About Mendota
City Profile
Nestled in the heart of California’s Central Valley and located in Fresno County, the City of Mendota has much to offer its residents and visitors. A strong heritage and community pride is evident in recent downtown projects and community sponsored events. Mendota’s acclaimed Farmer’s Market runs from June through December and draws numerous vendors and shoppers from across the valley.
The City of Mendota is pleased to bear the designation Cantaloupe Center of the World as agriculture is an important part of the City’s economy. Additional important local economic stimulators include new solar power plants, a biomass plant, produce companies, and a new Federal Correctional Institution.
Recreational opportunities are abundant, with four city parks in addition to the County and State administered parklands, such as the Mendota Wildlife Refuge. Mendota also boasts an active youth sports program, which has won prestigious awards such as the Tri-County Championship in youth football and produced State Champions in boxing.
The prosperity of the City of Mendota is in many parts thanks to the commitment and teamwork of the City Council, residents, and community partnerships. Mendota is an aggressive and energetic community that continues to experience growth and success in their local businesses and community development.
City History
The City of Mendota has its origins in the railroad industry. In 1891, Mendota thrived as a Southern Pacific Railroad storage and switching facility site. The first post office opened in 1892, and the City incorporated in 1942. The city has grown progressively, with agriculture always at the heart of the City.
Demographics
As of August 2021, the State of California Department of Finance has provided the following statistics for the City of Mendota. These statistics can be viewed at: https://data.census.gov/profile/Mendota_city,_California?g=160XX00US0646828
The population of Mendota is 12,595, broken down by race/ethnicity as follows:
TOTAL POPULATION BY RACE (NOT HISPANIC/LATINO) AND HISPANIC OR LATINO
| Population, Census, April 1, 2020 | 12,595 |
| White alone, percent | 32.4% |
| Black or African American alone, percent | 0.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, percent | 0.4% |
| Asian alone, percent | 0.1% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, percent | 0.0% |
| Two or More Races, percent | 14.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino, percent | 97.9% |
| White alone, not Hispanic or Latino, percent | 1.9% |
POPULATION 18+ BY RACE (NOT HISPANIC/LATINO) AND HISPANIC OR LATINO
| (Universe: Population 18 years and older) | Count | Percent |
| Total: | 8,132 | 100.00% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7,927 | 97.50% |
| Not Hispanic or Latino: | ||
| White alone | 138 | 1.70% |
| Black or African American alone | 0 | 0.00% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone | 15 | 0.20% |
| Asian alone | 11 | 0.10% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone | 0 | 0.00% |
| Some Other Race alone | 13 | 0.20% |
| Two or More Races | 28 | 0.30% |
As of January 2020, the quick facts about the City of Mendota, provided by the United States Census Bureau, reflect the following statistics. These and additional statistics can be viewed at: https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/mendotacitycalifornia/POP010220
INCOME AND POVERTY- 2018-2022
| Median household income (in 2022 dollars), 2018-2022 | $43,315 |
| Per capita income in past 12 months (in 2022 dollars), 2018-2022 | $12,850 |
| Persons in poverty, percent | 32.7% |
FAMILIES AND LIVING ARRANGEMENTS- 2018-2022
| Households, 2018-2022 | 3,068 |
| Persons per household, 2018-2022 | 4.11 |
| Living in same house 1 year ago, percent of persons age 1 year+, 2018-2022 | 98.5% |
| Language other than English spoken at home, percent of persons age 5 years+, 2018-2022 | 87.3% |
AGE BREAKDOWN- 2018-2022
| Persons under 5 years, percent | 9.8% |
| Persons under 18 years, percent | 38.5% |
| Persons 65 years and over, percent | 6.5% |