Sacramento, CA 55+ Active Adult Retirement Communities

Overview 

The capital of California, Sacramento is an increasingly popular retirement destination. It experiences pleasant temperatures year round, has more affordable housing compared to the rest of the state, and plentiful outdoor recreation. Besides this, active adults can enjoy local festivals, boutique shopping, and a variety of museums celebrating the state’s history.

Climate & Geography 

Sacramento is an inland city in Northern California. It lies on a mostly flat terrain, with its western border following the banks of the Sacramento River. It experiences a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. Summer heat is often relieved by the Delta Breeze, a cool sea breeze coming from the San Francisco Bay. Temperatures tend to cool down sharply at night, and residents can expect about 269 days of sunshine each year.

Sacramento is one of the fastest growing major cities in the U.S., and because of the floodlands to the west, the city mainly sprawled to the north and east into the Sierra Nevada foothills. 

Recreation, Culture, & Entertainment 

History buffs can visit the many museums in Sacramento, including the California State Capitol Museum, Crocker Art Museum, California State Railroad Museum, and the California Automobile Museum. Old Sacramento, the city’s historic district, is like a living museum with boutiques, novelty shops, and smaller museums along the riverfront. Capitol park also has several memorials for state events, as well as trees from around the world.

Residents can also enjoy abundant shopping. Arden Fair and Pavilions have brand-name shops, high-end boutiques, and restaurants, and Antique Plaza just outside the city is an enclave with hundreds of merchants and vendors. There are also several Farmers Markets across the city, including Certified Farmers Market and Midtown Farmers Market.

In addition, retirees can golf at nearly 15 golf courses, hike the 32-mile trail at Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail, and attend one of the hundreds of outdoor festivals the city has to offer.

Cost of Living & Taxes 

Sacramento’s cost of living is above the U.S. average, but below California’s average. Housing is the biggest factor, as it is more affordable than most of California, but still more expensive than the national average. Transportation is slightly above the rest of the U.S., while groceries and utilities match and health care is below.

Though California does not tax Social Security, it does fully tax other forms of retirement income, like IRAs, pensions, and 401(k)s. Property taxes are relatively low, but Sacramento’s sales tax is high at 8.75 percent. 

Health Care

According to Gallup’s Well-Being Index, California ranks in the top 14 states, and Sacramento ranks in the top 55 communities across the country.

Sacramento is a national hub for healthcare, and therefore has several high performing hospitals within the city. UC Davis Medical Center is nationally ranked by U.S News in 10 adult specialities and is the No. 1 hospital in Sacramento. Other high performing hospitals in the area include Sutter Medical Center, Sutter Roseville Medical Center, Mercy General Hospital, Kaiser Permanente Sacramento Medical Center, and Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento.