Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Sacramento, CA
VS
Sparks, NV
🏆 Sparks leads 14 of 23 categories
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
Sparks
Nevada
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$82,938 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
104⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
108,025
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Sacramento, CA
Pros
More college-educated — 35.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 57°F vs 48°F
Cons
Violent crime (754.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2547.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Pricier housing — median home is $450,500
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Sparks
Sparks, NV
Pros
48% less violent crime than Sacramento
Homes cost $27k less ($423,500 vs $450,500)
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Sacramento
Smaller class sizes — 19.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Households earn $3,984 more per year on average
Cons
Property crime (2583.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Sparks
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 103.2 vs 108.9 (100 = US avg)
Sparks
Median Income
$3,984
$82,938 vs $78,954/yr
Sparks
Violent Crime
48% lower
394.4 vs 754.9 per 100k
Sparks
Median Home Value
$27k less
$423,500 vs $450,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Sacramento, CA | Sparks, NV |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.9⚠ High | 103.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $450,500⚠ High | $423,500⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,592⚠ High | $1,526⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $78,954 | $82,938 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.3%⚠ High | 6.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.4 min | 23.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 15.1% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 168⚠ High | 111⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 199⚠ High | 104⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 121⚠ High ✓ Safer | 123⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (93) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.0:1 | 19.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 35.8% ✓ Higher | 25.4% |
| High School or Higher | 86.4% ✓ Higher | 85.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Sacramento City Unified | Washoe County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 56.5°F ✓ Warmer | 48.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 94.4°F ✓ Warmer | 92.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 20.4" | 8.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 6.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 523,600 ✓ Larger | 108,025 |
| Median Age | 35.2 | 37.0 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 50.7% | 59.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.0% | 23.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.8% | 15.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Sacramento's cost of living index is 108.9 vs Sparks's 103.2 (US average = 100).
Sparks is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Sparks leads 14 of 23 categories. Sacramento wins 9 and Sparks wins 14. 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 Sacramento to Sparks or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($450,500 vs $423,500 median home), income ($78,954 vs $82,938), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Sacramento, CA and Sparks, NV are about 117 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.