Is Roseville a good place to live? The short answer
On newer homes, parks and low utility bills, Roseville scores well on the measures that can be checked. Four numbers frame the decision:
- $643,854: Zillow's typical home value, September 2026, up 0.8% in a year.
- $2,521 a month: Zillow's typical rent, September 2026.
- $119,288: Census median household income (ACS 2020-2024), above Placer County's $115,998.
- 2.0 per 1,000: violent crimes reported by Roseville police per 1,000 residents in 2025, against 4.3 statewide (California DOJ, our calculation).
Roseville is Placer County's largest city, about 16 miles northeast of Sacramento, with 158,494 residents in January 2025 according to the Department of Finance. Whether it is right for you depends on your budget, your commute and how you handle the Central Valley heat.
Pros of living in Roseville
Pro: Roseville's city-owned electricity is cheap
Roseville Electric is owned by the city. Its 2024 annual report put the average residential rate at 19.01 cents per kWh, against 48.24 cents for PG&E, a 61% difference. From July 2026, homes pay a $30 monthly charge plus $0.1469 per kWh for the first 500 kWh. In a city where air conditioning runs all summer, that matters.
Pro: parks within a short walk
The city plans a park within half a mile, about a 10-minute walk, of every home. Its Parks, Recreation and Libraries department has been a finalist for the National Gold Medal Award five years in a row. Mahany Park on Pleasant Grove Boulevard has a softball complex next to the Roseville Aquatics Complex, and Maidu Regional Park holds a community center and the Maidu Museum.
Pro: lower reported crime than the state average
California DOJ figures show Roseville police recorded 319 violent crimes and 2,102 property crimes in 2025. Using the Department of Finance's January 2025 population of 158,494, that is 2.0 violent and 13.3 property crimes per 1,000 residents, against about 4.3 and 17.9 statewide. Reported crime varies by block, so read our Roseville crime data page for the method and how to check an address.
Pro: two major hospitals in the city
Kaiser Permanente's medical campus at Rocky Ridge Drive and Douglas Boulevard and Sutter Roseville Medical Center on Roseville Parkway are both in east Roseville. They are also the city's two largest employers, at 6.42% and 5.59% of total employment in the city's 2023-24 financial report.
Pro: shopping and dining close by
The Westfield Galleria at Roseville, a regional mall opened in 2000 and expanded in 2008-2009, and the Fountains at Roseville, an outdoor center opened in 2008, anchor a shopping district along Galleria Boulevard and Roseville Parkway. More shopping is proposed on the growing west side, such as Hayden Marketplace on Hayden Parkway, with a food court, a retail building and a restaurant.
Pro: newer homes
Half of Roseville's homes were built in 1998 or later, the Census median, and 45.5% date from 2000 or later. That means fewer homes with original 1960s wiring, plumbing and single-pane windows than in older Sacramento suburbs, though inspections still matter.
Pro: rail and bus links to Sacramento and the Bay Area
The Capitol Corridor stops at 201 Pacific Street downtown, with free parking, and runs to Sacramento, the Bay Area and San Jose. Amtrak's California Zephyr also stops there. Roseville Transit runs weekday commuter buses to downtown Sacramento for $3.25 a ride with a resident ID.
Pro: higher incomes and steady jobs
The median household income of $119,288 is well above the City of Sacramento's $87,321, and the Census poverty rate is 5.9%. Healthcare, the city government, the school districts, Penumbra and Hewlett-Packard are among the largest employers listed in the city's financial report.
Pro: a reliable water supply and flood planning
The city treats water mainly from Folsom Lake, with groundwater wells as backup. After floods in 1986 and 1995 it widened creek channels and replaced culverts; it says no Roseville home built since 1980 has flooded and holds Class 1, the top rating in FEMA's Community Rating System.
Cons of living in Roseville
Con: hot summers in Roseville
The city's average July temperature is 77 degrees. Because that figure averages day and night, afternoon highs run well above it. The city publishes a summer heat guide with cooling locations such as its libraries, the Roseville Aquatics Complex and two spray grounds. Budget for air conditioning and shade, and check the age of the home's HVAC system.
Con: home prices above Sacramento's
Zillow's typical value of $643,854 is about $173,000 above the City of Sacramento's $470,552. Rent is higher too: $2,521 against $2,045. Our Roseville cost of living page compares nearby cities.
Con: Mello-Roos in newer neighborhoods
Much of west Roseville sits in Community Facilities Districts. In one 2025 city bond document, special taxes added $5,501 a year to an $875,000 home, bringing the total to 1.69% of value. Check the tax bill, not just the price.
Con: a car-based city
Census data show 67.4% of Roseville workers drive alone and the average commute is about 27 minutes. Interstate 80 and Highway 65 are the main routes, and most errands need a car outside the downtown core.
Con: rail yard noise near the tracks
Roseville grew as a railroad town, and Union Pacific's J.R. Davis Yard here is described in a 2025 city bond document as the largest rail facility on the West Coast. Union Pacific also tests an emergency warning siren four times a year. If a home is near the tracks, visit at different hours, including at night, to judge train and yard noise.
