Advantages & Disadvantages of Moving to Sacramento

You consider moving to Sacramento but want to get additional information about the city before making your final decision in this regard?

Great! Stick with me since I will show you all the pros and cons of living in Sacramento in the following chapters.

Living in Sacramento – Overview

Advantages of Living in Sacramento

1. Property prices are still relatively low in Sacramento
2. Rents are affordable
3. Housing shortage is still not that much of a problem
4. Average person can afford a solid home
5. You don’t have to search for a long time to find a suitable place to live
6. Living costs are not as high as in San Francisco or other cities in the Bay Area
7. Proximity to Silicon Valley makes Sacramento a good commuter town
8. Big companies have settled down in the Sacramento area
9. Many good jobs to choose from in the Sacramento region
10. Unemployment is not that of a big deal for highly-qualified people
11. You can make really good money in and around Sacramento
12. Moving to Sacramento can be great if you are a tech guy or gal
13. Sacramento is surrounded by beautiful nature
14. You can visit many national parks
15. Many recreational spaces to relax in Sacramento
16. You will be relatively close to the mountains
17. Beaches are not too far away
18. Traffic is not that of a big deal in Sacramento yet
19. Relatively easy to find parking lots in Sacramento
20. Sacramento is not as busy as other major cities
21. People are pretty relaxed in Sacramento
22. People help you out
23. Easy to get in touch with new people
24. Many places to socialize in Sacramento
25. People in Sacramento are friendly
26. You can have many interesting conversations
27. You can meet people from all over the world
28. Sacramento becomes increasingly popular among tourists
29. Sacramento is a great place to live as a family
30. Sacramento as pet-friendly city
31. Many leisure activities to choose from in Sacramento
32. Sacramento has a nice zoo
33. Sacramento has an international airport
34. You don’t urgently need a car to get around
35. Sacramento is a bike-friendly city
36. You can get from one end to the other relatively easily
37. Sacramento has decent public transport
38. Great weather in Sacramento
39. You can spend lots of time outdoors in Sacramento
40. Sacramento has better air quality compared to other major cities in the US
41. People are welcome from all parts of the world
42. Sacramento is a pretty diverse city
43. Decent nightlife in Sacramento
44. Decent schools and colleges to choose from in Sacramento
45. You can try many different foods in Sacramento
46. Many different neighborhoods to choose from
47. You will find most things for daily life within walking distance
48. Homelessness is not a big problem in Sacramento yet
49. Sacramento has decent museums
50. Sacramento has a well-known art scene
51. Sacramento offers everything you need to live a happy life

Property prices are still relatively low in Sacramento

One advantage of living in Sacramento is that you will still find relatively low property prices in this region.

Even though prices have increased significantly over the past years, it is still much cheaper to buy a home in Sacramento compared to other cities in the Bay Area like San Francisco.

Rents are affordable

If you don’t want to buy a home, it can still make sense to live in Sacramento since also rents are pretty affordable and you don’t have to spend too much of your disposable income on housing expenses in this region.

Consequently, the average person has enough money left to pay for other basic expenses of daily life and may even be able to afford some luxury.

Housing shortage is still not that much of a problem

While the demand for housing has increased over the past years, housing shortage is still not as a big problem in Sacramento as in many other big cities in California.

For instance, while people in San José often struggle to find a place to live and are often also not able to afford it, people in Sacramento have a much more relaxed life in this regard.

Average person can afford a solid home

Another reason to move to Sacramento is that the average person is still able to afford a decent home.

Not only the rich can live the American dream, but also the majority of the general public can still afford paying their bills and living a decent lifestyle right now while this might still become more difficult in the near future.

You don’t have to search for a long time to find a suitable place to live

Not only property prices and rents are still affordable, but it will also not take you that long to find a suitable place to live.

Thus, while you might have to search for many weeks or even months to find a place to stay in Los Angeles or other major cities, you will not have to spend that much time on finding a nice play to stay in Sacramento.

Living costs are not as high as in San Francisco or other cities in the Bay Area

While living costs are still pretty high compared to the rest of the US, living costs are still much lower in Sacramento compared to other regions in the Bay Area and this gives you the opportunity to afford more nice things in the long run.

Proximity to Silicon Valley makes Sacramento a good commuter town

Another upside to living in Sacramento is that it is a pretty good commuter town and that you can reach Silicon Valley within one hour.

