California

Living wage in Sacramento, California

Most of Sacramento is in Sacramento County, where a full-time job needs to pay at least $62.79 an hour before taxes to take home four times the typical studio rent.

Pay needed, before taxes$62.79/hrSacramento County standard
At Sacramento's middle rent$60.49/hrstudio rent $1,720 a month
Check a job's pay hereAll the numbers for Sacramento County

Across the 37 ZIP codes in Sacramento with HUD rent figures, studio rents run from $1,200 to $2,140 a month. At the middle rent, $1,720, a full-time job would need to pay $60.49 an hour before taxes.

Parts of Sacramento are also in Sutter County.

ZIP codes in Sacramento

What the standard would be at each ZIP code's own studio rent. The calculator and the official standard use the county figure.

ZIPCountyStudio rentPay needed
95811Sacramento County$1,850/mo$66.01/hr
95812Sacramento County$1,720/mo$60.49/hr
95813Sacramento County$1,720/mo$60.49/hr
95814Sacramento County$1,700/mo$59.65/hr
95815Sacramento County$1,460/mo$49.61/hr
95816Sacramento County$2,080/mo$75.97/hr
95817Sacramento County$1,570/mo$54.21/hr
95818Sacramento County$1,960/mo$70.77/hr
95819Sacramento County$1,990/mo$72.07/hr
95820Sacramento County$1,540/mo$52.95/hr
95821Sacramento County$1,540/mo$52.95/hr
95822Sacramento County$1,620/mo$56.30/hr
95823Sacramento County$1,530/mo$52.54/hr
95824Sacramento County$1,380/mo$46.26/hr
95825Sacramento County$1,770/mo$62.58/hr
95826Sacramento County$1,690/mo$59.23/hr
95827Sacramento County$1,780/mo$63.00/hr
95828Sacramento County$1,570/mo$54.21/hr
95829Sacramento County$2,080/mo$75.97/hr
95830Sacramento County$2,020/mo$73.37/hr
95831Sacramento County$1,950/mo$70.34/hr
95832Sacramento County$1,880/mo$67.31/hr
95833Sacramento County$1,900/mo$68.18/hr
95834Sacramento County$1,730/mo$60.90/hr
95835Sacramento County$2,140/mo$78.57/hr
95836Sutter County$1,200/mo$38.79/hr
95837Sacramento County$1,670/mo$58.39/hr
95838Sacramento County$1,620/mo$56.30/hr
95841Sacramento County$1,640/mo$57.14/hr
95842Sacramento County$1,570/mo$54.21/hr
95851Sacramento County$1,720/mo$60.49/hr
95852Sacramento County$1,720/mo$60.49/hr
95853Sacramento County$1,720/mo$60.49/hr
95860Sacramento County$1,720/mo$60.49/hr
95864Sacramento County$1,770/mo$62.58/hr
95865Sacramento County$1,720/mo$60.49/hr
95866Sacramento County$1,720/mo$60.49/hr

Questions

How much do you need to make to live in Sacramento, California?

Under the Four Times Rent standard, a full-time job in Sacramento needs to pay at least $62.79 an hour before taxes, about $130,599 a year. That is the figure for Sacramento County, where the typical studio rent is $1,775 a month.

Does it vary by neighborhood?

Yes. Across the 37 ZIP codes in Sacramento with HUD rent figures, studio rents run from $1,200 to $2,140 a month. At the middle rent of $1,720, the pay needed would be $60.49 an hour.

How does that compare with the minimum wage?

The minimum wage in Sacramento County is $16.90 an hour. The Four Times Rent standard there is 3.7 times that.

The Four Times Rent standard: a month of full-time work (160 hours) should take home at least four times the typical rent on a studio apartment in the county where the work is done. Rents: HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents. Taxes: 2026 federal and state income taxes plus Social Security and Medicare, for a single filer. Why four times rent? · Method and data downloads