It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always.
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting the historic Modesto Arch gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Modesto, CA is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
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Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting Moose Park with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local Dewz Restaurant or visit McHenry Mansion Visitors Center, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in Modesto, CA, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Modesto, CA understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Modesto, CA 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
All of the money is finally in hand to replace the Seventh Street Bridge in Modesto, a once-grand structure that is barely drivable today.The California Transportation Commission voted unanimously Friday, June 27, to approve a $15 million grant. Federal and local sources bring the total to $134 million for this new crossing of the Tuolumne River.It is expected to be ready in early 2028, said an email from David Leamon, director of Stanislaus County Public Works. The old bridge will remain open during early construction phases, ...
All of the money is finally in hand to replace the Seventh Street Bridge in Modesto, a once-grand structure that is barely drivable today.
The California Transportation Commission voted unanimously Friday, June 27, to approve a $15 million grant. Federal and local sources bring the total to $134 million for this new crossing of the Tuolumne River.
It is expected to be ready in early 2028, said an email from David Leamon, director of Stanislaus County Public Works. The old bridge will remain open during early construction phases, then close for good in spring 2026.
The replacement will have two vehicle lanes each way, vs. one now. The west side will feature a bicycle path down into Tuolumne River Regional Park. The east side will have a sidewalk wide enough for wheelchairs, which is lacking now.
The current bridge was completed in 1916 in the Beaux Arts style of architecture. It was an early example of the “cantilevered concrete” technique, with steel trusses covered in concrete, according to the project website.
This surface began crumbling early, prompting the first speed and weight limits in the 1930s. They were tightened in the 1960s and again in the 1970s. Today, the bridge is off-limits to semi-trucks and other vehicles over 4,000 pounds. The top speed for everyone else is 25 mph to avoid vibrations that could do further damage.
It just might be the worst bridge in the state, said Jose Luis Caceres, director of programming and program delivery at the Stanislaus Council of Governments. He was speaking to the state commission, which met in Sacramento and over Zoom.
“You can’t drive an ambulance over this bridge,” Caceres said. “If someone needs help over there, you have to take the long way around to help them, and then the long way back to take them to the hospital.”
The project will ease Seventh Street’s link to Crows Landing Road, now an awkward Y-shaped junction. The latter route serves south Modesto neighborhoods as well as local and long-haul truckers.
The bridge’s north end will connect with an improved intersection at B Street and Tuolumne Boulevard, including the freight railroad crossing. It is just inside the city of Modesto, a partner on the project with StanCOG and the county.
A federal bridge program is paying about $92 million of the cost. The $15 million from the state will go toward the intersection upgrades at each end. It is from the Local Partnership Program, which rewards cities and counties with their own transportation taxes. Measure L, passed by Stanislaus voters in 2016, covers most of the remaining costs.
The bridge will stretch 1,238 feet across the main Tuolumne channel and its floodplain. It will have concrete box girders atop seven footings, meaning less fishery disturbance than the current bridge’s 14 footings.
That part of the river park is little-used, but the new bridge will come with a pedestrian plaza on the north end. This is the Gateway portion of the seven-mile park and someday could draw many pedestrians and bicyclists from downtown.
Two lion statues have stood at each end of the bridge since the beginning. They, too, have suffered from concrete sloughing, but they will be preserved at the urging of local fans. Two will be refurbished and placed at the pedestrian plaza. The others will be taken to the county Public Works office on Morgan Road. One might be put on display while the other awaits a new home.
The bridge project will begin by autumn with relocation of utility lines that cross the river. The main construction contract will be awarded by next spring by the county Board of Supervisors. Crews can work in the channel only in summer, when salmon are not present.
The tight quarters mean the new bridge must be built in the old one’s footprint. The closure next spring will mean detours mainly to the Highway 99 and Ninth Street bridges. Both of these routes have truck traffic that will be eased once Seventh Street can bear heavy loads, too.
The project website notes that the Yokuts people were the first riverside residents. They were forced out by European settlers and also suffered from disease.
Modesto was established in 1870 and relied for several years on a ferry to get across the Tuolumne. The first bridge on Seventh Street was built in 1884 and replaced just three years later. The site also had a trestle for the railroad, a popular form of travel. The current one will serve the upcoming Altamont Corridor Express expansion.
