1st Advantage MortgageSacramento County (1,594,006 residents) has a $92,175 median household income and $1,790 median rent, by the latest Census five-year survey. County medians do not set your terms. Shop at least three lenders, including a credit union serving Sacramento County, and confirm each one's California license.
On this page
- Getting oriented in Sacramento County
- Rent, home values and ownership in Sacramento County
- Household income in Sacramento County
- Where Sacramento County works
- Sacramento County's most unusual numbers
- Sacramento County communities by population
- Sacramento County next to its neighbors
- Age, degrees and coverage in Sacramento County
- Local borrowing considerations for Sacramento County
- A Sacramento County household budget, worked through
- Lender oversight for Sacramento County
- A Sacramento County borrower's checklist
- Other California guides
- Frequently asked questions
Getting oriented in Sacramento County
Roughly 1,594,006 residents live in Sacramento County, California, 8th by population among the state's 58 counties and county equivalents. It covers 965 square miles of land, or about 1,651 people per square mile. It is one of the counties that make up the Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). Largest place: Sacramento, about 528,706 residents (33% of Sacramento County); 35 Census places in all.
Rent, home values and ownership in Sacramento County
Half of Sacramento County renters pay more than $1,790 a month and half pay less; the California midpoint is $2,036. About 6 in 10 Sacramento County renters pay 30% or more of income for rent. Home values center on $534,200, or 5.8 years of median income. In Sacramento County, 59% of occupied homes are owned by the people living in them. The median year built is 1981.
| Sacramento County | California | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,790/mo | $2,036/mo | 12% lower |
| Median home value | $534,200 | $734,700 | 27% lower |
| Owners | 59% | 56% | +3.2 pts |
| Rent-burdened renters | 56% | 55% | +0.7 pts |
| Burdened owners | 33% | 38% | -5.1 pts |
| Mobile homes | 2.3% | 3.5% | -1.2 pts |
| Vacant units | 5% | 7% | -2.9 pts |
When half or more of renters are already stretched, a new payment needs a stress test: what happens if a paycheck is a week late?
Household income in Sacramento County
Sacramento County households have a median income of $92,175 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 24th of 58 in California.
| Income band | Share in Sacramento County | Difference from California |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 17.9% | +0.1 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 36.2% | +3.5 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 31.0% | +1.9 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 14.9% | -5.6 pts |
Some 18% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 46% have six-figure incomes. Census counts 12.5% of Sacramento County residents in poverty, against 12.0% across California. A household earning below the $92,175 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
Where Sacramento County works
Top Sacramento County industry by residents employed: education and health care, 23%; second, professional and administrative services, 13%. The sharpest difference from the state is in public administration, at 11% locally and 5% for California. The survey's unemployment rate for Sacramento County averages 6.7% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 6.6%). 21% of Sacramento County workers get to work in under 15 minutes, while 14% need 45 or more. 37,536 Sacramento County households, 6.6%, have no vehicle.
| Sector | Sacramento County | Compared with California |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 22.6% | +0.5 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 12.6% | -1.9 pts |
| Public administration | 11.2% | +6.4 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.2% | +0.1 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 8.7% | -0.7 pts |
| Construction | 7.3% | +0.6 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
Sacramento County's most unusual numbers
- Few California counties match Sacramento County on the housing vacancy rate: 5% here, 7% for the state, ranking 6th lowest of 58. Low vacancy tends to push rents up over time.
- Population: 1,594,006 in Sacramento County. Only 7 of 58 California counties are higher. More people usually means more banks and credit unions to compare nearby.
- On the share of mobile homes, Sacramento County sits near the bottom of California at 2.3%, 9th lowest of 58. Few mobile homes means most owners have traditional equity options.
- On households without a vehicle, Sacramento County sits near the top of California at 6.6%, 10th highest of 58. Without a car, transit and ride costs belong in the budget before any payment.
