Elk Grove, CA

Very High · 168

California · Population 177,221 · Updated March 2026

$2,180
Median Rent / Month
$122,229
Median Income
$603,400
Median Home Value
$2,227
Owner Costs / Month

Affordability

How far your income goes in Elk Grove

21.4%
Rent-to-Income Ratio
Affordable
Rent takes less than 25% of median income — considered affordable by HUD standards.

Tax Burden in California

State-level tax rates that affect your costs

13.3%
Income Tax (Top Rate)
7.25%
State Sales Tax
0.71%
Property Tax Rate

Estimated Annual Costs

$26,160
Annual Rent
$16,256
State Income Taxtop marginal rate
$4,284
Property Tax (est.)

Cost of Living Overview

Elk Grove has a significantly higher cost of living than most US cities, driven largely by premium housing costs. With a cost index of 168 (where 100 equals the national median), Elk Grove residents can expect to pay median rent of $2,180/month while earning a median household income of $122,229/year.

The median home value in Elk Grove, CA is $603,400, with typical monthly owner costs around $2,227 including mortgage, insurance, and taxes. The median rent-to-income ratio of 21.4% means housing is relatively affordable here — well below the 30% threshold that HUD considers cost-burdened.

California's top income tax rate of 13.3% is among the highest in the nation, adding to the overall cost burden. Combined with a 7.25% sales tax rate and 0.71% effective property tax rate, the overall tax environment is a factor in the total cost of living in Elk Grove.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about living costs in Elk Grove

What is the cost of living in Elk Grove, CA?
The cost of living index in Elk Grove, CA is 168 (US average = 100). Median monthly rent is $2,180, median household income is $122,229/year, and the median home value is $603,400.
Is Elk Grove, CA affordable?
No, Elk Grove is more expensive than the national average with a cost index of 168. The rent-to-income ratio is 21.4%—below the 30% threshold considered affordable by HUD.
What is the average rent in Elk Grove, CA?
The median gross rent in Elk Grove, CA is $2,180 per month according to the US Census Bureau ACS 2023 data. Annual rent costs approximately $26,160.
What is the median household income in Elk Grove?
The median household income in Elk Grove, CA is $122,229 per year. This compares to the national median of approximately $80,000.
What are the taxes like in California?
California has a top income tax rate of 13.3%, a sales tax of 7.25%, and an effective property tax rate of 0.71%.

