Living Cost Compare
Sacramento

California

$1,740/mo est.

vs
Wilmington

Delaware

$1,230/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,740 in Sacramento, CA versus $1,230 in Wilmington, DE. Overall, Wilmington, DE is roughly 29% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Sacramento, CA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $83,753 in Sacramento, CA and $55,269 in Wilmington, DE — about 34% higher in Sacramento, CA. California has a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax; Delaware has a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax.

Sacramento, CA
Wilmington, DE

Rent

Studio
$1,259
$1,103
+12% in Sacramento, CA
1 Bedroom
$1,418
$1,024
+28% in Sacramento, CA
2 Bedroom
$1,742
$1,213
+30% in Sacramento, CA
3 Bedroom
$1,973
$1,394
+29% in Sacramento, CA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$484,600
$224,500
+54% in Sacramento, CA

Income

Median Household Income
$83,753
$55,269
+34% in Sacramento, CA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$59,750
$54,310
+9% in Sacramento, CA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.7 yr
37.0 yr
+1.3 yr in Wilmington, DE
Homeownership
51.5%
46.0%
+5.5 pp in Sacramento, CA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
36.4%
33.1%
+3.3 pp in Sacramento, CA
Avg Commute
25.6 min
23.0 min
+2.6 min in Sacramento, CA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
756.6
1,138.2
+50% in Wilmington, DE
Property Crime
2,615.3
3,182.4
+22% in Wilmington, DE

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
61.0°F
54.9°F
+6.1°F in Sacramento, CA
Annual Precipitation
18.5 in
43.1 in
+24.6 in in Wilmington, DE

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.40/gal
$3.86/gal
+28% in Sacramento, CA

Area: California vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.50
—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
33.3
19.4
+42% in Sacramento, CA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$20.72
$22.51
+9% in Wilmington, DE

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.00
+17% in Sacramento, CA
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$1.75
+14% in Sacramento, CA
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.21
+1% in Wilmington, DE
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$6.45
+12% in Sacramento, CA
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$1.90
+6% in Sacramento, CA
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.62
+12% in Sacramento, CA

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (CA / DE)
7.25%
None
+7.3 pp in CA
Income Tax (top rate)
13.30%
6.60%
+6.7 pp in CA

Sacramento vs Wilmington — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Sacramento or Wilmington?
Wilmington, DE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,230 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 29% below Sacramento, CA's $1,740, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Sacramento than in Wilmington?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Sacramento versus $41,000 in Wilmington.
Which has lower taxes, Sacramento or Wilmington?
Sacramento is taxed under California's rules (a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax); Wilmington under Delaware's (a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no 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).