7 Things to Love About Sacramento

Harmonic is a partner of Dwellsy.

Looking to relocate to the West, but think California is a little out of your budget? Think again. Sacramento is exactly what you’re looking for.

Home to approximately 500,000 residents, Sacramento continues to gain popularity as more and more people are opting to move to inward areas. Here’s why:

1. Attractive Neighborhoods

Sacramento is a mid-sized metropolis with a fascinating blend of neighborhoods depending on whether you want to live within city limits or towards the adjacent suburbs.

The Midtown and Downtown parts of Sacramento provide a hip, fast-paced environment for life-on-the-go. If you’re looking to relocate into a community of young professionals, hipsters, and an upbeat neighborhood, you will love these areas. You’ll find a diverse housing market with a mix of family houses, apartment buildings, and tattoo parlors, all sharing the same neighbourhood.

East Sacramento, on the other hand, is the complete opposite. Here you’ll find an upscale neighborhood home to established professionals such as doctors, attorneys, lobbyists, and entrepreneurs. East Sacramento is the highest priced area within the city. However, if you love greenery, you should opt for College Greens- an area that is littered with yard space and gardens. It is considered a safe space for family along with proximity to freeways and colleges.

2. Experience All Seasons

While the summer in Sacramento can get hot, it is less humid than most parts of California. The dry heat makes it tolerable, allowing you to go about with your daily activities as usual. If you love winters, Sacramento gives you the chance to pull out those overcoats, jackets, and scarves.

The best part of Sacramento is that you witness all the changing seasons that you wouldn’t in places like Los Angeles. Since Sacramento has lots of beautiful, color-changing trees such as Maples and Ginkgos, you will absolutely fall in love with springtime and fall.

To experience the best of spring and fall, you must visit Apple Hill. It is a one-hour drive from Sacramento and will allow you to fill up your quota of Instagram-worthy pictures for the whole year.

sacramento in the fall — Lake karikomi in autumn, Fukui Prefecture, Honshu, Japan

3. Low Cost of Living

Ever since the recession of 2007, there has been a drop in the housing and living costs of Sacramento. However, make sure not to waste time moving- there is a steady increase in the housing costs in some neighborhoods of Sacramento.

According to California standards, the price of a basic, single-family home will leave hundreds convinced to move to Sacramento. While the cost of living in Los Angeles rests at a whooping rate of 21.5% above the national average, Sacramento ranks comparatively lower at 5%.

4. Close to Nature

Did you know that those who live close to nature wake up feeling fresher, happier, and healthier? Why wouldn’t they? Everyday life, being stuck in closed environments at work or school, can get stressful and tiresome. Sacramento, however, allows you to free your mind and body of all worries.

California does not have a lot of freshwater sources, apart from the Pacific Ocean. This makes the weather dry and irritable to live in. Lucky for you, Sacramento is the star of freshwater. You’ll find lots of large rivers and lakes here where fun water activities are hosted. It’s a great, cost-effective way to burn some steam and relax with friends or family.

Known as the “Jewel of Sacramento,” the American River Parkway holds different parks overlooking the river. Twenty-five miles away from Sacramento, you will find the Folsom Lake. These are the perfect spots for water sports such as boating, fishing, rafting, and rowing.

5. High Employment Rate

If you’ve kept up with the news, you’d know that the Californian unemployment rate is quite high. However, since Sacramento is the state capital, you’ll find an abundance of jobs here.

Large employers such as the State of California, Sutter Health. Blue Diamond, and United Service Automobile Association all operate in Sacramento. The technology, healthcare, and government sectors are always on the look-out for potential.

6. Rich Cultural Heritage

Did you know that in 1848, gold was discovered in Sacramento? This discovery changed the whole landscape of American history as California started to attract more popularity. In fact, more than 750,000 pounds of gold worth $2 billion were extracted from Sacramento in its initial few years.

Gold is not the only thing fascinating about Sacramento. Here you’ll find the Sutter’s Fort- named after a Swiss immigrant John Sutter who came to Sacramento in 1939. Sutter is famous because the gold was found in his mill. Today, Sutter’s Fort lies in the heart of Sacramento and is a famous tourist attraction.

Sacramento is also home to the world’s oldest Triathalon- this consists of Eppie’s Great Race, where instead of swimming, hundreds of athletes’ kayak, making it the largest and most famous paddling race in the country. Not into sports? No problem! Another super interesting thing about Sacramento is that every year on the Labor Day weekend, it pays homage to its rich culture by transforming into a scene straight from the 1850s. Hundreds of performers come out to wow the audience and re-educate them about their past.

7. An Abundance of Famous Sights

There are lots of ways to explore Sacramento. With so many places to go and things to do, we assure you that you will look forward to any day off work during the week.

The Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera continue to play at the Community Center theatre. They continue to gain popularity as they beat a 16-year sell-out record by selling out two shows during their Resurrection Season. Since the year 2000, they have struggled to accommodate all their fans under one roof.

While art is confined to museums in most cities, Sacramento displays its art for everyone to see. Its mural festival, Wide Open Walls, provides a vibrant public art venue that is accessible to all. It attracts artists from all over the world who paint on showcase their art by painting on public spaces. Be prepared to be enlightened by a world of style, color, and aesthetics.