Sacramento has 536,449 people, so its C− is an average across neighborhoods that differ more from each other than most towns do. It ranks 509th of 841 graded places in California. It is more walkable than 95% of U.S. towns. What weighs on its grade: it reports more crime per resident than 93% of U.S. towns, including 3,865 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025, and homes are expensive, about $471K for a typical one and 4.8 times the Sacramento metro’s $97K median household income. 39% of working residents work locally in Sacramento, above both California’s towns (6.6%) and U.S. towns (8%). On hazard risk, just 16 of California’s 1,064 towns do better. Its National Register listings include "Big Four" House and Old Sacramento Historic District.

StrongestAWalkability A⁻History A⁻OutdoorsWeakestDSafety DCost of living

What makes Sacramento stand out

Where Sacramento beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.

"Big Four" House

HistoryA⁻

Settled in 1849

79 places on the National Register

A history going back 177 years.

Biggest of 4

College	Students
California State University-Sacramento	29,083
Sacramento City College	8,001
Cosumnes River College	7,142

Colleges in town

4 colleges

44,296 students on campus

Students are 8% of residents.

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Sacramento7.2

California4.4

U.S.3.3

Worth knowing · SafetyD

64% more violent crime than CA

FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.

"Big Four" House · National Register of Historic Places

Sacramento’s story

177 years in pictures

"Big Four" House is one of 5 National Historic Landmarks here, the National Register’s top tier. Its founding year, 1849, comes before those of 94% of the California towns we grade with a known year.

Census counts: 6,820 in 1850, 524,943 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1848 and 8 maps from 1902 on.

79 places on the National Register of Historic Places.

1849Sacramento is settled

Explore the history →

How Sacramento grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Sacramento is from typical.

How grading works

WalkabilityEPA walkability 13.8 of 20; 8.4% of households have no car; 5.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transitAOpen →SafetyDOpen →Cost of livingDOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 33% of U.S. communities; earthquakes tops the listB⁺Open →HealthSutter Medical Center, Sacramento 0.2 miles awayBOpen →SchoolsB⁻Open →Jobs & income$87K median household incomeB⁻Open →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors9% conserved landA⁻Open →History44 notable people born hereA⁻Open →Civic life4.5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC⁺Open →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

ClimateMild winters, 94° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market14 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 36.0–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Nearby attractions

ARCO Arena and 35 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Sacramento. Close and well known come first.

All 65 attractions →

in town Stadium & arenaARCO Arena

in town State parkSutter's Fort

in town Stadium & arenaHornet Stadium

in town State parkGovernor's Mansion State Historic Park

in town MuseumCalifornia State Railroad Museum500K visitors a year

in town State parkLeland Stanford Mansion State Historic Park

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credits

ARCO Arena: CLopez63, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Sutter's Fort: Ian Howard, CC BY 2.5 · Hornet Stadium: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0 · Governor's Mansion State Historic Park: Mark James Miller, CC BY 3.0 · California State Railroad Museum: The original uploader was Swampyank at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0 · Leland Stanford Mansion State Historic Park: M.Mierzwa. MCalamari at en.wikipedia, Public domain

Getting set up

Moving to Sacramento: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Sacramento, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerSacramento Municipal Util Dist18.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterCity of Sacramento Main water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet9 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Sacramento’s trash rules yet

SchoolsSacramento City Unified School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES

Register to voteOnlineIn California you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.gov

Who runs elections hereCounty of Sacramento Voter Registration and ElectionsSacramento County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2025

ZIP codes95823, 95822, 95831, 9583595823 11% · 95822 9% · 95831 8% · 95835 8%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Sacramento.

Sacramento carries less natural-hazard risk than nearly all of California (mostly earthquakes), draws workers from Elk Grove and beyond and has hotter summers than nearly all U.S. towns.

Work & commuteJobs & income grade B⁻

About one in three working residents works right in Sacramento

318,054 jobs are based in Sacramento, 1.5 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in.

About one in 3 of Sacramento’s working residents works in town. 20% of workers work from home in Sacramento. Since 2013, Sacramento has added 39,428 jobs, to 318,054 in 2023.

