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Living in
Ceres.
About
Life in Ceres
Moving to Ceres means settling into a young, family-oriented valley community that's still relatively affordable by California standards, with a median home price around $425,000 and median household income near $79,000. The demographic makeup is diverse and multigenerational—about 29% of residents are under 18, and more than half of households include children, so you'll find a solid school-age population and family-focused amenities. The job market is present but not booming, with unemployment around 8.6%, and many residents commute 30+ minutes for work; the planned extension of commuter rail service to Ceres by 2026 could ease this.
Ceres at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
32.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
15.9%
Foreign-Born
27.8%
Broadband Internet
93.1%
of households
Population Growth
-1.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics27.8% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Ceres: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Ceres, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (67.3%), and 48.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
27.9%
of residents
65 and Older
11.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
43.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
16.0%
of households
Married Couples
52.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.49
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 19% below CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Ceres
In Ceres, rent runs 19% below the CA average, and home values are 42% below the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
50.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
31.1%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
104.1
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,665
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
64.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1986
median year built
Vacant Homes
3.3%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $447,899 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 3.1 pts above CA average
Unemployment in Ceres
Unemployment in Ceres is 3.1 percentage points higher than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Ceres Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute33.8 min avg
How Ceres residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Ceres, most residents drive alone to work (82%), and 61% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 26 mi
Stockton Metropolitan Airport (SCK)
Regional airport · few flights66k passengers boarded in 2025
- 55 mi
Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC)
Medium hub5.3M passengers boarded in 2025
- 77 mi
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Major hub26.3M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 14% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Ceres runs 14% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
374.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,518
per 100,000 residents
About average (1,552 national, 2025)
Ceres Police Department
Natural DisastersDrought most common — 6 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
96.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Stanislaus County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Stanislaus County, which includes Ceres, the most common type is drought, with 6 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | $20,000 |
| 2024 | 11 | Cold/Wind Chill | None reported |
| 2023 | 11 | Flood | $4,000 |
| 2022 | 19 | Drought | None reported |
| 2021 | 23 | Drought | $100,000 |
| 2020 | 4 | Wildfire | Not estimated |
| 2019 | 2 | Wildfire | None reported |
| 2018 | 5 | Heat | $20,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
220 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Stanislaus County, county-wide
Air Quality51 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Stanislaus County, which includes Ceres, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
51
Good Days
182
per year
Moderate Days
180
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Stanislaus County, county-wide
Climate93°F summers, 40°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Ceres has hot summers (avg high 93°F) and mild winters (avg low 40°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
75°/49°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
93°/61°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
78°/51°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
58°/40°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
12.3"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
90
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
12
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
53
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56°F | 39°F | 2.57" |
| Feb | 62°F | 42°F | 2.22" |
| Mar | 68°F | 45°F | 1.78" |
| Apr | 74°F | 48°F | 1.00" |
| May | 82°F | 54°F | 0.65" |
| Jun | 90°F | 59°F | 0.15" |
| Jul | 95°F | 63°F | 0.00" |
| Aug | 94°F | 62°F | 0.01" |
| Sep | 89°F | 59°F | 0.06" |
| Oct | 79°F | 52°F | 0.55" |
| Nov | 66°F | 43°F | 1.07" |
| Dec | 56°F | 39°F | 2.21" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Ceres
Uninsured
6.9%
of residents
No hospitals inside Ceres's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Stanislaus Surgical Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · 4.8 mi away · Modesto
Memorial Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.1 mi away · Modesto
Doctors Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.2 mi away · Modesto
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education22.2:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Ceres
Ceres's student/teacher ratio is 22.2:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 12.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
20
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
12.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
22.2:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Ceres (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 15,109 students · in-state tuition $1,276 · 29% graduate · median earnings $45,551 (10 yrs after entry)
California State University-Stanislaus
7.7 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 8,385 students · in-state tuition $8,690 · 71% graduate · median earnings $65,560 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site, 60 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Ceres
Ceres has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site (60 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site
National Historic Site
60 mi awayPort Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial
National Memorial
66 mi awayJohn Muir National Historic Site
National Historic Site
69 mi awayPinnacles National Park
National Park
77 mi awayRosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park
National Historical Park
79 mi awayYosemite National Park
National Park
79 mi awayAlcatraz Island
National Park Site
81 mi awaySan Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
National Historical Park
81 mi awayPublic Libraries in Ceres
Ceres Library
2250 Magnolia, Ceres
Cities Near Ceres
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Ceres?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Ceres FAQ
Is Ceres, California affordable?⌄
Ceres's median rent is $1,639/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $79,025/year. Median home value is $424,800.
Is Ceres, California safe?⌄
Ceres's violent crime rate was 374 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1518 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Ceres, California?⌄
Ceres has an unemployment rate of 8.6%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Ceres, California?⌄
The cost of living in Ceres is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,639/month and median household income is $79,025/year. The median home value is $424,800. About 50% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Ceres, California?⌄
The average commute in Ceres is 34 minutes, which is longer than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from