Elk Grove and Rocklin receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Elk Grove
Rocklin
Opportunity
61 · Top 39%
vs65 · Top 33%
Growth
64 · Top 26%
vs82 · Top 4%
Climate
79 · Top 18%
vs81 · Top 16%
Physical resilience
63 · Top 45%
vs44 · Bottom 34%
Housing affordability
69 · Bottom 33%
vs65 · Bottom 27%
Access
95 · Top 36%
vs98 · Top 20%
Economic stability
69 · Top 32%
vs70 · Top 29%
Measured values
| Metric | Elk Grove | Rocklin | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 179,155 | 73,327 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $125,924 | $124,168 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,347 | $58,054 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,205/sq mi | 3,696/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $630,100 | $703,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,262 | $2,258 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.8% | 68.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -1.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.9% | 48.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.0% | 5.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,144 | 630 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.4 | 8.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -17.9% | 156.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 39°F | 41°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 18.1" | 19.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 13 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.2 min | 26.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.4 | 38.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 39 | 21 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 22.81 | 21.68 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 50.4% | 22.9% | 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
Elk Grove
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake.
Rocklin
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Full profiles: Elk Grove, CA · Rocklin, CA · How this is calculated: methodology