Sacramento County communities by population
Places, by size: the top 14 of 35. Roughly 1% of Sacramento County lives outside all of them, in open country or unnamed settlements. Incomes vary by place: $189,537 at the median in Wilton, $23,750 in McClellan Park. City guides exist for the linked Sacramento County places; everyone else in the county can use this page.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento | city | 528,706 | $87,321 | $1,779 | 11 mi |
| Elk Grove | city | 179,155 | $125,924 | $2,262 | 3 mi |
| Arden-Arcade | CDP | 94,994 | $77,321 | $1,588 | 11 mi |
| Citrus Heights | city | 86,995 | $82,314 | $1,827 | 17 mi |
| Folsom | city | 83,916 | $139,804 | $2,352 | 19 mi |
| Rancho Cordova | city | 81,849 | $89,585 | $1,787 | 11 mi |
| Carmichael | CDP | 76,948 | $85,914 | $1,702 | 13 mi |
| Florin | CDP | 50,211 | $71,111 | $1,622 | 4 mi |
| Antelope | CDP | 48,301 | $99,067 | $2,189 | 18 mi |
| North Highlands | CDP | 47,957 | $65,495 | $1,636 | 15 mi |
| Vineyard | CDP | 43,751 | $105,313 | $2,090 | 2 mi |
| Foothill Farms | CDP | 36,435 | $68,260 | $1,695 | 16 mi |
| Orangevale | CDP | 35,958 | $99,832 | $1,932 | 18 mi |
| Fair Oaks | CDP | 32,799 | $116,975 | $1,910 | 15 mi |
CDPs are unincorporated communities the Census Bureau defines for counting.
Sacramento County next to its neighbors
Six nearby counties, 34 to 46 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Income ranges from $78,647 in Calaveras County to $100,401 in Solano County; 2 of these neighbors top Sacramento County's median.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento County | - | $92,175 | $1,790/mo | 59% |
| Yolo County, CA | 34 mi | $91,752 | $1,857/mo | 54% |
| Solano County, CA | 35 mi | $100,401 | $2,163/mo | 63% |
| San Joaquin County, CA | 36 mi | $92,179 | $1,734/mo | 62% |
| Amador County, CA | 37 mi | $88,044 | $1,421/mo | 80% |
| Sutter County, CA | 45 mi | $79,704 | $1,439/mo | 61% |
| Calaveras County, CA | 46 mi | $78,647 | $1,625/mo | 84% |
Age, degrees and coverage in Sacramento County
In Sacramento County, 34% of adults have at least a four-year degree (37% in California). About 5% go without health insurance.
| Residents | Sacramento County | Difference from California | Difference from middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 11.7% | -3.6 pts | n/a |
| Bachelor's or higher | 34.1% | -3.0 pts | +12.0 pts |
| Work from home | 19.1% | +1.9 pts | +10.4 pts |
| No health insurance | 4.9% | -1.7 pts | -3.0 pts |
| No vehicle | 6.6% | -0.5 pts | +1.1 pts |
| Poverty rate | 12.5% | +0.5 pts | -0.7 pts |
| Median age | 37.5 | -0.4 yrs | -4.0 yrs |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 6.7% | +0.1 pts | +2.3 pts |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 20.6% |
| 15 to 29 min | 41.0% |
| 30 to 44 min | 24.3% |
| 45 to 59 min | 6.6% |
| 60+ min | 7.6% |
Local borrowing considerations for Sacramento County
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Sacramento County borrowers.
- Strong incomes, long terms. 46% of Sacramento County households earn $100,000+. The risk is a term that outlasts the need.
- Renters under pressure. When 56% pay 30% or more for rent, the smallest loan that solves the problem is the right size.
- Check your file. An error fixed before you apply can change the offers a Sacramento County borrower sees (free reports).
A Sacramento County household budget, worked through
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Sacramento County's medians:
- Monthly gross at the median, Sacramento County: $7,681
- Rent at the median, $1,790, takes 23% of that
- 36% debt-to-income limit: $975 left for all other debt payments
- With a 43% ceiling, about $1,513 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Sacramento County's.
Lender oversight for Sacramento County
Licensing happens at the state level, so a lender working with Sacramento County borrowers answers to the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation. Problems with a lender can also go to the CFPB. See the California state guide for the statewide picture.
A Sacramento County borrower's checklist
Steps that save money for Sacramento County residents:
- Borrow the amount the job needs; extra cash adds interest.
- Ask each lender for the APR and all fees in writing.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Read the final agreement; it must match the offer.
Other California guides
Guides that cover parts of Sacramento County:
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Sacramento County?
$92,175 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $99,122 for California. It ranks 24th of 58 in the state.
How much is rent in Sacramento County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $1,790 a month; 56% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
Is Freeport covered?
Yes. Freeport is one of 35 Census places in Sacramento County, and this guide covers all of them.
Is the fit check different in Sacramento County?
No. It is identical everywhere, and it never looks at your neighborhood.
How do I know a lender is legitimate in Sacramento County?
Look it up with the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, read the written offer, and refuse any fee before funding.