Example household · Fresno, CA · $83,730 · same pay · 1 adult

Sacramento skyline

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Fresno vs Sacramento

Fresno and Sacramento

Photo: Quintin Soloviev / Wikimedia, CC BY 4.0

Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.

Same pay in both cities. One adult, one bedroom.

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So you know: homicide deaths in Sacramento are under the US rate in this release, 5 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).

Why people look at Fresno to Sacramento

In 2022-2023, 672 households filed a move from Fresno to Sacramento (about 1,105 people, average adjusted gross income $59,129). 478 households went the other way. Source: IRS migration.

A one-bedroom asking rent is about $1,356 in Fresno and $1,663 in Sacramento. Fresno has a state tax on wages. Sacramento has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Sacramento is 103% of the national level for the same work, against 85% in Fresno.

Sacramento averages 265 sunny days, with July highs around 93°F and January nights around 39°F. Fresno is 261 sunny days, 105°F in July, 39°F in January. Commutes average 28 minutes in Sacramento and 24 in Fresno.

These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.

How we figure this

Who already made this move

In 2022-2023, 672 households moved Fresno → Sacramento (about 1,105 people, average AGI $59,129). 478 households went the other way.

Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.

The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between Fresno and Sacramento changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.

What the move itself costs

About 181 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.

Full-service mover
$1,700–$3,250
Container or pod
$1,150–$2,200
Rent a truck
$450–$850

Movers in Sacramento and how to hire one →

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Questions

Is Sacramento cheaper than Fresno after tax and rent?

No. Sacramento leaves about $241 less a month, so the cost of living is higher there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $1,356 in Fresno and $1,663 in Sacramento.

Does Sacramento have state income tax?

Sacramento is in California, which taxes wage income.

Did people actually move from Fresno to Sacramento?

Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.