Jobs, pay and daily life in Stockton, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 08/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Stockton is a city in California with 322,326 residents. The median household earns $79,907 a year and the median rent is $1,577 a month, which is 23.7% of the median household income. It is part of the Stockton-Lodi, CA metropolitan area, where BLS counts 289,660 jobs.
How Stockton compares. Among the 145 places in California, Stockton is #11 by population, #12 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #132 for remote work (#1 = most), #127 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, San Joaquin County, is #22 of 58 counties for average pay ($63,300).
Stockton has 322,326 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.8% of the population of California. It covers 63 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 5,092 people per square mile. The median age is 33.9, 11% younger than the state median (33.9 against 37.9).
The median gross rent is $1,577 a month (rent plus utilities), 23% below the state median ($1,577 against $2,036). Over a year that is 23.7% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $440,900, which is 5.5 times the median household income ($79,907); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 53.9% of households own their home, 3% below the state average (53.9% against 55.9%).
The Stockton-Lodi, CA metropolitan area has 289,660 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $48,990 a year, 4% below the national median ($48,990 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are transportation and material moving (60,800 jobs, median $46,130); office and administrative support (28,410 jobs, median $50,570); food preparation and serving related (21,960 jobs, median $38,970). The area is most specialised in farming, fishing, and forestry (6.9 times) and transportation and material moving (2.4 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($118,040) and healthcare practitioners and technical ($117,930). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of San Joaquin County was 6.2%. 61.6% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in San Joaquin County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 75.6% drive alone, 1.0% use public transit, 1.1% walk, 8.0% work from home. 22.3% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 15% above the state average (22.3% against 19.4%).
20.0% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 46% below the state share (20.0% against 37.1%). 26.5% of residents were born outside the United States, about the same as the state share (26.5% against 27.0%). The poverty rate is 15.5%, 29% above the state rate (15.5% against 12.0%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 77°F (24.9°C), and the coolest is Jan at 48°F (8.7°C). About 450 mm (18 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Dec is the wettest month (98 mm) and Jul the driest (0 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Manteca (14 miles, rent 31% higher); Tracy (19 miles, rent 57% higher); Antioch (27 miles, rent 44% higher); Modesto (29 miles, rent 7% higher). Rent differences are against Stockton; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in California (1,708) →State guide: CaliforniaCountry guideSan Joaquin CountyCalifornia rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 1,708 federal postings open in California (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in California →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 15,030 | 2.73 | $47,330 | $37,080 | $57,900 | +18% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 12,580 | 1.57 | $34,320 | $34,320 | $38,130 | -4% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 10,110 | 2.63 | $60,470 | $40,500 | $80,070 | +3% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 7,560 | 1.05 | $41,740 | $34,700 | $46,360 | +34% |
| Cashiers | 5,900 | 1.02 | $36,340 | $34,490 | $47,390 | +11% |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | 5,810 | 4.02 | $48,290 | $39,160 | $63,100 | +4% |
| Retail Salespersons | 5,680 | 0.78 | $37,660 | $34,680 | $48,840 | +6% |
| Registered Nurses | 5,460 | 0.87 | $134,580 | $101,390 | $212,700 | +38% |
| Office Clerks, General | 4,900 | 1.07 | $48,500 | $35,680 | $64,990 | +8% |
| Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse | 3,990 | 8.07 | $35,640 | $34,550 | $41,630 | -0% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 3,830 | 0.93 | $40,140 | $34,900 | $57,670 | +9% |
| General and Operations Managers | 3,800 | 0.58 | $105,040 | $56,320 | $217,790 | -1% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 3,500 | 1.32 | $45,550 | $37,810 | $55,600 | +24% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 3,380 | 1.31 | $97,400 | $62,550 | $119,060 | +52% |
| Substitute Teachers, Short-Term | 3,060 | 3.13 | $65,190 | $48,840 | $77,280 | +56% |
| Security Guards | 2,970 | 1.24 | $38,530 | $35,510 | $56,050 | +1% |
| Packers and Packagers, Hand | 2,760 | 2.64 | $36,660 | $34,320 | $47,580 | +1% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 2,740 | 0.96 | $59,590 | $39,950 | $83,230 | +20% |
| Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks | 2,730 | 1.79 | $46,490 | $38,360 | $64,050 | +3% |
| Light Truck Drivers | 2,680 | 1.46 | $46,570 | $36,190 | $85,760 | +4% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacists | 530 | 0.88 | $162,440 | $99,360 | $210,420 | +15% |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | 700 | 1.15 | $155,770 | $60,680 | $191,970 | +47% |
| Financial Managers | 790 | 0.50 | $152,090 | $84,930 | $273,530 | -9% |
| Software Developers | 570 | 0.18 | $138,550 | $91,500 | $209,460 | +2% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 940 | 0.85 | $137,010 | $71,240 | $228,300 | +11% |