39%work in town

	Sacramento	California towns	U.S. towns
Work from home	20%	14%	11%
Below the poverty line	14%	10%	9.6%
Average trip to work	25 minutes	28 minutes	25 minutes
Median household income	$87,000	$95,000	$80,000

Where working residents work

In Sacramento39%

Rancho Cordova4%

West Sacramento4%

Elk Grove3%

Arden-Arcade3%

9 mi

median commute distance

318,054

jobs based in Sacramento

A job hub

jobs vs. working residents

Walkability grade: more walkable than 95% of U.S. towns

Full pageSacramento’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here318,054 jobs based here · A job hub Where people work39% work in Sacramento Commute times25 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 9 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

SchoolsB⁻

On state tests, Sacramento’s schools trail 54% of California districts

Three of its 149 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.

46%of CA districts it outscoresB⁻School Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
Miwok MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 7–8	Grades 7–8	1,181	–
Highlands Community CharterLargest public high schoolGrades 1–12	Grades 1–12	11,713	–
Natomas Pacific Pathways PrepTop results in townGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	629	A

Full pageSacramento’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsSacramento City Unified Vs. the neighborsAhead of 1 of its 9 graded neighbors Every school149 schools · Smythe Academy of Arts and Sciences Questions“Are Sacramento’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation

SafetyD

Sacramento’s grade for safety is a D

Reported crimes fell from 19,542 to 16,000 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.

Sacramento’s violent crime rate is 7.2 per 1,000 residents. Sacramento reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 93% report less. Sacramento’s property crime rate is 22.5 per 1,000 residents.

7%of U.S. towns report more crimeDSafety Grade

	Sacramento	California towns	U.S. towns
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025)	7.2 per 1,000 residents	2.9	1.6
Property crimes per 1,000 (2025)	22.5 per 1,000 residents	13.3	9.9

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Sacramento7.2

California4.4

U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Sacramento22.5

California18.2

U.S.15.5

7th

percentile among U.S. towns we grade

9th

percentile among CA towns

3,865

violent crimes reported in 2025

12,135

property crimes reported in 2025

Full pageSacramento’s safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type7.2 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsDown since 2023 Vs. the neighborsBehind its graded neighbor Questions“Is Sacramento, CA safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

HousingCost of living grade D

Sacramento’s grade for cost of living is a D

The typical value, about $471K, is 9% below its July 2022 peak.

52% of Sacramento households own their home. The typical Sacramento home is worth about $471,000, down 0.6% in a year, 38% below the California typical home. The median rent in Sacramento is $1,779 a month.

$471KZillow home value

	Sacramento	California towns	U.S. towns
Households that own their home	52%	64%	73%
Median rent	$1,779 a month	$1,898 a month	$1,185 a month
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent	56%	55%	48%

Typical home value

Sacramento$471K

California$762K

Market temperature

days on market

101.1%

sale-to-list price

−0.6%

value change, 1 year

331

homes sold in May

Full pageSacramento’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsDown 0.6% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 5.4 years of income Rents$1,779 a month · Median rent Vs. the neighborsAhead of 2 of its 9 graded neighbors

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

OutdoorsA⁻

9.2% of Sacramento is conserved land

102 miles of trail in 168 parks and preserves. American River Parkway, at 2,129 acres with 20.6 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.

#380for trails in CA

	Sacramento	California towns	U.S. towns
Conserved land	9.2%	4.2%	4.3%
Miles of trail per square mile	1.0 miles per square mile	1.0	0.4

9.2%

conserved · 5,899 of 64,130 acres

102 mi

of trails · 1 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. American River Parkway	20.6 mi	2,129
2. William Land Park	3.2 mi	234
3. Capitol Park	2.6 mi	38

Full pageSacramento’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map102 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk20.6 miles of trail · American River Parkway Conserved land9.2% conserved · 5,899 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Sacramento?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Climate

In Sacramento, expect mild winters and hot summers

July afternoons average 94°, hotter than in 95% of U.S. towns; January nights average 39.1°.

Sacramento has mild winters and hot summers, with very little rain. Snow is almost unheard of.

94°summer high

	Sacramento	California towns	U.S. towns
July high	94°F	89°F	85°F
January low	39°F	41°F	22°F

Typical low → high °F

Winter40–58°

Spring48–74°

Summer59–92°

Fall50–78°

Dec 2

typical first frost

Feb 2

typical last frost

+1.3°

vs. the 20th-century average

94°

typical summer high

Full pageSacramento’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 94°, January lows 39°Rain & snow19″ of rain a year · Snow is almost unheard of Heating & coolingBoth heating and cooling Then and now+1.3° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B⁺

Sacramento stands out in California and nationally: the FEMA risk score there is lower

FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk lower than 98% of California towns, with expected losses of about $203 per resident a year; that rating is what its B+ for hazard risk is built on. 1,013 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 41 properties have flooded more than once.

