Modesto, CA 115 Apartments for Rent

Ready for a move to Modesto? Centrally located in the Central Valley, Modesto is within a few hours of the Bay Area, Yosemite, Napa and Lake Tahoe. As California’s 17th largest city, you can have the urban living experience without the cost (or traffic) that comes with other major California cities.

What’s It Gunna Cost?

One of the best things about Modesto is that when compared to other California cities, rent here is cheap. Rents on one-bedroom apartments start in the low $500’s. In Modesto, landlords like to see that your income is 2.5 times your rent so do the math and keep those numbers in mind as you peruse listings.

What You’re Gunna Need

Like many other cities, landlords will expect to see employment & income verification in the form of pay stubs or bank statements. You may also need to provide a credit report, past rental references and up to two forms of identification.

The Modesto Market

It’s a slower one. What does this mean for you? There isn’t a whole lot of competition for apartments, and landlords don’t typically get multiple applicants for the same unit. That said, the best time to look for a new place is during the winter months when fewer people are on the hunt for rentals. Short term or month-to-month leases are common here, which is a nice change of pace from most other cities of Modesto’s size. Finally, because of the whole slow-market thing, the rental process doesn’t typically last more than two or three days, so if you’re in a hurry, good. You’ll be able to find an apartment and be moved in within a week.

Now, onto Modesto’s Choicest Hoods:

Central

Central Modesto includes the Sylvan/Coffee Neighborhood, Airport, and Downtown. Downtown is growing in development. There’s plenty of entertainment, shopping, and it’s home to The Gallo Center for the Arts and Theatre.

Northeast

Riverbank: Here you’ll find the Riverbank Community Theatre and the Rio Arts Center. This hood also plays host to the Riverbank Wine and Cheese Exhibition, which attracts many a wino and cheese-o.

Oakdale: Tons of fairs, festivals, and gatherings are available in Oakdale, the Cowboy Capital of the World. It’s also a great place for hiking, camping, water sports, snow sports, boating, fishing, and more due to its central location and proximity to both sand and snow. Oakdale is one of the better areas in Modesto.

Northwest

Ripon: This area in Northwest Modesto has a small town feel to it. Ripon also host series of events such as the Almond Blossom Festival, Taste of Rippon, Main Street Day and several others. This is also a great spot for outdoorsy people due to it’s proximity to Caswell State Park.

Salida: Here you’ll find Caswell Memorial State Park.

Eastside

Empire: Empire is a very agriculturally influenced area.

Waterford: This area leads to many great recreational areas such as Turlock Lake, Lake Don Pedro, Modesto Reservoir, Yosemite Park, and more. This agricultural community is known for their corn, almonds, peaches, walnuts, and apples.

Westside: A little more rural in character.

Southside: Within Southside you’ll find neighborhoods like Hughson, a very small agriculturally influenced community, Shackelford, and Ceres, which hosts several family events, fairs, car shows, and parades.