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Compare towns

Visalia vs Modesto

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

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Visalia, CAHomes around $398KCalifornia · 143,939 people
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Modesto, CAHometown of 71 notable peopleCalifornia · 219,215 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.

Visalia$2,330/mo
Typical home $398K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.74% · or rent about $1,490/mo · Housing →
Modesto$2,560/mo
Typical home $443K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.64% · or rent about $1,690/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
VisaliaModesto
Snow a year0″0″
January low38°F42°F
July high94°F93°F
Growing season (days)328d351d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)69th69th
Outdoors & history
VisaliaModesto
Conserved land4.3%5.4%
Settled18741870
National Register places44
Archive photos124
Famous people born here5671
Community
VisaliaModesto
Library hours a week43 hrs78 hrs
Colleges in town21
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.

Visalia ↔ Modesto129 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.

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

Visalia neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Visalia’s Town Square.

Modesto neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Modesto’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Visalia and Modesto

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Bordering Visalia

Towns like Visalia

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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