Elk Grove vs Murrieta
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $630,100 in Elk Grove and $639,800 in Murrieta.
- Households earn more in Elk Grove ($125,924 vs $114,081 median).
- Murrieta has the warmer winter: January highs of 68°F vs 57°F.
- Elk Grove has more scorching days: 90 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 60.
- Elk Grove is growing faster: +5% since 2020 vs +2.8%.
- Commutes are shorter in Elk Grove (31 vs 37 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Elk Grove, CA | Murrieta, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 185,007 | 114,124 |
| Growth since 2020 | +5% | +2.8% |
| People per square mile | 4,343 | 3,224 |
| Median age | 39.4 | 36.6 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39% | 33% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $125,924 | $114,081 |
| Median home value | $630,100 | $639,800 |
| Home value to income | 5.0× | 5.6× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $2,262 | $2,388 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 106.7 | 106.4 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 130.2 | 129.3 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $80,000 | $79,800 |
| Homeowners | 74% | 70% |
| Top state income tax | 13.3% | 13.3% |
| Combined sales tax | 9.03% | 9.03% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 30.8 | 37.4 |
| Work from home | 21% | 17% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 0% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 6.4% | 6.8% |
| Poverty rate | 8% | 5.4% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 57° / 41° | 68° / 47° |
| July high / low | 94° / 61° | 87° / 60° |
| Precipitation per year | 19 in | 15 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 90 | 60 |
| Nights below freezing | 4 | 0 |
| Comfortable months | 6 | 9 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Very High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 98.1 | 99.9 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 35% | 7% |
| Home prices, past year | +0.1% | +0.8% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +19.9% | +35.9% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Elk Grove: February to May and October to November. Murrieta: October to June.
Full monthly tables: Elk Grove weather by month and Murrieta weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $80,000 in Elk Grove and $79,800 in Murrieta. Moving from Elk Grove to Murrieta, you would need about $74,800 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Elk Grove and Murrieta
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Elk Grove and Murrieta.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.