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Mountain House, CA

A town of about 25,513 people in San Joaquin County, part of the Stockton area. Resident comments and photos are about Mountain House; job numbers cover the wider area.

Mountain House at a glance

Each grade compares this area with all 813 U.S. metro and small-town areas: A is the top 20%, F the bottom 20%. Cost compares everyday prices with the U.S. average. Varro doesn't grade safety; crime facts are further down. Graded on the Stockton area's numbers.

D
Cost
Everyday prices about 5% above the U.S. average
Locals: Not enough local comments yet
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis price index, 2024
F
Housing
Typical home value is about 5.8 times the typical household's yearly income ($530,700 vs $92,179)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year, 2024
D
Getting around
Average commute 34 minutes; 3% walk, bike or take transit to work
Locals: Not enough local comments yet
U.S. Census ACS 5-year, 2024
C
Things to do
455 restaurants, museums, theaters, music, game and book shops and historic places in the area (about 60 per 100,000 people)
Locals: Not enough local comments yet
U.S. Census County Business Patterns 2023, National Register of Historic Places
B
Outdoors
3 hiking trails, 22 campgrounds and 54 paddling spots nearby
Locals: Not enough local comments yet
OpenStreetMap contributors and federal recreation data
D
Jobs
Unemployment 7.6% (U.S.: 5.2%); jobs grew 0.1% in the last year
Locals: Not enough local comments yet
U.S. Census ACS 5-year, 2024; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
B
Social life
293 bars, cafes, gyms, breweries and game shops in the area (about 38 per 100,000 people)
Locals: Not enough local comments yet
U.S. Census County Business Patterns 2023
C
Healthcare
0.6 primary care doctors per 1,000 people in the main county; nearest emergency room about 3 miles from the center
Locals: Not enough local comments yet
County Health Rankings 2025; Medicare Care Compare
F
Schools
Public school test pass rates about 8 points below the state average (179 schools)
Locals: Not enough local comments yet
U.S. Department of Education, 2021-22 (compared within the state only)
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What kind of place it is

Growing

Scored the same way as the quiz, against 813 U.S. metro areas. A feel is listed when Mountain House scores 70 or higher out of 100.

Growing
74 / 100
Growing faster than 74% of metros

Less so: artsy.

Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives

Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.

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Around Mountain House

Where it is, what's close by, trails, buses and trains, and health care.
Where it is
Mountain House
Mountain House in California
California in the U.S.
State outlines: U.S. Census Bureau.

What's nearby

Within 5 miles of Mountain House's center.

3
grocery stores
11
restaurants
6
coffee shops
35
parks
35
playgrounds
1
library
1
movie theater
1
museum
1
bookstore
1
bar
1
pharmacy
1
hospital

Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Stores nearby

Membership warehouses and popular grocery stores, measured from the center of Mountain House.
Costco
Membership warehouse (yearly fee to shop)
1 within 15 miles, nearest about 4 miles
Sam's Club
Membership warehouse (yearly fee to shop)
1 within 15 miles, nearest about 14 miles
Trader Joe's
2 within 15 miles, nearest about 5 miles
Whole Foods Market
Nearest about 19 miles
Sprouts Farmers Market
2 within 15 miles, nearest about 7 miles
Target
3 within 15 miles, nearest about 5 miles
Not within 50 miles: BJ's Wholesale Club, Wegmans, Aldi.
Straight-line miles, so the drive is longer. Store locations from each chain's own store finder, collected by the open-data project All the Places, October 2026.

Biking and trails

Within 5 miles of the center of Mountain House.

Bike lanes and bike paths
11 miles
more than most U.S. towns
Walking and hiking trails
12 miles
about typical for a U.S. town

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Counts depend on how well local volunteers have mapped the area, so treat them as a rough guide.

Buses and trains

Bus stops within 1 mile
0
Bus stops within 5 miles
35
Nearest train station
Tracy Station
about 8 miles
Closest rail and ferry stops
  • Tracy Station · Train station · about 8 miles
  • Vasco Rd Station · Train station · about 11 miles
  • Livermore Station · Train station · about 13 miles
  • Lathrop/Manteca Station · Train station · about 15 miles
U.S. Department of Transportation, National Transit Map (stops from each transit agency's schedule data, Sept. 2026). Straight-line distance from the town center. Counts stops, not how often buses come; check the local transit agency for schedules.

Health care

Nearest hospital with an emergency room: Sutter Tracy Community Hospital in Tracy, about 6 miles away in a straight line.

