Livingston's housing stock reflects a San Joaquin Valley farm town that has grown steadily. The core of the city holds older, modest single-family homes on a compact grid near the railroad and Highway 99, while newer subdivisions have expanded outward across the surrounding farmland. Homes are predominantly single-family, and the city's agricultural setting means newer development often sits near working orchards and fields. The market is shaped by the region's agricultural and logistics employment and by Livingston's position along Highway 99, which brings commuters and families seeking a valley town within reach of Merced and Modesto.

Livingston is laid out on a traditional grid that traces back to its founding along the railroad, with the oldest neighborhoods clustered near downtown and the tracks. Newer residential subdivisions ring the historic core and stretch toward the surrounding fields and orchards. The city's Sikh and Punjabi community is woven throughout town, with gurdwaras serving as neighborhood anchors. Beyond the city limits, the rural landscape quickly takes over, with Delhi and Atwater nearby and the larger cities of Merced and Modesto a short drive away on Highway 99.

Life in Livingston is rooted in agriculture and a strong sense of community. The farming calendar, packing houses, and food-processing plants provide much of the local employment, and the city's Sikh and Punjabi community adds distinct cultural institutions, including gurdwaras and the Punjabi language program at the high school. Community events, school athletics, and local parks anchor daily life, while Highway 99 puts Merced, Modesto, and the broader valley within easy reach. The result is a working farm town with a diverse, close-knit character.

Public education in Livingston is provided by the Livingston Union School District, which serves elementary and middle school students, and Livingston High School, which serves secondary grades. The high school is notable for offering a Punjabi language program, reflecting the community's sizable Sikh and Punjabi population. Merced College and the University of California, Merced provide nearby higher-education options, while the wider Merced County school network serves the surrounding area.

Highway 99 is Livingston's main transportation corridor, running north–south through the city and connecting it to Modesto and the Bay Area to the north and Merced and Fresno to the south. The city's founding along the Southern Pacific Railroad remains visible in its street grid, and rail freight still moves through the valley. Livingston sits about fifteen miles northwest of Merced, and the region's broader highway network keeps the larger San Joaquin Valley and its employment centers within reach.

Livingston's recreation is grounded in its community parks and the agricultural landscape around it. Local parks provide sports fields, playgrounds, and gathering spaces for the city's families, while the Merced River and nearby lakes and reservoirs of the San Joaquin Valley offer fishing and boating within driving distance. The region's flat valley roads are popular for cycling, and the Sierra Nevada foothills, with destinations such as Yosemite National Park, lie within day-trip range to the east. Community events and school athletics round out the local recreation calendar.