Carmichael vs Elk Grove
Carmichael, California versus Elk Grove, California: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Carmichael and Elk Grove score about the same overall (51 vs 50 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Carmichael | Elk Grove |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $80k | $116k |
| Cost of Living | $65k | $65k |
| Home Value | $495k | $561k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.71% | 0.86% |
| Income Tax | 13.30% | 13.30% |
| Sales Tax | 8.85% | 8.85% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 20.59% | 20.37% |
| Unemployment | 5.5% | 6.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 48°F | 48°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 77°F | 77°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 20.9 in | 18.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 302 days | 302 days |
| Summer Humidity | 54°F | 54°F |
| Comfortable Days | 98 days | 98 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 26.9 | 29.8 |
| Air Quality | 43 AQI | 31 AQI |
| School Quality | 70.8 | 60.2 |
| Violent Crime | 1204/100k | 403/100k |
| Property Crime | 2148/100k | 1337/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 78,144 | 176,105 |
| Median Age | 41.0 | 38.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.47 | 0.73 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.95 | 0.95 |
| Political Leaning | D+26 | D+26 |
| White (%) | 64.5% | 31.5% |
| Black (%) | 5.7% | 10.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 15.4% | 18.9% |
| Asian (%) | 7.7% | 30.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.6% | 8.6% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 27 min | 33 min |
| Walkability | 13.1/20 | 13.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 15 mi | 23 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 93.0% | 95.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 54.26 | 15.50 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Carmichael or Elk Grove more affordable?
- Elk Grove has the lower cost of living: its index is $65k, compared with Carmichael's $65k and Elk Grove's $65k. Median rent is $1k in Carmichael versus $2k in Elk Grove.
- Is Carmichael or Elk Grove safer?
- Elk Grove has the lower violent crime rate. Carmichael reports 1204/100k and Elk Grove reports 403/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Carmichael or Elk Grove?
- The median home value is $495k in Carmichael and $561k in Elk Grove, so homes are more affordable in Carmichael.