Hence, you can just work in Silicon Valley and live in Sacramento to make really good money and still profit from the relatively low living and housing costs in Sacramento at the same time so that you can save and invest lots of money in the long run.

Big companies have settled down in the Sacramento area

Sacramento has also become a pretty important region for California when it comes to economic figures.

In fact, many big companies have settled down in and around Sacramento and this region will therefore likely have a bright future and will stay important for many years to come.

Many good jobs to choose from in the Sacramento region

Sacramento also offers many good job opportunities.

Not only will you find great jobs in the city, but you will also find many good places to work in the surrounding area, at least if you are highly-qualified and also have the digital skills needed in the job market right now.

Unemployment is not that of a big deal for highly-qualified people

While people who are not well-educated and don’t have skills that are in high demand in the job market may have serious problems finding a good job in Sacramento, highly-qualified people will not have to worry about getting unemployed anytime soon and will almost have freedom of choice regarding whom they want to work for.

You can make really good money in and around Sacramento

Sacramento is also a great place to live and work since you can make really good money in this region and six-figure incomes are not that uncommon if you have the skills needed in the job market right now and are also willing to work hard to reach your career goals.

Moving to Sacramento can be great if you are a tech guy or gal

Moving to Sacramento also makes quite a lot of sense if you are a tech guy or gal since you can meet many like-minded people and will also find more than enough great jobs in this region.

If you don’t find a good job in Sacramento, you will find one in Silicon Valley for sure and can just commute to work and back within one hour.

Sacramento is surrounded by beautiful nature

Another benefit of living in Sacramento is that the city is surrounded by beautiful nature.

You don’t have to drive long hours to experience beautiful scenery.

Instead, you just need to drive for a few miles and will be surrounded by nice forests and lakes where you can relax and spend your leisure.

You can visit many national parks

There are also many national parks close to Sacramento that you can visit.

This is great since you can make nice weekend trips with your family and experience all the great places around this beautiful city.

In turn, your kids will become more aware of how important it is to protect our environment and will likely behave eco-friendlier in the long run.

Many recreational spaces to relax in Sacramento

Another advantage of moving to Sacramento is that you will find many places to relax, not only in the surrounding national parks but also in the city itself since there are many green spaces and parks to relax in.

For instance, if you have a stressful job, you can just sit down on a bench in the park and enjoy your lunch break to reload your batteries for the stressful things yet to come.

You will be relatively close to the mountains

Sacramento is also a great place to live since the city is closely located to the mountains and if you want to go skiing or hiking, you will find opportunities to do so without having to drive long hours.

Beaches are not too far away

While Sacramento is not too far away from the mountains, you can also reach the coast within a one-hour drive and this can be great since you can enjoy your leisure at the beach and can also enjoy the beautiful scenery at the coast.

Traffic is not that of a big deal in Sacramento yet

Another downside to moving to Sacramento is that the city is not that crowded yet and traffic has not yet become a serious problem.

Consequently, it is relatively easy to get around by car and you will not have to spend lots of time in Traffic jams as would be the case when living in San Diego or in other major cities in the US.

Relatively easy to find parking lots in Sacramento

Due to the relatively low traffic, finding a parking lot is also pretty easy in Sacramento.

You will just find a parking lot within a few minutes most of the time and can therefore save lots of time and money in this regard compared to living in other major cities in California where finding a parking lot is a great challenge.

Sacramento is not as busy as other major cities

While Sacramento has grown in population over the past decade, it is still not as busy as many other major cities in the US and this means that everything is less hectic and you will just be able to enjoy your life much more.

People are pretty relaxed in Sacramento

People in Sacramento are also known for their relaxed nature and their laid-back attitude towards life.

By living in this city, you will become a pretty relaxed dude yourself and can really enjoy every moment of your life instead of being in a rush all the time as would be the case in many other major cities in the US.

People help you out

If you get into trouble, people are also pretty helpful and will often try to help you out in Sacramento on various occasions.

For instance, if you get lost and don’t have a map or a phone with you, people will give you instructions on how you can get back on track.

This is just one example out of many and you will just get lots of support from the general public in this place.

Easy to get in touch with new people

Since people in Sacramento are open and outgoing, it is pretty easy to get in touch with many different people within a rather short period of time and it is easy to make many new friends.

In fact, people will often talk to you in public and if you know how to connect with them, chances are that you will have more than enough social contacts within a reasonable amount of time.

Many places to socialize in Sacramento

Sacramento also has many great places to socialize.

