Is Sacramento a good place to live? The short answer
For many people, yes. Four numbers frame the decision:
- $470,552: Zillow's typical Sacramento home value in September 2026, 0.6% lower than a year earlier.
- $87,321: the city's median household income in the Census Bureau's 2020-2024 survey, against $99,122 for California.
- $2,045: Zillow's observed monthly rent in September 2026.
- 7.3: violent crimes reported per 1,000 residents in 2025, from California DOJ figures, against about 4.3 statewide.
The capital offers state government and hospital jobs, cheap public power, river parks and a central location between the Bay Area and the Sierra. It also has long hot summers, an older housing stock and real flood and crime issues to check address by address.
Pros of living in Sacramento
Pro: homes cost far less than coastal California
The Census survey puts Sacramento's median owner-estimated home value at $506,300, against $734,700 for the state. Zillow's typical value is lower still at $470,552. Rent is also below the state: a Census median of $1,779 against $2,036 for California.
Pro: SMUD electricity
The city is served by the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, a public utility. SMUD says its average residential bill for 750 kWh a month was $149 as of June 1, 2026, against $290 for PG&E. In a city where air conditioning runs all summer, that gap matters.
Pro: a large, steady job base
The City of Sacramento's 2024 financial report, as summarized on Wikipedia, lists the State of California as the region's largest employer with 113,610 workers, followed by UC Davis Health (16,075), Sacramento County (13,611), Kaiser Permanente (11,856), the federal government (10,699) and Sutter Health (10,129). Government and health care jobs tend to hold up in downturns.
Pro: the American River Parkway and city parks
The American River Parkway runs 23 miles along the American River. William Land Park holds the Sacramento Zoo and Fairytale Town, and McKinley Park has its rose garden. Garcia Bend Park and the levee trails serve the Pocket.
Pro: rail links to the Bay Area
Amtrak's Capitol Corridor runs from the Sacramento Valley station at 5th and I streets to the Bay Area several times a day, and the station is also a SacRT light rail terminus. Sacramento International Airport serves the region.
Pro: arts, sports and a walkable core
Golden 1 Center, home of the Sacramento Kings, opened downtown in 2016. The Crocker Art Museum is the oldest public art museum in the western United States, and the city counts 32 museums. Sacramento Republic FC plays in the USL Championship.
Pro: a mix of housing types
Sacramento has more choice than most suburbs around it. The Census survey counts about 212,500 homes in the city: 59.1% are detached houses, 6.7% attached townhomes, and 11.3% are in buildings of 20 or more units. That range runs from older homes in Land Park and Curtis Park to downtown condos, planned subdivisions in Natomas and lakeside homes in Riverlake. Just over half of households, 51.7%, own their home.
Pro: long-run value growth
Zillow's typical home value rose 64.0% in 10 years, from $286,852 in September 2016. Owners who bought before 2020 have built substantial equity even after the post-2022 dip.
Pro: shorter commutes than the big coastal metros
The average city worker's commute is 25.3 minutes, and 19.7% work from home, according to the Census survey. Interstate 5, Interstate 80 and Highway 50 all run through the city.
Cons of living in Sacramento
Con: hot, dry summers
Sacramento averages 76 days a year at 90 degrees or above and 14 days at 100 or above. The record is 116 degrees, set on September 6, 2022. Expect high cooling bills from June to September.
Con: flood risk behind the levees
Sacramento sits where the American River meets the Sacramento River and has relied on levees since the 1850s. The Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency still lists levee projects in progress on both rivers and in the Natomas Basin. Check each address's flood zone and price flood insurance before you buy.
Con: crime above the state average
California DOJ data show the Sacramento Police Department recorded 3,873 violent crimes and 12,208 property crimes in 2025. With the city's population of about 528,700, that is about 7.3 violent and 23.1 property crimes per 1,000 residents, against about 4.3 and 18.0 statewide. Violent crime fell 18% from 2022 to 2025 but was still 20% above 2019. See Sacramento crime rates for the method and address-level tools.
Con: values have gone nowhere since 2022
Zillow's typical value is about 9% below its July 2022 peak and up just 2.1% over five years. Zillow's metro forecast calls for a 0.8% decline over the next year. Buy to live in, not to flip.
Con: you will mostly drive
64% of city workers drive alone and only 1.8% take public transit. SacRT's basic fare is $2.50 a ride, but outside the central grid most errands need a car.
Con: older homes and rising utility bills
About 40% of the city's homes were built before 1970, so inspections often turn up old wiring, sewer laterals and foundations. The city says many of its water and sewer pipes are more than 100 years old and faces a $2.2 billion maintenance backlog, and it has proposed water and sewer rate increases from July 1, 2027.
