Downtown, Sacramento, CA
At a glance
Downtown is ranked #76 of 205 neighborhoods in Sacramento with an overall score of 2.8/5. Its standout factors are nearby merchants (4.9/5) and public spaces (4.3/5). It ranks 20th of 205 in Sacramento for schools. The trade-offs are safety (1.7/5) and curb appeal (3.2/5).
Neighborhood Reviews & Questions
Downtown is the dense, walkable core of the city, the numbered-and-lettered grid built out around the State Capitol and its park. This is Sacramento at its most fully itself at street level, and there is nothing else in the region quite like it. The concentration is the whole story. The Golden 1 Center and the DOCO entertainment district, the K Street corridor, Capitol Mall, the convention center, and the deepest run of restaurants, government jobs, and transit anywhere in the metro all sit here, with light rail and Amtrak's Sacramento Valley Station right in the middle of it. Residential life is apartments, condos, and lofts rather than houses, so you trade a yard for the ability to walk to nearly everything. The tradeoffs are real and worth naming. Parts of the core empty out after work hours, parking and street-level conditions vary block to block, and homelessness is a visible challenge downtown. For someone who genuinely wants an urban, car-optional life in Sacramento, though, this is the one address in the entire region that actually delivers it.
Top Neighborhoods in Sacramento, CA
Neighborhood Amenities
Near good merchants4.9
Public Spaces4.3
Curb Appeal3.2
Overall Amenities score: 4
Neighborhood Weather
Neighborhood Photos
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Schools serving this Neighborhood
| School Name | Type | Grades | Houseberry School Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoebe A. Hearst Elementary | Primary | K-6 | |
| William Land Elementary | Primary | K-6 | |
| Alice Birney Waldorf-Inspired | Primary | K-8 | |
| Leonardo Da Vinci | Primary | K-8 | |
| Washington Elementary | Primary | K-8 | |
| Miwok Middle | Middle | 7-8 | |
| C. K. McClatchy High | High | 9-12 | |
| West Campus | High | 9-12 | |
| Arthur A. Benjamin Health Professions High | High | 9-12 |
Click links for school listing
info at GreatSchools.org
Houseberry School Score Data
from CA Dept. of Education
Houseberry recommends using these scores as only a starting point, and conducting your own investigation into what schools fit best for your preferences. School boundaries are not guaranteed and may change. It is important to contact the appropriate school district to confirm enrollment eligibility before making any decision to move to a neighborhood.
Downtown FAQs8 answers
Is Downtown a good place to live?
Downtown ranks 76th of 205 neighborhoods in Sacramento with an overall Houseberry score of 2.8 out of 5. Its strongest factors are nearby merchants (4.9/5) and public spaces (4.3/5). The trade-offs are safety (1.7/5) and curb appeal (3.2/5).
Is Downtown safe?
Downtown, Sacramento scores 1.7 out of 5 on Houseberry's Safety Score, ranking 148th of 205 neighborhoods in Sacramento.
Which schools serve Downtown?
Schools serving Downtown, Sacramento include Phoebe A. Hearst Elementary (5.0/5), William Land Elementary (4.8/5), Alice Birney Waldorf-Inspired (2.4/5), Leonardo Da Vinci (3.2/5) and Washington Elementary (2.6/5). 4 more schools are listed in the Schools section on this page.
What is the weather like in Downtown?
Downtown, Sacramento receives 80% of its possible sunshine, 128th of 205 in Sacramento. Summer days run 58° to 91°F and winter days 40° to 57°F, July is the warmest month and rainfall averages about 20 inches a year.
Is Downtown walkable to shops and restaurants?
Downtown, Sacramento scores 4.9 out of 5 for nearby merchants and 4.3 out of 5 for public spaces. Its overall amenities score is 4.0 out of 5, 12th of 205 in Sacramento.
What is Downtown known for?
Downtown, Sacramento is associated with Capitol Core, Golden 1 Center and Car Optional. Its highest-scoring factors are nearby merchants (4.9/5) and public spaces (4.3/5).
How does Downtown compare to other Sacramento neighborhoods?
Downtown ranks 76th of 205 neighborhoods in Sacramento. It ranks 20th of 205 in Sacramento for schools (3.6/5) and scores lowest on safety (1.7/5). The highest-ranked neighborhoods in Sacramento are Sacramento City College and Wilhaggin.
What are the downsides of living in Downtown?
Downtown, Sacramento scores lowest on safety (1.7/5) and curb appeal (3.2/5).
Neighborhood Photos
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