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CITY · 2000 CENSUS

Modesto

California · 188,856 residents · 43.4 sq mi
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The short version

With 188,856 people, Modesto is a city in California. About 16% of adults have finished a four-year degree. 59% of homes are owner-occupied. That trails the California median by roughly 15%. The population is up 15% since 1990. 15.7% of locals live below the federal poverty line.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Younger
median age 32.7
US median: 35.2
Less educated
16% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
More affordable
home values down 27%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
188,856
+15%since 1990
from 164,730 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Median age
32.7
+6%since 1990
from 30.9 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
43.4 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
159K176K192K208K225K19902000201020202024Modesto
2024219K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 57.6%(14,335)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 98.6%(16,303)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 148.8%(16,556)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 198.1%(15,264)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 246.6%(12,435)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3413.5%(25,421)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4415.5%(29,185)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5412.8%(24,117)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 647.6%(14,278)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 745.6%(10,568)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 844%(7,598)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1.5%(2,796)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$40,394
−3%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $31,701 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$17,797
+31%since 1990
from $13,572 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
15.7%
+2.8 ptssince 1990
from 13.0% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$123,800
−27%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $129,000 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$639
−6%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $517 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
58.7%
+0.2 ptssince 1990
from 58.5% in 1990
41.3% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

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

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
16.5%
+0.7 ptssince 1990
from 15.8% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
75.0%
+0.3 ptssince 1990
from 74.8% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
5.3%
+0.7 ptssince 1990
from 4.6% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
17.6 min
−14%since 1990
from 20.5 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married28.6%(19,180)
Married58.7%(39,376)
Widowed2.4%(1,616)
Divorced10.3%(6,908)
Women 15+
Never married23%(17,182)
Married53.9%(40,285)
Widowed10%(7,488)
Divorced13.2%(9,853)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
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
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Modesto to nearby cities

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MODESTO VS
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MODESTO VS
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MODESTO VS
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Modesto, California?

Modesto, California has about 188,856 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Modesto, California?

The typical household in Modesto, California earns about $40,394 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 $123,800, and the typical rent is about $639 a month.

How educated are people in Modesto, California?

About 16.5% 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 15.7% of people in Modesto, California live below the federal poverty line.

Has Modesto, California grown since 1990?

Yes, Modesto, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 24,126 residents, a change of about 15 percent over that period.

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

How we source and harmonize this data →