Elk Grove receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Auburn
Elk Grove
Opportunity
62 · Top 37%
vs61 · Top 39%
Growth
53 · Top 45%
vs64 · Top 26%
Climate
76 · Top 27%
vs79 · Top 18%
Physical resilience
44 · Bottom 34%
vs63 · Top 45%
Housing affordability
51 · Bottom 11%
vs69 · Bottom 33%
Access
91 · Bottom 47%
vs95 · Top 36%
Economic stability
44 · Bottom 23%
vs69 · Top 32%
Measured values
| Metric | Auburn | Elk Grove | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,768 | 179,155 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $82,674 | $125,924 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $53,951 | $46,347 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,918/sq mi | 4,205/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $672,500 | $630,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,501 | $2,262 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.4% | 73.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.4% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.6% | 38.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.0% | 8.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 17 | 1,144 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 6.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 70.0% | -17.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 39°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 36.1" | 18.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 23 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.4 min | 32.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 47.5 | 39.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 39 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 21.18 | 22.81 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 45.5% | 50.4% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Auburn
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Elk Grove
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake.
Full profiles: Auburn, CA · Elk Grove, CA · How this is calculated: methodology