7 Things to Know Before Moving to Sacramento

Rico Rivera is a seasoned real estate professional with an undying love for Sacramento and the Bay Area. He has a deep understanding of how special California is and uses that knowledge to provide the best service to those who seek to buy a home in the Golden State. He is also a member of the California.com Recommended Business Program. 

Sacramento is so much more than just another California city. As the capital of the Golden State, it is literally at the center of things with a booming economy, plenty of recreational activities, and wonderful food. All this combined with a famously laid-back atmosphere makes for one of the best places to live in California with a high quality of life. Despite this, Sacramento is somewhat underrated as far as California cities go, and that means there are plenty of cool reasons to move to Sacramento you might not have known about. 

The cleanliness and modernity of the city have made it especially attractive to young professionals from the Bay Area moving to Sacramento, particularly those hoping to raise a family. The City of Trees is both modern and connected with nature, safe but not boring, and has a little of something for everyone. Let’s check out seven of the cool things to know before moving to Sacramento. 

1. Lower Living Costs  

While it is true that Sacramento has living costs that are higher than the national average, the city remains more affordable than most other major California cities. Sacramento real estate prices still have much of the rest of California beat when it comes to affordability. For example, San Diego is 35% more costly than Sacramento, and Los Angeles is over 46% more expensive. 

Those from the Bay Area moving to Sacramento will be happy to know that Sacramento is also more affordable in living costs than San Francisco. This is particularly true for Sacramento’s real estate prices which have remained competitive compared to other cities in California. Houses for rent in Sacramento also tend to be more affordable than in other cities in California. The median rent in Sacramento is just over $1,800 compared to nearly $3,400 in San Francisco, for example.  

When it comes to median home prices, the capital is also at an advantage. Whereas San Jose has a $1.2 million median home price, Sacramento’s median home price is $430,000. Since Sacramento is also one of the cleanest and safest towns in the state, that means your money can take you further, particularly if you’re looking for a good place to raise a family that has a higher quality of life. 

2. Great Location 

Sacramento is close to major attractions including Lake Tahoe, the Sacramento River, Reno, and even San Francisco. In other words, you have plenty of options when the holidays come to town as there are some great places that are just a stone’s throw away. Make a weekend trip to Lake Tahoe and enjoy the scenic snowy vistas and amazing skiing pistes, or take a quick hour-and-a-half trip down to check out historic neighborhoods in San Fran such as Castro or Haight-Ashbury. With such a diversity of options available, holidays are bound to be fun-filled affairs if you move to Sacramento, CA. 

It’s worth noting that the job market has only been looking up in Sacramento. There are a growing number of jobs in a variety of industries such as transportation, agriculture, mining, healthcare, construction, and technology. The positive job market is an especially important detail since it only enhances Sacramento’s benefits as a good location to live and work for young professionals. 

3. Quality Schools 

One great reason you won’t regret moving to Sacramento is that it is home to some of the best school districts in the state of California. Those moving to Sacramento, CA will be happy to know that the city itself has a whole host of distinguished schools that enjoy high graduation rates and good college readiness indicators. There are also a wide range of quality schools in Sacramento County and the wider metro area. So even if you live away from downtown your kids can still have access to quality education. 

4. Farm-to-Fork Capital of the World 

Foodies moving to Sacramento, CA will be thrilled to know that Sacramento is a veritable hub for healthy, quality eats. When you want the freshest food possible, you have to go straight to the source, and Sacramento is that source. The Sacramento area is home to much of America’s agricultural wealth. It is the home of America’s biggest agricultural producers and is full of amazing restaurants that offer an unparalleled farm-to-fork dining experience. 

This is all possible because the ingredients are from the rich fertile soil of Sacramento itself, and you can’t get fresher than that. Foodies and advocates of a healthy lifestyle have the ultimate reason to move to Sacramento as the culinary scene is quite simply unmatched by any other city in the United States.

Thanks to its well-developed farm-to-fork culinary culture, Sacramento’s Farm-to-Table restaurants have garnered international recognition from such distinguished authorities as the Michelin Guide. In celebration of this rich tradition of quality foods and agriculture, Sacramento also hosts an annual Farm-to-Fork Street Festival on the last weekend of each September. Coffee lovers will also be right at home in the City of Trees as four of the best coffee manufacturers in the nation also live here. 

5. The City of Trees

Even as an increasingly urbanized city, Sacramento still lives up to its distinct nickname. The City of Trees offers plenty of options for those who love to explore the great outdoors thanks to natural attractions that are just a short drive away from the city. One great reason to move to Sacramento, CA if you’re a nature lover is Discovery Park. 

A truly unique place to visit in California, Discovery Park has plenty of spots for picnics, horseback riding, boating, cycling, hiking, and even water skiing. This is thanks to its bountiful mountainous woodlands and the fact that it marks the start of the American River Parkway—a large network of parklands that go all the way up to Folsom Lake State Recreation Area. The region is also home to the Sacramento Delta which is just ten miles south of the city and filled with endless rivers and tributaries, making it a great place to get away from the city hustle and bustle.   

6. Home to the Largest Rock Festival in California

Metalheads moving to Sacramento, CA will be thrilled to know that the city is host to Aftershock, an annual four-day-long rock and heavy metal music festival in either September or October. The festival regularly features famous names in heavy metal and rock scenes, including Metallica, Slipknot, Korn, Rob Zombie, Bad Religion, and countless others. The festival was first held in 2012 and has since become a nationally popular event around the country.

Music isn’t the only attraction at Aftershock as visitors can also enjoy Sacramento’s gourmet, healthy cuisine thanks to local food vendors. The rock festival even features a distinct art exhibit offering even more for spectators to enjoy. Naturally, one great reason to move to Sacramento is that the festival will be right in your hometown, so no need for grueling road trips to catch your favorite band live. 

7. Wonderful Weather 

Great weather is one of the best reasons to move to Sacramento. Much like San Diego, Sacramento enjoys consistently good weather thanks to year-round warm temperatures and a lack of humidity. This translates to plenty of sunny days and very few rainy ones. You won’t have to worry about clearing your driveway from snow either as Sacramento very rarely sees snow flurries. It has not snowed in the City of Trees since 2009. 

Those from the Bay Area moving to Sacramento should pack a few of their warm jackets for the coldest winter days, but most of the time you won’t need any kind of winter wear in Sacramento. The coldest month in the city is January when the average high temperature is 56 degrees and the average low is 37. Sacramento only receives about twenty inches of rain on average, and most of it is in January.