Living Cost Compare
Concord

New Hampshire

$1,410/mo est.

vs
Sacramento

California

$1,760/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,410 in Concord, NH versus $1,760 in Sacramento, CA. Overall, Concord, NH is roughly 20% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Sacramento, CA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $83,701 in Concord, NH and $83,753 in Sacramento, CA. New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax; California has a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax.

Rent

Studio
$876
$1,259
+44% in Sacramento, CA
1 Bedroom
$1,134
$1,418
+25% in Sacramento, CA
2 Bedroom
$1,475
$1,742
+18% in Sacramento, CA
3 Bedroom
$1,769
$1,973
+12% in Sacramento, CA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$323,700
$484,600
+50% in Sacramento, CA

Income

Median Household Income
$83,701
$83,753
+0% in Sacramento, CA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$59,750

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
40.7 yr
35.7 yr
+5.0 yr in Concord, NH
Homeownership
57.4%
51.5%
+5.9 pp in Concord, NH
Bachelor's+ (25+)
40.1%
36.4%
+3.7 pp in Concord, NH
Avg Commute
23.2 min
25.6 min
+2.4 min in Sacramento, CA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
180.7
756.6
+319% in Sacramento, CA
Property Crime
1,251.5
2,615.3
+109% in Sacramento, CA

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
46.4°F
61.0°F
+14.6°F in Sacramento, CA
Annual Precipitation
40.6 in
18.5 in
+22.1 in in Concord, NH

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$5.52/gal
+40% in Sacramento, CA

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs California.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.50

Adult base one-way fare — vs SacRT (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
27.0
34.7
+29% in Sacramento, CA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$21.67
$20.33
+6% in Concord, NH

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.82
+12% in Sacramento, CA
Bread (lb)
$1.92
$2.04
+6% in Sacramento, CA
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.90
$7.36
+7% in Sacramento, CA
Chicken (lb)
$2.19
$2.01
+8% in Concord, NH
Bananas (lb)
$0.69
$0.70
about equal

Average prices — Northeast vs West (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NH / CA)
None
7.25%
+7.3 pp in CA
Income Tax (top rate)
None
13.30%
+13.3 pp in CA

Concord vs Sacramento — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Concord or Sacramento?
Concord, NH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,410 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 20% below Sacramento, CA's $1,760, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Concord than in Sacramento?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Concord versus $57,000 in Sacramento.
Which has lower taxes, Concord or Sacramento?
Concord is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Sacramento under California's (a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).