Sparks vs Rocklin
The short version
- Sparks is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 5% lower than in the Rocklin area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $483,800 in Sparks and $703,400 in Rocklin.
- Households earn more in Rocklin ($124,168 vs $89,056 median).
- Rocklin has the warmer winter: January highs of 57°F vs 48°F.
- Sparks gets far more snow: 21 inches a year vs 0.
- Rocklin has more scorching days: 90 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 65.
- Rocklin is growing faster: +7.3% since 2020 vs +3.2%.
- Nevada has no state income tax on wages; California's top rate is 13.3%.
Side by side
| Sparks, NV | Rocklin, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 111,902 | 76,821 |
| Growth since 2020 | +3.2% | +7.3% |
| People per square mile | 3,066 | 3,872 |
| Median age | 37.2 | 38.4 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28% | 48% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $89,056 | $124,168 |
| Median home value | $483,800 | $703,400 |
| Home value to income | 5.4× | 5.7× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,716 | $2,258 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 101.0 | 106.7 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 123.5 | 130.2 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $75,800 | $80,000 |
| Homeowners | 60% | 68% |
| Top state income tax | None | 13.3% |
| Combined sales tax | 8.24% | 9.03% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 24.0 | 26.1 |
| Work from home | 11% | 24% |
| Take public transit | 2% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 5.2% | 4.5% |
| Poverty rate | 8.5% | 5.6% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 48° / 26° | 57° / 41° |
| July high / low | 94° / 60° | 94° / 61° |
| Precipitation per year | 7 in | 19 in |
| Snowfall per year | 21 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 65 | 90 |
| Nights below freezing | 122 | 4 |
| Comfortable months | 3 | 6 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 96.7 | 93.1 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 50% | 35% |
| Home prices, past year | +3.8% | +0.1% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +30.3% | +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: Sparks: May to June and September. Rocklin: February to May and October to November.
Full monthly tables: Sparks weather by month and Rocklin weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $75,800 in Sparks and $80,000 in Rocklin. Moving from Sparks to Rocklin, you would need about $79,200 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Sparks and Rocklin
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Sparks and Rocklin.
Which would you pick?
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