Davis · Relocation
Relocating to Davis: What to Know Before You Move to the Bike Town on I-80
Moving to the Sacramento region from out of the area? Get a local who knows the neighborhoods and can help you line up financing before you land.
Moving from the Bay Area? Compare home prices
Typical home prices here are the median sold price, existing single-family homes, August 2026. They are medians for context, not a quote on any one home.
| Place | Typical home price (median) | What it is known for | Getting to downtown Sacramento | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Where Maggie works | ||||
| Sacramento County | $549,000August 2026, C.A.R. | The state capital, where the Sacramento and American rivers meet. Named the first U.S. "City of Trees" in 1978. | Downtown is in the county. SacRT Gold Line light rail runs from Folsom to downtown. | Moving to Sacramento County |
| Placer County | $692,500August 2026, C.A.R. | Roseville, Rocklin and Gold Rush Auburn, with the county reaching up I-80 to Lake Tahoe's north shore. | I-80 is the main route. Amtrak Capitol Corridor stops in Roseville, Rocklin and Auburn. | Moving to Placer County |
| El Dorado County | $690,000August 2026, C.A.R. | Sierra foothills to Lake Tahoe. Coloma is where the 1848 gold find set off the Gold Rush. | US 50 is the main route. El Dorado Hills sits on it at the Sacramento County line, next to Folsom. | Moving to El Dorado County |
| Yolo County | $648,000August 2026, C.A.R. | Davis, Woodland and West Sacramento, with farmland and the Yolo Bypass floodplain between them. | West Sacramento sits directly across the Sacramento River from downtown. | Moving to Yolo County |
| Bay Area and statewide, for comparison | ||||
| San Francisco | $1,875,000August 2026, C.A.R. | A city and county in one, at the tip of the peninsula. | Not yet published | For comparison |
| Santa Clara County | $1,900,000August 2026, C.A.R. | Silicon Valley. San Jose is the county seat. | Not yet published | For comparison |
| San Mateo County | $2,250,000August 2026, C.A.R. | The Peninsula between San Francisco and San Jose, home to San Francisco International Airport. | Not yet published | For comparison |
| Alameda County | $1,285,000August 2026, C.A.R. | The East Bay: Oakland, Berkeley and Fremont. | Not yet published | For comparison |
| Contra Costa County | $875,000August 2026, C.A.R. | Walnut Creek, Concord and Antioch, around Mount Diablo. | Not yet published | For comparison |
| California statewide | $901,420August 2026, C.A.R. | The statewide median, for comparison. | Not yet published | For comparison |
Prices change monthly. Ask Maggie for current numbers on a specific area.
Sources. Prices: California Association of REALTORS®, county sales activity, August 2026. C.A.R. notes that medians shift with the mix of homes sold. Place facts and travel notes, checked October 2026: Sacramento, Folsom, Placer County, El Dorado County, El Dorado Hills, Yolo County, West Sacramento, San Francisco, Santa Clara County, San Mateo County, Alameda County, Contra Costa County (Wikipedia). Drive times are not listed until a dated source is available.
Planning the whole move? Read the Sacramento relocation guide, with guides on the Bay Area move, Prop 19, downsizing, culture and healthcare.
Relocating to Davis Starts With How You Will Get Around
Relocating to Davis changes your days more than most moves do. The city is about 70 miles northeast of San Francisco and 11 miles west of Sacramento. It sits on Interstate 80 and on the Capitol Corridor rail line, and much of daily life happens on a bike. Before you pick a house, it helps to pick how you will get to work.
What you want is to land well: a home that fits, a commute you can live with and no expensive surprises after you arrive. We help you see Davis the way locals do, even if you are touring from hundreds of miles away.
Why People Relocating to Davis Choose Surroundings
Relocation adds a third job to buying a home: learning a new place. At Surroundings, Maggie B. Hopkins is the broker and also a mortgage broker, with 23 years in real estate and lending combined. One team handles your search and your loan on one plan, which matters when you are managing it from another city. As a mortgage broker, Maggie shops your loan across a network of approved lenders. Give yourself options. You can also bring your own lender.
- Video tours and local eyes. We walk homes on video and tell you what the camera misses, like a busy street or a backyard that faces west into summer sun.
