Carmichael is an unincorporated community in Sacramento County, CA. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.

About

Life in Carmichael

This is a solidly middle-to-upper-middle-class Sacramento suburb that's grown considerably and continues to attract families and professionals. The median household income of $85,914 means decent earning power for most households, though housing costs—with homes around $579,500 and rents at $1,702—will eat a significant chunk of that. You'll find a fairly balanced mix of homeowners and renters here, and the community has real demographic diversity with Asian, Latino, and African American populations alongside a White majority.

Carmichael at a Glance

Population, income, housing and more

Median Age

40.1 yrs

Poverty Rate

12.6%

Foreign-Born

16.2%

Broadband Internet

94.2%

of households

Median household income

Carmichael$85,914
California avg$99,122
US$80,734

Demographics16.2% foreign-born, most often from Afghanistan

Who lives in Carmichael: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin

In Carmichael, the largest foreign-born group is from Afghanistan (13.7%), and 5.9% of residents speak Spanish at home.

Under 18

20.5%

of residents

65 and Older

20.7%

of residents

Households with Kids

27.4%

anyone under 18

Living Alone

29.9%

of households

Married Couples

41.6%

of households

Avg Household Size

2.41

people

Race & Ethnicity

White62.3%
Hispanic or Latino15.5%
Asian7.8%
Two or more races7.4%
Black6.2%

Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic

Top countries of origin (foreign-born)

Afghanistan13.7%
Mexico9.2%
Ukraine8.1%
Philippines7.5%
Russia6.5%
Moldova3.7%
Iraq2.5%
Bosnia and Herzegovina2.5%
China2.5%
India2.4%

Languages Spoken at Home

English only78.7%
Spanish5.9%
Russian/Slavic5.3%
Other Indo-European4.0%
Other Asian/Pacific1.3%
Tagalog/Filipino0.9%
Chinese0.9%
Arabic0.8%

Cost of Livingrent 16% below CA average

Rent, home values, and income in Carmichael

In Carmichael, rent runs 16% below the CA average, and home values are 21% below the CA average.

Median rent (per month)

Carmichael$1,702
California avg$2,036
US$1,413

Median home value

Carmichael$579,500
California avg$734,700
US$332,700

Rent Burdened

56.4%

spending 30%+ of income on rent

Severely Rent Burdened

28.1%

spending 50%+

Cost of Living Index

106.7

metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100

Median Property Tax

$3,784

per year, owner-occupied homes

Homeowners

52.2%

of occupied homes are owned

Typical Home Built

1972

median year built

Vacant Homes

5.6%

of housing units

Home Value Trend

$520,472
$572,504
$549,825
202120222023202420252026

Latest: $549,825 (September 2026)

Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts below CA average

Unemployment in Carmichael and typical pay across the metro area

Unemployment in Sacramento County, which includes Carmichael, is 0.5 percentage points lower than the CA average.

Unemployment rate

Carmichael5.0%
California avg5.5%
US4.3%

Carmichael: Sacramento County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average

Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend

5.2%
4.5%
3.7%
3.6%
9.1%
6.7%
3.9%
4.3%
4.7%
5%
2016201720182019202020212022202320242025

Sacramento County (county-wide) · Annual averages

Carmichael is about 5% of Sacramento County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.

What Carmichael Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry

Education & health care25.6%
Professional & business services13.7%
Public administration9.9%
Retail9.1%
Arts, hospitality & food service8.1%
Construction7.7%
Transportation & utilities6.7%
Finance & real estate6.1%

City residents, wherever they work

Median Salary by Occupation · metro area

Healthcare$123,590
Computer & Math$95,850
Business & Finance$81,700
Education$64,800
Construction$64,280
Office & Admin$49,240
Transportation$43,790
Sales$38,490

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA metro area

Commute27.1 min avg

How Carmichael residents get to work, and the nearest airports

In Carmichael, most residents drive alone to work (66%), and 64% get there in under 30 minutes.