Since 1978, 1,013 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Sacramento.

33risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

EarthquakesInland flooding

1,013

paid flood claims since 1978

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageSacramento’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesLow risk Flood claims1,013 paid flood claims · Since 1978 Past disasters4 federal disasters · Paid out in Sacramento Get readyReady for earthquakes

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

HealthB

Residents of Sacramento are healthier than 61% of U.S. towns

Sacramento beats the California average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2.

61%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade

	Sacramento	California towns	U.S. towns
Feel lonely (CDC PLACES)	40%	36%	33%
Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES)	69%	72%	79%
Binge drink (CDC PLACES)	14%	16%	16%
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)	30%	31%	35%

32 measures vs. California

1 better29 too close to call2 worse

What stands out	Sacramento	CA
Fewer adults who have had cancer	5.7%	6.4%
More adults facing a utility shut-off	9.1%	7.3%

Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento

0.2 mi away · emergency room

2 of 3

care shortages: dental, mental health

50th

percentile among CA towns

Full pageSacramento’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsMore adults sleeping under 7 hours Hospitals & doctors nearby0.2 miles to an ER · Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento How adults are doingMore adults in frequent mental distress Every CDC estimateBetter than CA on 1 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Who lives here

An age mix much like California’s

No broad age group is more than 4 points off the California average. Sacramento has grown 2.2% since 2020, to 536,449 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 37% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 37% across California.

36median age · CA 37.9

	Sacramento	California towns	U.S. towns
Median age	36 years	39.1 years	40.5 years
Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+	37%	29%	29%
Aged 65 or older	14%	16%	18%

SacramentoCaliforniaUnited States

CAU.S.

Ages · share of residents

18%

Education · adults 25 and older

No diploma13%

High school20%

Some college21%

Associate’s8%

Bachelor’s23%

Graduate14%

Women and men · all residents

50.7% women, 49.3% men

About 97 men for every 100 women. Across California, 50.1% of residents are women. Median age: women 36.9, men 35.3.

Ages and education in Sacramento
	Sacramento	CA	U.S.
Under 10	11.5%	11.4%	11.6%
10 to 17	10%	10.5%	10.3%
18 to 24	9%	9.1%	9.1%
25 to 34	17.5%	14.8%	13.7%
35 to 44	15.4%	13.9%	13.2%
45 to 54	11.5%	12.5%	12.2%
55 to 64	10.8%	12.1%	12.7%
65 to 74	8.6%	9.2%	10.2%
75 and older	5.6%	6.5%	7%
No diploma	13.3%	15.3%	10.4%
High school	20.4%	20.5%	26%
Some college	20.9%	19.3%	19.1%
Associate’s	8.4%	7.9%	8.8%
Bachelor’s	23%	22.7%	21.6%
Graduate	14.1%	14.4%	14.1%

Full pageSacramento by the numbersOpen the page

Ages36 median age · 14% are 65 or older Schooling37% have a four-year degree Homes52% own their home · Homeowners Income$87K a year · Median household income

Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Sacramento

20pages on Sacramento

The big questions

SchoolsB⁻Behind 54% of CA districts · 149 schools SafetyD7.2 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthBBetter than CA on 1 of 32 CDC measures Cost of livingD$471K typical home · down 0.6% in a year Work & commuteB⁻$87K median household income · 318,054 jobs here Natural hazardsB⁺FEMA risk higher than 33% of U.S. communities · earthquakes

Out and about

OutdoorsA⁻102 mi of trails · 9% conserved land PlacesAttractions65 nearby · ARCO Arena under 1 mi LibraryC⁺Mckinley Library CollegesCosumnes River College, in town

The story

HistoryA⁻Settled 1849 · 79 on the National Register Famous people44 born in Sacramento Town Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 133 residents Climate94° summer highs

Day to day

News17 recent stories about Sacramento WeatherHandbookZIP code 94203, 94204, 94205 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

8 within 15 miles of the center of Sacramento

Cosumnes River CollegeCommunity college · Public · SacramentoIn town$1,288 in-state tuition California State University-SacramentoUniversity or college · Public · SacramentoIn town$8,018 in-state tuition Sacramento City CollegeCommunity college · Public · SacramentoIn town$1,288 in-state tuition

About 8 of every 100 Sacramento residents are enrolled in college, about the same as California.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

College town

California State University-Sacramento calls Sacramento home

4 colleges in town.

