Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Richardson, TX
VS
Sacramento, CA
🏆 Richardson leads 14 of 23 categories
Richardson
Texas
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$94,362 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
39 ✓ Safer
Population
118,063
Sacramento
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$78,954
Violent Crime Index
199⚠ High
Population
523,600 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Richardson, TX
Pros
81% less violent crime than Sacramento
Violent crime is well below the national average (146.7 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $15,408 more per year on average
Homes cost $71k less ($379,800 vs $450,500)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (5.0%)
More college-educated — 55.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,725/mo
Sacramento, CA
Pros
Rent averages $133/mo less ($1,592 vs $1,725)
Cons
Violent crime (754.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Richardson by $15,408/yr
Pricier housing — median home is $450,500
Property crime (2547.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Richardson
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 103.3 vs 108.9 (100 = US avg)
Richardson
Median Income
$15,408
$94,362 vs $78,954/yr
Richardson
Violent Crime
81% lower
146.7 vs 754.9 per 100k
Richardson
Median Home Value
$71k less
$379,800 vs $450,500
Richardson
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
5.0% vs 6.3% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Richardson, TX | Sacramento, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 108.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $379,800⚠ High ✓ Lower | $450,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,725⚠ High | $1,592⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $94,362 ✓ Higher | $78,954 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.7 min ✓ Shorter | 25.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 19.7% ✓ Higher | 15.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 58 ✓ Safer | 168⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 ✓ Safer | 199⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 87 ✓ Safer | 121⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (133) ✓ Better | B- (93) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 22.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 55.5% ✓ Higher | 35.8% |
| High School or Higher | 92.5% ✓ Higher | 86.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | RICHARDSON ISD | Sacramento City Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.9°F | 56.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 94.3°F | 94.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.1" | 20.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.7" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 118,063 | 523,600 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 34.5 | 35.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.6% ✓ Higher | 50.7% |
| Under 18 | 21.0% | 22.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.6% | 13.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Richardson's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Sacramento's 108.9 (US average = 100).
Richardson is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Richardson leads 14 of 23 categories. Richardson wins 14 and Sacramento wins 9. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Richardson to Sacramento or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($379,800 vs $450,500 median home), income ($94,362 vs $78,954), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Richardson, TX and Sacramento, CA are about 1,436 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.