Did you know that in the mid-1800, Sacramento was a major trading outpost during the Gold Rush? While Sacramento has a long and exciting history, it remains an exciting place to visit and live in modern times.
If you’ve clicked on this article, you’re most likely already thinking about selling your house, packing up everything you own, and moving to Sacramento. But here’s the big question: what are the best neighborhoods to live in Sacramento?
If you’ve never been to Sacramento, this can be a hard question to answer on your own. Of course, you don’t want to make a huge mistake and move to an unfavorable neighborhood because of your lack of research. Fortunately, you’ve found the right article to find out more.
If you keep reading, you’ll discover the best neighborhoods in the Sacramento area. You’ll learn what makes each neighborhood unique, what each neighborhood has to offer, a little bit of history, and what it might be like to live in a particular Sacramento neighborhood.
If you can’t wait to get started, keep reading more below.
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A brief history of Sacramento
You don’t want to move to a new city without knowing anything about it, do you? Sacramento began when John Sutter arrived at a junction between the American and the Sacramento rivers and decided to build a fort in 1839. This fort was conveniently named Sutter’s Fort and meant to inspire farming communities to settle in the area.
However, in 1848, instead of a rush of farmers arriving at the area, a surge of people looking for gold came instead. This is because, during this year, people discovered gold in the foothills surrounding the Sacramento area. When this news got out, many people left their professions and families to go out searching for gold.
The Sacramento area grew quickly during the Gold Rush and lead to the building of many makeshift wooden buildings. These buildings were for marketing and commerce due to the new gold craze swarming the area. However, Sacramento’s early history was not all smooth sailing.
In fact, Sacramento suffered from repeated fires and catastrophic floods. After enough floods, it was decided that Downtown Sacramento would be raised from its current ground level by an entire story. This was done with countless wagons of dirt being brought in to raise the ground.
If you visit some areas of Old Sacramento, you can actually see where the original ground level used to be before it was raised. In the late 1800s, Sacramento continued to flourish. Part of Sacramento’s success came from the fact that it was connected to the rest of the united states by the First Transcontinental Railroad and the Pony Express.
Ever since the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Sacramento has continued to grow in size and in population. Today, it remains a great place to live and visit.
The best neighborhoods to live in Sacramento
Now that you know a little bit about Sacramento’s history, we can explore individual neighborhoods. Sacramento is known today not only for the Gold Rush but for its bustling nightlife, waterfront scenery, trendy stores and restaurants, and relaxing suburbs. This is not to forget that all this is situated in the warm, sunny state of California.
When it comes to looking for good neighborhoods in Sacramento, the trouble is not finding them but rather picking one to live in. Each neighborhood comes with its own charm and conveniences. We’ll be exploring 6 of the best neighborhoods in Sacramento.
These neighborhoods include Downtown Sacramento, Midtown, East Sacramento, Pocket, Land Park, and Natomas Park. Without further ado, let’s see what Downtown Sacramento has to offer.
1. Downtown Sacramento
If you’re a single young professional and love a busy nightlife, then Downtown Sacramento may be the perfect neighborhood for you. You’ll find that the environment is very urban and full of culture. You’ll never be short of fantastic restaurants here, ranging from fine dining to street food.
If you’re a patron of the arts, you’ll be glad to know that the country’s oldest public art museum is located in Downtown Sacramento, the Crocker Art Museum, founded in 1885. There are also many other types of museums in Sacramento, including automobile museums, aerospace and military museums, and of course, history museums focusing on Sacramento’s Gold Rush background.
Downtown Sacramento is the city’s center of commerce and is always full of life. If you love shopping, Downtown Sacramento has everything you need. And, if you’re afraid such a metropolitan environment might not be for you, don’t worry! Downtown Sacramento, in addition to its sprawling cityscape, also offers 47 acres of parks.
You’re sure to never be bored in the Downtown area because it is constantly growing and festivals and concerts are held throughout the year. But what is it like to live in Downtown Sacramento?
If you plan on buying a house Downtown, as with any property located in a city center, it will be a bit pricy. The average house price is $547,696. On the other hand, if you plan on renting, rent prices tend to average around $2,462 per month. A big bonus is that Downtown Sacramento’s crime rate is better than 65% of other neighborhoods in Sacramento.
If spending your money on a modern apartment or home, there is always the option to settle down into a historic Victorian-style home. If you’re a history buff, life can’t get much better than that.
2. Midtown
Downtown Sacramento already sounds great, so how does Midtown compare? Midtown is considered a historic district of the city and, while similar to Downtown in many ways, has its own unique style.
Midtown is a playground for musicians and artists. In fact, on the second day of each month, the Secondary Saturday Art Walk. This is when businesses throughout Midtown open their doors and allow you to walk around freely to admire different art exhibits provided by local artists. This event takes place in the evening and allows you to be enchanted by the city’s golden lights, live music, wine tastings, and street food.
