Planada, California
Planada is a community of 3,506 people in Merced County, California.
Why visit Planada
Townapedia lists 3 places to eat in and around town.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 96°F; December lows average 36°F.
Weather in Planada
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Planada
Planada (Spanish for "Plain") is a census-designated place (CDP) in Merced County, California, United States. Planada is 9 miles (14 km) east of Merced, the county seat, at an elevation of 226 feet (69 m). The population was 4,164 at the 2020 census, down from 4,584 at the 2010 census.
From the Wikipedia article Planada, California (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Restaurants and cafes3
Churches and places of worship4
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging1
History
Planada was originally named Whitton by railroad officials. The area's first white settlers were a group of Swiss dairy farmers, who renamed the settlement Geneva. The Geneva post office opened in 1896, closed in 1897, then reopened in 1898. In 1911, it held a contest to select a new name for the town, and Planada was the winning entry. The San Francisco and San Joaquin Valley Railroad (built in the late 1890s) had a "Geneva" station which became the "Planada" station.
Since many of Planada's residents - as many as 41 percent - are undocumented, they were ineligible for most federal aid. In July, the state legislature passed a bill to provide assistance to Planada residents.
From the History section of Planada, California on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Schools, colleges and libraries11
Healthcare2
Map of Planada
23 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56°F | 37°F | 2.4 in |
| Feb | 62°F | 39°F | 2.2 in |
| Mar | 68°F | 42°F | 1.8 in |
| Apr | 74°F | 45°F | 1.1 in |
| May | 83°F | 52°F | 0.6 in |
| Jun | 91°F | 58°F | 0.1 in |
| Jul | 96°F | 62°F | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 95°F | 61°F | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 90°F | 56°F | 0.1 in |
| Oct | 80°F | 49°F | 0.6 in |
| Nov | 66°F | 41°F | 1.0 in |
| Dec | 56°F | 36°F | 1.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Merced Muni Ap (11 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
Merced County has had 11 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)
- 2020-03-22: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Merced Regional Airport/Macready Field (MCE) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 11 miles away.
- Le Grand 6 mi southeast, about 9 min by car
- Merced 8 mi west, about 13 min by car
- Chowchilla 13 mi south, about 21 min by car
- Atwater 16 mi west, about 25 min by car
- Fairmead 16 mi southeast, about 26 min by car
- Winton 18 mi west, about 28 min by car
- Livingston 23 mi west, about 37 min by car
- Mariposa 24 mi northeast, about 38 min by car
- Madera 26 mi southeast, about 42 min by car
- Delhi 27 mi west, about 43 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
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.