Start with the geography your firm actually serves
Gustine is recorded as a municipality in Merced County, California. The 2020–2024 ACS five-year estimate records 6,133 residents, with a margin of error of 34. That is context for defining a service area, not evidence of legal demand, search behavior, case volume or staffing needs. A Video Intake decision should therefore begin with your own accepted geography: Gustine alone, Merced County, or a broader area your firm explicitly serves. The intake should not imply that every visitor is eligible for representation merely because they are located nearby.
Recommended approach
During review, list the locations and matter types your firm accepts. Then decide whether location belongs near the beginning of the flow, as a routing question, or later as part of qualification. Keep the Gustine and Merced County relationship accurate in your public copy and internal rules; do not use the population estimate to forecast submissions or signed matters.
