Sacramento · Relocation
Relocating to Sacramento: Choose the Neighborhood by the Week You Will Live
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.
What Relocating to Sacramento Means for Your Week
Relocating to Sacramento is mostly a commute decision. If you will be in a state office downtown four days a week, a home in Midtown or Land Park changes your week. If you will drive to the Bay Area twice a month, Natomas and its freeways may fit better.
You would be joining a growing city. The California Department of Finance counted 539,765 people in Sacramento on January 1, 2026, up 1.3% in a year. Redfin's second-quarter 2026 report ranked the Sacramento area fifth in the country for net inflow of users looking to relocate.
What you want is to land on the right street the first time, with your loan approved before the moving truck is booked.
Plan My Move With Maggie
Why People Moving to Sacramento Choose Surroundings
Buying from out of town means trusting someone else's eyes. At Surroundings those eyes belong to Maggie B. Hopkins, a real estate and mortgage broker first licensed in real estate in 2006 who also arranges loans. Rachel Dee Minyard, our REALTOR® and Creative Director, works with buyers and sellers too, and she knows the city street by street.
We send video tours, flag the questions you cannot see from a listing and have your financing ready before you fly in. One client who moved from Elk Grove to West Sacramento said: "Grateful to be living close to the city and not having to spend 50 minutes a day commuting." That is the kind of change the right address makes.
Our broader approach is on the relocation page.
Our Relocation Process for the City of Sacramento
- Start with the commute. Where you work and how often you go in sets the short list. A Capitol office, a hospital campus and the airport point to different parts of the city.
- Loan approval early. Maggie shops your pre-approval across a network of approved lenders, so your offer is credible from out of town. Any rate we quote comes with its APR.
- Video tours by neighborhood. You see the homes and the streets around them. More is in learning what your budget buys.
- One focused trip. You tour the finalists and sign a written buyer representation agreement, with compensation set by that agreement.
- Close from anywhere. Signing can happen with a notary where you live, and the deed records with the Sacramento County Recorder.
Local Context for Relocating to Sacramento
The City of Sacramento says it has the highest concentration of government jobs per capita in California. Governor Newsom's return-to-office order took effect July 1, 2026, and covered at least 90,000 state employees. For many people moving here, that makes Downtown, Midtown, Land Park and East Sacramento the first places to look.
Walkability is real in the grid. Golden 1 Center, the Crocker Art Museum and the Saturday farmers market on 20th Street are all close by.
The trade-off is space. Midtown lots are small, and many buildings hold more than one unit. Natomas offers newer homes with garages and direct access to I-5 and I-80, and the airport is a short drive. Natomas also carries flood insurance questions that we check per address.
The weather is the other adjustment. Downtown averages about 23 to 24 days a year at 100 degrees or hotter, and 2024 set a record with 45. Electricity comes from SMUD instead of PG&E. Sacramento International Airport handled about 13.9 million passengers in 2025, so trips back to see people stay manageable.
One Team for the Move and the Mortgage
When you are moving from far away, convenience is worth a lot. Surroundings is a one-stop shop, so the search, the offer and the mortgage run on one plan with one team.
Relocation loans have extra pieces, such as a new job, a home to sell elsewhere or remote income. Maggie is a licensed mortgage broker who shops loans across a network of approved lenders, so you see competitive options. Explore options, and get a quote from us to compare. You are free to bring a lender from home.
- Ask how each lender treats income if you will work remotely from Sacramento.
- Plan for the supplemental property tax bill, which is mailed to you after closing.
- Price flood insurance on Natomas homes before you offer.
For the bigger picture on Sacramento living, see the Sacramento relocation guide.
Plan Your Move to Sacramento
Relocating to Sacramento goes better with a broker who can also answer the loan questions. If you are thinking about a college town instead, compare relocating to Davis.
Start with our guide to Sacramento neighborhoods. When you are ready, book a call with Maggie from wherever you are now.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Sacramento neighborhoods are closest to the state offices downtown?
Downtown and Midtown are walking or biking distance, and Land Park and East Sacramento are a short drive. Light rail also runs through the core on R Street.
Can I buy a home in Sacramento before I move there?
Yes. We send video tours, your loan can be approved before you travel and documents can be signed with a notary where you live. Most buyers still make one trip to see the finalists.
How far is the Sacramento airport from downtown?
Sacramento International Airport sits about 10.5 miles northwest of downtown. Natomas is the part of the city closest to it.
How hot does Sacramento get?
Downtown has about 23 to 24 days a year at 100 degrees or more, with a record 45 in 2024. A Delta breeze often cools the evenings.
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.
Sacramento
What relocation looks like in Sacramento
The capital city: Midtown, East Sacramento, Land Park, Curtis Park, Natomas and the neighborhoods in between.
This is the City of Sacramento, from the grid streets of Midtown and the older homes of East Sacramento and Land Park to the newer streets of Natomas.
Relocation: keep exploring
Ready to make your move with Surroundings?