Sacramento · CA
East Sacramento: Neighborhood Guide
East Sacramento has prewar streets east of Midtown, from the large lots of the Fabulous Forties to the blocks around McKinley Park.
What is East Sacramento?
East Sacramento is the neighborhood east of Midtown, and most locals call it East Sac. Business 80 runs along its west and north sides and U.S. 50 along the south. Elvas Avenue marks the east edge, and Sacramento State and the American River close off the southeast corner.
Inside those lines are two very different kinds of blocks. The Fabulous Forties hold the biggest lots and the grandest houses. The streets around McKinley Park are smaller in scale, with prewar homes on tree-lined blocks near the park.
East Sacramento homes mostly carry a 95819 or 95816 ZIP code. The 95816 ZIP also takes in part of Midtown, so a ZIP-wide number never describes East Sac by itself.
Talk With Maggie About East Sac
How did East Sacramento grow up?
Homes began going up in East Sacramento in the 1890s, and the city annexed the area in 1911. Streetcars made it work. The J Street line turned around at 46th Street, which is why 46th and J is one of the widest corners in the neighborhood.
The Fabulous Forties filled in next. The firm Wright & Kimbrough developed the blocks of 38th through 47th Streets between J Street and Folsom Boulevard. Before the Great Depression those houses were the local version of a suburban estate. Ronald Reagan lived at 1341 45th Street for most of his years as governor.
East Sac sits on older history too. The New Helvetia Cemetery once stood at Alhambra Boulevard and J Street. A state marker for California Historical Landmark No. 592 marks the site.
What types of homes are in East Sacramento?
East Sacramento is mostly prewar and midcentury single-family homes. The Fabulous Forties hold some of the largest lots in the neighborhood, with large and mid-sized houses. Elsewhere the lots are smaller and so are most of the homes.
The last two decades brought a wave of remodels. Second stories and rear additions have spread through McKinley Park and the rest of East Sac. Two houses built the same year on the same block can now be very different homes, and the appraiser will treat them that way.
The largest East Sac homes rarely come up for sale. When one does, pricing it means reading the handful of recent sales on nearby blocks, not a citywide average.
How do you get around East Sacramento?
East Sacramento sits between two freeways. Business 80 and U.S. 50 run along its edges, so most homes are a few blocks from an on-ramp. J Street and Folsom Boulevard are the main east-west streets, and H Street crosses the American River on a 1932 truss bridge past River Park.
Downtown is a short drive west. That counts for more since July 1, 2026, when the state's order putting most state workers in the office four days a week took effect. The American River Parkway trail follows the river past Sacramento State on the southeast side.
Which school district serves East Sacramento?
East Sacramento is served by Sacramento City Unified School District. Confirm the assigned school with the district directly.
What draws buyers to East Sacramento?
McKinley Park is the center of East Sac. Its 32 acres run between McKinley Boulevard and H Street, and between Alhambra Boulevard and 33rd Street. It has a small lake, eight tennis courts and a library branch in the Clunie Clubhouse. The Shepard Garden and Arts Center sits across 33rd Street.
J Street and Folsom Boulevard carry the shops and restaurants. Canon, chef Brad Cecchi's East Sacramento restaurant, kept its Michelin Bib Gourmand in June 2026. Every December the Fabulous Forties turn into one of the city's best-known holiday lights drives, because the streets are walkable and the houses are large.
SMUD, the city's electric utility, has its headquarters at 6201 S Street on the neighborhood's south side.
What should sellers in East Sacramento know?
Buyers compare your home to the one around the corner, and in East Sac that home may have a new second story. Pricing starts with the lot, the block and any additions, then the condition. Gather the permits and plans for past work before you list, because a buyer's inspector will ask.
Surroundings is a Sacramento real estate and lending brokerage led by Maggie B. Hopkins, a real estate broker and a mortgage broker. Because she arranges loans, she can tell you which offers on your East Sac home rest on financing that will hold up. Our guide to selling your home in Sacramento covers the city transfer tax and the rest of the process.
Only in East Sacramento
A historic rose garden in your neighborhood park.
McKinley Park's rose garden was established in 1928 by Frederick Evans, Sacramento's first parks superintendent, who planted many varieties to learn which handled the city's summer heat. After a 2012 restoration, it holds about 1,200 rose bushes.
The numbers: a full year of sales
Every neighborhood has a median, and in Sacramento the median only tells part of the story. Lot sizes vary. Eras mix. Custom homes sit beside tract homes. So even where the median is $766,750, there are one-of-a-kind homes that sell for far more, and the street, the lot and the details move the number.
Last year, 180 single-family homes sold in ZIP 95819 (October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026). The typical home was built in 1942, with 3 bedrooms and about 1,368 square feet, on a lot of about 5,950 square feet. Half of the sales landed between $670k and $910k, depending on lot size, condition, square footage and more, and the median was $766,750. In East Sacramento, 26 of those 180 sales closed at $1.15M or more, and the highest reached $3.17M. Condos and townhomes aren't included. This is what happened, not what will happen. Ask us for today's numbers.
Source: MetroList, single-family homes that closed October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026. Any single-month figure elsewhere on this page is a separate, shorter snapshot.
Good to know before you look
Sacramento County's American River South flood map covers East Sacramento and shows where water could flow if a levee failed. The city keeps a register of about 30 historic districts. We look these up for each address.
Ready to talk about East Sacramento?
If you are buying here, start with buying a home in Sacramento. If you are comparing nearby streets, read our guides to Midtown, River Park and Elmhurst, or the full Sacramento neighborhoods guide.
When you know the blocks you want, talk with Maggie about the house and the loan in one conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is East Sacramento?
East Sacramento is the neighborhood east of Midtown. It is bounded by Business 80 on the west and north, U.S. 50 on the south, Elvas Avenue on the east, and Sacramento State and the American River on the southeast.
What are the Fabulous Forties?
The Fabulous Forties are the blocks of 38th through 47th Streets between J Street and Folsom Boulevard. They hold the largest lots in East Sacramento.
When was East Sacramento built?
Homes began going up in the 1890s, and the City of Sacramento annexed the area in 1911. Many homes have since been remodeled or given second stories.
How big is McKinley Park?
McKinley Park covers 32 acres. It has a small lake, eight tennis courts and a Sacramento Public Library branch in the Clunie Clubhouse.
What school district serves East Sacramento?
East Sacramento is served by Sacramento City Unified School District. Confirm the assigned school with the district directly.
Did Ronald Reagan live in East Sacramento?
Yes. Ronald Reagan lived at 1341 45th Street in the Fabulous Forties for most of his time as California's governor.
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