Lauren, What About Moving to Sacramento?

 

Okay Lauren, hear me out:

Sacramento, California.

Not Los Angeles. Not San Francisco. Not some tiny California town where we'd be wondering where everybody is. 😂

Sacramento is a real city, it's diverse, it's the state capital, there are plenty of jobs and healthcare, and you can get to some absolutely beautiful parts of Northern California without having to LIVE in the Bay Area.

I actually think this one deserves a look.

🌳 First — Sacramento Is Pretty

Sacramento has something Phoenix simply doesn't have enough of for me:

TREES.

Big, mature trees. Green neighborhoods. Parks. Rivers. Older homes. Established communities.

You also have the Sacramento and American Rivers, and you're within driving distance of Lake Tahoe, the Sierra Nevada mountains, Napa, San Francisco and Northern California's forests.

So we'd finally have some real weekend-trip possibilities.

🌎 And It's VERY Diverse

This is one of Sacramento's strongest selling points for me.

You'd be living in a genuinely multicultural metro area with Black, White, Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander and multiracial communities.

That matters.

I don't want to send you somewhere that's beautiful and affordable and then have you and the kids feel like you're the only Black family for 20 miles.

Sacramento gives you diversity without requiring you to live in Los Angeles or the Bay Area.

🏳️‍🌈 And Yes — LGBTQ Friendly

This is California's capital city, and Sacramento has a visible LGBTQ community.

There's even a well-established LGBTQ district around Lavender Heights/Midtown.

So from the standpoint of being able to live openly, find community and raise your family somewhere accepting, Sacramento checks an important box.

🏡 Now for the Part I DON'T Love: Housing

Sacramento isn't cheap.

As of 2026, we're seeing roughly:

3-bedroom rentals: around $2,500/month

4-bedroom rentals: around $2,800–$3,000/month

So no, this isn't going to compete with Michigan or parts of Georgia on housing costs.

But it's also nowhere near San Francisco-level insanity.

The question would be whether Sacramento-area salaries make the higher housing cost worthwhile.

💼 The Job Market Is One Reason I'm Interested

Sacramento has a BIG advantage:

It's the California state capital.

That means government and public-sector employment is a major part of the economy.

You also have:

Healthcare • Education • State Government • Universities • Insurance • Business Services • Technology • Construction • Logistics

And healthcare is substantial.

Major medical employers include UC Davis Health, Sutter Health and Dignity Health/Mercy.

That's especially interesting if you're still considering LPN, dental assisting or dental hygiene.

And obviously, if you choose teaching, there are numerous school districts throughout the Sacramento metro.

🍎 What About Schools?

This is where I wouldn't just say "Sacramento has good schools."

It depends heavily on the neighborhood.

I'd rather choose the school district first and the house second.

If we seriously consider Sacramento, I'd expand the search beyond Sacramento proper into suburbs such as:

Elk Grove

Folsom

Roseville

Rocklin

Natomas

and other family-oriented communities around the metro.

Some will cost more than others, but that's where we can start balancing schools + rent + commute + diversity.

☀️ Now Let's Talk About the Weather...

Sacramento has four seasons — but I'm not going to lie to you and pretend the summers are cool.

They aren't.

Sacramento summers are hot and dry, and temperatures can climb above 100°F.

BUT...

Unlike Phoenix, Sacramento has a real fall, cooler winters, spring greenery and much cooler nights for significant parts of the year.

So if the goal is "never hot again," Sacramento doesn't win.

If the goal is "I am DONE living in the freaking Sonoran Desert," 😂 then Sacramento is a completely different environment.

🛍️ Are We Going to Have Stuff to Do?

Yes.

This isn't a sleepy little town.

You've got shopping, restaurants, entertainment, museums, sports and everyday conveniences throughout the metro.

And if you want serious shopping, the greater Sacramento area has everything from traditional malls to huge suburban retail districts.

You're also about 90 miles from San Francisco and roughly 100 miles from Lake Tahoe, depending on where you're starting and exactly where you're going.

That's a pretty fantastic geographic position.

❤️ So Lauren, What Do I Think?

I think Sacramento belongs on the list.

What I LIKE:

🌳 Green, established neighborhoods

🌎 Very diverse population

🏳️‍🌈 LGBTQ friendly

🏥 Excellent healthcare access

💼 Strong government, healthcare and education employment

🏔️ Mountains, lakes, rivers and incredible Northern California scenery nearby

🛍️ Plenty of shopping and things to do

✈️ Major airport

🍎 Lots of school districts and suburbs to choose from

What gives me pause:

💰 Housing is expensive

🔥 Summers are still HOT

💸 California's overall cost of living is higher

🚗 Where you live versus where you work will matter

My Verdict?

Sacramento: YES — investigate further.

Not an automatic move.

But absolutely worth making the shortlist.

The thing that would make or break Sacramento for me is income versus housing.

If you can become a teacher, LPN, dental assistant or dental hygienist there and the salary is substantially higher than what you'd earn elsewhere, then paying around $3,000 for a four-bedroom house starts looking different.

And before I'd cross Sacramento off because of California prices, I'd look at the whole metro — especially Elk Grove, Roseville, Folsom, Rocklin and the Sacramento neighborhoods that combine diversity, good schools and family-sized rentals.

Because somewhere in that metro might actually be the sweet spot.