Moving to Gustine, California

Gustine, California is a small city located in the Central Valley of California, just off of Interstate 5. With a population of just over 5,000 people, Gustine is a tight-knit community that takes pride in its agricultural roots and history.

The city was founded in 1869 and was originally known as “Gustin” after its first postmaster, Augustus Gustin. The name was later changed to “Gustine” in honor of the postmaster’s wife. It quickly became an agricultural hub for the surrounding area as farmers settled there to grow produce for the San Francisco Bay Area market.

Today, Gustine remains heavily focused on agriculture and is home to some of the best farmland in the valley. The city’s main crop is almonds with many other crops like tomatoes, corn, and cotton also being grown here. There are also several dairies located around town providing milk to local stores and restaurants.

The downtown area is full of old-fashioned charm with many historic buildings still standing along its main street. These include several old churches, grocery stores, and even a theatre built back in 1912 when silent films were all the rage. Every June the city puts on an Old-Fashioned Festival complete with car shows and parades celebrating its rich heritage.

Gustine also has several parks providing plenty of recreational activities for residents including softball fields, basketball courts, playgrounds and picnic areas all throughout town. There are also two golf courses nearby for those who like to hit the links every now and then.

The city takes great pride in its educational system offering both public school options from elementary all the way up through high school as well as two charter schools located within town limits—one being an alternative education option for students who need it most. Additionally there is Merced College satellite campus located here offering higher education opportunities for local students who don’t want to leave home just yet or can’t afford to go away for college.

Overall Gustine is a unique small town steeped in history with plenty of character that locals love and visitors can appreciate too.

Population: 4,698. Estimated population in July 2024: 5,324 (+13.3% change)
Males: 2,287 (48.7%), Females: 2,411 (51.3%)

Merced County

Zip code: 95322

Demographics

Median resident age: 34.8 years
Median household income: $38,824
Median house value: $114,100

Population by Race

Races in Gustine:

• White Non-Hispanic (59.0%)
• Hispanic (35.1%)
• Other race (19.0%)
• Two or more races (5.5%)
• American Indian (1.8%)
• Black (0.7%)
• Filipino (0.7%)

(Total can be greater than 100% because Hispanics could be counted in other races)

Ancestries: Portuguese (31.8%), German (8.5%), Italian (7.9%), Irish (4.1%), English (3.7%), United States (3.0%).

Elevation: 96 feet

Land area: 1.6 square miles

Population by Education

For population 25 years and over in Gustine

• High school or higher: 61.3%
• Bachelor’s degree or higher: 9.4%
• Graduate or professional degree: 2.0%
• Unemployed: 7.3%
• Mean travel time to work: 33.9 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Gustine city

• Never married: 26.9%
• Now married: 58.4%
• Separated: 1.0%
• Widowed: 6.2%
• Divorced: 7.6%

27.9% Foreign born (17.7% Latin America, 8.0% Europe).

Population change in the 1990s: +528 (+12.7%).

Hospitals

Hospitals/medical centers near Gustine:

• MEMORIAL HOSPITAL LOS BANOS (about 17 miles; LOS BANOS, CA)
• EMANUEL MEDICAL CENTER INC (about 20 miles; TURLOCK, CA)
• MODESTO REHAB HOSPITAL (about 27 miles; MODESTO, CA)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Gustine:

• MODESTO CITY-CO-HARRY SHAM FLD (about 26 miles; MODESTO, CA; Abbreviation: MOD)
• MERCED MUNICIPAL/MACREADY FIELD (about 35 miles; MERCED, CA; Abbreviation: MCE)
• STOCKTON METROPOLITAN (about 47 miles; STOCKTON, CA; Abbreviation: SCK)

Other public-use airports nearest to Gustine:

• GUSTINE (about 4 miles; GUSTINE, CA; Abbreviation: 3O1)
• SAN LUIS RESERVOIR (about 17 miles; LOS BANOS, CA; Abbreviation: 0O0)
• LOS BANOS MUNI (about 17 miles; LOS BANOS, CA; Abbreviation: LSN)

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Gustine:

• CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY-STANISLAUS (about 22 miles; TURLOCK, CA; Full-time enrollment: 5,443)
• MODESTO JUNIOR COLLEGE (about 29 miles; MODESTO, CA; Full-time enrollment: 8,428)
• MERCED COLLEGE (about 36 miles; MERCED, CA; Full-time enrollment: 5,482)
• GAVILAN COLLEGE (about 43 miles; GILROY, CA; Full-time enrollment: 2,791)
• SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY (about 49 miles; SAN JOSE, CA; Full-time enrollment: 20,861)
• SANTA CLARA UNIVERSITY (about 49 miles; SANTA CLARA, CA; Full-time enrollment: 6,229)
• EVERGREEN VALLEY COLLEGE (about 53 miles; SAN JOSE, CA; Full-time enrollment: 6,118)

Schools

Public high schools in Gustine:

• GUSTINE HIGH (Students: 548; Location: 501 NORTH AVE.; Grades: 09 – 12)
• PIONEER HIGH (CONT.) (Students: 19; Location: 1500 MERIDITH AVE.; Grades: 09 – 12)

Public primary/middle schools in Gustine:

• GUSTINE ELEMENTARY (Students: 621; Location: 701 WALLIS AVE.; Grades: KG – 05)
• GUSTINE MIDDLE (Students: 467; Location: 685 WALLIS AVE.; Grades: 06 – 08)

Private primary/middle school in Gustine:

• OUR LADY OF MIRACLES ED CTR (Students: 221; Location: 370 LINDEN AVENUE; Grades: PK – 8)