Why do Modesto population signs show different data? Here’s how outdated they are
Modesto’s population signs can’t seem to agree.
Depending on which road you take into town, one sign marks the city’s size at 201,165 residents, and another boasts 203,300 residents.
Why do Modesto population signs show different numbers? And how many residents does the city actually have?
The Modesto Bee reached out to city and state officials to find out.
How outdated are numbers on Modesto population signs?
The Modesto population sign on the side of Highway 99 as you enter the city indicates that the city has 201,165 residents.
This data is from 2010, according to the city of Modesto’s website.
The Modesto population sign at the crossroads of El Vista Avenue and Yosemite Boulevard indicates that the city has 203,300 residents.
By the time the 2020 U.S. Census was conducted, Modesto’s population had grown to 215,196 people.
According to the most recent data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau in July 2023, Modesto now has an estimated population of about 218,915 residents.
When were city population signs last updated?
Modesto’s population signs reflect figures from the 2010 U.S. Census, making them more than a decade out of date.
Who’s responsible for updating Modesto’s population signs?
City spokeswoman Sonya Severo said the population signs are on roads maintained by the California Department of Transportation.
According to California’s Streets and Highways Code, Caltrans is responsible for placing road signs at state highway entry points, including city and town limits.
These signs will display the city’s or town’s name, population and elevation, the law says.
The public information office for Caltrans’ District 10 said that city limit road signs will be replaced only upon the city’s request, following a significant population change confirmed by a federal census and if no request has been made in the past five years, as outlined in state code.
