The Town FilesSacramento, California
City in Sacramento County · population 524,943 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $506,300
- Household income
- $87,321
- Jan low / Jul high
- 41° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 36.0
Sacramento is a city of 524,943 people in Sacramento County, California. The median home is worth $506,300, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for cycling than 88% of California towns, more vibrant than 85% of California towns, better transit than 84% of California towns.
How Sacramento 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 Sacramento is worth $506,300, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 5.8 times the median household income of $87,321, which is more affordable than 61% of California towns. Median rent is $1,779 a month. 51.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sacramento | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $506,300 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,779 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $87,321 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.8× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 51.7% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.5% | — |
Who lives in Sacramento
| People | Sacramento | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.0 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.2% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 21.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.1% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.9% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 4.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 22.3% | — |
| Work from home | 19.7% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 25.3 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.5% | 93.3% |
Weather in Sacramento
July highs average 94.4°F and January lows 41.1°F. About 19.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 90 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 4 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sacramento 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 9.2 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 Sacramento itself the ACS puts it at 6.6%.
Public schools in Sacramento
201 public schools with 130,480 students, about 24.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highlands Community Charter (charter) | 1-12 | 9,069 | 73.7 |
| California Innovative Career Academy (charter) | 1-12 | 3,180 | 31.2 |
| C. K. McClatchy High | 9-12 | 2,481 | 25.1 |
| Sheldon High | 9-12 | 2,415 | 23.0 |
| Inderkum High | 9-12 | 2,242 | 24.6 |
| Grant Union High | 9-12 | 2,016 | 21.2 |
| John F. Kennedy High | 9-12 | 1,888 | 22.7 |
| Rio Americano High | 9-12 | 1,867 | 24.9 |
| Natomas Charter (charter) | K-12 | 1,863 | 22.4 |
| Fortune (charter) | K-12 | 1,747 | 20.1 |
| Florin High | 9-12 | 1,663 | 19.3 |
| Mira Loma High | 9-12 | 1,632 | 23.7 |
Towns near Sacramento
- Fruitridge Pocket, CA2.5 mi · 6,102 people · home $362,200
- Lemon Hill, CA3.5 mi · 14,496 people · home $349,900
- West Sacramento, CA4.4 mi · 53,915 people · home $525,800
- Parkway, CA4.8 mi · 15,962 people · home $374,700
- Arden-Arcade, CA5.1 mi · 94,659 people · home $560,200
- La Riviera, CA6.1 mi · 11,252 people · home $459,200
- Rosemont, CA6.2 mi · 23,510 people · home $460,700
- Florin, CA6.8 mi · 52,388 people · home $386,900
Sacramento questions
Is Sacramento, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sacramento scores better for retirees than 27% of California towns and quieter than 15%. 14.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.0).
How much does a house cost in Sacramento?
The median owner-occupied home in Sacramento is valued at $506,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $87,321, so homes cost about 5.8 times income. Median rent is $1,779 a month.
What is the weather like in Sacramento?
July highs average 94.4°F and January lows 41.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 19.2 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Sacramento get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sacramento 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)