Sacramento vs Rancho Cordova
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $477,600 in Rancho Cordova and $506,300 in Sacramento.
- Rancho Cordova is growing faster: +10.4% since 2020 vs +2.2%.
Side by side
| Sacramento, CA | Rancho Cordova, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 536,449 | 87,554 |
| Growth since 2020 | +2.2% | +10.4% |
| People per square mile | 5,438 | 2,533 |
| Median age | 36.0 | 36.0 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37% | 32% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $87,321 | $89,585 |
| Median home value | $506,300 | $477,600 |
| Home value to income | 5.8× | 5.3× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,779 | $1,787 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 106.7 | 106.7 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 130.2 | 130.2 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $80,000 | $80,000 |
| Homeowners | 52% | 58% |
| Top state income tax | 13.3% | 13.3% |
| Combined sales tax | 9.03% | 9.03% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 25.3 | 26.7 |
| Work from home | 20% | 20% |
| Take public transit | 2% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 6.6% | 7.3% |
| Poverty rate | 13.9% | 12.2% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 57° / 41° | 57° / 41° |
| July high / low | 94° / 61° | 94° / 61° |
| Precipitation per year | 19 in | 19 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 90 | 90 |
| Nights below freezing | 4 | 4 |
| Comfortable months | 6 | 6 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 98.1 | 98.1 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 35% | 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
Most comfortable months: Sacramento: February to May and October to November. Rancho Cordova: February to May and October to November.
Full monthly tables: Sacramento weather by month and Rancho Cordova 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 Sacramento and $80,000 in Rancho Cordova. Moving from Sacramento to Rancho Cordova, you would need about $75,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.