Caboose 2, 2009
Escalon’s story
128 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,763 in 1960, 7,472 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 2009 and 3 maps from 1915 on.
- 1898Escalon is settled
Photo: Gomez1209 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
7,394
2025 Census estimate · −1.1% since 2020
Typical home
$591K
+1.1% in a year
Household income
$81K
median
Median age
35.7
years
Jobs based here
1,968
A commuter town
TownGrade
C
#342 of 841 in CA
Is Escalon a good place to live?
Escalon is a solid, middle-of-the-road choice. It grades C overall, 342nd of 841 graded towns in California, with no subject far below average. Its best mark is schools: its schools outperform 59% of the state's. Expect to pay for it: homes are expensive, about $591K for a typical one and 6.4 times the Stockton metro’s $92K median household income. Escalon is more walkable than 89% of U.S. towns. Escalon’s midsummer high is 95°F, above both California’s towns (89°F) and U.S. towns (85°F).
What makes Escalon stand out
Where Escalon beats most towns.
A commuter town
90% of working residents leave Escalon for work
Where Escalon’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1,968jobs based in Escalon
10%of working residents work in town
19 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Escalon grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Escalon is from typical.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 12.4 of 20; 4% of households have no carAOpen →Cost of livingC−Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC−Open →SafetyC+Open →SchoolsBOpen →HealthOak Valley Hospital District 8 miles awayBOpen →Jobs & income$81K median household incomeB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0 miles of trailsC+Open →History4 notable people born hereC−Open →Civic life5.6 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 35.7; 17% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Escalon: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Escalon, and how to reach them.
PowerLathrop Irrigation DistrictEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Escalon water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet9 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpTown’s haulerGilton Solid Waste Management picks up at the curb for every homeTown site
Register to voteOnlineIn California you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereSan Joaquin Registrar of VotersSan Joaquin County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2020
ZIP code9532095320 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Escalon.
Escalon has a longer frost-free season than nearly all U.S. towns and has seen reported crime fall by a third or more.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
With only 0.6 jobs per working resident, most people in Escalon work out of town
For half of commuters, work is under 19 miles away. Escalon had 1,968 jobs in 2023, up 421 from 2013. The top destinations are Stockton (11%), Modesto (10%) and Manteca (5%). Its typical journey to work comes in at 24 minutes.
10%work in town
| Escalon | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 10% | 6.6% | 8% |
| Median household income | $81,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 8.8% | 10% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Escalon10%
Stockton11%
Modesto10%
Manteca5%
Sacramento3%
19 mi
median commute distance
1,968
jobs based in Escalon
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 89% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SchoolsB
Escalon’s grade for schools is a B
The public schools here belong to the Escalon Unified school district. The largest public high school is Escalon High, with 815 students. Two of its 5 schools are shown below, with the reason for each.
59%of CA districts it outscoresBSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dent ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 671 | B− |
| Escalon HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 815 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
Escalon faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
One declared disaster, in 2022, has brought federal aid to Escalon households. Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 72% of U.S. communities. FEMA puts 57% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 33% to earthquakes.
72risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakesDrought
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade C−
Escalon’s grade for cost of living is a C−
Escalon’s midpoint rent comes in at $1,724 a month. Homes locally are typically worth about $591,000, up 1.1% in a year, 22% below the California typical home. Among households locally, 72% own their home.
$591KZillow home value
| Escalon | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,724 a month | $1,898 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 72% | 64% | 73% |
Typical home value
Escalon$591K
California$762K
+1.1%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Expect mild winters and hot summers in Escalon
The Stockton Fire Stn 4 weather station, 23 miles away, records that the frost-free season runs about 305 days, longer than in 95% of U.S. towns. July afternoons average 94.7°, hotter than in 96% of U.S. towns; January nights average 39.2°.
In Escalon, the January low is 39°F. Snowfall is close to zero.
95°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter40–58°
Spring48–74°
Summer59–93°
Fall50–78°
Dec 5
typical first frost
Jan 31
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
95°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
SafetyC+
Escalon reports more crime per resident than 64% of U.S. towns
Reported crimes fell from 125 to 72 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
Within California, it does better than 65% of towns. Escalon’s property offense rate stands at 7.8 per 1,000 residents.
36%of U.S. towns report more crimeC+Safety Grade
| Escalon | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 7.8 per 1,000 residents | 13.4 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.9 per 1,000 residents | 2.9 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Escalon1.9
California4.4
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Escalon7.8
California18.2
U.S.15.5
36th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
65th
percentile among CA towns
14
violent crimes reported in 2025
58
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
HealthB
Escalon is healthier than 56% of U.S. towns
15% of Escalon adults report frequent physical distress. Among adults locally, 18% report frequent mental distress and 32% have obesity.
56%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade
| Escalon | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 72% | 72% | 79% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 17% | 17% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 29% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 36% | 33% |
32 measures vs. California
0 better26 too close to call6 worse
| What stands out | Escalon | CA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 6.6% | 5.1% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 8% | 6.4% |
| More smokers | 13% | 10.9% |
Oak Valley Hospital District
8 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
44th
percentile among CA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
2%conserved
2%
conserved · 30 of 1,496 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Hogan Park | — | 8 |
| 2. Sanchez Park | — | 4 |
| 3. Brentwood Park | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 66 attractions →Adventist Health Arena and 8 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Escalon. Close and well known come first.
20 mi Stadium & arenaAdventist Health Arena37 mi MuseumCastle Air Museum
21 mi MuseumHaggin Museum
34 mi MuseumRailtown 1897 State Historic Park
22 mi MuseumUSS Lucid
10 mi MuseumMcHenry MansionSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Adventist Health Arena: Christopher Bauer, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Haggin Museum: Bluelight999, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Railtown 1897 State Historic Park: Ed Bierman, CC BY 2.0 · USS Lucid: U.S. Navy photo, Public domain · McHenry Mansion: Rayana fazli at en.wikipedia, Public domain
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Escalon
20pages on Escalon
The big questions
SchoolsBBeat 59% of CA districts · 5 schoolsSafetyC+1.9 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthBBetter than CA on 0 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingC−$591K typical home · up 1.1% in a yearWork & commuteB−$81K median household income · 1,968 jobs hereNatural hazardsC−FEMA risk higher than 72% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Escalon
Modesto Junior CollegeCommunity college · Public · Modesto9.7 mi$1,282 in-state tuitionTeachers College of San JoaquinUniversity or college · Public · Stockton15 mi
About 3 of every 100 Escalon residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
Famous people from Escalon
4 notable people were born in Escalon.
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About Escalon
City in California, United States
Escalon (Spanish: Escalón, meaning "Step") is a city in San Joaquin County, California, United States. The population was 7,472 at the 2020 census, up from 7,132 at the 2010 census and 5,963 at the 2000 census. Escalon is a Spanish word meaning "stepping stones." Founder John Wheeler Jones is said to have come upon the name in a book in the Stockton Free Library and liked it so much that he gave it to the town.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1957
- Area
- 2.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 118 ft
- ZIP code
- 95320
- Area code
- 209
Questions about Escalon
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Escalon, CA a good place to live?
Escalon grades C overall, better than 34% of U.S. towns and #342 of 841 in California. It grades B for health, C+ for safety and B for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is Escalon, CA safe?
Within California, it does better than 65% of towns.
Is Escalon, CA expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.
What is Escalon, CA known for?
4 notable people were born here, including James Lew and Eric Holmes.