Located to the south of Sacramento, Elk Grove is a beautiful city. It’s known for its vineyards, wineries, and cellars. But you need more than a beautiful environment and wineries to live in a city. So, what’re the pros and cons of living in Elk Grove?
Living in Elk Grove can be a fun experience for you. The city has several qualities that make it livable: a family-friendly environment, job opportunities, location, and safety. But it’s not perfect. There are downsides which include the cost of living, fast growth, extra taxes, and car dependency.
Despite the downsides, Elk Grove is a great place to live. What is more important is whether the city matches your lifestyle. This article thoroughly discusses the advantages and disadvantages of living in Elk Grove.
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Pros of living in Elk Grove
Elk Grove is a lovely city, and living there comes with several advantages. Here are some of them.
1. Family-Friendly Environment
Elk Grove boasts of excellent suburbs and neighborhoods. The city is quite safe, and the schools are highly rated. Niche.com gives an A rating to the public school system in Elk Grove. The average test scores in the city are 4% above the national average, and Bachelor’s degree holders are 19% higher.
It’s not just in education that this city excels. There are several amenities within the city where you can spend the day out with your family. Public parks, skateparks, watermarks are all in the city. One place you can’t miss when you’re here is the Elk Grove Aquatics Center. With tons of amenities, quiet neighborhoods, and a diverse population, the city is ideal for young families and professionals.
2. Job Opportunities
Another reason to live in this city is the economy. Elk Grove has been growing at an incredible pace for more than a decade now. This growth has attracted many top companies to the city, which means more job opportunities for residents. For example, Apple has its regional corporate office in the city, and healthcare provider Kaiser Permanente is here. As a result, the job projection for the city is quite optimistic, with a growth rate of 37% in the next ten years, better than the national average.
Not only are there jobs, but those jobs are high paying. In 2019, the median income for this city was $93,780, substantially above the California average.
3. Proximity to Major Cities
The city’s location makes it accessible to major cities in the region. This makes it a better option than most of these cities, which are more expensive to live in. For example, living in Elk Grove means that Sacramento is around 30 minutes away, and The Bay Area is less than 2 hours away. With these cities close by, residents can take advantage of job opportunities available in the major cities while living in a more quiet and affordable place like Elk Grove.
The city is also close to several parks and national forests. You can reach many of these places within one or two hours by car. For example, Lake Tahoe is 2 hours drive away.
4. Safety
According to The National Council For Home Safety and Security, this is one of the safest cities in California. So if you’re considering where to live, you should look into Elk Grove. The city is committed to safety, and the data reflect positively.
The total crime rate is 32% below the national average, and property crime is also 30% lower. In addition, Elk Grove’s violent crime rate is 44% below the national average. As a result, it’s safer than 51% of cities in the US, and there’s a measly 1 in 60 chance of being a crime victim.
Cons of Living in Elk Grove
Elk Grove isn’t all lovely. There are few things about the city that you may not like. They include
1. Fast Rate of Growth
Elk Grove has been growing at a rapid pace for over a decade. This expansion means that city infrastructure can’t usually keep up with the rate of growth, and more people demand the limited resources. For instance, even though it has great schools. The increasing population means more students attending limited schools since it takes a while to build and equip new ones.
The same thing affects the roads in the city, so you’re likely to experience congestion and traffic while here. With the rapid growth also comes urban sprawl. While some areas are overcrowded, others are far from important amenities and infrastructure.
2. Expensive City
Another source of concern if you’re living in Elk Grove is the costs. Generally, living in California is expensive. Even though the cost of living in Elk Grove is a bit lower than the national average, it’s still high enough to be unaffordable for many people. For example, the cost of living here is 34.9% above the national average. Also, the Average cost of a house is almost double the national average.
However, despite the above-average cost of expenses, things in Elk Grove are still affordable compared to neighboring cities. For example, the cost of homes here is lower than the California average by more than $100,000. So, if you’re looking for an expensive but still affordable city in California, Elk Grove is a good place.
3. Car-Dependent
The growth of the city means there are more cars on the road. For a place where the public transportation options are limited, most residents use theirs regularly for commuting. As a result of this, traffic and congestion occur regularly in this city. According to WalkScore, Elk Grove has a walk score of 32 and a bike score of 46.
4. Extra Taxes
Apart from the general taxes such as state income taxes, sales tax, and property tax, some districts in Elk Grove still collect taxes. These districts are known as Community Facilities Districts and include Poppy Ridge, Laguna Ridge, and East Franklin. The taxes range between $800 to $1000 annually for each single-family home. The districts use the revenue for beneficial projects in the neighborhoods.
In Conclusion
Elk Grove is a suburban community ideal for families and those looking for a serene environment. While it’s expensive, it’s still cheaper than several bigger cities and has a livability score of 75. So, if it fits your kind of city, it’s a good place to live.
