Photo: OsotedeMonte · CC BY 3.0Living in Modesto, CA: what to set up and who to call
Modesto runs its own electric utility, Modesto Irrigation District; its homes paid 23.0¢ per kWh in 2025. The City of Modesto water system has a clean five-year EPA record, but its latest lead result, 12.0 ppb, was higher than 98% of similar systems’ (the action level is 15).
I’m new in town
What to set up in Modesto, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.
Power, water and internet
Who to call to start service at a new address in Modesto.
Power comes from Modesto Irrigation District
Modesto Irrigation District (Modesto Irrigation District), a political subdivision utility, serves 94.7% of Modesto residents. Its homes paid an average of 23.0¢ per kWh in 2025, about $173 a month (its average across California).
Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.
Water comes from City of Modesto water system
The City of Modesto water system supplies Modesto: about 53% of residents live in its service area. About 47% of homes are outside any mapped community water system, most likely on private wells, which EPA doesn’t regulate. It buys treated surface water (EPA lists Modesto Irrigation District as seller) and serves 218,771 people in all.
No health-based violations reported to EPA in the five years to October 2026, like 86% of the 332 systems serving 100,001–250,000 people.
The latest lead result on file, the 90th percentile of homes sampled in Jan 2025–Dec 2027, was 12.0 ppb, below the 15 ppb action level that applied. That’s higher than 98% of similar systems’ latest results.
The system’s full record: EPA ECHO report
EPA SDWIS via Envirofacts (violations pulled Oct 9, 2026) and ECHO (lead samples, 2026Q3); service area: EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3.0. Violations are counted by the start of their compliance period. CA5010010.
8 home internet providers serve Modesto
100% of 62,553 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 26% can get fiber.
| Provider | Technology | Addresses | Fastest (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xfinity | Cable | 100% | 2,000/250 |
| AT&T | DSL, Fixed wireless, Fiber | 89% | 5,000/5,000 |
| unWired Broadband | Fixed wireless | 100% | 400/50 |
| Cal.net | Fixed wireless | 99% | 100/20 |
| Verizon | Fixed wireless | 62% | 300/20 |
| T-Mobile | Fixed wireless | 60% | 100/20 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
Trash day in Modesto depends on your street
Pickup days, the drop-off and recycling in Modesto, from the town’s own site.
Your pickup week
- TrashEvery week, on your street’s dayLook up your day on modestogov.com
- RecyclingEvery other week, day by addressCheck which week on modestogov.com →
When a holiday falls on a weekday, pickup slides one day later for the rest of that week.
Modesto Compost Facility
7001 Jennings Road, Modesto, CA 95358
Mattress Recycling Facility
610 South Conejo Avenue, Modesto, CA 95354
From modestogov.com, the town’s official site, checked Oct 21, 2026; pages dated 2026-09-27. Rules change: the town’s page is the last word. .
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
Modesto is in Modesto City High School District; parts are in Modesto City Elementary School District (38%) and Sylvan Union Elementary School District (23%) and Stanislaus Union Elementary School District (10%) and Ceres Unified School District (8%) and Turlock Unified School District (9-12) (6%) and Chatom Union Elementary School District (6%) and Empire Union Elementary School District (6%) and Salida Union Elementary School District (2%).
CSchool gradeSee Schools →U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.
Town hall and registering to vote
Who to call, and how to register.
Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Jul 2025; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Modesto spans 7 ZIP codes
ZIP codes where Modesto residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of Modesto | ZIP’s residents in Modesto |
|---|---|---|---|
| 95355 | Modesto, CA | 28% | 99% |
| 95350 | Modesto, CA | 25% | 100% |
| 95356 | Modesto, CA | 14% | 91% |
| 95354 | Modesto, CA | 11% | 94% |
| 95351 | Modesto, CA | 11% | 50% |
| 95358 | Modesto, CA | 7% | 47% |
| 95357 | Modesto, CA | 3% | 56% |
95352, 95353, 95397 are P.O. box or single-organization ZIPs with no homes.
Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.
Getting around, the ER and the library
One line each; the subject pages have the rest.
Train: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors). ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.
Questions about living in Modesto
Who supplies Modesto’s drinking water, and has it had violations?
The City of Modesto water system (EPA ID CA5010010). It reported no health-based violations to EPA in the five years to October 2026; 86% of systems its size had none. Its latest lead 90th percentile was 12.0 ppb (Jan 2025–Dec 2027), against a 15 ppb action level.
Who provides electricity in Modesto?
Modesto Irrigation District (Modesto Irrigation District), a political subdivision utility. Its homes paid about 23.0¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).
What internet providers serve Modesto?
Xfinity, AT&T, unWired Broadband, Cal.net, Verizon, T-Mobile (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in Modesto?
95355 (28%), 95350 (25%), 95356 (14%), 95354 (11%), 95351 (11%), 95358 (7%), 95357 (3%), by share of residents. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is Modesto in?
Modesto City High School District. Parts of the city are in Modesto City Elementary School District and Sylvan Union Elementary School District and Stanislaus Union Elementary School District and Ceres Unified School District and Turlock Unified School District (9-12) and Chatom Union Elementary School District and Empire Union Elementary School District and Salida Union Elementary School District.
How do I register to vote in Modesto?
In 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). Elections here are run by the Stanislaus County Clerk, Registrar of Voters. Check your registration at voterstatus.sos.ca.gov.
Sources & dates
Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.
- Water: EPA SDWIS (Envirofacts, pulled Oct 9, 2026), ECHO SDWA 2026Q3, EPA CWS Service Area Boundaries v3.0.
- Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
- Trash: Modesto’s own website (modestogov.com), read Oct 21, 2026, pickup and drop-off facts extracted and checked against the page they came from.
- ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
- Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
- Registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
- Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.