Is Elk Grove, CA a Good Place to Live?
Elk Grove is a mid-sized city of 176,105 in California, with a median household income of $115,864 and a 6.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 109 (US average = 100), which is 9% above the national average.
Strengths: Elk Grove stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B-), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices, longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Elk Grove is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Elk Grove city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 108.9Elk Grove's overall cost of living index is 108.9, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Elk Grove costs roughly 9% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Elk Grove, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $560,500 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,076 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 73.8% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $115,864 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeElk Grove's violent crime rate is 189.9 per 100,000 residents — 50% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Elk Grove is served primarily by Elk Grove Unified. The student-to-teacher ratio is 22.7:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Elk Grove, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Elk Grove Unified | — |
| Elementary Schools | 43 | — |
| Middle Schools | 9 | — |
| High Schools | 13 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 22.7:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 37.0% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 90.7% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Elk Grove sees average highs of 56.0°F in January and 92.6°F in July, with 18.1 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Elk Grove, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 56.0°F |
| Average High — July | 92.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 18.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Elk Grove, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 176,105 | — |
| Median Age | 38.7 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.4% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 33.1 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 37.5% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 11.2% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 12.1% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 30.5% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 25.9% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 13.3% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Elk Grove
Elk Grove, CA is covered by 3 ZIP codes: