Lathrop — powered by new home sales in the 15,001-home planned River Islands community — was California’s third fastest growing city in California during 2021.

The Department of Finance Tuesday reported that Lathrop’s estimated population soared past the 30,000 mark as of Jan. 1 to reach 31,331 residents.

In raw population gain Lathrop added 1,947 residents for the 13th largest numerical gain in the state. Right behind Lathrop at 14th with 1,864 additional residents was Manteca.

But given Manteca is roughly three times larger in population, Lathrop’s additional residents translated into a 6.63 percent growth rate as opposed to Manteca’s 2.19 percent growth rate that made it California’s 25th fastest growing city in 2021.

Manteca has consistently been adding between 1,600 and 2,200 residents during the past 7 years.

Both Lathrop and Manteca are on pace to build more new housing units this year than they did in 2021.

Lathrop — as of Jan. 1, 2022 — was at 31,331 residents and Manteca at 86,859.

In 2021, only 123 of the state’s 482 cities gained population.

The Northern San Joaquin Valley for the first time in at least two decades, if not longer, saw cities that dropped population as well.

Cities in the three-county Northern San Joaquin Valley region that gained residents and their estimated population as of Jan. 1, 2022 are as follows:

*Tracy added 914 residents to increase to 94,538.

*Merced added 858 residents to increase to 89,058

*Patterson added 531 residents to increase to 24,370.

*Los Banos added 471 residents to increase to 46,339.

*Lodi added 425 residents to increase to 66,570.

*Livingston added 70 residents to increase to 14,410.

*Hughson added no residents to stay at 7,495.

Cities in the three-county Northern San Joaquin Valley region that lost residents and their estimated population as of Jan. 1, 2022 are as follows:

*Oakdale lost 39 residents to drop to 23,071.

*Waterford lost 72 residents to drop to 8,872.

*Escalon lost 77 residents to drop to 7,362.

*Newman lost 82 residents to drop to 12,244.

*Gustine lost 117 residents to drop to 5,981.

*Dos Palos lost 120 residents to drop to 5,715.

*Riverbank lost 152 residents to drop to 8,340.

*Ripon lost 183 residents to drop to 15,979.

*Turlock lost 203 residents to drop to 71,531.

*Atwater lost 367 residents to drop to 31,652.

*Ceres lost 376 residents to drop to 48,386.

*Modesto lost 865 residents to drop to 217,880.

*Stockton lost 1,395 residents to drop 322,489.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com