Folsom vs Sacramento

The short version

  • Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
  • The median home costs $506,300 in Sacramento and $755,200 in Folsom.
  • Households earn more in Folsom ($139,804 vs $87,321 median).
  • Folsom is growing faster: +14.3% since 2020 vs +2.2%.

Side by side

Folsom, CASacramento, CA
People
Population (2025)91,983536,449
Growth since 2020+14.3%+2.2%
People per square mile3,2995,438
Median age41.036.0
Bachelor's degree or higher55%37%
Money and housing
Median household income$139,804$87,321
Median home value$755,200$506,300
Home value to income5.4×5.8×
Median rent (with utilities)$2,352$1,779
Metro price level (US = 100)106.7106.7
Housing price level (US = 100)130.2130.2
$75,000 elsewhere equals$80,000$80,000
Homeowners70%52%
Top state income tax13.3%13.3%
Combined sales tax9.03%9.03%
Work and commute
Average commute (minutes)26.625.3
Work from home31%20%
Take public transit2%2%
Unemployment (2020-24 avg)6.3%6.6%
Poverty rate5.3%13.9%
Weather
January high / low57° / 41°57° / 41°
July high / low94° / 61°94° / 61°
Precipitation per year19 in19 in
Snowfall per year0 in0 in
Days 90°F or hotter9090
Nights below freezing44
Comfortable months66
Risks, air and home prices
Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county)Relatively HighRelatively High
FEMA risk score (lower is safer)98.198.1
Good air days, 202535%35%
Home prices, past year+0.1%+0.1%
Home prices, past 5 years+19.9%+19.9%

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

40°50°60°70°80°90°100°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Folsom Sacramento. Solid lines are average highs, dashed lines average lows (°F), NOAA 1991-2020 normals.

Most comfortable months: Folsom: February to May and October to November. Sacramento: February to May and October to November.

Full monthly tables: Folsom weather by month and Sacramento 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 Folsom and $80,000 in Sacramento. Moving from Folsom to Sacramento, you would need about $75,000 to match a $75,000 salary.

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