Compare Elk Grove With

Similar-sized cities to compare

All Elk Grove Comparisons

Compare the cost of living in Elk Grove, CA with 299 other major U.S. cities

New York, NY Los Angeles, CA Chicago, IL Houston, TX Phoenix, AZ Philadelphia, PA San Antonio, TX San Diego, CA Dallas, TX San Jose, CA Austin, TX Jacksonville, FL Fort Worth, TX Columbus, OH Charlotte, NC Indianapolis, IN San Francisco, CA Seattle, WA Denver, CO Oklahoma City, OK Nashville, TN El Paso, TX Washington, DC Boston, MA Las Vegas, NV Portland, OR Detroit, MI Memphis, TN Louisville, KY Baltimore, MD Milwaukee, WI Albuquerque, NM Fresno, CA Tucson, AZ Sacramento, CA Kansas City, MO Mesa, AZ Atlanta, GA Omaha, NE Colorado Springs, CO Raleigh, NC Long Beach, CA Virginia Beach, VA Miami, FL Oakland, CA Minneapolis, MN Tulsa, OK Bakersfield, CA Wichita, KS Arlington, TX Tampa, FL Aurora, CO New Orleans, LA Cleveland, OH Honolulu, HI Anaheim, CA Henderson, NV Lexington, KY Stockton, CA Corpus Christi, TX Riverside, CA Orlando, FL Santa Ana, CA Cincinnati, OH Irvine, CA St. Paul, MN Newark, NJ Pittsburgh, PA Greensboro, NC St. Louis, MO Lincoln, NE Jersey City, NJ Anchorage, AK Durham, NC Plano, TX Chandler, AZ Buffalo, NY Madison, WI Chula Vista, CA Gilbert, AZ North Las Vegas, NV Reno, NV Toledo, OH Fort Wayne, IN Lubbock, TX St. Petersburg, FL Laredo, TX Irving, TX Chesapeake, VA Winston-Salem, NC Glendale, AZ Garland, TX Scottsdale, AZ Boise, ID Arlington, VA Norfolk, VA Enterprise, NV Spokane, WA Santa Clarita, CA Fremont, CA Richmond, VA Baton Rouge, LA Hialeah, FL San Bernardino, CA Tacoma, WA Port St. Lucie, FL Spring Valley, NV Huntsville, AL Modesto, CA Des Moines, IA Fontana, CA Moreno Valley, CA Frisco, TX Rochester, NY Fayetteville, NC Yonkers, NY Cape Coral, FL Worcester, MA Columbus, GA Salt Lake City, UT Little Rock, AR McKinney, TX Augusta, GA Oxnard, CA Amarillo, TX Tallahassee, FL Birmingham, AL Sunrise Manor, NV Grand Prairie, TX Montgomery, AL Grand Rapids, MI Sioux Falls, SD Overland Park, KS Huntington Beach, CA Peoria, AZ Knoxville, TN Vancouver, WA Glendale, CA Providence, RI Akron, OH Brownsville, TX Tempe, AZ Paradise, NV Mobile, AL Newport News, VA Shreveport, LA Fort Lauderdale, FL Chattanooga, TN Aurora, IL Ontario, CA Eugene, OR Santa Rosa, CA Cary, NC Salem, OR Rancho Cucamonga, CA Oceanside, CA Clarksville, TN Garden Grove, CA Pembroke Pines, FL Lancaster, CA Fort Collins, CO Springfield, MO Palmdale, CA Salinas, CA Hayward, CA Corona, CA Paterson, NJ Murfreesboro, TN Alexandria, VA Macon, GA Lakewood, CO Killeen, TX Kansas City, KS Springfield, MA Sunnyvale, CA Hollywood, FL Roseville, CA Charleston, SC Bellevue, WA Escondido, CA Jackson, MS Joliet, IL Surprise, AZ Naperville, IL Pasadena, TX Mesquite, TX Pomona, CA Bridgeport, CT Rockford, IL Savannah, GA Denton, TX Syracuse, NY McAllen, TX Olathe, KS Gainesville, FL Torrance, CA Thornton, CO Visalia, CA Waco, TX Fullerton, CA Metairie, LA Orange, CA Warren, MI Columbia, SC West Valley City, UT Hampton, VA Cedar Rapids, IA Dayton, OH Pasadena, CA Miramar, FL Victorville, CA Elizabeth, NJ Stamford, CT Kent, WA Midland, TX Coral Springs, FL Sterling Heights, MI New Haven, CT Carrollton, TX Santa Clara, CA Fargo, ND Norman, OK Lewisville, TX Lehigh Acres, FL Columbia, MO Abilene, TX Athens, GA Topeka, KS Pearland, TX Simi Valley, CA Thousand Oaks, CA Allentown, PA Palm Bay, FL Meridian, ID Vallejo, CA Round Rock, TX Concord, CA Arvada, CO Clovis, CA College Station, TX Independence, MO Rochester, MN Lafayette, LA Ann Arbor, MI Berkeley, CA Fairfield, CA Hartford, CT West Palm Beach, FL Spring Hill, FL Wilmington, NC Billings, MT Richardson, TX Cambridge, MA North Charleston, SC Clearwater, FL Lakeland, FL The Woodlands, TX Evansville, IN Brandon, FL West Jordan, UT Broken Arrow, OK Antioch, CA Westminster, CO Manchester, NH Richmond, CA High Point, NC League City, TX Lowell, MA East Los Angeles, CA Carlsbad, CA Waterbury, CT Provo, UT Elgin, IL Odessa, TX Springfield, IL Beaumont, TX Gresham, OR Las Cruces, NM Lansing, MI Pompano Beach, FL Peoria, IL Downey, CA Murrieta, CA Pueblo, CO Miami Gardens, FL Everett, WA Costa Mesa, CA Temecula, CA Ventura, CA Santa Maria, CA Sugar Land, TX Greeley, CO South Fulton, GA Sparks, NV Dearborn, MI Riverview, FL Tyler, TX Tuscaloosa, AL Allen, TX