Sutter Tracy Community Hospital
Tracy, CA · about 6 miles
Hospital · Emergency room
Medicare rating: ★★★★★ 4 of 5
San Joaquin General Hospital
French Camp, CA · about 16 miles
Hospital · Emergency room
Medicare rating: ★★★★★ 2 of 5
Kaiser Foundation Hospital Manteca
Manteca, CA · about 16 miles
Hospital · Emergency room
Medicare rating: ★★★★★ 4 of 5
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Antioch
Antioch, CA · about 18 miles
Hospital · Emergency room
Medicare rating: ★★★★★ 1 of 5
In the county, compared with California and the U.S.
Primary care doctors
0.6
per 1,000 people · California: 0.8 · U.S.: 0.8
Dentists
0.6
per 1,000 people · California: 0.9 · U.S.: 0.7
Mental health providers
2.9
per 1,000 people · California: 4.7 · U.S.: 3.3
People under 65 without health insurance
7.6%
California: 7.5% · U.S.: 9.5%
Hospitals: Medicare Care Compare (CMS Care Compare, July 2026); distances are straight-line miles from the town center (located with the U.S. Census Bureau geocoder), so drive distance is longer. Doctors, dentists, providers and insurance: County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, 2025 release. In an emergency, call 911.

Costs of moving here

Rent, the move itself, and getting set up.

What rent costs

Of about 1,696 rented homes in Mountain House, 10% rent for under $2,000 a month and 36% for under $3,000.

Under $1,000: 0%
$1,000 to $1,499: 2%
$1,500 to $1,999: 8%
$2,000 to $2,499: 14%
$2,500 to $2,999: 12%
$3,000 or more: 64%

Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.

What moving costs

Hiring movers

Average cost: $1,946

From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.

Moving in as a renter

The middle rented home in Mountain House rents for $3,000 or more a month, so first month plus a deposit is at least $6,000, and at least $9,000 where last month is also due.

Many landlords want your income to be about 3 times the rent: at least $108,000 a year here.

Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.

Moving to California: before and after

  • Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
  • Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the California DMV.
  • Register to vote at your new address: California voter registration.
  • Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
  • Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
  • Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.

Schools and childcare

Schools

15 public school districts in this county, with about 132,740 students in all. The county also has 46 public charter schools and 29 private schools. Which public school serves a home depends on its address.

Merrill F. West HighTracy HighCentral ElementaryMonte Vista MiddleMckinley ElementaryNorth ElementarySouth/West Park ElementaryLouis J. Villalovoz ElementaryMelville S. Jacobson ElementaryGladys Poet-Christian ElementaryEarle E. Williams MiddleLouis A. Bohn ElementaryWanda Hirsch ElementaryArt FreilerGeorge Kelly ElementaryJohn C. Kimball HighTracy Independent Study CharterLammersville ElementaryWicklund ElementaryBethany ElementarySebastian Questa ElementaryMountain House HighAltamont ElementaryHansen ElementaryJulius Cordes ElementaryEvelyn Costa ElementaryMillennium CharterRiver Islands Technology Academy IIDiscovery CharterPrimary CharterNextgeneration Steam AcademyValley View Charter PrepBanta CharterBanta ElementaryEpic AcademyRiver Islands HighMonticello ElementaryJeffersonTom Hawkins ElementaryAnthony C. Traina ElementaryLathrop ElementaryMossdale ElementaryLathrop HighNew Jerusalem ElementaryDelta CharterNew JerusalemDelta Home CharterDelta Keys CharterDelta Charter OnlineSt Bernards Catholic School (private)Tracy Sda School (private)Bella Vista Christian Academy (private)Montessori Elementary & Middle School of Tracy (private)West Valley Christian Academy (private)SAN JOAQUIN COUNTYCONTRA COSTA COUNTYALAMEDA COUNTYMountain House
Public Public charter Private County line District that covers the center of Mountain House: Lammersville Joint Unified School District
District and county lines: U.S. Census Bureau. Tap a dot for details. A home's assigned school depends on its address; check with the district before you buy or rent.

Closest public schools to the center of Mountain House

Elementary
Wicklund Elementary0.4 mi
Public
grades K to 8 · 744 students · 21.9 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading about 64%, math about 61% (state: reading about 45%, math about 34%)
Julius Cordes Elementary0.5 mi
Public
grades K to 8 · 861 students · 26.1 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading about 78%, math about 81% (state: reading about 45%, math about 34%)
Bethany Elementary0.5 mi
Public
grades K to 8 · 787 students · 24.6 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading about 70%, math about 66% (state: reading about 45%, math about 34%)
Middle
Wicklund Elementary0.4 mi
Public
grades K to 8 · 744 students · 21.9 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading about 64%, math about 61% (state: reading about 45%, math about 34%)
Julius Cordes Elementary0.5 mi
Public
grades K to 8 · 861 students · 26.1 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading about 78%, math about 81% (state: reading about 45%, math about 34%)
Bethany Elementary0.5 mi
Public
grades K to 8 · 787 students · 24.6 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading about 70%, math about 66% (state: reading about 45%, math about 34%)
High school
Mountain House High0.2 mi
Public
grades 9 to 12 · 2,275 students · 23.7 per teacher
John C. Kimball High4.5 mi
Public
grades 9 to 12 · 1,654 students · 25.1 per teacher
Merrill F. West High5.5 mi
Public
grades 9 to 12 · 2,066 students · 22.5 per teacher
Private
West Valley Christian Academy5.6 mi
Private
grades K to 8 · 155 students · 15.7 per teacher
Bella Vista Christian Academy5.8 mi
Private
grades Pre-K to 8 · 191 students · 18 per teacher
Tracy Sda School6.5 mi
Private
grades K to 8 · 23 students · 11.5 per teacher

Straight-line miles from the center of Mountain House, nearest first. Being closest doesn't mean a school serves a given home. "Passed the state test" is the share of students who scored proficient or better on California's own reading and math tests in the 2021-22 school year, the latest year the U.S. Department of Education has published for every school. Each state sets its own test and passing bar, so compare schools within the same state, not across states. Test results track family income closely and leave out a lot (teachers, programs, how a school fits your child). For newer results, see the state's school report card.