If you’re not so much of the artsy type but more of the outdoorsy type, Midtown has what you need. Midtown is home to the American River Parkway which is 32 miles long and perfect for long walks or jogs along the American River. If you have a boat, the two rivers surrounding Sacramento are perfect for spending days out on the water.
If you hate driving, moving to Sacramento, specifically Midtown, might be ideal for you. This is because every restaurant and store is within walking distance and a car is hardly needed. Instead of using your car to bring you everywhere, you can take in the new smells and sights of Midtown Sacramento every time you walk to the grocery store.
Like Downtown Sacramento, Midtown has a range of living options from historical Victorian houses to ultra-modern apartments. Midtown is known for being very inclusive as well and is LGBTQ+-friendly.
3. East Sacramento
After reading about Downtown and Midtown, if you’re still wondering where to live in Sacramento, maybe East Sacramento will be your answer.
If you’re a young professional or looking to continue your college education, East Sacramento has what you need. This neighborhood is home to Sacramento State University. If you’re not a student, there are plenty of work opportunities in East Sacramento as well as in the Downtown area which is only about ten minutes away.
Whether you’re a student or just starting your career, East Sacramento can be a very exciting place to live. This is because of the huge array of things to do in the area.
East Sacramento, while perhaps not as intense as Downtown, is still very lively and full of restaurants, shops, pubs, art exhibits, and unique events. You’ll never have any trouble finding exciting new restaurants to eat at, even if you’re vegan. There’s a restaurant for every palate in East Sacramento, ranging from barbeque and Italian to vegan and vegetarian.
As with the other Sacramento neighborhoods mentioned so far, East Sacramento also has some parks to break up the cityscape. The McKinley Park Rose Garden is certainly a sight to see, especially since different kinds of roses are incorporated into the 1.5-acre garden every year.
Rather than Victorian homes, East Sacramento offers colonial homes instead, which are stunning all the same. The average house price hovers around $751,902 while the rent is approximately $1,750 per month. A big bonus to East Sacramento is that has a very low crime rate and is safer than the majority of other neighborhoods in Sacramento.
4. Pocket
If you’re torn between living in the city and living in the suburbs, Pocket may be the neighborhood for you. If you prefer relaxing in the outdoors rather than the bustling life in the city, you may find that Pocket is one of the best Sacramento neighborhoods to live in.
The Sacramento River travels along the border of the neighborhood and is great for spending afternoons paddle boating. There is no shortage of biking and hiking trails to spend hours in the great outdoors. There are also plenty of parks where you can spend time with your family and friends, toss a frisbee around, or maybe have a picnic.
If you are raising young children, Pocket has plenty of space for them to run around and get some fresh air. You can also improve your meals by buying fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers.
If you’re thinking about moving to Pocket, home prices average around $614,917. Since the population of this neighborhood is only around 26,000, you can be confident that you’re choosing a quiet, relaxing place to live.
5. Land Park
If you like the qualities of Pocket but are not sold on the neighborhood, Land Park may be a great alternative. While Land Park is very close to the hustle and bustle of Downtown Sacramento, it remains in the suburbs and is a very calming place to live without being boring.
As with other Sacramento neighborhoods, Land Park is full of mouth-watering restaurants that offer a wide range of food options. It is also home to zoos, amusement parks, golfing, and other parks that the whole family will love.
Just because Land Park is in the suburbs doesn’t mean that it lacks the finer things in life like ice cream and craft beers. In fact, this neighborhood is home to some excellent ice cream parlors and breweries that are sure to sate whatever taste you’re looking for.
If you’re looking for someplace to settle down long-term, Land Park with its cozy Tudor homes and apartments may be a great option. The average home prices for Land Park are around $803,155 and rent is around $1,695 per month. For families and young professionals looking for a place to settle down, Land Park can make a great investment.
6. Natomas Park
If you’re concerned about finding the safest and best neighborhoods to live in Sacramento, keep in mind that Natomas park is 84% safer than any of Sacramento’s other neighborhoods. But Natomas Park’s low crime rate isn’t its only quality.
Natomas Park is a great suburban neighborhood around 15 minutes away from Downtown Sacramento by car. There are plenty of parks to enjoy as well as a variety of trendy pubs and restaurants. Job opportunities are quickly growing in this neighborhood as well.
If you’re an art-lover but don’t want to live in the Downtown area, Natomas Park is home to the Artspace 1616, an art gallery that features art from both local and international artists. Homes in Natomas Park hover around $611,524 while monthly rent averages at $1,550.
Best neighborhoods to live in Sacramento
Now that you’ve read about the best neighborhoods to live in Sacramento, you can decide which neighborhood matches your preferences and feels like home to you.
If you can’t wait to sell your home and move to Sacramento, submit your address and get a no-obligation offer for your home.
