Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Modesto earns a D−, 708th among California's 841 graded towns, mostly because of safety. It reports more crime per resident than 89% of U.S. towns, including 1,287 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025. What it does well: it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 88% of U.S. towns. 31% of working residents work locally in Modesto, against 6.6% in California’s towns and 8% across U.S. towns. Modesto is home to Modesto Junior College. Modesto's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 92% of U.S. towns.
Where Modesto beats most towns.
| College | Students |
|---|---|
| Modesto Junior College | 10,825 |
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Modesto is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 1,693 in 1880, 218,464 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 1875 and 4 maps from 1939 on.
4 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Modesto, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Modesto.
Modesto has hotter summers than nearly all U.S. towns and has seen reported crime fall beyond ordinary swings.
Reported crimes fell from 6,263 to 5,349 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
The violent crime rate in Modesto is 5.8 per 1,000 residents. Modesto reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 89% report less. The property crime rate in Modesto is 18.4 per 1,000 residents.
| Modesto | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 5.8 per 1,000 residents | 2.9 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 18.4 per 1,000 residents | 13.3 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Three of its 66 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth Ustach MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 1,016 | C− |
| James C. Enochs HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 2,304 | A− |
| Sonoma ElementaryTop results in townGrades K–6 | Grades K–6 | 536 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
The typical Modesto home is worth about $440,000, about the same as a year ago, 42% below the California typical home. Modesto’s median rent is $1,690 a month.
| Modesto | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 59% | 64% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,690 a month | $1,898 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | 57% | 55% | 48% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Modesto beats the California average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 16. 30% of adults get no exercise outside work in Modesto.
| Modesto | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 24% | 25% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 72% | 72% | 79% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 22% | 19% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 16% | 14% |
| What stands out | Modesto | CA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with obesity | 36.2% | 27.8% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 9.4% | 7.3% |
| More smokers | 13.7% | 10.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
28 miles of trail in 51 parks and preserves. The biggest place to walk is Tuolumne River Regional Park, 149 acres with 3.4 miles of trail.
| Modesto | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.6 miles per square mile | 1.0 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 5.4% | 4.2% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Tuolumne River Regional Park | 3.4 mi | 149 |
| 2. Davis Community Park | 0.9 mi | 20 |
| 3. Beyer Park | 0.6 mi | 20 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 69% of U.S. communities. Since 1982, 41 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Modesto.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
July afternoons average 94.6°, hotter than in 95% of U.S. towns; January nights average 39.1°.
Modesto has mild winters and hot summers, with very little rain. Snow is almost unheard of.
| Modesto | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 95°F | 89°F | 85°F |
| January low | 39°F | 41°F | 22°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
About one in 3 of Modesto’s working residents works in town. Jobs based in Modesto grew to 75,538 in 2023, 7,228 more than in 2013. 13% of Modesto residents live below the poverty line.
| Modesto | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 30 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 8.4% | 14% | 11% |
| Below the poverty line | 13% | 10% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $80,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
2 within 15 miles of the center of Modesto
About 7 of every 100 Modesto residents are enrolled in college, about the same as California.
4 places in Modesto on the National Register of Historic Places.
65 notable people were born in Modesto.
City in California, United States
Modesto ( mə-DESS-toh; Spanish pronunciation: [moˈðesto]; Spanish for "modest") is the county seat of and the largest city in Stanislaus County, California, United States. With a population of 218,069 according to 2022 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, it is the 19th-most populous city in California. Modesto is located in the Central Valley region, 68 miles (109 km) south of Sacramento and 90 miles (140 km) north of Fresno. Distances from other places include: 40 miles (64 km) north of Merced, California, 92 miles (148 km) east of San Francisco, 66 miles (106 km) west of Yosemite National Park, and 24 miles (39 km) south of Stockton. The city, in the San Joaquin Valley, is surrounded by rich fa…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
7 towns share a border with Modesto.
| Town | CA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modesto | #708 | D− | D | D | C | C |
| West Modesto | #762 | D− | C | — | C | D |
| Airport | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Empire | #806 | D− | C+ | — | C+ | D |
| Bystrom | #778 | D− | C | — | C | D− |
| Riverdale Park | — | — | D | — | C | D |
| Parklawn | — | — | D | — | C+ | D− |
| Salida | #453 | C− | D− | — | B− | B |
Riverdale Park and Parklawn have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. West Modesto, Empire, Bystrom, Riverdale Park, Parklawn and Salida report no FBI crime data of their own. Airport isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Modesto with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Modesto grades D− overall, better than 5% of U.S. towns and #708 of 841 in California. It grades C for health, D for safety and C for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.
65 notable people were born here, including George Lucas and Mark Spitz.
