Modesto vs Palmdale
The short version
- Modesto is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 8% lower than in the Palmdale area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $442,700 in Modesto and $471,000 in Palmdale.
- Palmdale has more scorching days: 118 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 90.
- Modesto is growing faster: +0.5% since 2020 vs -4.5%.
- Commutes are shorter in Modesto (30 vs 40 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Modesto, CA | Palmdale, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 219,652 | 161,845 |
| Growth since 2020 | +0.5% | -4.5% |
| People per square mile | 5,066 | 1,526 |
| Median age | 35.1 | 33.0 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21% | 17% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $79,891 | $81,770 |
| Median home value | $442,700 | $471,000 |
| Home value to income | 5.5× | 5.8× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,690 | $1,802 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 104.1 | 113.6 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 108.5 | 170.4 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $78,100 | $85,200 |
| Homeowners | 59% | 66% |
| Top state income tax | 13.3% | 13.3% |
| Combined sales tax | 9.03% | 9.03% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 30.2 | 39.9 |
| Work from home | 8% | 9% |
| Take public transit | 2% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 7.2% | 8.3% |
| Poverty rate | 13.3% | 15.7% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 56° / 39° | 60° / 35° |
| July high / low | 95° / 63° | 98° / 68° |
| Precipitation per year | 12 in | 7 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 90 | 118 |
| Nights below freezing | 12 | 38 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 3 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Very High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 96.9 | 100.0 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 50% | 11% |
| Home prices, past year | +2.8% | +1.2% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +25.8% | +31.9% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Modesto: March to May and October to November. Palmdale: April to May and October.
Full monthly tables: Modesto weather by month and Palmdale weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $78,100 in Modesto and $85,200 in Palmdale. Moving from Modesto to Palmdale, you would need about $81,800 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Modesto and Palmdale
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Modesto and Palmdale.
Which would you pick?
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