Head to head
New York, NY vs Sacramento, CA
Sacramento is cheaper — estimated essentials for a single person run about $223/mo less, and living comfortably there takes roughly $11,000 less in annual salary (taxes included).
It flips for a family. For a household of four, New York is the cheaper of the two — rent scales to household size using each city's own bedroom spread, and that spread is far steeper in some markets than others.
| Metric | New York41 | Sacramento56 |
|---|---|---|
| Est. monthly cost (single) | $5,741 | $5,518 |
| Est. monthly cost (household of 4) | $9,750 | $10,619 |
| Salary for comfort | $121,000/yr | $110,000/yr |
| Typical rent | $2,910 | $2,255 |
| Median home value | $751,700 | $484,600 |
| Median household income | $79,713 | $83,753 |
| Unemployment | 5.2% | 4.3% |
| Housing score | 3 | 26 |
| Jobs score | 36 | 34 |
| Safety score | 47 | 67 |
| Climate score | 96 | 98 |
| Amenities score | 40 | 83 |
| Population | 8.5M | 524.8K |
| Summer high / winter low | 86° / 23° | 93° / 41° |
Fit scores use the reference profile (single, $6,700/mo gross, default weights). Green marks the better value per row.
New York, NY
Sacramento, CA