Moving to Modesto is something a number of people do each year, for a variety of reasons. We did some research and created this article for you to help make the decision, if you are thinking of moving there. How big is Modesto? Modesto has a population of about 200,000, so it is a medium-size city. About two-thirds of the population is Caucasian, with about 25% Hispanic, and the rest is Asian or African-American. What is the cost of housing? In Modesto, the median home value is $264,900 and the average rent is about $1,100. Modesto has some condos for less than $200,000 and a number of mobile homes for less than $100,000. It might also be possible to find some undeveloped land to build a custom home on. For renters, there are options which are cheaper than $1100, like small studio apartments and shared living situations. If you are open to renting a room in a home, the rent could be less than $700 a month. Moving to Modesto is something that would probably appeal to people who are looking for more affordable housing, or much more. If the median home price in San Francisco is about $1.5 million, moving to Modesto might be a good choice for someone who wanted to buy a home for the first time, and build up some equity. How are the schools? According to Great Schools, the public schools in Modesto are about average. For adults, there are a number of options available locally or close by: Modesto Junior College Community Business College Humphreys College Cal-State Stanislaus in Turlock grants 4-year degrees. If you are willing to drive a bit further, the University of the Pacific in Stockton and the University of California, Merced are within striking distance. How are the jobs? One of Modesto’s top employers is a winery, which is not surprising because agriculture is a prominent economic player locally. Here are some of the largest employers: Modesto Junior College City of Modesto Sutter Gould Medical Foundation Walmart Sylvan Union School District Modesto Irrigation District E & J Gallo Winery Memorial Medical Center Modesto City Schools Doctors Medical Center Kaiser Permanente How is the food? If you like a range of food types, the eateries in Modesto probably won’t disappoint you. Here are some of the top-rated ones: Crave Cafe Poke Bowl Dan’s BBQ Oishi Teri Sushi Bar Taqueria Cardenas Lulas Neighborhood Grill Raw Sushi Bistro Vegan Donut Gelato Redwood Cafe Commonwealth El Capitan Mariscos & Taqueria Surla’s Dewz Bauhaus Bauer’s 66 1/2 Pasta’s Pronto Crawfish Noodle & Grill Lanxang Kitchen Brighter Side Papachino’s Thailand Rest. Chefs of New York Picassos Gourmet Deli Famiglia Bistro Ristorante Ciao Bella Ristorante Beirut Falafel Hut Le Saigon Michael’s Pizza Bar and Grill Modesto Sukiyaki Churchkey Divine Swine Camp 4 Wine Cafe Skewers Kabob House Barkin’ Dog Grill Me Mo’s Middle Eastern Cuisine Saigon One Ohana Hawaiian BBQ Ralston’s Goat Super Gyros Phoenix Noodle House Saibadee Restaurant Kimoto Sake and Sushi Dynasty Garden. Some of the top-rated grocery stores are: Sprouts O’Briens Market WinCo Foods Raley’s Trader Joe’s Grocery Outlet The Market at La Comisaria Cost Less Food Company Cornucopia Natural Foods Downtown Market O’Briens Market Save Market Sam’s Market Village Health Foods Asian Market FoodMaxx Babylon Market Indian Grocery and Chaat Hong Heng Market Smart and Final Angelita’s Carniceria Market. How are the parks? Modesto has quite a few parks–this list is just some of them: Dry Creek Regional Park Davis Community Park Graceada Park Freedom Park Sanders Park Catherine Everett Park Jacob Myers Park McKinney Colony Park Woodrow Park Moose Park Mary Grogan Community Park Cawell Memorial State Park Beyer Park Modesto Dog Park Whitmore Park Virginia Corridor Trailway Elk Park Coffee-Claratina Park St. Salazar Park Stockard Coffee Park It is to be expected that a city the size of Modesto would have some parks, but the true appeal of moving to Modesto (other than the affordable housing) might be the proximity to places like Yosemite National Park. If you have your own vehicle, you can drive to Yosemite in about 2 hours, but the point of living so much closer than the Bay Area is not only the shorter driving time. Because it is more convenient to go there, you may visit many more times. (King’s Canyon is also somewhat close– about a 2.5-hour drive.) Additionally, there may be very small places in that general area you might visit like Coulterville, LaGrange, and Groveland. There are places east of Yosemite which will be more accessible too, like Mono Lake and Bishop. Some people prefer the eastern Sierra because it is less crowded. There are other less visited places to experience too, like Lodi and Sonora, which are about an hour or less by car. How is the entertainment? Modesto might not spring to mind as a cultural center, but it has its own symphony and opera. Live music such as rock and blues is available too, at a number of venues like bars and lounges. If you want live music in a more formal setting, the State Theatre has a number of performances each year. (Independent films are shown here too.) The Gallo Center for the Arts also puts on various live music shows each year. So, Modesto’s musical offerings might surprise those who are unaware of what is provided each year. For movies, there are also theaters with the standard mainstream offerings. Are there centers of worship? In a city with 200,000 residents, it is typical to find many churches, and Modesto is no exception. Here are some of the churches: St. Stanislaus Church Orangeburg Ave Baptist Church Modesto Vineyard Church Grace Worship Center One Church: Bethel Campus St. Joesph’s Catholic Church Big Valley Grace Community Church Redeemer Modesto New Life Christian Center There is also a Buddhist organization in Modesto — Watt Cambodian Buddhist Association. A synagogue, Congregation Beth Shalom, is also available. If you are Muslim, there is an Islamic Center as well. Finally, but of no less significance, there is a Hindu temple — Shree Ram Mandir. Are there storage facilities? Yes, we have a storage facility in Modesto, so if you need storage, please contact us. What is near Modesto? Monterey, 122 miles Fresno, 96 miles San Francisco, 91 miles San Jose, 89 miles Sacramento, 75 miles So, after reading this article. Are you still interested in moving to Modesto? Image Credit: Public domain