California State University-Sacramento29,083 students on campus

Admission: 94%
Net price: $9,338
Graduate: 56%

Sacramento City College8,001 students on campus

Admission: Open
Net price: $6,614
Graduate: 33%

Cosumnes River College7,142 students on campus

Admission: Open
Net price: $5,981
Graduate: 40%

College Scorecard · IPEDS

Landmarks

79 places in Sacramento on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

"Big Four" HouseNational Historic Landmark

Old Sacramento Historic DistrictNational Historic Landmark

Pony Express TerminalNational Historic Landmark

Sutter's FortNational Historic Landmark

Famous people from Sacramento

44 notable people were born in Sacramento.

See all 44 →

Brie LarsonAmerican actress, singer and filmmaker · born 1989

Jessica ChastainAmerican actress and producer · born 1977

Greta GerwigAmerican actress and filmmaker · born 1983

Joan DidionAmerican writer · 1934–2021

Charles M. RiceAmerican virologist · born 1952

Sam ElliottAmerican actor · born 1944

About Sacramento

Capital city of California, United States

Official town website ↗

Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California. The county seat of Sacramento County, it is located at the confluence of the Sacramento and American Rivers in the Sacramento Valley. It is the fourth-most populous city in Northern California, sixth-most populous city in the state, and 35th-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 524,943 at the 2020 census. The Sacramento metropolitan area, with 2.46 million residents, is the 27th-largest metropolitan area in the country. Before the arrival of the Spanish, the area was inhabited by the Nisenan, Maidu, and other indigenous peoples of California. In 1808, Spanish cavalryman Gabriel Moraga surveyed and named…

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Established: 1849
Area: 100 sq mi
Elevation: 46 ft
ZIP code: 94203, 94204, 94205
Area code: 916

Sacramento’s neighbors

10 towns share a border with Sacramento.

Explore the map →

How the neighbors grade

Town	CA rank	Overall	Cost	Safety	Schools	Health
Sacramento	#509	C⁻	D	D	B⁻	B
Arden-Arcade	#406	C	D	—	B⁻	B⁻
West Sacramento	#403	C	D	C⁺	B	B⁻
Lemon Hill	#513	C⁻	C⁺	—	B⁻	D
Florin	#328	C⁺	C	—	B⁺	C
McClellan Park	—	—	D⁻	—	C⁺	C⁻
North Highlands	#442	C	C	—	B⁻	C
Fruitridge Pocket	#482	C⁻	C	—	B⁻	D

McClellan Park has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Arden-Arcade, Lemon Hill, Florin, McClellan Park, North Highlands and Fruitridge Pocket report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Sacramento with a neighbor →

Questions about Sacramento

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Sacramento, CA a good place to live?

Sacramento grades C− overall, better than 18% of U.S. towns and #509 of 841 in California. It grades B for health, D for safety and B− for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a D.

Is Sacramento, CA expensive?

Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.

What is Sacramento, CA known for?

44 notable people were born here, including Brie Larson and Jessica Chastain.

Post to Sacramento

Check your email

SacramentoCA

What is it like to live in Sacramento?

What makes Sacramento stand out

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

177 years in pictures

How Sacramento grades

ARCO Arena and 35 more within 40 miles

Moving to Sacramento: who provides what

The data

About one in three working residents works right in Sacramento

Where working residents work

On state tests, Sacramento’s schools trail 54% of California districts

Sacramento’s grade for safety is a D

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Sacramento’s grade for cost of living is a D

Typical home value

9.2% of Sacramento is conserved land

In Sacramento, expect mild winters and hot summers

Typical low → high °F

Sacramento stands out in California and nationally: the FEMA risk score there is lower

Residents of Sacramento are healthier than 61% of U.S. towns

An age mix much like California’s

Ages · share of residents

Education · adults 25 and older

Women and men · all residents

Everything we know about Sacramento

Colleges nearby

California State University-Sacramento calls Sacramento home

Landmarks

Famous people from Sacramento

About Sacramento

Sacramento’s neighbors

Questions about Sacramento