| Measure | ModestoCalifornia, United States Remove Modesto | MontereyCalifornia, United States Remove Monterey |
|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||
| Overall score | 5.7 | 5.2 |
| Connector Score | 7.9 | 8.0 |
| Safety | 7.0 | 6.9 |
| Affordability | 6.0 | 1.7 |
| Transportation | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Car-free friendliness | 5.5 | 3.5 |
| Walkability | 4.5 | 3.8 |
| Things to do | 5.4 | 5.2 |
| Food & dining | 4.5 | 4.8 |
| Places to stay | 6.0 | 5.0 |
| Nature & outdoors | 3.5 | 5.0 |
| Scenic value | 4.0 | 6.8 |
| Family friendliness | 4.9 | 6.9 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 5.2 | 5.1 |
| Nightlife | 4.3 | 3.9 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 5.2 | 4.2 |
| Road-trip convenience | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Train-trip convenience | 7.8 | 1.0 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 1.5 | 6.5 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||
| Budget | $103 | $203 |
| Mid-range | $150 | $335 |
| Luxury | $243 | $825 |
| Living there | ||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 105 | 160 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $1,500 | $2,206 |
| Median home price | $450,000 | $1,154,000 |
| Population | 220K | 29K |
| Getting there | ||
| Accessible by | Drive Train | Drive Bus Airport |
| Car recommended | — | — |
| Travel time from Modesto | — | 2 h 5 min details |
| Character | ||
| Best for | — | Beaches, History |
| Known for | Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Live music | Beaches, Lakes & rivers, Historic sites, Food scene, Live music, Family & kids |
| When to go | Peak: Spring through fall and Yosemite summer… | Peak: Summer and Monterey Car Week in mid-Aug… |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.