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Stockton vs Modesto

29 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (2.3× in Stockton).

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Stockton, CAA history townCalifornia · 322,326 people
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Modesto, CAHometown of 71 notable peopleCalifornia · 219,215 people
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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.

StocktonA history town
HistorySettled in 184917 places on the National Register College town4 collegesSan Joaquin Delta College SafetySafer than 4%of U.S. towns we grade All about Stockton →
ModestoHometown of 71 notable people
Famous people71 notable peopleborn in Modesto Outdoors#146 most walkable in CA28 miles of trails across 51 parks and preserves Housing$443K typical home42% below the CA typical home All about Modesto →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

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

Trails2.3×
Stockton has more miles of trail
Stockton 65.6 miModesto 28.2 mi
★ What stands out · Report cards

Stockton places higher on 13 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.

Safety
D−StocktonSafer than 4% of U.S. towns DModestoSafer than 12% of U.S. towns
Schools
C+StocktonBetter than 38% of districts in the state C−ModestoBetter than 20% of districts in the state
Health
C+StocktonHealthier than 36% of U.S. towns CModestoHealthier than 32% of U.S. towns
13Stockton
8Modesto

Lists won, of 22 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Lowest obesityHealth · 844 towns #550#696 Best schoolsSchools · 574 towns #308#405 Most trailsOutdoors · 677 towns #389#494 Most conserved landOutdoors · 777 towns #471#362 Most walkableOutdoors · 841 towns #254#146 Lowest depressionHealth · 844 towns #184#288 SafestSafety · 411 towns #397#352 Shortest commuteGetting around · 843 towns #626#543

Left end = #1 in California. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Stockton’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.

Stockton$2,500/mo
Typical home $427K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.72% · or rent about $1,577/mo · Housing →
Modesto$2,560/mo
Typical home $443K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.64% · or rent about $1,690/mo · Housing →

The difference: $60 a month, about $700 a year, between Modesto and Stockton.

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
StocktonModesto
Snow a year0″0″
January low39°F42°F
July high95°F93°F
Growing season (days)305d351d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)54th69th
Outdoors & history
StocktonModesto
Trails66 mi28 mi
Conserved land3%5.4%
Settled18491870
National Register places174
Archive photos244
Famous people born here4671
Community
StocktonModesto
Library hours a week48 hrs78 hrs
Colleges in town41
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

29 miles apart

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

StocktonModestoStocktonModesto
Stockton ↔ Modesto29 miles apart
Who commutes between them
2,393 Modesto residents work in Stockton (3% of its workers)
Work & commute in Modesto →
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.

StocktonModesto
People
Population 322,326Highest 219,215Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +10%Highest CA: +6.1% +8.6%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 33.9±0.5Lowest 11% below CA 35.1±0.5Highest 7% below CA
Kids under 18 26.7%±0.6Highest CA: 22% 26.2%±0.9Lowest CA: 22%
Stockton and Modesto are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 13%±0.5Lowest CA: 15.7% 14.4%±0.5Highest CA: 15.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 20%Lowest CA: 37.1% 21.2%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7%±0.4Highest CA: 7.6% 6.5%±0.5Lowest CA: 7.6%
Stockton and Modesto are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $79,907±$2kHighest 19% below CA $79,891±$2kLowest 19% below CA
Stockton and Modesto are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $440,900±$5kLowest 40% below CA $442,700±$5kHighest 40% below CA
Modesto and Stockton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,577±$34Lowest 23% below CA $1,690±$33Highest 17% below CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $3,174Highest 38% below CA $2,835Lowest 45% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 55.6%±2.8Lowest CA: 55.3% 57.4%±2.7Highest CA: 55.3%
Modesto and Stockton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 15.5%Highest CA: 12% 13.3%Lowest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 53.9%Lowest CA: 55.9% 58.9%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than CA 1978Lowest 2 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 32 minHighest 10% above CA 30 minLowest 5% above CA
Work from home 8%±0.7Lowest CA: 17.2% 8.4%±1Highest CA: 17.2%
Modesto and Stockton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 32.7%Highest 31.2%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 17.3 miHighest 11.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.88Lowest 0.94Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Lodi (4%)Ceres (4%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Modesto3% work in Stockton
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 3%Lowest 5.4%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 65.6 miHighest 28.2 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.0 miHighest 0.6 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 56Highest 51Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 97.9Lowest 119Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #308 of 574 in CA#405 of 574 in CA
School district San Joaquin County ROP · Stockton Collegiate International Secondary DistrictYosemite ROP · Aspire Vanguard College Preparatory Academy District
High school in town Lincoln HighJames C. Enochs High
Students per teacherat that high school 20.9Lowest 23.5Highest
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.

Stockton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Stockton’s Town Square.

Modesto neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Modesto’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Stockton

K
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Kennedy2,576 people · $355K homes
A
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August8,825 people · $296K homes
F
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French Camp3,264 people · $387K homes
G
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Garden Acres10,667 people · $336K homes

Towns like Stockton

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Riverside319,069 people · $585K homes
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Bakersfield411,986 people · $372K homes
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Oxnard200,928 people · $653K homes
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San Bernardino222,724 people · $422K homes

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.

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