Sacramento At-A-Glance
What comes to mind when thinking about moving to Sacramento? For us, it’s the fact that California’s capital is quite a melting pot with over 500,000 folks from all walks of life. Streets here buzz with different languages and colors, showing off the world in one city.
There’s history everywhere, going back to the Gold Rush days, but it’s not all old — history shakes hands with the future. Sacramento is big on being green and eco-friendly, so quite future-forward. And it’s green not just in its parks but in how people live and move around, making energy-smart choices.
Not far from both the mountains and the ocean, in Sacramento, you’ll be in the middle of everything. And, bonus, you’ll get a lot of sunny days.
The Best of City Life and Nature, All in One Place
Living in Sacramento is pretty cool, especially if you like fresh food and being outside. It’s called America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital for a reason, and that reason is it gets lots of fresh stuff right from nearby farms. They even have a festival with that name, and foodies will always have something tasty to try, from quick bites at food trucks to fancy meals at restaurants.
Now, we’ve mentioned it’s a green city, but did you know it ranks among the Top 10 urban forests in the country? With parks and trees everywhere, the city’s air and water are also better. Plus, they give Sacramento a special charm that is only enhanced by the weather.
Since it’s mostly sunny, it’s perfect for all sorts of fun outdoor activities all year round, and there are a lot of opportunities in and around the city, no worries. Besides the parks, there are also plenty of bike trails, and you have Lake Tahoe only a 2-hour drive away. Aiming for Yosemite National Park? It’ll still take you under 3 hours.
A Diverse Economy and Job Market
Although it’s the state capital, Sacramento’s economy doesn’t just revolve around government jobs. Healthcare and education are big here, with UC Davis Health leading the way. Plus, with the tech industry growing, thanks to the STEM job market being top-notch, there’s always something new and innovative happening. And let’s not forget about agriculture. After all, there are over 1.5 million acres of farms around the city and the growing season never seems to stop.
Now, living here does cost a bit more than the average U.S. city — about 20% more. But, compare it to San Francisco just down the road, and it looks like a bargain, being 33% cheaper.
When it comes to earnings, folks here bring in a bit more than the average U.S. household. But on a per-person basis, it’s a tad lower. Still, while you might spend more on living, the job opportunities, especially in tech and science, are pretty exciting.
Unemployment rate in Sacramento County: 4.5 percent (as of October 2023)
Average weekly wages for all industries in the Sacramento metro area: $1,455 (Q1 2023)
A Very Competitive Real Estate Market
Half of Sacramentans own their homes, while the other half prefer to rent. A possible explanation lies in the median value of homes and gross rents. Compared to the U.S. median values, homes in Sacramento cost almost 60% more, while rent is only 25% higher.
That’s actually not bad, especially if you compare it to where California as a whole stands: an extra 46% more than Sacramento in home values and over 16% more in rent. So, when moving to Sacramento, you get the perks that come with it being a state capital, but housing is more affordable than in other large cities in the state.
On a side note, it’s a great place to be for real estate agents. There are a lot of job opportunities, and the real estate market is healthy and very competitive.
Fun fact: Most people interested in moving to Sacramento currently live in San Francisco.
