West ModestoCA
A town of 5,978.
Is West Modesto a good place to live?
West Modesto grades D− overall, 762nd among California's 841 graded towns, mostly because of health and schools. Residents are less healthy than 89% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. Its schools rank behind 75% of the state's. One bright spot: it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 66% of U.S. towns. West Modesto’s July high is 95°F, above both California’s towns (89°F) and U.S. towns (85°F). FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 94% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top.
99% of working residents leave West Modesto for work
Where West Modesto’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
How West Modesto grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far West Modesto is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Moving to West Modesto: who provides what
West Modesto is unincorporated, so Stanislaus County and regional agencies provide most services.
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 West Modesto.
West Modesto has hotter summers than nearly all U.S. towns, sends most of its workers to Modesto and beyond and has property taxes about half the California norm.
For health, West Modesto earns a D
33% of West Modesto adults say their health is fair or poor. West Modesto beats the California average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 20. 38% of West Modesto adults get no exercise outside work.
| West Modesto | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 22% | 19% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 24% | 25% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 16% | 14% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 9% | 8.1% |
| What stands out | West Modesto | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5% | 6.4% |
| More uninsured adults | 21.3% | 10.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Very high risk in West Modesto, with inland flooding at the top
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Most working residents commute out of West Modesto
West Modesto has 350 jobs for its 2,043 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out.
Most working residents leave West Modesto for work: only 1% work in town. West Modesto’s median household income is $61,000. Jobs based in West Modesto grew to 350 in 2023, 114 more than in 2013.
| West Modesto | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $61,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 31 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.2% | 6.6% | 8% |
| Work from home | 9.2% | 14% | 11% |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
In West Modesto, expect mild winters and hot summers
July afternoons average 94.6°, hotter than in 95% of U.S. towns; January nights average 39.1°.
West Modesto has mild winters and hot summers, with very little rain. The January low in West Modesto is 39°F. Snow is almost unheard of.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bellenita Park | — | 18 |
| 2. Paradise Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
A home in West Modesto sells for about $375K at the median
The median property tax bill is $1,709, against $5,124 across California, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
56% of households own their home in West Modesto.
| West Modesto | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 56% | 64% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,432 a month | $1,898 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Everything we know about West Modesto
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of West Modesto
About 5 of every 100 West Modesto residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
About West Modesto
Place in California, United States
West Modesto is a census-designated place (CDP) in Stanislaus County, California, United States. The population was 5,965 at the 2020 census, up from 5,682 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Modesto Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.0 sq mi
West Modesto’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with West Modesto.
| Town | CA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Modesto | #762 | D− | C | — | C | D |
| Modesto | #708 | D− | D | D | C | C |
| Riverdale Park | — | — | D | — | C | D |
Riverdale Park has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. West Modesto and Riverdale Park report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare West Modesto with a neighbor →
Questions about West Modesto
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is West Modesto, CA a good place to live?
West Modesto grades D− overall, better than 3% of U.S. towns and #762 of 841 in California. It grades D for health and C for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D−.
Is West Modesto, CA expensive?
The typical home is worth about $305,000, 60% below the California typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.