Modesto had about 4,000 residents when the current bridge was built for about $110,000. It served from 1917 to 1933 as the original Highway 99, which then shifted to the old Ninth Street Bridge. The mid-1960s brought the current 99 alignment between Fifth and Sixth streets. The bridge on Ninth was replaced in 2004, widened to four lanes.
Inside Look is a Modesto Bee series where we take readers behind the scenes at restaurants, new businesses, local landmarks and news stories.A new 12-unit “tiny homes” community providing housing to people experiencing homelessness has opened in Modesto.Grace Gardens, located at 1530 Owens Drive near the Modesto Mission Gospel’s main campus, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday. The first residents — ei...
Inside Look is a Modesto Bee series where we take readers behind the scenes at restaurants, new businesses, local landmarks and news stories.
A new 12-unit “tiny homes” community providing housing to people experiencing homelessness has opened in Modesto.
Grace Gardens, located at 1530 Owens Drive near the Modesto Mission Gospel’s main campus, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday. The first residents — eight women and four men — are set to move in at the end of August.
“These are not just tiny homes. They are a home, and they’re going to be a home to somebody, and that to somebody is going to be transformative, and it’s going to change their lives,” said Jason Conway, chief executive officer of the Modesto Gospel Mission.
Community members and local officials gathered Aug. 15 to celebrate the opening, with certificates of recognition presented by representatives from Rep. Adam Gray, Assemblymember Juan Alanis and Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil. Stanislaus County Supervisor Mani Grewal also spoke and presented a certificate, as did Modesto Mayor Sue Zwahlen on behalf of the city, joined by Councilmembers Jeremiah Williams, David Wright and Eric Alvarez.
“We hear a lot of discussion about the problem. It’s nice to see city and an organization rolling their sleeves up and getting the job done,” said the representative of Alvarado-Gil’s office.
Attendees toured the freshly decorated units, each surrounded by potted plants and stocked with baskets of hygiene products.
Grace Gardens was funded in part by Measure H and selected through Modesto’s Emergency Shelter Program. The $527,482 project is a collaboration between the City of Modesto, the Stanislaus County Affordable Housing Corporation and the Modesto Gospel Mission, with additional support from California’s $5.7 million Encampment Resolution Fund to sustain operations.
The Stanislaus County Affordable Housing Corporation managed the project design, construction and oversight, while the Modesto Gospel Mission will run the site, provide on-site services and oversee property management.
Temporary private housing will be provided for individuals referred by the Mission. Each resident will receive six months of case management and be connected to resources such as income support, public benefits, health care and wellness programs with the goal to help them regain stability, rebuild their lives and find permanent housing.
The site includes a dozen individual units, one of which meets full ADA standards, and a restroom. Residents will also have access to meals, showers and laundry services at the Mission.
In Modesto, 1,603 people are experiencing homelessness, part of a total 2,086 unhoused individuals across Stanislaus County, according to the 2025 annual Point-in-Time survey. This year, the city has launched several new housing initiatives to support these residents.
In March, the city opened Dignity Village, a 42-unit tiny home community for adults facing homelessness and challenges such as substance use and mental health disorders. That same month, Modesto received a $5.7 million state grant to help residents transition from encampments into shelters and permanent housing.
June brought the opening of Jenny’s Place, a 54-unit permanent housing complex, and Hannah’s House, a new shelter for unhoused women.
Most recently, the city secured nearly $18 million in Homekey+ funding from the state to transform the El Capitan Motel into 48 units of permanent supportive housing — with half the units reserved for veterans.
“We have already seen success with new facilities such as Jenny’s Place and Dignity Village,” said Zwahlen. “Now we are excited to be able to provide another location to support some of our most vulnerable residents.”
A crash into the California Aqueduct near Patterson early Tuesday morning left a father and his 15-year-old son dead, according to the California Highway Patrol.CHP officers responded around 6:31 a.m. to reports of an SUV that had left northbound Interstate 5, north of Sperry Avenue, and entered the aqueduct.Emergency crews found evidence that a 2003 Nissan SUV, towing a single-axle utility trailer, had entered the aqueduct after leaving the freeway. The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Dive Team helped recover the vehicle fro...
