What it's like to live in Modesto
Modesto is a large city in California. The numbers below lay out what daily life there actually looks like.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Modesto deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, unemployment above the national average, and crime rates above the national average.
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average unemployment
- Crime above national average
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
How Modesto compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Modesto
Based on Modesto's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,380
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $67,600 a year
- 55% of Modesto renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$88,540
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $44,270
- Homes cost 5.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 20% above US
$1,690/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,690 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices run above average, with a median around $442,700. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $442,700 · 55% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 56% above US
6.7% unemployment
Unemployment here is 6.7%, well above the national average of 4.3%. Moving with a job already lined up matters more here.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 78% above US
587 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 1899/100k · Modesto Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 16% above US
30 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 30.2 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 8% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 93°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 40°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
3 hospitals
There are 3 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 2.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 41% below US
21% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 21%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
60 public schools inside the boundary
There are 60 public schools inside the boundary and 5 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 22:1, above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site (57 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Nothing in Modesto's numbers stands out as a clear strength, and the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,690/mo) equals 25% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It may be a harder fit for anyone moving without a job lined up and anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Modesto
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