| Measure | ModestoCalifornia, United States Remove Modesto | Santa CruzCalifornia, United States Remove Santa Cruz |
|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||
| Overall score | 5.7 | 5.0 |
| Connector Score | 7.9 | 7.1 |
| Safety | 7.0 | 4.8 |
| Affordability | 6.0 | 1.3 |
| Transportation | 6.5 | 4.5 |
| Car-free friendliness | 5.5 | 3.5 |
| Walkability | 4.5 | 4.7 |
| Things to do | 5.4 | 5.6 |
| Food & dining | 4.5 | 4.4 |
| Places to stay | 6.0 | 5.4 |
| Nature & outdoors | 3.5 | 7.0 |
| Scenic value | 4.0 | 8.5 |
| Family friendliness | 4.9 | 5.0 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 5.2 | 4.6 |
| Nightlife | 4.3 | 3.8 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 5.2 | 4.5 |
| Road-trip convenience | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Train-trip convenience | 7.8 | 1.0 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||
| Budget | $103 | $180 |
| Mid-range | $150 | $283 |
| Luxury | $243 | $509 |
| Living there | ||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 105 | 170 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $1,500 | $2,771 |
| Population | 220K | 62K |
| Getting there | ||
| Accessible by | Drive Train | Drive |
| Car recommended | — | — |
| Travel time from Modesto | — | 1 h 45 min details |
| Character | ||
| Best for | — | Beaches |
| Known for | Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Live music | Beaches, Mountains & hiking, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Live music |
| When to go | Peak: Spring through fall and Yosemite summer… | Peak: Summer weekends and holidays are highes… |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.