| Managers, All Other | 600 | 0.52 | $135,710 | $81,420 | $216,580 | -4% |
| Registered Nurses | 5,460 | 0.87 | $134,580 | $101,390 | $212,700 | +38% |
| Construction Managers | 560 | 0.79 | $120,210 | $73,170 | $181,360 | +5% |
| Civil Engineers | 610 | 0.88 | $116,990 | $78,400 | $165,100 | +16% |
| Correctional Officers and Jailers | 1,220 | 1.72 | $107,220 | $69,770 | $112,800 | +82% |
| Computer Systems Analysts | 500 | 0.51 | $106,310 | $76,330 | $159,830 | +0% |
| General and Operations Managers | 3,800 | 0.58 | $105,040 | $56,320 | $217,790 | -1% |
| Project Management Specialists | 910 | 0.46 | $104,240 | $61,930 | $164,520 | +2% |
| Sales Managers | 1,170 | 0.99 | $103,570 | $59,230 | $223,470 | -30% |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 1,920 | 0.97 | $100,590 | $62,380 | $125,630 | +40% |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | 930 | 0.75 | $99,900 | $77,980 | $130,850 | +31% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 3,380 | 1.31 | $97,400 | $62,550 | $119,060 | +52% |
| Management Analysts | 900 | 0.54 | $96,270 | $63,580 | $148,060 | -5% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | 980 | 0.85 | $94,300 | $58,810 | $144,410 | +18% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 1,420 | 0.53 | $83,570 | $59,080 | $137,590 | -0% |
These figures are for the whole Stockton-Lodi, CA metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $48,990 (US $50,980); unemployment 6.2% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 21.8% |
| Retail trade | 12.7% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 10.4% |
| Manufacturing | 9.2% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 9.1% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 8.0% |
| Construction | 7.1% |
| Public administration | 5.1% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.5% |
| Other services | 4.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 4.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.7% |
| Information | 0.8% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Stockton lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Joaquin County | 797,334 | $46,521 million | $58,346 | 287,828 | 22,110 | $63,300 | +1.8% | 6.2% | 377,180 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transportation and warehousing | 44,886 | 18.5% | $66,864 | 3.68 |
| Health care and social assistance | 37,849 | 15.6% | $62,153 | 0.92 |
| Retail trade | 26,668 | 11.0% | $42,361 | 0.93 |
| Manufacturing | 23,339 | 9.6% | $74,341 | 0.99 |
| Accommodation and food services | 21,491 | 8.8% | $28,456 | 0.82 |
| Administrative and waste services | 14,855 | 6.1% | $47,450 | 0.88 |
| Construction | 14,597 | 6.0% | $82,483 | 0.97 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 14,196 | 5.8% | $46,146 | 6.09 |
| Wholesale trade | 12,385 | 5.1% | $77,340 | 1.09 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 7,470 | 3.1% | $47,125 | 0.86 |
| Professional and technical services | 5,345 | 2.2% | $79,697 | 0.27 |
| Educational services | 4,546 | 1.9% | $43,841 | 0.76 |
| Finance and insurance | 3,957 | 1.6% | $88,092 | 0.34 |
| Real estate and rental | 3,656 | 1.5% | $61,617 | 0.82 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 2,726 | 1.1% | $31,740 | 0.56 |
| Management of companies | 2,257 | 0.9% | $114,474 | 0.47 |
| Utilities | 1,782 | 0.7% | $148,766 | 1.63 |
| Information | 956 | 0.4% | $69,831 | 0.18 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 30 | 0.0% | $129,009 | 0.03 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 75.6% |
| Public transit | 1.0% |
| Walk | 1.1% |
| Work from home | 8.0% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 22.3% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $79,907 |
| Income per person | $31,918 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,577 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 23.7% |
| Median home value | $440,900 |
| Homeowners | 53.9% |
| Poverty rate | 15.5% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 105.1 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $48,990 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 13.30%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 33.9 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 77.5% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 20.0% |
| Born abroad | 26.5% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 61.6% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8.7 | 48 | 76 |
| Feb | 10.0 | 50 | 75 |
| Mar | 12.1 | 54 | 68 |
| Apr | 14.2 | 58 | 39 |
| May | 18.0 | 64 | 16 |
| Jun | 22.1 | 72 | 4 |
| Jul | 24.9 | 77 | 0 |
| Aug | 24.1 | 75 | 1 |
| Sep | 22.4 | 72 | 3 |
| Oct | 18.1 | 65 | 23 |
| Nov | 12.6 | 55 | 47 |
| Dec | 8.7 | 48 | 98 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manteca | CA | 14 mi | 89,043 | $97,055 | $2,065 |
| Tracy | CA | 19 mi | 96,966 | $121,119 | $2,478 |
| Antioch | CA | 27 mi | 116,477 | $97,465 | $2,278 |
| Modesto | CA | 29 mi | 219,215 | $79,891 | $1,690 |
| Elk Grove | CA | 31 mi | 179,155 | $125,924 | $2,262 |
| Livermore | CA | 32 mi | 85,522 | $160,775 | $2,677 |
| Pittsburg | CA | 32 mi | 76,257 | $99,861 | $2,264 |
| San Ramon | CA | 37 mi | 85,993 | $196,161 | $2,968 |
| Concord | CA | 38 mi | 124,035 | $108,709 | $2,274 |
| Pleasanton | CA | 38 mi | 76,960 | $190,124 | $3,060 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
322,326 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,577 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 23.7% of the median household income.
$79,907 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
6.2% (BLS county, San Joaquin County (latest month 2026M09)).
California. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.