City comparison
Yes. Austin's crime index is 162 versus 181 in Sacramento, and its violent crime index is 130 versus 213, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Austin is cheaper. Median rent is $1,729 a month versus $1,779 in Sacramento.
Austin and Sacramento are closer on paper than many city pairs, so the move comes down to how you weight cost, safety, and climate. Typical rent sits near $1,729 in Austin and $1,779 in Sacramento, and median household income lands at $93,658 versus $87,321. Use the category rows below to see which gaps would change your daily life.
Austin is not a close call here. It leads on cost of living, the job market, and safety by margins that add up in daily life. Sacramento makes sense if you have a specific reason, a job offer, family, or a neighborhood you already know, but on the numbers alone Austin is the stronger move.
Visit both if you can. Cities reveal themselves in the ordinary moments, a Tuesday morning commute, a Saturday errand run, not on a weekend visit.
The move
Austin and Sacramento are 1,465 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,729 a month in Austin to $1,779 a month in Sacramento, up $50 a month (3%).
Median household income goes from $93,658 in Austin to $87,321 in Sacramento, down $6,337 (7%).
The crime index goes from 162 in Austin to 181 in Sacramento, up 19 points (12%).
The move
Sacramento and Austin are 1,465 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,779 a month in Sacramento to $1,729 a month in Austin, down $50 a month (3%).
Median household income goes from $87,321 in Sacramento to $93,658 in Austin, up $6,337 (7%).
The crime index goes from 181 in Sacramento to 162 in Austin, down 19 points (10%).
Austin, TX
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Sacramento, CA
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Austin and Sacramento? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
3% cheaper
Austin rent is 3% cheaper than Sacramento
Austin
Winner$1,729/mo
Sacramento
$1,779/mo
Typical rent runs $1,729 a month in Austin versus $1,779 in Sacramento, so Austin is 3% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $50, or $600 a year: noticeable, but rent alone should not pick the city. Use this as a tie-breaker after you compare income, schools, and crime, unless you are already stretching every dollar.
Planning to buy in Austin? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
7% higher
Austin's median income is 7% higher than Sacramento
Austin
Winner$93,658
Sacramento
$87,321
Median household income is $93,658 in Austin versus $87,321 in Sacramento, so typical pay runs 7% higher in Austin (about $6,337 more household income a year). The income edge is modest. Treat it as extra negotiating context, not a reason to ignore rent, schools, or climate. Remote workers especially should not treat citywide pay as a personal raise if their employer will not localize salary.
Crime index
10% lower crime
Austin's crime index is 10% lower than Sacramento
Austin
Winner162 (100 = avg)
Sacramento
181 (100 = avg)
Austin's crime index is 162 versus 181 in Sacramento (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 10% lower in Austin. The difference is noticeable without being night-and-day. You will still want to pick the neighborhood carefully in Austin, but you will usually spend less energy on constant vigilance than you would in Sacramento. Tour both cities after dark before you let a modest index gap close the decision.
Typical weather
Neck and neck
Austin and Sacramento are about even on typical weather.
Austin
68°F avg · 76°F highs · comfort 100/100
Sacramento
71°F avg · 83°F highs · comfort 100/100
Austin averages about 68°F (76°F highs); Sacramento averages about 71°F (83°F highs). Austin sits near 68°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Sacramento sits near 71°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. On daily comfort these two are close enough that the better fit is whichever season you already know you can live with.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Austin is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 3% cheaper here at about $1,729 a month. Choose Austin if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Austin is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 7% higher here ($93,658). Start with Austin if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Austin is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 10% lower than Sacramento (162 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Fit check
People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Sacramento
On these five categories Austin takes the scoreboard, so you should not choose Sacramento because the stats are kinder. They are not. Choose Sacramento only if a job offer, family, a specific neighborhood, or a life you already started there outweighs the box score. Plenty of good moves ignore the aggregate; just do it on purpose.
Bottom line
Sacramento carries the heavier crime signal on this page (42/100 safety vs 45/100 in Austin). That 3-point spread matters more than the $50 rent gap when you are choosing where to walk after dark.
With only $50 separating typical rent, run both offer letters before housing cost alone picks the city.
Typical rent stays $1,729 in Austin and $1,779 in Sacramento.
If safety drives your move, Austin is the stronger match (45/100 safety versus 42/100). If an employer or family tie already points to Sacramento, treat $1,779/month rent and $87,321 income as the numbers that actually govern the decision.
Common questions
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Next steps
Quotes and listings for Austin when you're ready to act.
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Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Austin and Sacramento, plus other cities in TX and CA.