How People Get to Work

Drive alone66.2%
Carpool8.2%
Public transit1.3%
Walk1.7%
Work from home20.7%
Other1.9%

Commute Time Distribution

Under 15 min19.0%
15–29 min45.0%
30–44 min23.6%
45–59 min4.5%
60+ min7.8%

Nearest airports · with airline service

  • Sacramento International Airport (SMF)

    Medium hub6.8M passengers boarded in 2025

    15 mi
  • San Francisco International Airport (SFO)

    Major hub26.3M passengers boarded in 2025

    90 mi

Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.

Safetyviolent crime 44% above national average

Crime rates for 2025

Violent crime in the area policed by the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office, which covers Carmichael, runs 44% above the national average.

Violent Crime Rate

473.1

per 100,000 residents

Above average (329 national, 2025)

Property Crime Rate

1,357.2

per 100,000 residents

Below average (1,552 national, 2025)

Policed by Sacramento County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate)

Natural DisastersFlood most common — 11 events in 2025

Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes

FEMA National Risk Index

Relatively High

98.1 / 100

Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).

Drought · HighEarthquake · HighInland flooding · HighHeat wave · ModerateLightning · Moderate

Sacramento County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025

In Sacramento County, which includes Carmichael, the most common type is flood, with 11 recorded events in 2025.

Most common events:

FloodDroughtExcessive HeatStrong WindHigh Wind

Storm events by year

YearEventsTop TypeProperty Damage
202511Flood$20,000
202412FloodNone reported
202321Flood$268.0M
202223DroughtNone reported
202129DroughtNone reported
202013DroughtNone reported
201910Flood$25,000
201810Heat$110,000

Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.

225 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year

Sacramento County, county-wide

Carmichael is about 5% of Sacramento County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.

Air Quality49 median AQI — Good

Days by air quality category (2025)

Air quality in Sacramento County, which includes Carmichael, is typically good — 198 good-air days per year.

Median AQI

49

Good Days

198

per year

Moderate Days

162

per year

Unhealthy Days

0

per year

Sacramento County, county-wide

Carmichael is about 5% of Sacramento County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.

Climate92°F summers, 42°F winters

30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation

Carmichael has hot summers (avg high 92°F) and mild winters (avg low 42°F).

Spring (Mar–May)

74°/50°F

avg high / low

Summer (Jun–Aug)

92°/60°F

avg high / low

Fall (Sep–Nov)

78°/52°F

avg high / low

Winter (Dec–Feb)

58°/42°F

avg high / low

Annual Precipitation

20.9"

Annual Snowfall

0.0"

Hot Days/Year

90

days above 90°F

Freeze Days/Year

4

days below 32°F

Rainy Days/Year

60

Average month

High °FLow °FPrecip (in)
30°50°70°90°110°4"Jan: 3.87" precipitationFeb: 3.63" precipitationMar: 2.82" precipitationApr: 1.44" precipitationMay: 0.86" precipitationJun: 0.21" precipitationJul: 0.00" precipitationAug: 0.02" precipitationSep: 0.15" precipitationOct: 0.93" precipitationNov: 1.78" precipitationDec: 3.49" precipitationJJan: high 57°F, low 41°FFFeb: high 62°F, low 44°FMMar: high 68°F, low 47°FAApr: high 74°F, low 49°FMMay: high 81°F, low 54°FJJun: high 89°F, low 59°F94°JJul: high 94°F, low 61°FAAug: high 94°F, low 61°FSSep: high 89°F, low 59°FOOct: high 79°F, low 53°FNNov: high 65°F, low 45°F41°DDec: high 56°F, low 41°F
Show month-by-month table ↓
MonthHighLowPrecip
Jan57°F41°F3.87"
Feb62°F44°F3.63"
Mar68°F47°F2.82"
Apr74°F49°F1.44"
May81°F54°F0.86"
Jun89°F59°F0.21"
Jul94°F61°F0.00"
Aug94°F61°F0.02"
Sep89°F59°F0.15"
Oct79°F53°F0.93"
Nov65°F45°F1.78"
Dec56°F41°F3.49"

Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5

Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Carmichael

Carmichael has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.

