Empire, California
Empire is a community of 3,429 people in Stanislaus County, California.
Why visit Empire
Townapedia lists 3 parks and trails and 4 places to eat in and around town.
Highlights include Empire Community Park and Ceres River Bluff Regional Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 95°F; December lows average 39°F.
Weather in Empire
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Empire
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.
From the Wikipedia article Empire, California (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Parks, trails and playgrounds3
Empire Community Park
Park · 0.6 mi
Park in California, United States of America
Ceres River Bluff Regional Park
Park · 3.0 mi
Park in California, United States of America
Restaurants and cafes4
Little Caesars
Fast food · Pizza · 1.0 mi
3801 Yosemite Boulevard, Modesto
Mo-Su 10:00-22:00
Schools, colleges and libraries49
Aspire Vanguard College Preparatory Academy
School · 5.5 mi
819 Sunset Ave., Modesto
37 more on the map.
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.)
From the History section of Empire, California on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Map of Empire
56 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56°F | 39°F | 2.6 in |
| Feb | 62°F | 42°F | 2.2 in |
| Mar | 68°F | 45°F | 1.8 in |
| Apr | 74°F | 48°F | 1.0 in |
| May | 82°F | 54°F | 0.7 in |
| Jun | 90°F | 59°F | 0.1 in |
| Jul | 95°F | 63°F | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 94°F | 62°F | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 89°F | 59°F | 0.1 in |
| Oct | 79°F | 52°F | 0.6 in |
| Nov | 66°F | 43°F | 1.1 in |
| Dec | 56°F | 39°F | 2.2 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Modesto City Co Ap (3 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Stanislaus County has had 12 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for floods.
- 2023-04-03: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2023-03-10: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2023-01-14: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2023-01-09: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2020-08-22: Wildfires (Fire)
- 2020-08-21: Scu Ligtning Complex Fire (Fire)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Modesto City-County Airport (MOD) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 3 miles away.
- Hughson 4 mi southeast, about 6 min by car
- Bystrom 4 mi west, about 7 min by car
- Ceres 5 mi southwest, about 7 min by car
- Modesto 5 mi west, about 8 min by car
- Parklawn 5 mi southwest, about 8 min by car
- Riverbank 6 mi north, about 10 min by car
- Keyes 6 mi south, about 10 min by car
- Bret Harte 6 mi southwest, about 10 min by car
- Rouse 6 mi west, about 9 min by car
- West Modesto 7 mi west, about 11 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Empire City Landmark, William Hoffknecht, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Riverbank, California from passing flight January 2026 2, 4300streetcar, CC BY 4.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.