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
Elk Grove
Roseville
Opportunity
61 · Top 39%
vs69 · Top 24%
Growth
64 · Top 26%
vs60 · Top 32%
Climate
79 · Top 18%
vs75 · Top 30%
Physical resilience
63 · Top 45%
vs44 · Bottom 34%
Housing affordability
69 · Bottom 33%
vs66 · Bottom 29%
Access
95 · Top 36%
vs100 · Top 1%
Economic stability
69 · Top 32%
vs72 · Top 25%
Measured values
| Metric | Elk Grove | Roseville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 179,155 | 155,955 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $125,924 | $119,288 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,347 | $55,336 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,205/sq mi | 3,537/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $630,100 | $661,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,262 | $2,142 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.8% | 68.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -1.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.9% | 44.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.0% | 5.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,144 | 967 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.4 | 6.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -17.9% | -47.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 39°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 18.1" | 18.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.2 min | 28.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.4 | 40.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 39 | 39 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 22.81 | 22.59 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 50.4% | 40.3% | 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.
Roseville
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Full profiles: Elk Grove, CA · Roseville, CA · How this is calculated: methodology