City comparison
No. Plano's crime index is 62 versus 181 in Sacramento, and its violent crime index is 43 versus 213, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Sacramento is cheaper. Median rent is $1,779 a month versus $1,841 in Plano.
Safety is where Sacramento and Plano split most clearly. Plano scores 119 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,779 in Sacramento and $1,841 in Plano.
This is a genuine split. Sacramento wins on cost of living and Plano wins on the job market and safety. Which matters more depends entirely on how you live: remote workers and families weight these categories differently than commuters or single professionals.
The crime gap is citywide. Plano has rougher pockets and Sacramento has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
Sacramento and Plano are 1,437 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,779 a month in Sacramento to $1,841 a month in Plano, up $62 a month (3%).
Median household income goes from $87,321 in Sacramento to $112,253 in Plano, up $24,932 (29%).
The crime index goes from 181 in Sacramento to 62 in Plano, down 119 points (66%).
The move
Plano and Sacramento are 1,437 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,841 a month in Plano to $1,779 a month in Sacramento, down $62 a month (3%).
Median household income goes from $112,253 in Plano to $87,321 in Sacramento, down $24,932 (22%).
The crime index goes from 62 in Plano to 181 in Sacramento, up 119 points (192%).
Sacramento, CA
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Plano, TX
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Sacramento and Plano? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
3% cheaper
Sacramento rent is 3% cheaper than Plano
Sacramento
Winner$1,779/mo
Plano
$1,841/mo
Typical rent runs $1,779 a month in Sacramento versus $1,841 in Plano, so Sacramento is 3% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $62, or $744 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 Plano? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
29% higher
Plano's median income is 29% higher than Sacramento
Sacramento
$87,321
Plano
Winner$112,253
Median household income is $112,253 in Plano versus $87,321 in Sacramento, so typical pay runs 29% higher in Plano (about $24,932 more household income a year). Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Plano is the stronger labor market on paper. Sacramento can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
66% lower crime
Plano's crime index is 66% lower than Sacramento
Sacramento
181 (100 = avg)
Plano
Winner62 (100 = avg)
Plano's crime index is 62 versus 181 in Sacramento (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 66% lower in Plano. That gap is meaningful day-to-day. It affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Plano is the easier city. Sacramento can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
Neck and neck
Sacramento and Plano are about even on typical weather.
Sacramento
66°F avg · 77°F highs · comfort 100/100
Plano
69°F avg · 77°F highs · comfort 100/100
Sacramento averages about 66°F (77°F highs); Plano averages about 69°F (77°F highs). Sacramento sits near 66°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Plano sits near 69°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
People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Sacramento
Sacramento is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 3% cheaper here at about $1,779 a month. Choose Sacramento if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Plano is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 29% higher here ($112,253). Start with Plano if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Plano is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 66% lower than Sacramento (62 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.
Bottom line
Sacramento carries the heavier crime signal on this page (42/100 safety vs 75/100 in Plano). That 33-point spread matters more than the $62 rent gap when you are choosing where to walk after dark.
Sacramento rent at $1,779/month is still below Plano's $1,841, so cost-sensitive households should weigh the lease before the paycheck.
Typical rent stays $1,779 in Sacramento and $1,841 in Plano.
Pick Plano when you want the stronger safety signal (75/100). Otherwise, Sacramento's case rests on a Sacramento ZIP you trust at $1,779 rent.
Common questions
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Next steps
Quotes and listings for Plano when you're ready to act.
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Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Sacramento and Plano, plus other cities in CA and TX.
