Lathrop vs Modesto
Lathrop, California versus Modesto, California: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Lathrop and Modesto score about the same overall (40 vs 43 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Lathrop | Modesto |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $109k | $73k |
| Cost of Living | $56k | $53k |
| Home Value | $543k | $382k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.05% | 0.68% |
| Income Tax | 13.30% | 13.30% |
| Sales Tax | 8.85% | 8.85% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 21.46% | 19.76% |
| Unemployment | 8.9% | 7.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 48°F | 47°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 77°F | 78°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.5 in | 12.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 284 days | 261 days |
| Summer Humidity | 53°F | 55°F |
| Comfortable Days | 87 days | 89 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 64.4 | 47.2 |
| Air Quality | 46 AQI | 52 AQI |
| School Quality | 51.4 | 71.3 |
| Violent Crime | 1533/100k | 1615/100k |
| Property Crime | 1972/100k | 2416/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 29,633 | 218,308 |
| Median Age | 33.5 | 34.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.77 | 0.62 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.00 | 0.96 |
| Political Leaning | D+14 | Even |
| White (%) | 20.7% | 40.5% |
| Black (%) | 8.0% | 4.3% |
| Hispanic (%) | 39.2% | 42.6% |
| Asian (%) | 26.9% | 7.4% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.4% | 5.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 43 min | 29 min |
| Walkability | 9.6/20 | 12.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 45 mi | 53 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 94.8% | 90.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 23.96 | 6.46 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Lathrop or Modesto more affordable?
- Modesto has the lower cost of living: its index is $53k, compared with Lathrop's $56k and Modesto's $53k. Median rent is $2k in Lathrop versus $1k in Modesto.
- Is Lathrop or Modesto safer?
- Lathrop has the lower violent crime rate. Lathrop reports 1533/100k and Modesto reports 1615/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Lathrop or Modesto?
- The median home value is $543k in Lathrop and $382k in Modesto, so homes are more affordable in Modesto.