United States › California › Modesto CITY · 2020 ACS
Modesto California · 218,464 residents · 43.4 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
With 218,464 people, Modesto is a city in California. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 19% of adults. Households here earn about 21% less than in California as a whole. Owners hold 56% of the housing stock. The population is up 16% since 2000. The typical home is worth $300,700, having more than doubled since 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 36.3
US median: 38.8
Less educated
19% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 62%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 32.7 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
159K 176K 192K 208K 225K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Modesto Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $62,182
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $40,394 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $17,797 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 31.0% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 15.7% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Professional, scientific, technical 5.9%
Transportation & warehousing 3.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.2%
Public administration 1.9%
Arts, entertainment, food 1%
Education & health services 0.7%
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$300,700
+62%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $123,800 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$1,254
+31%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $639 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 58.7% in 2000
43.9% rent
from 2.96 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
from 6.2 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 59.6%(112,466)
Hispanic / Latino 25.6%(48,310)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 38.7%(84,592)
Hispanic / Latino 42.9%(93,733)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 6 more hispanic origin groups with data Asian origin
+ 2 more asian origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 40 more ancestry groups with data from 16.5% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 75.0% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 5.3% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 17.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 81.9% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 8.1% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 14.0% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 61.7% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 29.7% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 16.2% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 17.5% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 41.3%(34,803)
Women 15+
Never married 34.1%(29,821)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 17.5% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 20.3%(1,807)
Gulf War (1990s) 14.6%(1,296)
Share of the 8,882 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.
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Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Modesto, California? Modesto, California has about 218,464 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Modesto, California? The typical household in Modesto, California earns about $62,182 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 $300,700, and the typical rent is about $1,254 a month.
How educated are people in Modesto, California? About 19.3% 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 12.4% 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 53,734 residents, a change of about 33 percent over that period.
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