Residential comparison · 13 facts
Fresno, CA vs Sacramento, CA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Fresno needs about $91,000 in Sacramento to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Sacramento, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $79,000 in Fresno.
A few differences
- Fresno is lower on property tax rate (0.75% vs 0.8%).
- Sacramento is lower on sales tax (8.75% vs 8.8%).
- Sacramento is lower on groceries index (106 vs 112).
Fresno vs Sacramento · facet by facet
| Facet | Fresno, CA | Sacramento, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $374,800 | $500,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,400/mo | $2,050/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.75% | 0.8% |
| State & local income tax | 2.09% | 2.09% |
| Sales tax | 8.8% | 8.75% |
| Cost of living index | 108 | 116 |
| Groceries index | 112 | 106 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $200/mo |
| Median household income | $70,991 | $78,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 4.7% |
| Crime index | 52/100 | 50/100 |
| School rating | 5.5/10 | 5.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 260 days | 269 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Fresno, CA · Sacramento, CA
Questions & answers
- Is Fresno cheaper than Sacramento?
- Fresno has the lower day-to-day cost index (108 vs 116 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Sacramento equals $85,000 in Fresno?
- A household earning $85,000 in Fresno needs about $91,000 in Sacramento to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Sacramento lifestyle costs about $79,000 in Fresno.