For instance, you can go to a book store, go to the movies, attend a fair and do many other things where you can easily get in touch with new people.

People in Sacramento are friendly

Another benefit of living in Sacramento is that people are pretty friendly and will have a supportive attitude instead of bringing you down.

In turn, you will have more positive energy surrounding you and more power to achieve your goals in life.

You can have many interesting conversations

Since people in Sacramento are friendly and outgoing, you can also have many interesting conversations on a daily basis and even if you are a shy person, you will still be able to connect with other people pretty soon since people will try to start conversations with you on various occasions and you just need to jump into the discussion.

You can meet people from all over the world

Sacramento is also a great place to live since you can meet many people from all over the world.

In fact, people from many different cultures are welcome in Sacramento as long as they are tolerant and friendly and know how to behave.

Thus, the city is pretty interesting and you can also talk to many people living alternative lifestyles so that you can expand your horizon and also become a more tolerant person in the long run.

Sacramento becomes increasingly popular among tourists

Similar to Fresno, Sacramento also becomes increasingly popular among tourists.

Even though it is still a relatively secret place to visit compared to other major cities in the US, Sacramento has become increasingly popular by tourists from all over the world and chances are that this trend will continue in the near future.

Sacramento is a great place to live as a family

Moving to Sacramento can also make quite a lot of sense if you want to have a family sooner or later or if you already have kids and want to move from a village to a bigger city so that you find all the amenities you need for you and your loved ones.

Sacramento as pet-friendly city

Sacramento is also a great place to live if you want to keep pets and want to have interesting conversations with other pet owners when you walk down the streets with your dog.

Many leisure activities to choose from in Sacramento

You will also find many leisure activities to choose from in Sacramento and you will likely never run out of ideas regarding what to do with your free time.

For instance, you can go fishing, hiking or just spending your time relaxing on a lake.

Sacramento has a nice zoo

Sacramento is also a great city to spend your time in since you can enjoy your time in a nice zoo and you and your family can have lots of fun.

Sacramento has an international airport

Since Sacramento has an international airport, you don’t have to drive to other major cities but can rather use this airport to get to many international destinations to make many nice travel experiences.

You don’t urgently need a car to get around

While you might need a car in most other major cities in California, Sacramento is a great place to live if you don’t want to have a car but rather want to live as eco-friendly as possible since you can get around by other means of transport pretty easily and don’t have to pollute the air as much.

Sacramento is a bike-friendly city

Sacramento is also a great city to get around by bike.

In fact, it has been voted as one of the most bike-friendly cities in California and there are many bike lanes you can use to get from A to B in a safe but yet efficient manner.

You can get from one end to the other relatively easily

Since Sacramento is not as big as many other major cities in the US, you can get from one end of the city to the other relatively quickly and can therefore visit your friends from other parts of the city within a reasonable amount of time.

Sacramento has decent public transport

Another reason to move to Sacramento is that it has decent public infrastructure and you can get around by bus in a solid manner, even though there is still some room for improvement but chances are that public transport will become even better in the future.

Great weather in Sacramento

Sacramento is also a great place to move to if you love the sun and want to spend your time in a region with high average temperatures since you will have many hot and sunny days during summer and will temperatures will also not drop that much in winter so that you are still able to hang out with a shirt outdoors.

You can spend lots of time outdoors in Sacramento

Since Sacramento is such a sunny place, you will also be able to spend lots of time outdoors and this can be really beneficial for your health and for your overall mood in the long run.

Sacramento has better air quality compared to other major cities in the US

Compared to other major cities in the US, Sacramento also has much better air quality.

While this may not sound important to you at first, air quality is pretty important since the better air quality is, the less likely it will be that you will suffer from serious health problems in the long run.

People are welcome from all parts of the world

Since Sacramento is a pretty tolerant city, it attracts people from all over the world and you can have many exciting and interesting conversations with people from all over the world.

Sacramento is a pretty diverse city

Sacramento also has many different cultural influences and it is therefore a pretty diverse city where you can really learn about life from many different kinds of people and can really grow in character in the long run.

Decent nightlife in Sacramento

You will also have pretty decent nightlife in Sacramento.

Even though you will not have as many bars and clubs to choose from as in L.A., you will still find what you are looking for if you spend a little bit exploring local nightlife.

