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CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Modesto

California · 164,730 residents · 43.4 sq mi
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The short version

With 164,730 people, Modesto is a city in California. The typical home is worth $129,000. Owners hold 58% of the housing stock. About 16% of adults have finished a four-year degree. The population has fallen 13% since 2000. Households earn $31,701 at the median, near the US median.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $30,130
Younger
median age 30.9
US median: 33.0
Less educated
16% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
Less affordable
home values up 37%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
164,730
−13%vs 2000
vs 188,856 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
30.9
−5%vs 2000
vs 32.7 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
43.4 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
159K176K192K208K225K19902000201020202024Modesto
2024219K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 59.1%(14,963)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 99.1%(15,042)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 147.9%(13,026)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 196.7%(11,069)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 246.7%(11,000)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3418%(29,610)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4415.6%(25,664)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 549.6%(15,795)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 646.8%(11,214)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 746.2%(10,224)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 843.3%(5,486)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1%(1,637)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$31,701
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $40,394 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$13,572
−24%vs 2000
vs $17,797 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
13.0%
−2.8 ptsvs 2000
vs 15.7% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$129,000
+37%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $123,800 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$517
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $639 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
58.5%
−0.2 ptsvs 2000
vs 58.7% in 2000
41.5% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic59.6%(112,466)
Black3.7%(7,013)
Hispanic / Latino25.6%(48,310)
Asian5.9%(11,084)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic80.7%(132,942)
Black2.6%(4,220)
Hispanic / Latino16.1%(26,442)
Asian7.8%(12,864)
Other8.9%(14,704)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican41%(89,832)
Central American1.8%(3,862)
Salvadoran1.1%(2,314)
Puerto Rican0.8%(1,658)
Spaniard0.4%(801)
Nicaraguan0.3%(587)
Guatemalan0.2%(523)
Peruvian0.2%(349)
Panamanian0.1%(237)
Cuban0.1%(204)
Honduran0.1%(201)
+ 6 more hispanic origin groups with data
Ecuadorian0.1%(130)
Colombian0%(84)
Chilean0%(63)
Bolivian0%(41)
Argentine0%(30)
Dominican0%(16)
Asian origin
Filipino1.7%(3,756)
Asian Indian1.4%(3,129)
Cambodian1.1%(2,357)
Kazakh1.1%(2,316)
Chinese0.8%(1,749)
Vietnamese0.5%(1,094)
Hmong0.2%(525)
Japanese0.2%(438)
Laotian0.1%(325)
Korean0.1%(231)
Pakistani0.1%(165)
Taiwanese0.1%(120)
+ 5 more asian origin groups with data
Mien0%(63)
Thai0%(35)
Burmese0%(9)
Pacific Islander origin
Fijian0.9%(2,023)
Guamanian0.3%(679)
Samoan0.2%(401)
Chamorro0.2%(396)
Tongan0%(66)
Ancestry
German6.8%(14,914)
Irish6.8%(14,877)
English6.8%(14,868)
Italian3.1%(6,829)
Portuguese2.8%(6,215)
American1.7%(3,830)
Scottish1.2%(2,639)
French1.2%(2,560)
Swedish1.1%(2,347)
Dutch1%(2,229)
Russian0.7%(1,634)
+ 46 more ancestry groups with data
Arab0.6%(1,416)
Norwegian0.6%(1,324)
Polish0.5%(1,187)
Danish0.4%(940)
Scotch-Irish0.4%(900)
Greek0.4%(899)
Ukrainian0.3%(741)
Welsh0.3%(739)
British0.3%(640)
Swiss0.3%(561)
Ethiopian0.2%(446)
West Indian0.2%(394)
Finnish0.2%(334)
Nigerian0.1%(318)
Palestinian0.1%(283)
Syrian0.1%(243)
Armenian0.1%(236)
Czech0.1%(214)
Iranian0.1%(206)
Lebanese0.1%(195)
Romanian0.1%(185)
Jamaican0.1%(183)
Croatian0.1%(181)
Hungarian0.1%(164)
Jordanian0.1%(152)
Slovak0.1%(150)
Canadian0%(95)
Turkish0%(82)
Iraqi0%(79)
Ghanaian0%(55)
Haitian0%(42)
Barbadian0%(36)
Israeli0%(31)
Latvian0%(28)
Austrian0%(27)
Serbian0%(26)
Belgian0%(24)
Brazilian0%(23)
Egyptian0%(20)
Bulgarian0%(15)
Kenyan0%(13)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
15.8%
−0.7 ptsvs 2000
vs 16.5% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
74.8%
−0.3 ptsvs 2000
vs 75.0% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
4.6%
−0.7 ptsvs 2000
vs 5.3% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
20.5 min
+16%vs 2000
vs 17.6 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married41.3%(34,803)
Married47.8%(40,241)
Widowed2.5%(2,103)
Divorced8.3%(7,024)
Women 15+
Never married34.1%(29,821)
Married44.8%(39,248)
Widowed8.8%(7,698)
Divorced12.3%(10,770)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
4.7%
−12.8 ptssince 2013
from 17.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
49.6%
+1.5 ptssince 2020
from 48.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
10.2%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 10.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
16.0%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 16.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
34.7%
−0.8 ptssince 2020
from 35.5% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.3%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 1.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
58.0%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 57.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
46.7%
−1.0 ptssince 2020
from 47.7% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)30.2%(2,304)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)13.6%(1,041)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era30.9%(2,359)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War4.9%(371)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.6%(122)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 7,639 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Modesto, California?

Modesto, California has about 164,730 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Modesto, California?

The typical household in Modesto, California earns about $31,701 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Modesto, California expensive?

In Modesto, California, the median home is worth about $129,000, and the typical rent is about $517 a month.

How educated are people in Modesto, California?

About 15.8% of adults age 25 and over in Modesto, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Modesto, California?

About 13.0% of people in Modesto, California live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →