Rocklin 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 $703,400 in Rocklin.
  • Households earn more in Rocklin ($124,168 vs $87,321 median).
  • Rocklin is growing faster: +7.3% since 2020 vs +2.2%.

Side by side

Rocklin, CASacramento, CA
People
Population (2025)76,821536,449
Growth since 2020+7.3%+2.2%
People per square mile3,8725,438
Median age38.436.0
Bachelor's degree or higher48%37%
Money and housing
Median household income$124,168$87,321
Median home value$703,400$506,300
Home value to income5.7×5.8×
Median rent (with utilities)$2,258$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
Homeowners68%52%
Top state income tax13.3%13.3%
Combined sales tax9.03%9.03%
Work and commute
Average commute (minutes)26.125.3
Work from home24%20%
Take public transit1%2%
Unemployment (2020-24 avg)4.5%6.6%
Poverty rate5.6%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 ModerateRelatively High
FEMA risk score (lower is safer)93.198.1
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
Rocklin Sacramento. Solid lines are average highs, dashed lines average lows (°F), NOAA 1991-2020 normals.

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

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

Try your own salary

Moving between Rocklin and Sacramento

5,088people moved from Placer County, CA to Sacramento County, CA in a year
8,918moved the other way

IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Rocklin and Sacramento.

Which would you pick?

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