Jobs, pay and daily life in Modesto, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click a state or a city. States: Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · District of Columbia · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Modesto is a city in California with 219,215 residents. The median household earns $79,891 a year and the median rent is $1,690 a month, which is 25.4% of the median household income. It is part of the Modesto, CA metropolitan area, where BLS counts 195,230 jobs.
Federal jobs in California (1,716) →State guide: CaliforniaCountry guide
There are 1,716 federal postings open in California (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in California →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 9,160 | 1.70 | $34,320 | $34,320 | $38,890 | -4% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 6,700 | 1.38 | $42,630 | $35,270 | $47,030 | +37% |
| Retail Salespersons | 5,140 | 1.05 | $37,430 | $35,170 | $49,260 | +6% |
| Cashiers | 4,890 | 1.26 | $36,490 | $34,870 | $48,780 | +11% |
| Registered Nurses | 4,850 | 1.14 | $132,590 | $102,770 | $197,800 | +36% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 4,810 | 1.30 | $46,630 | $36,330 | $62,240 | +16% |
| Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse | 4,120 | 12.36 | $37,850 | $35,300 | $53,680 | +6% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 4,080 | 1.15 | $41,320 | $35,900 | $58,860 | +11% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 3,510 | 1.36 | $58,330 | $38,530 | $78,030 | -1% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 3,470 | 1.95 | $47,990 | $37,760 | $58,650 | +30% |
| Office Clerks, General | 3,280 | 1.06 | $46,570 | $36,220 | $65,000 | +3% |
| General and Operations Managers | 2,790 | 0.63 | $104,330 | $54,280 | $225,020 | -1% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 2,670 | 0.96 | $41,230 | $35,470 | $59,350 | +12% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 2,450 | 1.40 | $101,640 | $64,670 | $128,290 | +59% |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | 2,350 | 2.42 | $55,810 | $38,870 | $63,330 | +20% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 2,140 | 0.75 | $34,910 | $34,320 | $61,390 | -1% |
| Substitute Teachers, Short-Term | 1,990 | 3.03 | $63,440 | $60,340 | $94,450 | +52% |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 1,900 | 1.42 | $101,890 | $78,440 | $127,340 | +41% |
| Medical Assistants | 1,870 | 1.82 | $49,990 | $38,830 | $78,080 | +9% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 1,830 | 0.86 | $55,140 | $39,530 | $70,170 | +16% |
These figures are for the whole Modesto, CA metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $50,610 (US $50,980); unemployment 6.6% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 23.2% |
| Manufacturing | 12.9% |
| Retail trade | 12.6% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 8.6% |
| Construction | 8.3% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 7.8% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 7.4% |
| Other services | 5.0% |
| Public administration | 4.4% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.6% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 1.9% |
| Information | 1.1% |
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 74.9% |
| Public transit | 1.6% |
| Walk | 1.1% |
| Work from home | 8.4% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 19.9% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $79,891 |
| Income per person | $35,523 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,690 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 25.4% |
| Median home value | $442,700 |
| Homeowners | 58.9% |
| Poverty rate | 13.3% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 104.1 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $50,610 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 13.30%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 35.1 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 82.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 21.2% |
| Born abroad | 19.1% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 61.5% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8.2 | 47 | 73 |
| Feb | 9.3 | 49 | 73 |
| Mar | 11.3 | 52 | 62 |
| Apr | 13.4 | 56 | 34 |
| May | 17.3 | 63 | 13 |
| Jun | 21.8 | 71 | 3 |
| Jul | 25.1 | 77 | 0 |
| Aug | 24.3 | 76 | 1 |
| Sep | 22.2 | 72 | 3 |
| Oct | 17.6 | 64 | 21 |
| Nov | 12.0 | 54 | 44 |
| Dec | 8.1 | 47 | 94 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stockton | CA | 29 mi | 324,980 | $78,627 | $1,635 |
| San Jose | CA | 50 mi | 997,395 | $148,226 | $2,674 |
| Fremont | CA | 52 mi | 228,295 | $181,506 | $2,933 |
| Santa Clara | CA | 56 mi | 130,256 | $178,958 | $3,016 |
| Elk Grove | CA | 58 mi | 179,155 | $125,924 | $2,262 |
| Sunnyvale | CA | 59 mi | 154,236 | $186,170 | $3,039 |
| Concord | CA | 59 mi | 124,035 | $108,709 | $2,274 |
| Hayward | CA | 60 mi | 158,801 | $113,318 | $2,391 |
| Oakland | CA | 67 mi | 443,575 | $102,235 | $2,008 |
| Sacramento | CA | 69 mi | 535,787 | $91,387 | $1,846 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
219,215 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,690 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 25.4% of the median household income.
$79,891 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
6.6% (BLS metro area 2026M09).
California. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.