- Timing two moves. If you are selling elsewhere, we line up your Davis closing with your sale.
- Clear answers on trade-offs. Davis has thin supply and high prices, and we say so early.
Read our regional guide to relocating to the Sacramento area and our relocation page for the bigger picture.
Our Davis Relocation Process
- A planning call. We cover where you will work, how you want to commute and your budget.
- Loan first. We shop your financing so you know your price range before you fly in.
- Buyer agreement. A written agreement states how we are paid, an amount set by agreement with you.
- A short list by neighborhood. We narrow Davis to two or three parts of town based on your commute.
- Tour in person or by video. We plan a compact visit or tour live with you on video.
- Escrow from a distance. Documents can be signed electronically where allowed, and we keep you updated in writing.
Local Context for Relocating to Davis
The train. The Capitol Corridor weekday schedule effective December 8, 2025 runs about 15 trains each way through Davis. Most reach Sacramento in 22 to 26 minutes. Westbound, Emeryville is about 85 minutes away and Oakland Jack London about 95. The station at 840 Second Street has 135 regular parking spaces, and the station page warns the lot fills around 6 a.m. Amtrak's California Zephyr and Coast Starlight stop there too.
The drive. Driving east means the Yolo Causeway over the Yolo Bypass, where Caltrans's Yolo 80 Managed Lanes Project is under way. The Census Bureau's 2020-2024 survey put the average Davis commute at 22.3 minutes.
Getting around town. Davis counted 63 miles of bike paths and 29 grade-separated crossings in 2021. Unitrans buses run through the city and connect at the station.
Weather. Davis has an average July high of 93°F and about 20 inches of rain a year, mostly between mid-November and mid-March. Tule fog is common in late fall and winter.
Prices. Resideline's six-month median was $820,000 on October 3, 2026. If Davis prices stretch the budget, compare relocating to Sacramento or relocating to Elk Grove.
Choosing a Part of Davis When You Relocate
If you will ride the train. Homes in Old North Davis, downtown and along Olive Drive put the Second Street station within a short walk or bike ride. Living that close means the 6 a.m. rush for station parking stops mattering.
If you will work on campus. Aggie Village sits right next to UC Davis, and West Davis neighborhoods like Westwood, Aspen and Stonegate sit on the campus side of town. The campus received a record 120,131 applications for fall 2025, per its July 28, 2025 release, and it shapes traffic and rental demand on that side of town.
If you will drive to Sacramento. East Davis neighborhoods like Mace Ranch and Wildhorse sit on the Sacramento side of the city, closer to the Causeway.
What fills the weekends. The Whole Earth Festival fills the UC Davis Quad each May. Picnic Day opens the campus every April. The UC Davis Arboretum's paved loop is free every day.
Each move has its own priorities, so we start with your commute and build the search from there.
Plan Your Move When Relocating to Davis
Relocating to Davis works best when the search and the loan start together, before you book a flight. Contact us to plan your Davis move, and we will build your short list around your commute.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you commute from Davis to the Bay Area by train?
Yes. The Capitol Corridor runs about 15 weekday trains each direction through Davis on the schedule effective December 8, 2025. Emeryville is about 85 minutes from Davis and Oakland Jack London about 95.
How long is the train from Davis to Sacramento?
Most weekday Capitol Corridor trains take 22 to 26 minutes from Davis to Sacramento. The Davis station is at 840 Second Street, near downtown.
How hot does Davis get in summer?
Davis has an average July high of 93°F, with a few days over 100°F most summers. In the evening, the Delta breeze is usually what cools things off.
Can I buy a home in Davis before I move there?
Yes. We tour homes with you on video, manage inspections locally and keep you updated in writing through escrow. Many documents can be signed electronically where the parties allow it.
Loans are arranged by Maggie B. Hopkins, NMLS #349517, at Surroundings · DRE #02220140 · NMLS #2528307. All loans are subject to credit approval and underwriting, and this page is not a commitment to lend.
Davis
What relocation looks like in Davis
The university town west of Sacramento: bike paths, the Farmers Market and UC Davis.
Davis is a university city in Yolo County, about 15 miles west of Sacramento on Interstate 80, home to UC Davis.
Relocation: keep exploring
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