A crash into the California Aqueduct near Patterson early Tuesday morning left a father and his 15-year-old son dead, according to the California Highway Patrol.
CHP officers responded around 6:31 a.m. to reports of an SUV that had left northbound Interstate 5, north of Sperry Avenue, and entered the aqueduct.
Emergency crews found evidence that a 2003 Nissan SUV, towing a single-axle utility trailer, had entered the aqueduct after leaving the freeway. The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Dive Team helped recover the vehicle from the aqueduct.
The driver, Raul Ramirez, was found dead inside the Nissan. The passenger, Ramirez’s 15-year-old son Aaron Ramirez, was missing, according to authorities.
Three days later, around 7:06 a.m., during a scheduled search of the California Aqueduct, CHP was notified that Aaron’s body had been found in the waterway just south of Sperry Avenue. Patterson Fire Department crews recovered his body from the water.
Authorities believe the Nissan SUV was traveling in the fast lane of northbound I-5, just north of Sperry Avenue, when Ramirez made an unsafe turn to the right, moving into the slow lane and off the shoulder. The vehicle then traveled about 1,000 feet down a steep grassy embankment, crashing through two barbed-wire fences before plunging into the California Aqueduct.
It is not yet known whether drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash.
The family has since launched a GoFundMe to support Elvira Ramirez — the wife and mother of the victims — and her surviving son, Isaac Ramirez. The fundraiser has collected more than $12,500 toward its $50,000 goal as of Aug. 12.
“While grieving such an overwhelming loss, [Elvira] is also confronted with unexpected and significant expenses—funeral and memorial costs, time away from work, counseling, and daily living needs for her and Isaac as they navigate life during this difficult transition,” reads the fundraiser page.
Half of the 10 least educated cities in the United States are in California’s Central Valley, according to WalletHub.The personal finance company recently identified the least — and most — educated cities in the United States in 2025, ranking 150 of the most populated metropolitan areas based on education levels, the quality of public schools and other factors.Several cities in the Central Valley &mdas...
Half of the 10 least educated cities in the United States are in California’s Central Valley, according to WalletHub.
The personal finance company recently identified the least — and most — educated cities in the United States in 2025, ranking 150 of the most populated metropolitan areas based on education levels, the quality of public schools and other factors.
Several cities in the Central Valley — including Modesto, Stockton and Fresno — landed at the bottom of WalletHub’s list due to poor scores.
“Higher education doesn’t guarantee better financial opportunities in the future, but it certainly correlates with it,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo wrote in a June 30 article. “The most educated cities provide good learning opportunities from childhood all the way through the graduate level.”
While overall education quality matters, Lupo said, cities should also ensure that people of all races and genders have equal access to learning opportunities.
Here’s where to find the least — and most — educated cities in the United States:
According to the WalletHub study, the least educated cities in the United States are primarily located California and Texas.
Five of the nation’s 10 least educated cities were in the Central Valley, the personal finance website said, with Visalia landing at the very bottom of the list.
Visalia earned a score of just 9.12 out of 100 due to low education levels, poor school quality and big gaps in achievement, WalletHub said.
Bakersfield came in fourth place on WalletHub’s list of the nation’s least educated cities, while Modesto was fifth.
Fresno was No. 6 on the list.
These were the 10 least educated metro areas in the United States in 2025, according to WalletHub: 1. Visalia
2. Brownsville-Harlingen, Texas
3. McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Texas
4. Bakersfield
5. Modesto
6. Fresno
7. Stockton
8. Salinas
9. Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, North Carolina
10. Beaumont-Port Arthur, Texas
Modesto earned a WalletHub score of just 17.78 out of 100 because of low education levels, poor school quality and big gaps in achievement.
Out of 150 of the most populated metro areas surveyed, Modesto ranked near the bottom at No. 146.
According to WalletHub, these were the 10 most educated metro areas in the United States in 2025:
1. Ann Arbor, Michigan
2. Durham-Chapel Hill, North Carolina
3. Madison, Wisconsin
4. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara
5. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, D.C.-Virginia-Maryland-West Virginia
6. Raleigh-Cary, North Carolina
7. San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley
8. Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, Texas
9. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Washington
10. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Massachusetts-New Hampshire
To find the most and least educated cities in the United States, WalletHub looked at the 150 largest metropolitan areas and scored them based on how much schooling people have and the quality of that education, including achievement gaps.
