Tracy, California is a beautiful city in the Central Valley near the Bay Area in San Joaquin County, but without the hustle and bustle of the big city. New homes in Tracy, CA are affordable and the schools are great, making it a good place to raise a family. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of living in Tracy, California.
The city has a population of about 95,000 people. Cities with similar population numbers include Fort Myers, Florida; Livonia, Michigan; Longmont, Colorado; and Reading, Pennsylvania.
Pros: Above-Average Livability
Tracy, California is a comfortable place to live, which earned the city an above-average livability score. The town has high quality schools, low crime levels, and residents are happy, especially compared to similarly-sized cities.
Pros: Low Poverty Rate
In the United States, similarly sized cities have poverty rates between 10 and 13%. The rate in Tracy is lower – at 7.2%. The median household income in 2021 was over $102,000.
Pros: Activities in Tracy
Tracy has several parks, including the Tracy Sport Complex, Legacy Fields, and Dr. Powers Park. These parks have baseball fields, soccer fields, disc golf, skate parks, splash pads, and bike trails. Village Green is a great place for horseshoe games.
The city also has several arts and culture activities at places like the Grand Theatre Center for the Arts and at the Artwalk.
Pros: Rich in History
Tracy has several historic sites, especially related to agriculture and railroads. The historic downtown area is filled with local restaurants and boutiques in architecturally significant buildings. The town also has the Tracy Historical Museum with information for children and adults
Pros: Crime Rates
Tracy is a safe city with crime rates lower than the national and state averages. Compared to other cities in the United States, Tracy has lower numbers of violent crimes like murder, rape, and assault. It also has lower rates of property crimes like theft and arson. Overall, the total crime rate is 22 per 1,000 people, with the violent crime rate at 1 per 1,000 people. The property
crime rate is 20 per 1,000 people.
For comparison purposes, the national and California crime rate for violent crimes is 4.2 per 1,000 people. Property crime rates in the US are 23.3 per 1,000 and 23.5 per 1,000 in California. The violent crime rate in California and the United States is 4.2 per 1,000 people.
Education in Tracy
Tracy has several highly-rated schools. The largest district is Tracy Joint Unified Schools with 23 schools for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. The top five schools in Tracy include
● Jefferson School
● Primary Charter School
● Monticello Elementary School
● Millennium Charter School
● John C. Kimball High School
Cons: Cost of Living
While it is possible to find affordable housing in Tracy, the cost of living is higher than other areas of the country. Living in California generally costs more, so Tracy isn’t an outlier when compared to other California cities. But utilities, groceries, transportation, health care, and goods and services do cost more than similarly sized cities in other states.