Con: buying still takes more than the median income
Lower prices than the coast do not make Sacramento cheap. At Freddie Mac's 7.24% average rate for the week of October 29, 2026, a typical $470,552 home with 20% down costs about $2,565 a month in principal and interest plus about $440 in property tax. Keeping that near a third of gross income takes a household income above $100,000, while the city's median is $87,321. Many buyers start with a condo or in the lower-priced northern and southern ZIPs.
Con: school results vary widely
Parts of the city are served by Sacramento City Unified, Natomas Unified, Twin Rivers and Elk Grove Unified, and results differ by school. Look up any school on the California School Dashboard and confirm assignment with the district for a specific address. Our Sacramento schools page explains how.
What living in Sacramento is like
Climate in Sacramento
Sacramento has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate. The normal annual mean temperature is 61.8 degrees, ranging from a daily average of 47.3 in December to 75.9 in July. Average rainfall is 18.14 inches, nearly all from November to April, on about 58 days a year. Snow is very rare in the city, while the Sierra foothills to the east get regular snow.
Getting around Sacramento
Driving dominates, but SacRT runs light rail and buses with a $7 day pass and a $100 monthly pass. Seniors 62 and over pay half fare. For longer trips, Amtrak connects to the Bay Area, and Interstate 80 and Highway 50 lead to the Sierra.
Things to do in Sacramento
Old Sacramento's riverfront and the Sacramento Underground recall the city's Gold Rush years. The State Capitol, the Crocker Art Museum and the California Museum are downtown. Kings games fill Golden 1 Center, and the American River is popular for kayaking and boating. Land Park has the zoo, Fairytale Town and Funderland, which opens from February to November.
Salary needed to live in Sacramento
MIT's Living Wage Calculator for Sacramento County (February 2026) estimates the income needed to cover basic costs with nothing left for savings: $58,502 a year before tax for one adult, $100,158 for one adult with one child, and $139,883 for two working adults with two children. Buying is a bigger stretch: a typical $470,552 home with 20% down at 7.24% means about $2,565 a month in principal and interest before tax and insurance. The full breakdown, including SMUD, water and child care, is on the Sacramento cost of living page.
Who's moving to Sacramento
Most movement is local. In the Census Bureau's 2020-2024 survey, 87.3% of Sacramento residents lived in the same home a year earlier. Of the 12.7% who moved, most stayed in Sacramento County (7.1% of residents); 3.8% came from another California county, 1.2% from another state and about 0.6% from abroad. The city's population was about 528,700, with a median age of 36.0. The data show the city mainly churns within its own region. If you are coming from out of state, see relocating to Sacramento.
Retiring in Sacramento
Retirees weigh the same trade-offs: lower housing costs than the coast and major hospital systems (UC Davis Health, Kaiser Permanente, Sutter Health and Dignity Health are among the region's largest employers) against summer heat. SacRT charges seniors $1.25 a ride and $50 a month, and riders 75 and over can buy a $40 monthly pass. MIT's estimate of basic costs for one adult in Sacramento County is $58,502 a year before tax, a useful check against a pension or Social Security budget. If you are 55 or older and selling a California home, Prop 19 may let you carry your tax base to a Sacramento purchase; see the Prop 19 guide. For age-restricted options, see 55+ communities near Sacramento and best places to retire in California.
Where to live in Sacramento
Zillow's September 2026 neighborhood values show the range. Land Park ($837,908) and East Sacramento ($770,878) are the priciest established areas, with older homes; Land Park surrounds William Land Park. Curtis Park ($723,988) and River Park ($708,089) are close behind. Midtown, around the central street grid, has more condos than most of the city. The Pocket ($624,454) and Greenhaven ($626,108) sit along the Sacramento River, with the gated Riverlake community. North Natomas areas such as Natomas Park ($603,757) and Westlake ($572,856) have newer planned subdivisions with HOAs. Lower-priced areas such as Oak Park, Meadowview ($396,346) and Del Paso Heights ($355,835) start in the mid $300,000s. Compare them on Sacramento neighborhoods, Sacramento home values and gated communities in Sacramento, or look at nearby cities in the best suburbs of Sacramento.
Should you move to Sacramento? A checklist
- Spend a week here in July or August and see how the heat suits you.
- Check the flood zone and get an insurance quote for any address you like.
- Look up crime data for the neighborhood with the Sacramento Police Department and California DOJ OpenJustice.
- Check schools on the California School Dashboard and confirm assignment with the district.
- Run the numbers at a 7% mortgage rate, including property tax of about 1.14% and any HOA or special taxes.
- Ask the seller for sewer lateral, roof and electrical history on older homes.
- Test your commute at rush hour, especially on Interstate 80 or Highway 50.
- Compare a rental first if you are unsure which side of the city fits you.
A local agent can help you compare neighborhoods on price and condition. California Housing Prices's featured Sacramento agent is one option, and you are free to compare agents. Start with the Sacramento guide and the Sacramento housing market.