WalletHub used 11 different measures, gave each a weight and then calculated an overall score out of 100 to rank the areas.
The rankings are based on data collected as of June 2, from sources including the U.S. Census Bureau, GreatSchools.org and Yelp.
Del Monte Foods has filed for bankruptcy but plans to keep operating its Modesto fruit cannery and other plants.The announcement Tuesday, July 1, came as about 1,800 workers, two-thirds of them seasonal, prepare for peak season at the Yosemite Boulevard plant. It mainly cans peaches but also does apricots, pears and fruit cocktail.Del Monte plans to stay in production while restructuring its debts and looking for a buyer.“Clearly this is good news as the peach harvest is just getting underway,” said an email ...
Del Monte Foods has filed for bankruptcy but plans to keep operating its Modesto fruit cannery and other plants.
The announcement Tuesday, July 1, came as about 1,800 workers, two-thirds of them seasonal, prepare for peak season at the Yosemite Boulevard plant. It mainly cans peaches but also does apricots, pears and fruit cocktail.
Del Monte plans to stay in production while restructuring its debts and looking for a buyer.
“Clearly this is good news as the peach harvest is just getting underway,” said an email to board members for the California Canning Peach Association. It was shared with The Modesto Bee by Rich Hudgins, president and CEO at the Sacramento-based grower group.
Del Monte became a powerhouse in fruits and vegetables after its founding in San Francisco in 1886. It has contended in recent years with declining demand for its products, which also come in jars and plastic cups.
The company was already in the process of closing its Hanford plant for tomatoes canned under the Del Monte and Contadina labels.
It processes other fruits and vegetables in Washington state, Wisconsin and Mexico. The business also makes College Inn and Kitchen Basics broths and Joyba bubble teas.
California grows far more fresh-market peaches these days than the canning varieties, mostly between Madera and Kern counties. Canners have argued that their product is just as nutritious, and available year-round. That campaign has had limited success.
The state had dozens of peach canneries about a half-century ago. Today, the only plants are Del Monte in Modesto and Pacific Coast Producers in Lodi.
The Modesto plant’s workers belong to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Business agent Odus Hall said by phone that the restructuring allowed under federal bankruptcy law could help it survive.
“There is concern,” he said, “but at the same time, there is hopefulness that because it’s a Chapter 11, we can work with the company or with whoever buys it.”
Del Monte listed 15 job openings in Modesto as of Wednesday. It needs a labeling supervisor, an electrician, production workers and others.
The plant runs three shifts roughly from July through September, timed to harvest dates for various fruit varieties. It helps sustain local container manufacturers, truckers and other providers of goods and services.
Del Monte filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey. It also announced a restructuring of some of its long-term debt and $165 million in new funding from investors.
“This is a strategic step forward for Del Monte Foods,” President and CEO Greg Longstreet said in the release. “After a thorough evaluation of all available options, we determined a court-supervised sale process is the most effective way to accelerate our turnaround and create a stronger and enduring Del Monte Foods.”
The business is headquartered in the East Bay city of Walnut Creek and also has corporate offices in Pittsburgh. The filing does not involve some of Del Monte’s fresh fruit operations around the world.
Central Valley peach growers have struggled in part because the delicate fruit still must be picked by hand. Mechanical harvests have helped almonds and walnuts move ahead in total tonnage.
Stanislaus County had 3,560 acres of peach trees as of 2023, down from 13,332 in 1980, according to its agricultural commissioner’s office.
Growers sign contracts with either Del Monte or the Lodi plant that specify per-ton prices each year. Hudgins said in his email that he expects Del Monte “to continue uninterrupted business operations in completing the 2025 pack and paying all growers for their deliveries.” The association will monitor the possible bankruptcy sale.
Tomato canning remains a major industry in the Valley, although foreign competition has strained it recently. The plants include Stanislaus Food Products in Modesto, Escalon Premier Brands just to the north, ConAgra Foods in Oakdale and two companies near Los Banos.
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