SeeCalifornia.com

Which cities in California are having 100 year birthdays in 2018? Pictured is the City of Ceres, which turns 100 on February 25. When it was founded in 1918 there were less than 1,000 residents. Today a little less than 50,000 people call this Stanislaus County city their home. Only one other city celebrates their 100th in 2018 — and that’s the city of Manteca in San Joaquin County. Congratulations to both!

With 482 cities and towns (California makes no distinction between incorporated places calling themselves by either name,) there are bound to be plenty of centennial birthdays or even sesquicentennial (150 year) celebrations each year.  However, in California’s brief 168 year history there are actually some years in which no city was incorporated. In fact, a city has not incorporated since 2011, which nears the record set between 1859 and 1865 when no city incorporated for 7 straight years. If no city incorporates in 2018 it will tie the record and possibly set a new record in 2019 for longest time no cities incorporate.

Founding new cities is no easy process, as Jurapa Valley discovered in 2011 when it became the latest California city. Facing financial woes in 2013 the city considered disincorporation. Freed from the burden of about $22 million owed to Riverside County by a one-time infusion of state funds, Jurupa Valley officials announced in 2015 they would not dissolve the city.

Oldest California cities

Sacramento February 27, 1850
Benicia March 27, 1850
San Diego  March 27, 1850
San Jose March 27, 1850
Los Angeles  April 4, 1850
Santa Barbara  April 9, 1850
San Francisco  April 15, 1850
Stockton  July 23, 1850

Newest California Cities

Wildomar July 1, 2008
Menifee October 1, 2008
Eastvale October 1, 2010
Jurupa Valley July 1, 2011