Modesto, California Population 2024

217,484

Modesto is a city located in Stanislaus County California. Modesto has a 2024 population of 217,484. It is also the county seat of Stanislaus County. Modesto is currently declining at a rate of -0.13% annually and its population has decreased by -0.54% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 218,654 in 2020.

The average household income in Modesto is $96,309 with a poverty rate of 13.8%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to - per month, and the median house value is -. The median age in Modesto is 34.9 years, 34 years for males, and 36 years for females.

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.”

Modesto Demographics

According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Modesto was:

  • White: 57.55%
  • Two or more races: 17.77%
  • Other race: 9.96%
  • Asian: 7.71%
  • Black or African American: 4.59%
  • Native American: 1.37%
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 1.05%
Land Area (mi²)
43.0 sq mi
Density (mi²)
5,060.50/sq mi
Growth Since 2020
-0.54% (-1,170)
The current population of Modesto, California is 217,484 based on our projections of the latest US Census estimates.The last official US Census in 2020 recorded the population at 218,654.

Modesto, California Population 2024

Population by Race

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Race
Population
Percentage (of total)
White125,63557.55%
Two or more races38,79217.77%
Other race21,7359.96%
Asian16,8297.71%
Black or African American10,0314.59%
Native American2,9971.37%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander2,2891.05%

White

Two or more races

Other race

Asian

Black or African American

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Modesto Population by Race

Modesto Population Pyramid 2024

Modesto Median Age

34.9

Total

34

Male

36

Female

Modesto Adults

There are 160,526 adults, (30,396 of whom are seniors) in Modesto.

Modesto Age Dependency

67.8

Age Dependency Ratio

23.4

Old Age Dependency Ratio

44.4

Child Dependency Ratio

Modesto Sex Ratio

Female111,40451.03%
Male106,90448.97%

Modesto Population by Age

Modesto Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

Household Type
Count
Average Size
Owner
Renter
All71,794357.742.3
Married33,6933.7470.429.6
Non Family20,8301.350.749.3
Female11,6103.683961
Male5,6613.4246.453.6

3.56

Average Family Size

3

Average Household Size

57.7%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Modesto Households and Families

Male

Female

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Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Modesto Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Modesto Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

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The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 92.07%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 32.86%.

Modesto Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

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$46,400

Average Earnings

$51,530

Average Male

$40,023

Average Female

Modesto Earnings by Educational Attainment

Modesto Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Modesto Language

62.6% of Modesto residents speak only English, while 37.4% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 26.97% of the population.

Modesto Language

Modesto Poverty by Race

rate

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Name
Total
In Poverty
Poverty Rate
Hispanic92,56815,48816.73%
White87,2849,44510.82%
Multiple38,3206,99818.26%
Asian16,8052,78116.55%
Other21,6672,59411.97%
Black9,9101,31913.31%
Native2,91043614.98%
Islander2,2631396.14%

13.8%

Overall Poverty Rate

12.36%

Male Poverty Rate

15.17%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Modesto

The race most likely to be in poverty in Modesto is Multiple, with 18.26% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Modesto is Islander, with 6.14% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 1.8%. Among those working part-time, it was 14.27%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 23.62%.

Modesto Poverty

rate

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Rate
Poverty
Less Than 9th Grade24.66%
High School12.89%
Some College10.42%
Bachelors or Greater4.39%

Modesto Poverty Rate by Education

rate

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Rate
Poverty
Female Unemployed35.16%
Male Unemployed22.34%
Female Employed5.5%
Male Employed5.1%

Modesto Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Modesto Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

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mean

median

Income by Household Type

Modesto Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

44.4%

Overall Marriage Rate

46.7%

Male Marriage Rate

42.3%

Female Marriage Rate

Modesto Married by Age and Sex

male

female

Modesto Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.

Modesto Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Modesto Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

8,302

Number of Veterans

7,452

Male Veterans

850

Female Veterans

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Modesto Veterans by War

count

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Modesto Veterans by Age

count

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Modesto Veterans by Race

Modesto Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

7.61%

Veteran Poverty Rate

33.62%

Veteran Disability Rate

Modesto Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

61.6%

Labor Force Participation

56.7%

Employment Rate

7.8%

Unemployment Rate

Modesto Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

Modesto Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

Modesto Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

69.27%

Born in Modesto

81.95%

Native Born

18.05%

Foreign Born

9.11%

Non Citizen

8.94%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

81.95% of Modesto residents were born in the United States, with 69.27% having been born in California. 9.11% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.

Modesto Place of Birth

Note: data after 2022 is projected based on recent change

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Year
Population
Growth
Growth Rate
2029216,021-293-0.14%
2028216,314-292-0.13%
2027216,606-293-0.14%
2026216,899-292-0.13%
2025217,191-293-0.13%
2024217,484-292-0.13%
2023217,776-293-0.13%
2022218,069-879-0.4%
2021218,9482940.13%
2020218,6543,6531.7%
2019215,0016050.28%
2018214,3961,2200.57%
2017213,1761,7530.83%
2016211,4232,0110.96%
2015209,4121,5310.74%
2014207,8811,6600.8%
2013206,2211,1310.55%
2012205,0909710.48%
2011204,1198410.41%
2010203,27800%
2000188,85624,12614.65%
1990164,73057,76754.01%
1980106,96345,25173.33%
197061,71225,12768.68%
196036,58519,196110.39%
195017,3891,0106.17%
194016,3792,53718.33%
193013,8424,60149.79%
19209,2415,207129.08%
19104,0342,01099.31%
19002,024-378-15.74%
18902,40270941.88%
18801,693-214,328-99.22%
showing: 33 rows

Modesto Population by Year