Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Patterson grades D overall, ranked 603rd of 841 in California. In its favor, 2% of its land is conserved. Patterson’s average trip to work is 42 minutes, where California’s towns sit at 28 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Homes are expensive, about $502K for a typical one and 6.2 times the Modesto metro’s $81K median household income.
20,413 counted in 2010 and 23,781 in 2020; an estimated 26,587 in 2025.
Growth hasn’t slowed: 11.8% since 2020, after 16.5% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Patterson is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 694 in 1920, 23,781 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1921 and 4 maps from 1916 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Patterson, 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 Patterson.
Patterson has seen reported crime fall by a third or more, but it trails even towns with similar incomes on health and has commutes longer than most of California.
The median rent in Patterson is $1,655 a month. The typical Patterson home is worth about $503,000, down 1.3% in a year, 34% below the California typical home.
| Patterson | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,655 a month | $1,898 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 71% | 64% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Its public schools are run by the Patterson Joint Unified school district. Two of its 10 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creekside MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 7–8 | Grades 7–8 | 907 | – |
| Patterson HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,830 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
The average commute for its 9,206 working residents takes 41.6 minutes, against 28.7 across California. Jobs based here grew from 2,903 in 2013 to 6,854.
Most working residents leave Patterson for work: only 16% work in town. Jobs based in Patterson grew to 6,854 in 2023, 3,951 more than in 2013. The top destinations are Modesto (6%), San Jose (5%) and Livermore (5%).
| Patterson | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 16% | 6.6% | 8% |
| Median household income | $94,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 11% | 14% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Against the 9,490 U.S. towns with household incomes like Patterson’s, it is less healthy than 86%, so it trails even them.
Patterson beats the California average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 15. 70% of adults had a checkup this year in Patterson.
| Patterson | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 70% | 72% | 79% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 9% | 8.1% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 16% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 24% | 25% |
| What stands out | Patterson | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 4.8% | 6.4% |
| More uninsured adults | 16.1% | 10.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Patterson has mild winters and hot summers, with very little rain. Patterson’s July high is 94°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
| Patterson | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.4 miles per square mile | 1.0 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 1.8% | 4.3% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Floragold Park | — | 8 |
| 2. Felipe Garza Park | — | 5 |
| 3. Ambercot Park | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 60% of U.S. communities. Since 1983, 26 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Patterson.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Reported crimes fell from 364 to 268 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
Within California, it does better than 75% of towns.
| Patterson | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 8 per 1,000 residents | 13.4 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.3 per 1,000 residents | 2.9 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
1 within 15 miles of the center of Patterson
About 6 of every 100 Patterson residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
Where Patterson’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
City in California, United States
Patterson is a city in Stanislaus County, California, United States, located off Interstate 5. It is 27 miles (43 km) southeast of Tracy and is part of the Modesto Metropolitan Statistical Area. Patterson is known as the "Apricot Capital of the World" and holds an annual Apricot Fiesta to celebrate with many drinks, food, desserts and games. The population was 23,781 at the 2020 Census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Patterson grades D overall, better than 11% of U.S. towns and #603 of 841 in California. It grades C for health, B− for safety and C+ for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.
Within California, it does better than 75% of towns.
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.