Decent schools and colleges to choose from in Sacramento

Sacramento is also a great place to stay with your family since you will find many decent schools and colleges to choose from and you can therefore make sure that your kids get the best education possible to get a head start for their future lives.

You can try many different foods in Sacramento

Since Sacramento is influenced by many different cultures, you can also try many different foods and this can be great since you will get many ideas regarding what you want to cook at home yourself and can really improve your cooking skills in the long run.

Many different neighborhoods to choose from

Since Sacramento is a big city, you have many neighborhoods to choose from according to your personal preferences and if you spend enough time in this regard, you will soon figure out where you can find the most like-minded people to have a great time.

You will find most things for daily life within walking distance

Living in Sacramento is also pretty convenient since you will find most things for daily life within walking distance and can just walk down the streets and find everything you need within minutes without having to drive to bigger cities as would be the case if you lived in a small village.

Homelessness is not a big problem in Sacramento yet

Since rents are still not enormously high, homelessness has not become a serious problem in Sacramento yet and you will therefore not have to deal with as many drunk people on the streets as in many other major cities in the US.

Sacramento has decent museums

Sacramento is also a nice place to live if you are interested in spending time at museums since you will have many museums to choose from and will find something you are interested in for sure.

Sacramento has a well-known art scene

Sacramento also has a decent art scene and if you are an artist yourself or just interested in art, Sacramento can be a great place to stay and to connect with other like-minded people.

Sacramento offers everything you need to live a happy life

In general, you will find everything you need to live a happy life in Sacramento and if you don’t get happy in this place, it is pretty likely that you will have serious problems getting happy at all and should rather consider changing your overall attitude towards life.

As you can see, there are many reasons to move to Sacramento.

However, there are also some downsides to living in Sacramento that I want to show you in the following so that you get a more realistic picture of reality and can better decide whether you still want to move to Sacramento or rather want to live in a different region instead.

Disadvantages of Living in Sacramento

1. Property prices have gone up significantly over the past years
2. Rents have increased as well
3. Housing shortage may become a serious problem
4. Sacramento may get popular by many people who have to leave the Bay Area
5. Average person may no longer be able to afford housing in the near future
6. Good jobs only for highly-qualified people
7. Gap between the rich and the poor is increasing
8. Social tensions may become more prevalent in Sacramento in the future
9. Many people may lose their homes
10. Homelessness may become a serious problem just a few years from now
11. Popularity of the region may be dependent on Silicon Valley boom
12. Sacramento is not as popular as other cities in the Bay Area
13. Sacramento is not a big metropolitan city
14. You will not be able to meet many celebrities
15. Sacramento doesn’t provide many fancy shopping opportunities
16. Sacramento may not be your city if you love glamor
17. Sacramento has relatively high crime rates
18. Sacramento is not directly located at the beach
19. You may get bored in Sacramento sooner or later
20. Sacramento may get hit by wildfires
21. Earthquake may wipe out Sacramento
22. Water scarcity may become a serious problem in the future
23. You may miss real seasons in Sacramento

Property prices have gone up significantly over the past years

One disadvantage of moving to Sacramento is that property prices have been going up significantly over the past years.

Even though prices per square foot are still relatively low compared to other major cities in California, you will still have to pay at a relatively high level and prices may have the potential to drop in the near future.

Rents have increased as well

Not only property prices have increased over the past years, but also rents have become much more expensive and if this trend continues, the average person may struggle to afford a place to live and may have to move to a different city in the long run.

Housing shortage may become a serious problem

While the housing market is still rather relaxed, things may change just a few years from now since Sacramento becomes increasingly popular by people from all over the US and with increasing demand for housing, housing shortage may become a serious problem in the future.

Sacramento may get popular by many people who have to leave the Bay Area

Another downside to living in Sacramento is that this city has become increasingly popular by many people in the Bay Area since many people in Silicon Valley are no longer able to pay for rent and are forced to move to cheaper regions.

In turn, demand for housing in Sacramento has increased and will continue to do so in the future and the city may become increasingly crowded and people may struggle to find an affordable place to live.

Average person may no longer be able to afford housing in the near future

In fact, while the average person in Sacramento can make a decent living right now, times may change in the near future and only wealthy people may still be able to afford to live in Sacramento while the average person may have to leave the region.

Good jobs only for highly-qualified people

While highly-qualified people often have an easy time finding a good job in Sacramento or the surrounding area, the average person who doesn’t have great digital or tech skills often struggles to find a decent job and may not be able to make a good living in the long run.

