Yuba City receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Yuba City
Modesto
Opportunity
36 · Bottom 14%
vs34 · Bottom 12%
Growth
69 · Top 20%
vs58 · Top 38%
Climate
71 · Top 33%
vs77 · Top 13%
Physical resilience
18 · Bottom 7%
vs21 · Bottom 10%
Housing affordability
68 · Bottom 10%
vs61 · Bottom 6%
Access
85 · Top 33%
vs89 · Top 26%
Economic stability
60 · Top 38%
vs66 · Top 31%
Measured values
| Metric | Yuba City | Modesto | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 183,364 | 553,990 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $78,179 | $81,468 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,405 | $34,849 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 149/sq mi | 370/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $424,200 | $450,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,386 | $1,623 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.3% | 61.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 7.3% | 7.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.4% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.5% | 19.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.3% | 13.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 854 | 1,495 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.7 | 2.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 12.7% | 82.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 96°F | 95°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 39°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 20.1" | 12.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 32 mi | 26 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.5 min | 31.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.4 | 34.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Yuba City
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, wildfire.
Modesto
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, heat wave.
Full profiles: Yuba City, CA Metro Area · Modesto, CA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology