RANK #685 / 996 · POP 552,063 · CA
PROJECTED GROWTH: +0.1%
Stanislaus County, situated in California's Central Valley, offers a blend of agricultural heritage and access to natural amenities. Modesto, the county seat, is known for its connection to car culture, as depicted in the film *American Graffiti*. The county is located east of the San Francisco Bay Area, serving as a bedroom community for those commuting to the eastern Bay Area. Commute options include regional transit services like StanRTA, which connects to Amtrak, Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) train stations, and BART stations in the Bay Area. Residents have access to outdoor recreation at Modesto Reservoir and Woodward Reservoir, offering camping, fishing, and boating. Frank Raines OHV Park and La Grange OHV Park provide opportunities for off-highway vehicle adventures, while numerous local parks offer picnic areas and sports fields.
Life in Stanislaus County often involves a mix of local community engagement and commutes to surrounding areas. The economy, historically rooted in agriculture, is diversifying with growth in commercial, industrial, and service sectors. Major investment is flowing into areas such as data centers, energy, industrial and logistics facilities, and infrastructure. The county's workforce has seen job growth in sectors like healthcare, private education, manufacturing, and transportation and warehousing. Educational institutions include California State University, Stanislaus in Turlock, and various K-12 school districts across the county.
Overvalued relative to economy
Prices declining
Above national median (13x)
Housing looks overvalued at 8.8x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. Climate and geography support a structural premium. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Public Works Capital Improvement Plan (Roads & Bridges)
Stanislaus County Public Works
|
$988M | Planned |
|
Amazon.com Services, LLC - OAK3 Data Center
Amazon.com Services, LLC
|
$500M | Operating |
|
Planned Battery Storage Portfolio (Oakdale, Geras, Saltgrass)
Various (e.g., CAISO interconnection queue projects)
|
$403M | Planned |
|
Proxima Solar Farm
Proxima Solar, LLC
|
$190M | Operating |
|
Crows Landing Industrial Business Park (CLIBP)
Stanislaus County
|
$75M | Under Construction |
|
Paulsell Solar Energy Center & Battery Storage
NextEra Energy Resources (for SFPUC CleanPowerSF)
|
$50M | Operating |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 996 counties.
Stanislaus County has a Boom Town Index score of 31/100, ranking #685 among 996 U.S. counties. With job growth at +1.1% and a median household income of $74,872, it faces some economic headwinds compared to faster-growing counties.
The median home value in Stanislaus County is $393,300 with median rent at $1,433/month. The income-to-home-value ratio is 0.1904, which is less affordable than the national average.
Population growth: +0.2% year-over-year. Job growth: +1.1%. Home values changed -0.9% in the past 12 months.
Yes — 2.69% of Stanislaus County's population moved from another state, which is above the national average and indicates strong in-migration.