Con: flood history in older areas
Less than 7% of the city is in a floodplain, but 209 structures flooded in 1986 and 358 in 1995, mostly older homes along Dry, Linda and Cirby Creeks. FEMA has issued preliminary updated flood maps for parts of the city. Check the address on the FEMA map and ask about flood insurance.
Con: growth and construction
The population rose from 148,851 in 2021 to 158,494 in 2025 (Department of Finance), and builders were selling in 33 projects in mid-2025. Expect new roads, shopping centers and traffic changes on the west side for years, and check the city's Projects of Interest list for plans near any home.
What living in Roseville is like
Climate in Roseville
Summers are warm and dry, winters mild: the average January temperature is 46 degrees, and it drops below freezing about eight days a year. Rainfall averages 20 inches, mostly in winter.
Getting around Roseville
Interstate 80 crosses the city toward Sacramento and Reno, and Highway 65 runs north to Lincoln. Sacramento International Airport serves the area. Roseville Transit offers local buses for $1.50, on-demand Arrow rides and weekday commuter routes to downtown Sacramento. Cyclists can use the Miner's Ravine Trail near downtown and the Dry Creek trails.
Things to do in Roseville
The Maidu Museum and Historic Site has petroglyphs and hundreds of bedrock mortars along an outdoor trail. Vernon Street Town Square at 311 Vernon Street hosts events such as the Thanksgiving Turkey Trot, and the Placer County Fairgrounds is on Washington Boulevard. Golfers have the public Woodcreek Oaks and Diamond Oaks courses. Folsom Lake State Recreation Area, partly in Placer County, is within driving distance. The city runs three libraries, Downtown on Taylor Street, Maidu and Martha Riley on Pleasant Grove Boulevard, plus the Placer Valley Soccer Complex and the indoor Mike Shellito pool.
Schools in Roseville
Public schools are run by several districts, including the Roseville City School District for elementary and middle grades and the Roseville Joint Union High School District for high school. WestPark High School in west Roseville opened to 9th and 10th graders in the 2020-21 school year. District lines may not match city or ZIP boundaries, so confirm the assigned schools for an address with the district and look up results on the California School Dashboard. Our Roseville schools page explains how.
Salary needed to live in Roseville
MIT's Living Wage Calculator for Placer County (February 2026) puts the pre-tax income needed for basic costs at $66,395 for one adult with no children and $158,846 for two working adults with two children. To buy Redfin's median Roseville home of $629,700 with 20% down at a 7.24% rate, the 28% lender guideline points to about $171,000 a year including property tax. See our cost of living page for the full table.
Who's moving to and from Roseville
Roseville is growing faster than California. The Census Bureau's five-year estimates rose from 135,637 residents (2015-2019) to 155,955 (2020-2024), a 15.0% increase, and the Department of Finance counted 158,494 in January 2025. In the latest ACS, 87.2% of residents lived in the same home a year earlier, 4.9% had moved within Placer County, 5.8% came from another California county, 1.5% from another state and 0.7% from abroad. Most newcomers, in other words, come from elsewhere in California. This Census table counts people moving in, not people moving out.
Retiring in Roseville
About 17.4% of Roseville residents are 65 or older (ACS 2020-2024). Sun City Roseville is an age-restricted community of 3,110 homes with two golf courses, a lodge and a fitness center, and senior living communities include Truewood by Merrill on Pleasant Grove Boulevard. Riders aged 60 and over pay half fare on Roseville Transit's local buses. Medical access is strong with two hospitals in town. Weigh the summer heat and the home's single-story layout and HVAC. Compare options on our Roseville 55+ communities page and the best places to retire in California guide.
Where to live in Roseville
Roseville splits into three ZIP codes with distinct prices. East Roseville (95661) had Zillow's highest typical value, $687,760, and is close to the Douglas Boulevard medical and shopping corridor. West Roseville (95747), at $664,852, is the newest area, home to west Roseville master plans such as Creekview. Central Roseville (95678), at $540,852, holds downtown, where the city offices are at 311 Vernon Street, and many of the older neighborhoods. Our Roseville neighborhoods guide profiles 15 areas, and the Roseville schools page explains how to check school assignments by address.
Should you move to Roseville? A checklist
- Run your budget at today's rate, including property tax and any Mello-Roos, not just the price.
- Drive your commute at rush hour on Interstate 80 or Highway 65, or test the commuter bus or train.
- Visit in July or August to judge the heat, and ask for the seller's summer electric bills.
- Check the address on the FEMA flood map and the city's floodplain tools if it is near a creek.
- Spend an evening near the home if it is close to the rail yard or a busy road.
- Look up the school districts and the address on the California School Dashboard.
- Read the city's Projects of Interest list for planned building near the home.
- Talk to a local agent about recent sales; see our featured Roseville agents and the Roseville guide.