service).

Photos

Sights & places nearby

Notable people from here

R
Ralph Griswold
American computer scientist (1934–2006)
Fred Agabashian
Fred Agabashian
American racing driver
Mark Spitz
Mark Spitz
American Olympic swimmer (born 1950)
Erin Cafaro
Erin Cafaro
American rower
Ann Veneman
Ann Veneman
Executive Director of UNICEF and United States Secretary of Agriculture
A
Adam Smith
American snowboarder
J
James Corson
American discus thrower (1906-1981)
Boaz Myhill
Boaz Myhill
association football player (born 1982)
M
Marcia Lucas
American film editor (1945–2026)
M
Michael McDonald
American mixed martial arts fighter
Jesse Williams
Jesse Williams
American high jumper
Kenny Roberts
Kenny Roberts
American motorcycle racer
Herbert McLean Evans
Herbert McLean Evans
American scientist (1882-1971)
Sonny Barger
Sonny Barger
American outlaw biker (1938–2022)
Steve Forrest
Steve Forrest
American drummer
J
James Algar
Film director, screenwriter, film producer (1912–1998)

People born within ~10 km, from Wikidata (CC0). Click any name for their Wikipedia article.

Nearby places in California

Browse all places in California →

Geography & sun

Avg solar (kWh/m²/day)
5.35
Annual solar (kWh/m²)
1,954

Elevation, sunrise/sunset and daylight from Open-Meteo. Solar climatology from NASA POWER.

Nearby airports

Public attention

Wikipedia views (last 30 days)
237
Avg daily Wikipedia views
8
Attention level
Obscure

Pageview totals from the Wikimedia Pageviews API.

Books about Empire

Orange Empire
Orange Empire
Douglas Cazaux Sackman · 2005
Inlandia
Inlandia
Gayle Wattawa · 2006
this sudden empire california
ruth teiser · 1950
2019 Anthology Inland Empire California Writers Club
Inland Empire California Writers Club · 2019
This Sudden Empire California
1950
This sudden empire, California
This sudden empire, California
Ruth Teiser · 1950
This Sudden Empire, California; the Story of the Society of California Pioneers, 1850 To 1950
Ruth Teiser · 2021
An Empire of Their Own
An Empire of Their Own
Neal Gabler · 1988

Search results from Open Library.

Recent natural events nearby

Wildfires, storms and other events from NASA EONET (last 12 months, within 250 mi).

Ground air-quality sensors

Recently spotted species

Nuttall's Woodpecker
Nuttall's Woodpecker
Dryobates nuttallii
Seen 2026-09-30
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Sitta canadensis
Seen 2026-09-30
Great Egret
Great Egret
Ardea alba
Seen 2026-09-30
Western Tanager
Western Tanager
Piranga ludoviciana
Seen 2026-09-30
Cooper's Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Astur cooperii
Seen 2026-09-30
Northern Harrier
Northern Harrier
Circus hudsonius
Seen 2026-09-30
panicled willowherb
panicled willowherb
Epilobium brachycarpum
Seen 2026-09-30
Say's Phoebe
Say's Phoebe
Sayornis saya
Seen 2026-09-30
Western Meadowlark
Western Meadowlark
Sturnella neglecta
Seen 2026-09-30

Research-grade observations from iNaturalist (within ~15 mi).

Nearest stream gauge

Events

Gallery

Sources

  • • Wikipedia
  • • US Census Bureau (ACS 5-year estimates)
  • • NOAA National Weather Service
  • • Wikidata
  • • USGS Earthquake Catalog (global feed)
  • • GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility)
  • • iNaturalist
  • • Open-Meteo / sunrise-sunset.org
  • • Wikipedia Pageviews API
  • • Open Library
  • • NASA EONET