Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every California ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety

C−CorningSafer than 15% of U.S. towns –West ModestoNot graded

Schools

C−CorningBetter than 17% of districts in the state –West ModestoNot graded

Health

CCorningHealthier than 26% of U.S. towns DWest ModestoHealthier than 11% of U.S. towns

10Corning

7West Modesto

Lists won, of 18 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Shortest commuteGetting around · 843 towns #48#581 Lowest depressionHealth · 844 towns #680#288 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 844 towns #802#587 Lowest obesityHealth · 844 towns #594#766 Cheapest rentCost of living · 830 towns #18#181 Most conserved landOutdoors · 777 towns #638#496 Most activeHealth · 844 towns #657#786 Fastest growingGrowth · 816 towns #267#389

Left end = #1 in California. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Corning’s rankings →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Down paymentRate%

Corning$1,710/mo

Typical home $300K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.55% · or rent about $961/mo · Housing →

West Modesto$1,740/mo

Typical home $305K (Census) · tax rate 0.56% · or rent about $1,432/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons

CorningWest Modesto

Snow a year0″0″

January low38°F 42°F

July high94°F 93°F

Growing season (days)279d 351d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)79th 94th

Outdoors & history

CorningWest Modesto

Trails3 mi 0 mi

Conserved land1.2%2.7%

Settled1907 —

National Register places1 —

Archive photos16 —

Famous people born here6 —

Community

CorningWest Modesto

Library hours a week29 hrs —

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined1 1

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

171 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

CorningCA West ModestoCA

Corning ↔ West Modesto171 miles apart

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Only big differences vs California average

CorningWest Modesto

People

Population 8,155Highest 5,978Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +7.6%Highest CA: +6.1% +5%Lowest CA: +6.1%

Median age 31.3±2.4Highest 17% below CA 31.2±4.2Lowest 18% below CA

Corning and West Modesto are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 31.7%±4.8Highest CA: 22% 29.3%±3.6Lowest CA: 22%

Corning and West Modesto are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 10.1%±2.6Highest CA: 15.7% 9.6%±2.8Lowest CA: 15.7%

Corning and West Modesto are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 14.5%Highest CA: 37.1% 9.7%Lowest CA: 37.1%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.9%±2.3Lowest CA: 7.6% 4.7%±2.3Highest CA: 7.6%

West Modesto and Corning are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $56,627±$9kLowest 43% below CA $61,440±$7kHighest 38% below CA

West Modesto and Corning are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $313,100±$22kHighest 57% below CA $304,700±$39kLowest 59% below CA

Corning and West Modesto are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $961±$182Lowest 53% below CA $1,432±$96Highest 30% below CA

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,729Highest 66% below CA $1,709Lowest 67% below CA

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 61.7%±12Highest CA: 55.3% 50.8%±15.4Lowest CA: 55.3%

Corning and West Modesto are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 17.9%Highest CA: 12% 12.4%Lowest CA: 12%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 52.2%Lowest CA: 55.9% 55.5%Highest CA: 55.9%

Typical home builtmedian year 1979Highest 3 yrs newer than CA 1953Lowest 23 yrs older than CA

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 18 minLowest 37% below CA 31 minHighest 7% above CA

Work from home 7%±3.7Lowest CA: 17.2% 9.2%±4.1Highest CA: 17.2%

West Modesto and Corning are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 14.7%Highest 1.2%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 21.3 miLowest 23.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.71Highest 0.17Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Chico (12%)Modesto (21%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in West ModestoFew work in Corning

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 1.2%Lowest 2.7%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 3.0 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.9 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Highest 2Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 81.6Highest 63.4Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #451 of 574 in CA—

School district Corning Union Elementary · Corning Union High—

High school in town Corning Union High—

Students per teacherat that high school 18.0 —

California average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024

Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Corning neighborsTown Square →

T Weaver · 1w

Best Coffee in Corning

1 neighbor in Corning can answer.

West Modesto neighborsTown Square →

T Weaver · 1w

Rainy Day Alternatives

1 neighbor in West Modesto can answer.

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Towns like Corning

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Waterford9,204 people · $402K homes

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Orland8,357 people · $342K homes

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks California towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

Corning vs West Modesto

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

Corning places higher on 10 of 18 CA lists

A typical home costs about the same each month

What daily life feels like in each

171 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Best Coffee in Corning

Rainy Day Alternatives

Set another town beside Corning and West Modesto

Towns like Corning

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