Median Income
$62,156
household / year
Median Home Value
$319,300
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,431
gross / month
Cost of Living
109
national avg = 100

Is North Highlands, CA a Good Place to Live?

North Highlands is a small city of 48,083 in California, with a median household income of $62,156 and a 5.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 109 (US average = 100), which is 9% above the national average.

Strengths: North Highlands's profile is close to national averages across most measures.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether North Highlands is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All North Highlands 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: 108.9

North Highlands's overall cost of living index is 108.9, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in North Highlands costs roughly 9% more than the average American city.

Metric North Highlands, CA National Avg
Median Home Value $319,300 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,431 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 51.4% 65.9%
Median Household Income $62,156 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Near National Average

North Highlands's violent crime rate is 518.1 per 100,000 residents — 36% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
518.1 /100k
Property Crime
1927.8 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

North Highlands is served primarily by Twin Rivers Unified. The student-to-teacher ratio is 21.9:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric North Highlands, CA National Avg
School District Twin Rivers Unified —
Elementary Schools 29 —
Middle Schools 6 —
High Schools 7 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 21.9:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 13.7% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 84.5% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

North Highlands sees average highs of 56.5°F in January and 94.4°F in July, with 21.5 inches of annual precipitation .

MetricNorth Highlands, CA
Average High — January56.5°F
Average High — July94.4°F
Annual Precipitation21.5"
Annual SnowfallTrace / None

Demographics

MetricNorth Highlands, CANational Avg
Population48,083—
Median Age34.038.9
Unemployment Rate5.8%3.7%
Avg Commute Time31.3 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)57.6%59.3%
Black or African American9.9%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino17.5%18.9%
Asian8.2%6.3%
Under 1826.0%22.2%
65 and over11.7%16.8%

Nearby Cities

McClellan Park, CA 2 mi Foothill Farms, CA 2 mi Antelope, CA 3 mi Carmichael, CA 4 mi Rio Linda, CA 4 mi

ZIP Codes in North Highlands

North Highlands, CA is covered by 2 ZIP codes:

95660 95841

North Highlands vs Other Cities

North Highlands, CA vs McClellan Park, CA North Highlands, CA vs Foothill Farms, CA North Highlands, CA vs Antelope, CA North Highlands, CA vs Carmichael, CA North Highlands, CA vs Rio Linda, CA

Frequently Asked Questions

North Highlands's cost of living index is 109, where 100 is the national average. That puts North Highlands roughly 9% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $319,300 and median rent is $1,431/month.
North Highlands's violent crime rate is 518.1 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1927.8 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in North Highlands are operated by Twin Rivers Unified. The district has 29 elementary, 6 middle, and 7 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 21.9:1. 13.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
North Highlands, CA has a population of 48,083, a median household income of $62,156, and an unemployment rate of 5.8%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
North Highlands averages 56.5°F in January and 94.4°F in July. Annual rainfall is 21.5 inches . Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
North Highlands, CA is covered by 2 ZIP codes: 95660, 95841.
The population of North Highlands, California is 48,083 with a median age of 34.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in North Highlands: cost of living index 109 (100 = US average), median home $319,300, median household income $62,156, crime index 119 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare North Highlands side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.