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Living in
North Highlands.
North Highlands 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 North Highlands
North Highlands offers an affordable entry point to the Sacramento area if you're looking to be near California's capital without paying top-tier coastal prices. Median home values around $368,000 and rents under $1,600 are reasonable for the region, though keep in mind this is still California pricing. The neighborhood is genuinely diverse—about a quarter of residents are foreign-born, with significant Spanish-speaking and other Indo-European language communities—which shapes the local culture, food, and schools.
North Highlands at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
34.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
19.6%
Foreign-Born
28.7%
Broadband Internet
92.0%
of households
Population Growth
+0.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics28.7% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in North Highlands: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In North Highlands, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (22.2%), and 21.7% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
26.2%
of residents
65 and Older
12.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
35.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
24.3%
of households
Married Couples
41.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.99
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 20% below CA average
Rent, home values, and income in North Highlands
In North Highlands, rent runs 20% below the CA average, and home values are 50% below the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
61.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
30.4%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
106.7
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,021
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
51.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1971
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.8%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts below CA average
Unemployment in North Highlands and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Sacramento County, which includes North Highlands, is 0.5 percentage points lower than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
North Highlands: Sacramento County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Sacramento County (county-wide) · Annual averages
North Highlands is about 3% of Sacramento County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What North Highlands Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA metro area
Commute30.7 min avg
How North Highlands residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In North Highlands, most residents drive alone to work (70%), and 58% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 12 mi
Sacramento International Airport (SMF)
Medium hub6.8M passengers boarded in 2025
- 91 mi
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Major hub26.3M passengers boarded in 2025
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 North Highlands, 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).
Sacramento County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Sacramento County, which includes North Highlands, the most common type is flood, with 11 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11 | Flood | $20,000 |
| 2024 | 12 | Flood | None reported |
| 2023 | 21 | Flood | $268.0M |
| 2022 | 23 | Drought | None reported |
| 2021 | 29 | Drought | None reported |
| 2020 | 13 | Drought | None reported |
| 2019 | 10 | Flood | $25,000 |
| 2018 | 10 | Heat | $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.
226 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Sacramento County, county-wide
North Highlands is about 3% 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 North Highlands, 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
North Highlands is about 3% 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
North Highlands 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
21.5"
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
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 57°F | 41°F | 3.87" |
| Feb | 62°F | 44°F | 3.63" |
| Mar | 68°F | 47°F | 2.82" |
| Apr | 74°F | 49°F | 1.44" |
| May | 81°F | 54°F | 0.86" |
| Jun | 89°F | 59°F | 0.21" |
| Jul | 94°F | 61°F | 0.00" |
| Aug | 94°F | 61°F | 0.02" |
| Sep | 89°F | 59°F | 0.15" |
| Oct | 79°F | 53°F | 0.93" |
| Nov | 65°F | 45°F | 1.78" |
| Dec | 56°F | 41°F | 3.49" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in North Highlands
Uninsured
7.6%
of residents
No hospitals inside North Highlands's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Heritage Oaks Hospital
Psychiatric · ER available · 2.9 mi away · Sacramento
Mercy San Juan Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.4 mi away · Carmichael
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Sacramento
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.9 mi away · Sacramento
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
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.
Education20.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in North Highlands
North Highlands's student/teacher ratio is 20.9:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 15.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
13
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
15.3%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
20.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in North Highlands
Public · 2-year · 25,621 students · in-state tuition $1,288 · 25% graduate · median earnings $44,544 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
California State University-Sacramento
9.2 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 28,350 students · in-state tuition $9,014 · 73% graduate · median earnings $69,014 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 17,657 students · in-state tuition $1,288 · 19% graduate · median earnings $45,109 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 14,122 students · in-state tuition $1,448 · 32% graduate · median earnings $48,499 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 9,414 students · in-state tuition $1,288 · 24% graduate · median earnings $47,048 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,294 students · in-state tuition $37,150 · 60% graduate · median earnings $60,855 (10 yrs after entry)
Universal Technical Institute of Northern California Inc
8.9 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 2-year · 1,214 students · 68% graduate · median earnings $53,540 (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, 56 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for North Highlands
North Highlands has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial (56 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial
National Memorial
56 mi awayJohn Muir National Historic Site
National Historic Site
64 mi awayEugene O'Neill National Historic Site
National Historic Site
69 mi awayRosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park
National Historical Park
76 mi awayAlcatraz Island
National Park Site
82 mi awaySan Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
National Historical Park
83 mi awayFort Point National Historic Site
National Historic Site
85 mi awayMuir Woods National Monument
National Monument
85 mi awayCities Near North Highlands
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to North Highlands?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
North Highlands FAQ
Is North Highlands, California affordable?⌄
North Highlands's median rent is $1,636/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $65,495/year. Median home value is $367,600.
Is North Highlands, California safe?⌄
North Highlands 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 North Highlands, California?⌄
Sacramento County, which includes North Highlands, has an unemployment rate of 5.0%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in North Highlands, California?⌄
The cost of living in North Highlands is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,636/month and median household income is $65,495/year. The median home value is $367,600. About 61% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in North Highlands, California?⌄
The average commute in North Highlands is 31 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