Housing and tax tradeoff: Fresno, California
Fresno, California comes out ahead here on rent burden and rent. This only compares rent burden, rent, home price, and estimated state tax burden; it is not a total cost-of-living ranking.
Demand-Backed Comparison
Compare Fresno vs Modesto on cost, climate, safety, and daily life
People have logged this comparison 21 times on WhyThere. The cards open full city pages. The charts and matrix below are the fast side-by-side read on housing, climate, walkability, safety, schools, parks, and day-to-day tradeoffs.
FresnoModesto
What Stands Out
A quick read on this comparison
Deterministic summaries based on the data in view.
Biggest tradeoff: Fresno, California
Fresno, California is the sharpest split in this comparison: strong on affordability, weaker on safety.
Potential dealbreaker: Fresno, California
Fresno, California needs a closer look before you get too attached, especially on tax burden.
Comparison Matrix
| City | ||
|---|---|---|
| Route | ||
| General Info | ||
| Population | 520,052 | 211,266 |
| Population Density | 4.7k /sq mi | N/A |
| Center Elevation | 308 ft(94 m) | 92 ft(28 m) |
| Housing & Wealth | ||
| Median Home | $381,978 | $436,258 |
| Median Rent | $1,695 | $2,029 |
| Median Income | $63,001 | $73,375 |
| Rent Burden | 32% | 33% |
| Climate & Risks | ||
| Days with 5+ Hours of Sun | 343 days/yr | 335 days/yr |
| Avg. High | 79°F | 78°F |
| Avg. Low | 54°F | 52°F |
| Comfort Score | 63/100Good | 67/100Good |
| Temp Swing | 48°F | 45°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15"(38 cm) | 17"(43 cm) |
| Annual Snowfall | 0"(0 cm) | 0"(0 cm) |
| Air Quality | Typical: 502024 modeled avg · 62 days > 100 | Typical: 492024 modeled avg · 42 days > 100 |
| Infrastructure & Lifestyle | ||
| Transit Score | N/A | 59 |
| Safety Score | 53 / 100 | 56 / 100 |
| School Rating | 5.8/10 | 5.3/10 |
| Flood Risk (FEMA) | minimalMinimal Risk | minimalMinimal Risk |
| Central Tract Wildfire Risk | minimalMinimal | N/A |
| Internet Access | Fiber: 33%Cable: 94% | Fiber: 22%Cable: 95% |
| Demographics | ||
| Median Age | 32.1 years | 34.9 years |
| College Educated | 24% | 20% |
| Remote Workers | 9% | 7% |
| Nature Access | ||
| Local Nature & Reserves | Finding... | Finding... |
| Scouting & Local Help | ||
Housing and local helpA practical next step once someone starts picturing the move. | Featured Local Partner ADRealtor Realtor spot available For an agent, brokerage, or relocation team that can answer housing questions in Fresno. One featured slot per city | Featured Local Partner ADRealtor Realtor spot available For an agent, brokerage, or relocation team that can answer housing questions in Modesto. One featured slot per city |
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