What it's like to live in Stockton
Stockton is a large city in California. The numbers below lay out what daily life there actually looks like.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Stockton deals with home prices well above the national average, unemployment above the national average, crime rates above the national average, and commute times longer than most cities.
The not so good
- High home prices
- Above-average unemployment
- Crime above national average
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- Low college degree attainment
How Stockton compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Stockton
Based on Stockton's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,154
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $63,080 a year
- 53% of Stockton renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$88,180
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $44,090
- 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▲ 12% above US
$1,577/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,577 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices run above average, with a median around $440,900. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $440,900 · 53% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 70% above US
7.3% unemployment
Unemployment here is 7.3%, well above the national average of 4.3%. Moving with a job already lined up matters more here.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 212% above US
1029 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 2320/100k · Stockton Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 22% above US
32 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 31.7 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 2.5 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 44% below US
20% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 20%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
104 public schools inside the boundary
There are 104 public schools inside the boundary and 10 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 23:1, above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site (40 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Nothing in Stockton's numbers stands out as a clear strength, and the main tradeoffs are home prices well above the national average and unemployment above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,577/mo) equals 24% 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 Stockton
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