Uprootmap
Santa Cruz vs Sacramento
Santa Cruz and Sacramento
Photo: Quintin Soloviev / Wikimedia, CC BY 4.0
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
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 Santa Cruz to Sacramento
In 2022-2023, 265 households filed a move from Santa Cruz to Sacramento (about 369 people, average adjusted gross income $88,925). 211 households went the other way. Source: IRS migration.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $2,638 in Santa Cruz and $1,663 in Sacramento. Santa Cruz 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 98% in Santa Cruz.
Sacramento averages 265 sunny days, with July highs around 93°F and January nights around 39°F. Santa Cruz is 247 sunny days, 77°F in July, 44°F in January. Commutes average 28 minutes in Sacramento and 27 in Santa Cruz.
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.
Who already made this move
In 2022-2023, 265 households moved Santa Cruz → Sacramento (about 369 people, average AGI $88,925). 211 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 Santa Cruz and Sacramento changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 161 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $1,700–$3,200
- Container or pod
- $1,150–$2,150
- Rent a truck
- $450–$800
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Dig into Sacramento
Questions
Is Sacramento cheaper than Santa Cruz after tax and rent?
Yes. Sacramento leaves about $897 more a month, so the cost of living is lower there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $2,638 in Santa Cruz and $1,663 in Sacramento.
Does Sacramento have state income tax?
Sacramento is in California, which taxes wage income.
Did people actually move from Santa Cruz 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.