Public school districts in the county

Lammersville Joint Unified · Mountain House
7,520 students · 24 students per teacher · 8 schools · grades K to 12
Stockton Unified · Stockton
35,424 students · 23.7 students per teacher · 54 schools · grades K to 12
Lodi Unified · Lodi
27,323 students · 21.5 students per teacher · 49 schools · grades K to 12

School choice and pre-K in California

Going to school in another district
Some districts must accept students from other districts (for example, from struggling schools), and others choose whether to. Ask the district you'd like.
Picking a different school in your district
State law says families can ask for a different school in the same district, and the district must allow it when there's room.
Free state pre-K
46% of 4-year-olds and 11% of 3-year-olds in California attend state-funded pre-K (U.S.: 37% and 9%). Spots, hours and who qualifies vary by district.

School choice: state law as summarized by the Education Commission of the States, 50-State Comparison: Open Enrollment Policies (2022). Pre-K: share of children in state-funded pre-K, National Institute for Early Education Research, State of Preschool 2025 Yearbook (2024-25 school year).

Special education in California

Federal rating for the state: Needs assistance (two or more years in a row)
Each year the U.S. Department of Education rates every state on how well it follows the special education law (IDEA) and on results for students with disabilities. This rates California as a whole, not your district or school. Each state also publishes yearly special education results for every district on its education department's website. Read California's 2026 rating letter.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, 2026 determinations on state implementation of IDEA Part B (issued June 18, 2026).

NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Private schools: NCES Private School Survey, 2021-22. Varro doesn't rank single schools. The area's Schools grade at the top of the page compares its test pass rates with the rest of the state only. For programs and newer results, see each district's site and the state's school report card.

Childcare and colleges

Daycare and preschool

California keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.

Typical full-time prices in this county (2022)
AgeDaycare centerHome daycare
Infant (under 2)$387/week
about $20,100 a year
$328/week
about $17,100 a year
Toddler (2)$236/week
about $12,300 a year
Preschool (3 to 4)$185/week
about $9,600 a year
$259/week
about $13,500 a year
School-age$96/week
about $5,000 a year

For an infant at a center: $387/week here, $371 across CA, $259 across the U.S.. Full-time infant care at a center here costs about 22% of a typical family's income. These are 2022 prices, the newest the government has published by county, and prices have gone up since.

U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022. Middle (median) price for full-time care. State and U.S. figures average the county prices, weighted by population (Census 2024).
Search licensed childcare in California →
Link via childcare.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

4 colleges in the county around Mountain House. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.

San Joaquin Delta College · Stockton
Public, 2-year (community college) · 18,226 students · $1,288 in-state, $9,072 out-of-state
University of the Pacific · Stockton
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 6,755 students · $55,340 a year
Teachers College of San Joaquin · Stockton
Public, 4-year · 850 students · $6,270 a year
Humphreys University-Stockton and Modesto Campuses · Stockton
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 575 students · $14,760 a year

Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less, and community colleges often charge even less to people who live in their district. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.

IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.

The facts behind it
Typical home value
$519,775
What a typical home sells for across the Stockton area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, September 2026
Cost of living
About 5% above the U.S. average
Everyday prices (rent, groceries, services) run about $105 here for what costs $100 nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis price index 105.1 (U.S. = 100), 2024
Drive to the nearest big job hub
About 35 min at rush hour
To downtown Stockton, CA, 29 miles. About 35 min with no traffic.
Source: Google traffic estimate for a weekday morning around 8am
Average commute
35 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Data centers nearby
None within 15 miles
No mapped data center buildings near the town center.
Source: PNNL IM3 Data Center Atlas, from OpenStreetMap (ODbL), loaded July 2026
Homeowners insurance
About $1,616 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in CA. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively High
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Relatively Low
FEMA's rating for hail damage in the county, compared with other U.S. counties.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
1 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
25.7 per 100,000 people a year
210 deaths in the 12 months ending March 2026. CA average: 21.9 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
People without housing (local count)
About 58.3 per 10,000 residents
HUD's one-night count in January 2025 found 4,760 people without housing in the Stockton/San Joaquin County area: 1,291 in shelters and 3,469 outside, up from 4,732 in 2024. CA: 46.1 per 10,000. U.S.: 21.9. One-night counts miss people, and how areas count differs.
Source: HUD Point-in-Time Count, January 2025 (HUD, 2025 report to Congress); Census population estimates 2024
Median household income
$88,531
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
0.76% of home value a year
About $760 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Graduated, up to 13.30%
CA's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Source: Tax Foundation and the state's tax agency, 2026

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