Sacramento, CA
Census place 0664000 · pop 528,706
The capital of California and a Gold Rush boomtown, terminus of the Pony Express and the transcontinental railroad.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
757 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities
15 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
2615 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
4.6% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
51.7% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$506,300 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
98/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities
51 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$2,041/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
17.9% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
13.9% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.45 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
25 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
10.0% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
11.9% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
37.1% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$87,321 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
22.4% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
93.5% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+5.5% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.76% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
30.0% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
Frequently asked
- Is Sacramento, CA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Sacramento scores 36/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is adult obesity and its weakest is violent crime rate. California overall ranks #49 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Sacramento, CA?
- Sacramento reports 757 violent crimes per 100k and 2615 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Sacramento, CA expensive to live in?
- Sacramento has a median home value of $506,300 and typical rent around $2,041/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Sacramento, CA?
- Its weakest measured area is violent crime rate (757/100k) — 7/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Sacramento, CA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is adult obesity (30.0%) — 76/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: The capital of California and a Gold Rush boomtown, terminus of the Pony Express and the transcontinental railroad.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.