City relocation report 2026

Moving from Sacramento to Vallejo

Your paycheck buys slightly less in Vallejo than in Sacramento (-1.7%); you'd need about $102,100 to break even. Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.

About 60 miles by road
Equal salary in Vallejo
$102,100
matches $100,000 in Sacramento
Price level change
+1.7%
BEA metro prices, 2024
Moving cost (2–3 BR)
$310–$4,860
≈ 60 miles, short move
Households made this move
1,303
IRS, 2022–2023

Equal salary in Vallejo: $102,100

Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities

To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $102,100 in Vallejo, CA to match $100,000 in Sacramento, CA ($2,100 more), after 2026 taxes and local prices.

Single filer, W-2 salary. Both are in California, so state income tax is the same; neither city levies a resident income tax.

Prices and housing cover the metro area; taxes use California, its principal state. A metro can span several states; living in its other state can change the tax result.

Take-home in Sacramento
$72,969
27.0% total tax
Take-home in Vallejo
$72,969
27.0% total tax
Prices in Vallejo
+1.7%
vs Sacramento (BEA 2024)
Renting: change after selected costs
-$3,828
per year, after taxes and gross rent including basic utilities; excludes food, transport, healthcare, child care and moving costs

See the full Vallejo cost of living report

Sacramento vs Vallejo: key facts

Median rent
$1,904 → $2,223/mo
Median home value
$605,500 → $629,700
Median household income
$98,775 → $94,930
Price level (U.S. = 100)
106.7 → 108.5
FEMA county-score mean
Very high county-score mean (96.1 → 97.0 of 100)

Sacramento vs Vallejo cost of living

Price level by category (U.S. = 100)
Sacramento Vallejo
Sacramento housing rents130
Vallejo housing rents142
Sacramento goods105
Vallejo goods105
Sacramento utilities151
Vallejo utilities155

The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).

Yearly rent at the metro median
Sacramento$22,848
Vallejo$26,676
MeasureSacramento, CAVallejo, CA
Overall price level (U.S. = 100)106.7108.5
Median rent$1,904$2,223
Income to rent affordably (30%)$76,160$88,920
Median home value$605,500$629,700
Monthly cost to own (20% down)$3,807$3,959
Income needed to buy$163,147$169,669
Median property tax$4,594$4,837
State income tax on $100,000$4,911$4,911
Metro population2,463,127455,101

Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). The fixed tax rows above use an illustrative single-earner salary of $100,000, rounded from Sacramento's median household income. Household income can include multiple earners; it is not a typical individual wage. Taxes use each metro's principal state.

Your yearly budget: Sacramento vs Vallejo

This fixed budget example uses $100,000, single filing and residence inside the principal city tax areas. It does not change with the calculator above.

On a $100,000 salary, taxes, gross rent including basic utilities, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $60,799 a year in Sacramento and $64,627 in Vallejo if you rent: $3,828 more after the move. If you buy the median home, those selected costs use mortgage, property tax, homeowners insurance and electricity instead of gross rent; they come to $85,489 and $87,315 ($1,826 more).

Your yearly budget, before vs after
Yearly costs on a $100,000 salary in Sacramento, CA and Vallejo, CA; change is Vallejo, CA minus Sacramento, CA
Yearly costSacramentoBeforeVallejoAfterChange
Income and payroll taxes
on $100,000, single filer
$27,031$27,031$0
Car insurance
one car, state average
$1,225$1,225$0
Gas
12,000 miles at 25 mpg
$2,855$2,855$0
Health insurance
one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies
$6,840$6,840$0
If you rent
Rent and basic utilities
ACS median gross rent, 12 months
$22,848$26,676+$3,828
Total if you rent$60,799$64,627+$3,828
If you buy the median home (20% down)
Mortgage payment
median home, 20% down, 7.24%
$39,614$41,197+$1,583
Property tax
median home
$4,594$4,837+$243
Homeowners insurance
state median, with a mortgage
$1,473$1,473$0
Electricity
state average bill
$1,857$1,857$0
Total if you buy$85,489$87,315+$1,826

Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, plus the principal city's resident income tax where it has one, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 metro-area medians. Gross rent includes tenant-paid electricity, gas, water/sewer and fuels; those basic utilities are not added again. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (7.24%, week of October 29, 2026).

State figures for the principal state: EIA 2025 average residential power bill (buyers only), NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on October 29, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.

Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.

Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $23,071 a year in Sacramento and $23,071 in Vallejo (Child Care Aware of America, 2025 (2024 fallback for Colorado, Washington, DC and South Carolina) state averages).

Who moves from Sacramento to Vallejo

About 1,303 households (2,204 people) moved from the Sacramento metro area to the Vallejo metro area in 2022–2023, making Vallejo the #6 destination for people leaving Sacramento among the 149 metro areas we cover. 1,767 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $68,006.

Cost to move from Sacramento to Vallejo

Moving method (2–3 bedrooms)Typical range
Rental truck (DIY)$310–$600
Moving container$1,090–$2,030
Full-service movers$1,830–$4,860

At about 60 miles, this move is shorter than the long-distance routes these ranges are modeled on. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.

Natural hazard risk: Sacramento vs Vallejo

RelocateMath's population-weighted means of FEMA county risk scores are 96.1 for the Sacramento area and 97 for the Vallejo area, on the county-score scale of 0–100. These means are not official FEMA metro ratings or national metro percentiles. Modeled expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $315 vs $645 per resident; individual properties can differ.

County hazard-score means, Sacramento
County-score mean above 50
Earthquake98
Riverine flooding97
Wildfire96

The vertical line marks county-score scale midpoint (50).

County hazard-score means, Vallejo
County-score mean above 50
Drought99
Earthquake99
Landslide98

The vertical line marks county-score scale midpoint (50).

Frequently asked questions

Is Vallejo cheaper than Sacramento?

Overall prices in the Vallejo area are 1.7% higher than in Sacramento (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $2,223 vs $1,904 a month, and the median home is $629,700 vs $605,500.

What salary do I need in Vallejo to match $100,000 in Sacramento?

About $102,100 in a fixed single-filer W-2 example assuming residence inside both principal cities. It accounts for 2026 federal and principal-state taxes, modeled resident local taxes where applicable, and metro prices. Both are in California, so state income tax is the same. This illustration stays fixed when calculator inputs change.

How much does it cost to move from Sacramento to Vallejo?

For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 60 miles: roughly $310–$600 with a rental truck, $1,090–$2,030 with a container, or $1,830–$4,860 with full-service movers. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.

How many people move from Sacramento to Vallejo?

IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 1,303 households (2,204 people) moved from the Sacramento metro area to the Vallejo metro area, and 1,767 moved the other way.

Related

Where people from Sacramento move

More

State-agency links identify the responsible tax office; they do not verify every modeled rule. Use forms and guidance for the year you are filing.