Relocating to Sacramento

About Sacramento

Sacramento is a culturally diverse city in California, situated at the Northern side of the state’s Central Valley, and is the oldest incorporated city in the state. Sacramento is the fifth largest city in California, and has a population of about 480,000 over 97 square miles of land, whilst there are more than two million people in the metropolitan area. This city is known for being a little calmer and more relaxed than other big Californian cities, making it popular with young families and those looking for a warmer, friendlier place to live.

Sacramento is also notable for its proximity to various other cities and places of interest, including San Francisco and a number of national forests or parks, making it easy for residents and those who move there to experience a wide range of activities just a few hours from the city.

From a demographics point of view, Sacramento is a fairly young city, with 25% of its residents being under 18, and 7% of those being under 5. Just 11% of the city’s total population is over 65, whilst the rest fall into the 18-65 category.

Culturally, expatriates moving to Sacramento will be happy to hear that it is known for being diverse and accepting of many different cultures and religions. More than 20% of people living in Sacramento were born in other countries, and there is a wide variety of ethnicities. The dominant ethnicities in the city include white (45%), African American (15%), and Asian (18%).

The Climate in Sacramento

Sacramento enjoys a Mediterranean climate, which lends itself to very mild, wet winters, and hot, dry summers. Rainfall is almost solely restricted to the months between October and April, although there are occasional rainy days in June or September. The average rainfall for Sacramento is less than 19 inches (48 centimeter) and there are around 60 days of rain each year.

Summers in Sacramento are long and hot, with high temperatures throughout, averaging 75.5°F (24°C) during July. There is a sea breeze known as the ‘delta breeze’, which helps to keep temperatures bearable during the hottest days of the year.

Winters are generally more wet than cold, and snow is very rare in Sacramento. In fact, there have only been three notable snowfalls in Sacramento since 1900, the last of these in 1976. Fog is something that Sacramento residents deal with more often, and is most common in December and January. A fog known as Tule fog is common and can be very dangerous especially for drivers, as it limits visibility to less than 100 feet (30 meters).

Finding Accommodation in Sacramento

Sacramento is a city that is getting more popular and more expensive as the years go on, with many average wage earners finding that certain areas of the city are moving out of their price range.

However, in general and particularly when compared to neighboring San Francisco, the city is considered to be one of the more affordable cities, with a median house price of 220,000 USD. Popular neighborhoods include East Sacramento, Valley Hi/North Laguna, South Land Park, Pocket, South Natomas and Meadowview.

Some of the neighborhoods that expats moving to Sacramento might also want to look at include

• Tahoe Park, an up and coming community that is popular with those looking to buy a home. The area is useful for downtown and all of the amenities available there, as well as UC Davis, Sacramento State, and the Shriner’s Children’s Hospital, making this location ideal for those working at these establishments.
• Elk Grove is one of the fastest growing locations in California and has recently enjoyed a boost in popularity, which has meant that a variety of new homes are being built here. This location is most popular with culturally diverse households and is more relaxed than downtown Sacramento, making it ideal for those with young children.

• Land Park, which is one of the more attractive neighborhoods in Sacramento, with picture book houses with beautifully historic architecture. Families who live in this area tend to stay, and children who have grown up here even return after moving away to raise their own children here. The historic Tower Theater and the Sacramento Zoo can both be found in Land Park.