Gap between the rich and the poor is increasing

While landlords have benefited from increasing housing prices, tenants have lost in this regard and if this trend continues, the gap between the poor and the rich will likely increase significantly with all the adverse effects related to it.

Social tensions may become more prevalent in Sacramento in the future

Another problem with living in Sacramento is that due to an increasing level of inequality, social tensions will likely become more prevalent as well and the overall living climate and atmosphere may suffer quite a lot due to that since people will become more hectic and stressed in general.

Many people may lose their homes

If property prices and rents skyrocket as they have done for many years, chances are that many people will no longer be able to afford rent and may get evicted sooner or later.

Homelessness may become a serious problem just a few years from now

Since many people may lose their homes in the future, homelessness may also become a serious problem in Sacramento in the long run and while this is not a nice picture, it also causes various other serious problems.

Popularity of the region may be dependent on Silicon Valley boom

Another downside to moving to Sacramento is that the city may be greatly dependent on the Silicon Valley boom and in case big tech companies leave the region, chances are that Sacramento will become less attractive and many people may leave this region.

Sacramento is not as popular as other cities in the Bay Area

While Sacramento has become increasingly popular over the past years, it is still not as popular as many other cities in California and many of your friends may not understand your decision of moving to Sacramento.

Sacramento is not a big metropolitan city

Another reason not to move to Sacramento is that it is just not a big metropolitan city and if you want to enjoy big city life, you will be better off moving to Los Angeles instead.

You will not be able to meet many celebrities

You should also be aware of the fact that you will not meet many celebrities in Sacramento and if your goal is to meet your idols in bars or other locations, chances are that you should rather live in L.A. or New York instead.

Sacramento doesn’t provide many fancy shopping opportunities

Another downside to moving to Sacramento is that you will also not find many fancy shopping opportunities and if fashion is really important to you, you will be better off moving to a bigger metropolitan city instead.

Sacramento may not be your city if you love glamor

In general, Sacramento is not a great city to live in if you love glamor and want to be at the heart of the universe since it is just not a city where many trendsetters live and you will be rather disappointed in this regard.

Sacramento has relatively high crime rates

You should also not forget that Sacramento is a pretty unsafe city and has higher crime rates compared to the national average and if you are a careful person, you may just want to live in a safer city instead.

Sacramento is not directly located at the beach

Another disadvantage of moving to Sacramento is that it is not directly located at the beach and while other people can enjoy their lunch breaks at the beach, you will not have the same opportunities in this regard in Sacramento.

You may get bored in Sacramento sooner or later

While Sacramento has a lot to offer, you will still not find as many events and attractions as in other major cities in the US and if you need action on a regular basis, chances are that you will get bored living in Sacramento in the long run.

Sacramento may get hit by wildfires

Since Sacramento is surrounded by many forests, wildfires may become a serious problem and you may lose your home and even your life to those kinds of natural disasters in the long run.

Earthquake may wipe out Sacramento

Sacramento is also located in a region where people are expecting a big earthquake sooner or later and if this happens while you are living in this region, chances are that you will get into serious trouble.

Water scarcity may become a serious problem in the future

Due to climate change and global warming, water scarcity may become a serious problem in Sacramento in the future and quality of life may drop significantly due to that.

You may miss real seasons in Sacramento

Since it is relatively warm in Sacramento all year long, you may miss real seasons and if you are a person who loves strong winters, you should rather move to a different region instead.

Top 10 Moving To Sacramento Pros & Cons – Summary List

Should You Move To Sacramento?

Now that you know all the advantages and disadvantages of living in Sacramento, it is on you to decide whether you still want to move to this city or rather want to go for a different region instead.

Alternative Cities To Live In

If you don’t want to move to Sacramento anymore, you should also have a look at the following articles:

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Los Angeles

Advantages and disadvantages of living in San Diego

Advantages and disadvantages of living in San José

Advantages and disadvantages of living in San Francisco

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Fresno

Sources

https://www.saccounty.gov/Government/Pages/DemographicsandFacts.aspx

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/sacramentocitycalifornia

About the author

This site is about living, moving and traveling to various parts of our fascinating planet.

My name is Andreas and when I was younger, I traveled the world and learned a lot about different cultures and countries.

Thus, I want to share my experiences with you so that you can benefit from them and avoid common mistakes in this regard.

In my articles, you will find everything you need to find the best location for a happy and successful life.