Sacramento receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
South Lake Tahoe
Sacramento
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 41%
vs54 · Bottom 44%
Growth
26 · Bottom 13%
vs63 · Top 27%
Climate
54 · Bottom 4%
vs81 · Top 16%
Physical resilience
21 · Bottom 14%
vs63 · Top 45%
Housing affordability
46 · Bottom 8%
vs58 · Bottom 18%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs100 · Top 3%
Economic stability
54 · Bottom 37%
vs56 · Bottom 41%
Measured values
| Metric | South Lake Tahoe | Sacramento | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,269 | 528,706 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $82,002 | $87,321 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $56,022 | $43,376 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,113/sq mi | 5,360/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $682,400 | $506,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,606 | $1,779 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 51.3% | 51.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.4% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.9% | 37.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.3% | 13.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 17 | 2,397 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.8 | 4.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -77.0% | 24.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 80°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 41°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 20.5" | 19.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 2 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 17.1 min | 26.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.1 | 36.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 140 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 21.06 | 24.31 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 50.5% | 72.9% | 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
South Lake Tahoe
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding, earthquake.
Sacramento
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
South Lake Tahoe
50
Your Score
44
Area Score
Sacramento
68
Your Score
64
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: South Lake Tahoe, CA · Sacramento, CA · How this is calculated: methodology