Utility rates & providers in Stanislaus County, CA

Representative example: Modesto (1,000 kWh + 5,000 gal)

Stanislaus County centers on Modesto and surrounding agricultural communities. Our Modesto page models PG&E electric tariffs and City of Modesto utilities for water, sewer, and franchised solid waste.

Total estimated monthly utilities

$587.03

Estimated average monthly utilities in Modesto are ~$587.03 (1,000 kWh + 5,000 gal assumptions). Average water bill estimate: ~$44.21/mo at 5,000 gallons.

Data freshness: last verified 2026-03-22. County overview narrative last verified 2026-04-13.

Data freshness: 2026-03-22
  • Electric $440.00 (75%)
  • Water $44.21 (8%)
  • Sewer $47.89 (8%)
  • Trash $54.93 (9%)

Utilities here are about 15% higher than the California city average, driven mainly by electric rates.

  • In California, heating and cooling often makes electric the largest share of the bill.
  • City-provided trash is billed at a monthly fee ($54.93 in our estimate).

Nearby cities such as Turlock or Ceres operate independent utilities not captured in our current dataset; unincorporated addresses may use special districts—verify each service line.

Utility breakdown by service

Line-item style summary for Stanislaus County—figures are from the county overview below, not copied from a single city page. Jurisdiction notes, narrative, and official sources follow in each card.

Electricity

Confirmed

Confirmed — PG&E residential modeling for Modesto in dataset.

Hot valley summers and irrigation pumping on adjacent farms do not change your residential PG&E tiering, but household cooling load can.

Compare time-of-use options if you can shift discretionary usage off-peak.

Official sources

Water

Confirmed

Confirmed — City of Modesto municipal water schedules.

Modesto publishes meter charges and volumetric blocks; drought stages may trigger surcharges when declared.

Private wells require separate maintenance and energy budgets.

Official sources

Sewer / wastewater

Confirmed

Confirmed — City of Modesto wastewater charges.

Sanitary fees often track measured water use with class-specific minimums.

Septic parcels should confirm sewer availability before using city volumetrics.

Official sources

Trash & recycling

Confirmed

Confirmed — City refuse and recycling programs.

Cart-based fees fund state diversion mandates; franchise haulers may adjust for fuel.

County disposal sites bill separately for self-haul.

Official sources

Summaries use CPUC consumer hubs, the utility links cited in each card, and the anchor city’s modeled tariffs on this site as of the overview date. Community choice aggregation, CARE/FERA, medical baseline, franchise fees, and parcel-specific surcharges can change your statement—confirm on your bill.

Check Internet pricing & availability in Stanislaus County

Internet service varies widely—many providers, different plans, introductory offers, and bundles make it hard to compare apples to apples. That's why we don't estimate internet on this page like we do for electric, water, sewer, and trash. Use our tool to compare providers for your address or ZIP code.

Total estimated monthly utilities

$587.03

Modesto

What changes your bill most?

Assumptions

  • Electric: 1,000 kWh/month
  • Water: 5,000 gallons/month

What these labels mean

  • Confirmed — From this area's rate schedule.
  • Benchmark — From an official typical bill or PSC comparative statistic; not every meter will match.
  • Delivery only — Regulated delivery charges only (e.g. Texas); supply varies by plan.
  • Estimated — From other or incomplete sources; use as a rough guide.
Sources

Full line-item breakdown: Modesto utility page. County overview cards above cite additional regional sources.

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Cities in Stanislaus County

Estimated monthly utility totals

Totals use each city's modeled usage and tariffs on file—see the city page for electric, water, sewer, and trash breakdowns.

CityEst. total/mo
Modesto (illustrative pattern)$587.03

More in California

California utility costsElectric providers in CaliforniaModesto utility page

FAQ

We use base charges and per-unit rates from official provider and municipal sources for each city in Stanislaus County. Electric may reference a CPUC-regulated investor-owned schedule (PG&E, SCE, or SDG&E), a municipal utility (for example LADWP, SMUD, or a city PUD), or another published tariff; water, sewer, and trash follow city, district, or franchise programs. Each city page shows assumed usage (kWh, gallons) and outbound links to primary sources.
California counties typically include many jurisdictions. Electric delivery territory, community choice aggregation enrollment, water/sewer enterprise boundaries, and solid-waste programs all follow the provider that serves your meter—not the county name on your mail. Compare city pages and match the legal name printed on your bill.
Open the county internet providers page at /california/county/stanislaus-county-utility-costs/internet-providers for FCC-backed research merged for cities we model here, plus an address-level comparison tool. Availability is still specific to your building and unit.
Each city page shows a 'last verified' date and links to official sources. Enriched county overviews add CPUC and utility hubs below. Confirm current rates on the utility’s or government’s primary tariff page before making decisions.
Our Modesto city model uses PG&E for typical residential electric delivery. If your bill shows Modesto Irrigation District or another retailer, follow that provider’s tariff—not this page’s PG&E illustration.

Learn more

For tips on understanding your bill, comparing cities, and how electric and utility rates work by state, see our blog. Compare Modesto with another city side-by-side, or see how we calculate estimates.