Compare Cities: Sacramento vs Fresno, 2022

When you relocate to California you are probably excited about the idea of living in the sun-lit state. Whether you move to Sacramento from Fresno for a new job or decide to relocate with a family to Fresno, you want to learn more about the city you plan to settle in. Located not far from each other, Sacramento and Fresno have many features in common. However, before buying or renting a home and hiring a moving company, you need to know the differences between the two cities.

Sacramento vs. Fresno

Sacramento is the capital city of California. Situated at the confluence of the American and Sacramento Rivers, Sacramento is the political center of California and the economic and cultural center of the Greater Sacramento area.

Fresno is one of the largest cities in the San Joaquin Valley, California, and the administrative center of Fresno County.

Population

With a population of 524,943 people, Sacramento is the sixth-largest city in California, passed by Fresno with 542,107 residents, which is ranked fifth.

Due to its status as the state’s capital, Sacramento is the fastest-growing center in California and is home to California State University, Sacramento, and the University of California, Davis.

Fresno’s population is also continuously growing — more and more businesses move their offices to the city due to the lower land costs and available job force. New jobs bring more opportunities for Fresno residents.

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Fresno is almost 14% lower compared to Sacramento. However, the higher cost of living in Sacramento is balanced with higher salaries — the average salary in Sacramento is around 8% higher. The average salary (after tax deduction) can cover 1.9 months of living expenses in Fresno, while in Sacramento the average salary is enough for 1.8 months.

In fact, Fresno is one of the most affordable places in California. The median yearly income in Fresno is around $41,455, which is good enough to feel pretty comfortable in the city. As for Sacramento, the median income is $50,013. The average salary for qualified jobs in Sacramento is more than $71,000.

If you plan on moving from Fresno to Sacramento, you should be ready for a higher cost of living. Is Sacramento expensive? Well, housing and basic utilities are considered affordable based on the average salary. Overall, the cost of living in Sacramento is 18.2% higher than the national average but it is still much lower compared to other California cities.

Quality of Living

Sacramento is a liberal vibrant city. Sometimes Fresno is considered a less expensive version of Sacramento with a similar climate and landscape. But life in these cities differs: Sacramento is a more urban-oriented city, while Fresno is more rural and family-oriented.

If you think about moving to Sacramento (CA) in search of work, several large brands have chosen Sacramento for their headquarters, including Aerojet Rocketdyne, Blue Diamond Growers, Sutter Health, and The McClatchy Company. By the way, Intel has facilities with more than 6,000 employees in Sacramento. The city is known for its well-developed healthcare industry — Sutter Health, the UC Davis Medical Center, and the UC Davis School of Medicine are located in Sacramento.

Fresno is a regional hub for the San Joaquin Valley and the Central Valley region. Main employers in Fresno include educational institutions, community medical centers, the County of Fresno, Amazon, California State University, Pelco, Saladino’s, and Valley Yellow Pages.

Moving to Fresno, you might be impressed by how affordable housing is for a Californian city. The median home price in Fresno is $316,400, compared to $435,600 in Sacramento.

Some of the most popular Fresno neighborhoods are Downtown, Tower District, Woodward Park, and Fig Garden.

The most prominent neighborhoods in Sacramento include Downtown, Land Park, Northgate, Natomas, Oak Park, and Richmond Grove.

Safety

When you consider moving to Sacramento one of the first questions is “Is Sacramento safe?” Let’s face it, crime rates in Sacramento are higher than in some other densely populated urban areas.

Is Fresno safe? Well, relatively. In fact, the answer varies from neighborhood to neighborhood. The crime rate in Fresno is higher than the average rate in California. This is because Fresno has a high concentration of young people living below the poverty line. With plenty of well-paid jobs available, Fresno lacks qualified specialists to take those positions. However, there are safe neighborhoods with lower crime rates, good jobs, and excellent schools, for example, Woodward Park and North Growth Area.

Almost the same applies to Sacramento: the crime rate is 53% higher than the national average. Again, crime rates vary between neighborhoods;

Environment

Fresno has a Mediterranean climate with mild wet winters and long, hot, and dry summers. December and January are usually the coldest months, and July is the hottest month with an average temperature of around 83.5°F.

Located not far from Fresno, Sacramento has almost the same hot-summer Mediterranean climate. The average temperature in Sacramento is just a couple of degrees lower, and heat during the summer months is cooled by the “delta breeze” from the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta.

Fresno is known for various recreational areas located nearby: Yosemite National Park, Sierra National Forest, Kings Canyon National Park, and Sequoia National Park. Residents never feel bored as they have so many options to explore on weekends.

However, the air in Fresno isn’t crystal clean: PM 2.5 is one of the highest levels of pollution across the country. This is the result of the well-developed extraction industry and bowl-shaped landscape that keeps concentrated pollutants within the valley.

More known as the “Farm-to-Fork” capital, Sacramento is literally the “City of Trees”. It has more trees per capita than any other city in the world — eucalyptus, cottonwood, locust trees, elms, willows, and palm trees should be officially recognized as a city’s distinguishing characteristics. But if you are allergy-prone, you need to be aware of pollen from trees — many residents suffer from seasonal allergies.

Transportation

Sacramento International Airport is located northwest of the city. Traffic in the city cannot be compared to LA; however, as the population grows, the commuting time increases — the average commuting time is around 25 minutes.

Fresno has three airports: Fresno Yosemite International Airport, Fresno Chandler Executive Airport, and Sierra Sky Park Airport. In Fresno, you can get almost anywhere within 20 minutes. Another advantage of Fresno is its central location: you can easily go to explore San Francisco or wander around Los Angeles on weekends — they are located a short drive away from Fresno. Located in the central region of California, Fresno has a railroad and several freeways connecting it with other cities.

Entertainment

Sacramento is known for being home to the California Museum, California Hall of Fame, and Old Sacramento State Historic Park. Families with kids might become regular visitors of the Raging Waters and Funderland Amusement Park. Sacramento Zoo and California State Capitol Museum definitely deserve their portion of your admiration.

One of Fresno’s oldest landmarks is the Old Fresno Water Tower. Add here Fresno Chaffee Zoo, Arte Americas, Fresno Art Museum, the Forestiere Underground Gardens, and the regular Woodward Shakespeare Festival — a rural city transforms into an eventful hub. If you are into arts, Fresno will keep you busy too: the Fresno Arts Council sponsors a monthly cultural event, ArtHop, with multiple galleries, street art exhibitions, and performances.

Is Fresno a good place to live? Definitely, yes. Many families move a long distance to reside in this city due to its affordable housing, great climate, and family-oriented lifestyle. Numerous local farm-to-fork food festivals are held here annually — Fresno is heaven for healthy lifestyle advocates.

In conclusion

Despite their differences, Fresno and Sacramento are great cities with a good climate to live with a family and raise kids. Affordable housing, excellent schools, and fantastic natural parks attract many people from all over the country. The good news is that whether you move to Fresno or Sacramento, the TrekMovers team will handle your relocation from A to Z seamlessly and stress-free.