The Town FilesRio Linda, California
Community in Sacramento County · population 15,944 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $458,300
- Household income
- $96,364
- Jan low / Jul high
- 38° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 39.7
Rio Linda is a community of 15,944 people in Sacramento County, California. The median home is worth $458,300, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks easier by car than 82% of California towns, better transit than 76% of California towns.
How Rio Linda ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Rio Linda is worth $458,300, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 4.8 times the median household income of $96,364, which is more affordable than 80% of California towns. Median rent is $1,839 a month. 72.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rio Linda | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $458,300 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,839 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $96,364 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.8× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 72.9% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1969 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.9% | — |
Who lives in Rio Linda
| People | Rio Linda | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.7 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.1% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.9% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.4% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 6.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 17.0% | — |
| Work from home | 13.0% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 28.7 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.2% | 93.3% |
Weather in Rio Linda
July highs average 93.6°F and January lows 38.1°F. About 18.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 84 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 23 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rio Linda since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on February 7, 1978 about 1.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on January 11, 2017.
Severe weather in Sacramento County since 1996
Sacramento County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4482: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Sacramento County
Sacramento County had 726,937 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $80,125 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Rio Linda itself the ACS puts it at 4.4%.
Public schools in Rio Linda
7 public schools with 4,779 students, about 22.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rio Linda High | 9-12 | 1,596 | 20.7 |
| Heritage Peak Charter (charter) | K-12 | 1,126 | 25.6 |
| Dry Creek Elementary | K-6 | 625 | 25.0 |
| Westside Preparatory Charter (charter) | 7-8 | 446 | 22.3 |
| Westside Elementary | K-6 | 376 | 26.9 |
| Orchard Elementary | K-6 | 320 | 21.3 |
| Rio Linda Preparatory Academy | 7-8 | 290 | 18.1 |
Towns near Rio Linda
- Elverta, CA2.1 mi · 5,435 people · home $453,100
- North Highlands, CA3.9 mi · 49,327 people · home $367,600
- Antelope, CA4.8 mi · 48,733 people · home $489,800
- Foothill Farms, CA5.1 mi · 35,834 people · home $414,000
- Arden-Arcade, CA6.7 mi · 94,659 people · home $560,200
- Carmichael, CA7.4 mi · 79,793 people · home $579,500
- Citrus Heights, CA8.3 mi · 87,583 people · home $454,600
- Sacramento, CA8.4 mi · 524,943 people · home $506,300
Rio Linda questions
Is Rio Linda, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rio Linda scores better for retirees than 31% of California towns and quieter than 51%. 15.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.7).
How much does a house cost in Rio Linda?
The median owner-occupied home in Rio Linda is valued at $458,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $96,364, so homes cost about 4.8 times income. Median rent is $1,839 a month.
What is the weather like in Rio Linda?
July highs average 93.6°F and January lows 38.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 18.0 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Rio Linda get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rio Linda since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on February 7, 1978. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)