Modesto, California
Among the top 4% of US places for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 7% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade A+, better than 96% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 20% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 73% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade D, better than 22% of US places
- top 6% for annual snowfall
- top 6% for walkability
- bottom 3% for income tax
Modesto is a city in California with about 218,000 residents. It grades A+ for weather and F for affordability. Standout strengths include annual snowfall, walkability, and summer humidity. It rates lower on estimated total tax burden and income tax.
Official websitemodestogov.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, dry summers · Cool winters · Dry
cool
comfortable
warm
hot
swelt.
hot
warm
comf.
cool
92%60%clearovercast
Precipitation 2.3 in0.1 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$73k65th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$53kbetter than 25% of US places
Home Value$382k85th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 16% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 21% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.68%better than 74% of US places
Income Tax13.30%better than 3% of US places
Sales Tax8.85%better than 19% of US places
Estimated total tax burden19.76%better than 7% of US places
Unemployment7.8%better than 21% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)47°F85th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)78°F64th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation12.3 in5th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.0 inbetter than 94% of US places
Sunny Days261 daysbetter than 79% of US places
Summer Humidity55°Fbetter than 83% of US places
Comfortable Days89 daysbetter than 68% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk47.2better than 74% of US places
Air Quality52 AQIbetter than 14% of US places
School Quality71.3better than 67% of US places
Violent Crime1615/100kbetter than 14% of US places
Property Crime2416/100kbetter than 13% of US places
Community
Population218,308100th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age34.922nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6294th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9645th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningEven28th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)40.5%14th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)4.3%75th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)42.6%93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)7.4%94th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)5.1%72nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time29 minbetter than 28% of US places
Walkability12.7/20better than 94% of US places
Airport Distance53 mibetter than 66% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access90.4%better than 66% of US places
Amenities Nearby6.46better than 13% of US places
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 25% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Modesto an affordable place to live?
- Modesto is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $53k, better than 25% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Modesto?
- The median home value in Modesto is $382k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Modesto?
- Median household income in Modesto is $73k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Modesto?
- Median gross rent in Modesto is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Modesto safe?
- Modesto is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1615/100k (better than 14%). Property crime is 2416/100k.
- What is the weather like in Modesto?
- Modesto averages 78°F in July and 47°F in January, with 12.3 in of annual precipitation and about 261 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Modesto?
- Public-school quality in Modesto is above average, scoring better than 67% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Modesto?
- The average one-way commute in Modesto is 29 min.
Other places in Stanislaus County
Places near Modesto
Compare Modesto
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Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)