Is Modesto California a bad place to live?

I'm thinking of purchasing my first home in Modesto. I've heard a lot of bad things about Modesto, but I think there are some great opportunities therein. Basically I want to know which areas of the city to avoid. I've seen some very nice homes for sale in and around Bret Harte for under $75,000. What's the catch? The same home an hour west costs $275,000.