Modesto, California Population 2024

It is one of the top farm production counties in California, with agricultural production including chickens, walnuts, almonds, and milk. The city has also been ranked as one of the most affordable cities in the nation.

Modesto Population Statistics

About 18.5% live below the federal poverty line. Another interesting fact is that about 32% of the population in Modesto is obese, which exceeds the state average of 22.7%.

Modesto Population Growth

Modesto has experienced growth in its population during almost every census. The exception was the period between 1890 and 1900 when a 15.7% loss was recorded. However, the city immediately bounced back, nearly doubling its population by the time of the 1910 census. While population growth was high through the 1990s, it has recently slowed. Estimates in 2016 show that the population at this time was 5.5% higher than the last recorded numbers in the 2010 census.

Modesto was originally founded as a railroad town in 1870. Its original name was to be Ralston after the man who financed the endeavor, but the man asked for it to be named something else. It was named “Modesto” after the man’s modesty. In Modesto’s earliest years, it had a population of over 1,000. Its agricultural land and the railroad made it a desirable place to live, so the population began to grow from the very beginning. By the time the 1900s rolled around, the population had more than quadrupled to over 4,500 residents.

The city has long had a history of agriculture and was a provider of many supplies during World War II, including canned goods and fresh eggs. Modesto’s county has been ranked sixth in terms of farm production. In 2011 alone, the county earned grossed over $3 billion in agricultural goods. The city is not just known for its agrarian goods but also for its architecture, which has been featured in the Museum of Modern Art publications multiple times. The city has also been ranked as one of the most affordable, although it is rated poorly in terms of job forecast growth.

Modesto is also a popular tourist destination, with people from all over the country coming to visit its museums, walk through its downtown streets, or to visit historical landmarks like the McHenry Mansion. Today, the city’s downtown area has been modernized to add new attractions and to create a tourist walk to showcase one of the original locations featured in the film, “American Graffiti.”