Hospitals

1

within city limits

Uninsured

4.1%

of residents

Avg Hospital Rating

3.0 / 5

Mercy San Juan Medical Center

Acute Care Hospitals · ER available

Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles

Heritage Oaks Hospital

Psychiatric · ER available · 2.6 mi away · Sacramento

Not rated

VA N California Healthcare System

Acute Care - Veterans Administration · ER available · 4.1 mi away · Mather

Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Sacramento

Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.2 mi away · Sacramento

Adult Health · vs. the typical US place

Obesity29.3%US 36.8%
Diabetes10.6%US 12.6%
High blood pressure32.7%US 37.1%
Current smoking11.5%US 15.0%
No leisure-time physical activity19.5%US 26.6%
Depression24.5%US 23.0%
Asthma10.8%US 10.7%
Routine checkup in past year72.3%US 78.2%

Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.

Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.

Education24.5:1 student/teacher ratio

Schools and degree attainment in Carmichael

Carmichael's student/teacher ratio is 24.5:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 36.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Public Schools

19

within city limits

Private Schools

5

within city limits

College Degree Rate

36.7%

adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher

Student/Teacher Ratio

24.5:1

National avg 16:1

Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year

Colleges Near Carmichael (within 15 miles)

California State University-Sacramento

7.2 mi away

Public · 4-year · 28,350 students · in-state tuition $9,014 · 73% graduate · median earnings $69,014 (10 yrs after entry)

American River College

2.2 mi away

Public · 2-year · 25,621 students · in-state tuition $1,288 · 25% graduate · median earnings $44,544 (10 yrs after entry)

Sacramento City College

10.9 mi away

Public · 2-year · 17,657 students · in-state tuition $1,288 · 19% graduate · median earnings $45,109 (10 yrs after entry)

Sierra College

12.8 mi away

Public · 2-year · 14,122 students · in-state tuition $1,448 · 32% graduate · median earnings $48,499 (10 yrs after entry)

Cosumnes River College

13.2 mi away

Public · 2-year · 14,023 students · in-state tuition $1,288 · 23% graduate · median earnings $46,541 (10 yrs after entry)

Folsom Lake College

10.8 mi away

Public · 2-year · 9,414 students · in-state tuition $1,288 · 24% graduate · median earnings $47,048 (10 yrs after entry)

Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)

Parks & Recreationclosest: Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial, 55 mi

Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Carmichael

Carmichael has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial (55 mi away).

Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas

Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial

National Memorial

55 mi away

John Muir National Historic Site

National Historic Site

63 mi away

Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site

National Historic Site

67 mi away

Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park

National Historical Park

75 mi away

Alcatraz Island

National Park Site

81 mi away

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

National Historical Park

82 mi away

Fort Point National Historic Site

National Historic Site

84 mi away

Muir Woods National Monument

National Monument

85 mi away

Public Libraries in Carmichael

Carmichael Library

5605 Marconi Ave., Carmichael

Branch~39 hrs/week

Cities Near Carmichael

The closest cities within 60 miles

Planning a move to Carmichael?

Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.

Moving to Carmichael →

Carmichael FAQ

Is Carmichael, California affordable?⌄

Carmichael's median rent is $1,702/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $85,914/year. Median home value is $579,500.

Is Carmichael, California safe?⌄

Carmichael is policed by the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 473 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1357 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.

What is the job market like in Carmichael, California?⌄

Sacramento County, which includes Carmichael, has an unemployment rate of 5.0%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.

What is the cost of living in Carmichael, California?⌄

The cost of living in Carmichael is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,702/month and median household income is $85,914/year. The median home value is $579,500. About 56% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.

How is the commute in Carmichael, California?⌄

The average commute in Carmichael is 27 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.

Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from