Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Modesto vs Visalia

129 miles apart. The biggest differences: average commute (7 min in Visalia) and work in town (+13.2 pts in Visalia).

×
Modesto, CAHometown of 71 notable peopleCalifornia · 219,215 people
×
Visalia, CAHomes around $398KCalifornia · 143,939 people
Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

★ What stands out · Report cards

Visalia places higher on 15 of 22 CA lists

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.

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $230 more a month in Modesto

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.

Modesto$2,560/mo
Typical home $443K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.64% · or rent about $1,690/mo · Housing →
Visalia$2,330/mo
Typical home $398K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.74% · or rent about $1,490/mo · Housing →

The difference: $230 a month, about $2,700 a year, between Modesto and Visalia.

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
ModestoVisalia
Snow a year0″0″
January low42°F38°F
July high93°F94°F
Growing season (days)351d328d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)69th69th
Outdoors & history
ModestoVisalia
Conserved land5.4%4.3%
Settled18701874
National Register places44
Archive photos412
Famous people born here7156
Community
ModestoVisalia
Library hours a week78 hrs43 hrs
Colleges in town12
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

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

129 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Modesto ↔ Visalia129 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.

ModestoVisalia
People
Population 219,215Highest 143,939Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +8.6%Lowest CA: +6.1% +13.6%Highest CA: +6.1%
Median age 35.1±0.5Highest 7% below CA 33.9±0.6Lowest 11% below CA
Kids under 18 26.2%±0.9Lowest CA: 22% 27.9%±1.2Highest CA: 22%
Visalia and Modesto are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 14.4%±0.5Highest CA: 15.7% 13.5%±0.7Lowest CA: 15.7%
Modesto and Visalia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 21.2%Lowest CA: 37.1% 24.1%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.5%±0.5Lowest CA: 7.6% 6.8%±0.6Highest CA: 7.6%
Visalia and Modesto are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $79,891±$2kLowest 19% below CA $81,989±$3kHighest 17% below CA
Visalia and Modesto are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $442,700±$5kHighest 40% below CA $371,500±$9kLowest 49% below CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,690±$33Highest 17% below CA $1,490±$43Lowest 27% below CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,835Highest 45% below CA $2,741Lowest 47% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 57.4%±2.7Highest CA: 55.3% 50.2%±3.2Lowest CA: 55.3%
Below poverty line 13.3%Highest CA: 12% 11.5%Lowest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 58.9%Lowest CA: 55.9% 61.1%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1978Lowest 2 yrs newer than CA 1988Highest 12 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 30 minHighest 5% above CA 23 minLowest 20% below CA
Work from home 8.4%±1Highest CA: 17.2% 8%±1.1Lowest CA: 17.2%
Modesto and Visalia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 31.2%Lowest 44.4%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 11.8 miHighest 7.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.94Lowest 1.15Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Ceres (4%)Fresno (6%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in VisaliaFew work in Modesto
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 5.4%Highest 4.3%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 28.2 miHighest 16.1 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.6 miHighest 0.4 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 51Highest 41Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 119Highest 103Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #405 of 574 in CA#185 of 574 in CA
School district Yosemite ROP · Aspire Vanguard College Preparatory Academy DistrictVisalia Unified · Tulare County Office of Education
High school in town James C. Enochs HighRedwood High
Students per teacherat that high school 23.5Lowest 24.1Highest
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.

Modesto neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Modesto’s Town Square.

Visalia neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Visalia’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Modesto and Visalia

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Modesto

Towns like Modesto

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.

Post to Modesto

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in