Modesto CA
California · Pop. 219,215
Modesto, CA: median household income of $79,891, median rent of $1,690/mo, 7.2% unemployment. Our verdict: It Depends.
Score Breakdown
Key Metrics
Median Income
$79,891
per year
Median Rent
$1,690
per month
Median Home
$443k
home value
Unemployment
7.2%
of labor force
Poverty Rate
13.3%
below poverty line
Avg. Commute
30 min
one way
City Reality Check honest
"Modesto, CA Reality Check"
In Modesto, the rent-to-income burden runs around 25% — refreshingly manageable by national standards. Median income sits at $79,891 and median rent is $1,690/month. A staggering 55% of renters here are housing-cost-burdened — spending 30% or more of their income just to keep a roof overhead. Median home value: $442,700 — that's 5.5× the median income. Employment picture: 7.20% unemployment — a average employment landscape. Poverty rate: 13.3%. Average commute: 30 minutes — acceptable. Violent crime: 48.1/100k avg monthly rate (5024 reported); Property crime: 174.1/100k avg monthly rate (18155 reported). Modesto was founded in 1870 — that's 156 years of history baked into the streets. The city covers 36.9 sq miles at 5,946 people/sq mile — moderately dense. Elevation: 292 ft — modest elevation. Modesto has 6 sister cities — cosmopolitan on paper, at least. RoastMyCity overall score: 56/100 — It Depends.
Local Context
Safety
/100Violent crime: 48.1/100k avg monthly rate (5024 reported); Property crime: 174.1/100k avg monthly rate (18155 reported).