Living Cost Compare
Henderson

Nevada

$1,580/mo est.

vs
Sacramento

California

$1,740/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,580 in Henderson, NV versus $1,740 in Sacramento, CA. Overall, Henderson, NV is roughly 9% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Sacramento, CA, driven mainly by electricity costs.

Median household income is $88,654 in Henderson, NV and $83,753 in Sacramento, CA — about 6% higher in Henderson, NV. Nevada has no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax; California has a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax.

Rent

Studio
$1,442
$1,259
+13% in Henderson, NV
1 Bedroom
$1,437
$1,418
+1% in Henderson, NV
2 Bedroom
$1,694
$1,742
+3% in Sacramento, CA
3 Bedroom
$1,982
$1,973
+0% in Henderson, NV

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$465,000
$484,600
+4% in Sacramento, CA

Income

Median Household Income
$88,654
$83,753
+6% in Henderson, NV
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$46,670
$59,750
+28% in Sacramento, CA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
42.5 yr
35.7 yr
+6.8 yr in Henderson, NV
Homeownership
65.6%
51.5%
+14.1 pp in Henderson, NV
Bachelor's+ (25+)
36.8%
36.4%
+0.4 pp in Henderson, NV
Avg Commute
24.7 min
25.6 min
+0.9 min in Sacramento, CA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
271.8
756.6
+178% in Sacramento, CA
Property Crime
1,725.7
2,615.3
+52% 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
69.4°F
61.0°F
+8.4°F in Henderson, NV
Annual Precipitation
4.2 in
18.5 in
+14.3 in in Sacramento, CA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.09/gal
$5.40/gal
+6% in Sacramento, CA

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs California.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.50

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
13.6
33.3
+144% in Sacramento, CA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$12.09
$20.72
+71% in Sacramento, CA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.82
about equal
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$2.04
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$7.36
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$2.01
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.70
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NV / CA)
6.85%
7.25%
+0.4 pp in CA
Income Tax (top rate)
None
13.30%
+13.3 pp in CA

Henderson vs Sacramento — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Henderson or Sacramento?
Henderson, NV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,580 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 9% below Sacramento, CA's $1,740, mainly because of electricity costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Henderson than in Sacramento?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Henderson versus $57,000 in Sacramento.
Which has lower taxes, Henderson or Sacramento?
Henderson is taxed under Nevada's rules (no state income tax and a 6.85% 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).