Places › California › Citrus Heights

Living in Citrus Heights, CA

Suburb in California

Citrus Heights is a suburb in California, home to about 87,000 people, with 2.2 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, much of daily life is walkable. Life moves at a fast pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.

Is Citrus Heights a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Strong healthcare: 11 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Low natural disaster risk: 6 federally declared disasters since 2000
  • Sunny: more sunshine and clearer skies than most places
  • Easy flying: SMF is 16 mi away

👎 Cons

  • Fewer graduates: 22% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
  • Few dog parks: 21 within 9 mi
  • Fewer family amenities than most places
  • Hot summers: highs around 92°F

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Citrus Heights ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
87,000
2.2 million within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
58°F / 92°F
Average daily highs
3-bedroom home
$459k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$3,000/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
107
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$3,279
State income tax per resident · 0.65% property tax
Safety
0.9× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
6 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, earthquakes
Top-rated hospitals
11
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
22%
1 research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
SMF
16 mi away

Living in Citrus Heights: common questions

What is the cost of living in Citrus Heights?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $459k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $3,000 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 107, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Citrus Heights?

California collects about $3,279 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.65% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Citrus Heights safe?

Violent crime is close to the national rate (0.9× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Citrus Heights?

Citrus Heights has mild winters: winter days average around 58°F and summer days around 92°F.

Does Citrus Heights get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding and earthquakes: 6 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.08 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Citrus Heights?

The nearest major airport is SMF, about 16 mi away.

How Citrus Heights scores

Each bar compares Citrus Heights with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Mid-size Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Urban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Mostly walkable Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Culture & nature Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Mild winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Expensive Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Fast-paced Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Some community feel AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Apartments & houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Average
💸Low taxes Below average
💼Job market Average
🏥Healthcare Excellent
🎓Education Poor
🧸Kids & family Below average
🐕Dog-friendly Below average
⛰️Outdoors Average
🎭Culture Good
🛡️Safety Safe
🌪️Few natural disasters Excellent
☀️Sunny Excellent
🌤️Mild summers Below average
✈️Airport Good

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Is Citrus Heights right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.