Should I Move To
North Highlands, California comes in at about 48,083 residents. Cost of living comes out expensive — 18% above the national average. Rent typically lands near $1,431/mo, and the median household income is about $62,156. Overall, 42/100 on our composite score, which works out to a D, putting it at #741 nationally.
UrbRank Score · General
Each dimension scored 0-100 against every other US city.
Based on overall cost of living vs. other US cities.
Temperate summers & winters, moderate precipitation.
Walk Score — how feasible daily errands are on foot.
Unemployment rate plus household income vs. national median.
Air quality index (EPA AQS data).
Share of residents 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Cost-of-living index of 118 (with 100 as the US baseline) — that's expensive territory. With median rent at $1,431/mo and median household income at $62,156, housing takes about 28% of gross income — right inside the standard 30%-of-income guideline. Homes typically value around $319,300.
Full cost-of-living breakdown →Expect four-season weather — summers near 91°F, winters around 40°F. Rain (and snow, in some seasons) totals about 18 inches annually. You'll need a car for most things, though the central core is more walkable than the citywide score suggests. AQI runs about 46 — a "good" reading.
Verdict by lifestyle profile — same data, different priorities.
North Highlands is a tougher sell for families. The profile-weighted score is 34/100 — a F. Its standout dimension is climate (77/100); the soft spot is education (3/100).
North Highlands is a tougher sell for retirees. The profile-weighted score is 47/100 — a D. Its standout dimension is climate (77/100); the soft spot is education (3/100).
North Highlands is a tougher sell for remote workers. The profile-weighted score is 44/100 — a D. Its standout dimension is climate (77/100); the soft spot is education (3/100).
North Highlands is a tougher sell for young professionals. The profile-weighted score is 40/100 — a F. Its standout dimension is climate (77/100); the soft spot is education (3/100).
Our overall score for North Highlands is 42/100 — a D, sitting at #741 in the national ranking. It's a weighted average across the seven UrbRank dimensions.
By the composite index, North Highlands sits at 118 — expensive, 18% above the national average. Median renter pays around $1,431 a month.
North Highlands runs four-season on the weather. Summer's near 91°F, winter's near 40°F; 18 inches of precipitation annually.
Walk Score: 36/100. You'll need a car for most things, though the central core is more walkable than the citywide score suggests.
Roughly 48,083 people live here, with 14% college-educated (bachelor's or higher) among adults 25+ with a median age of 34.
Drop North Highlands into the comparison tool with any other US city and you'll get housing costs, salaries, demographics, and quality-of-life data lined up side by side. Profile-specific leaderboards (families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals) are linked from the navigation.
Every US city is scored 0-100 on seven dimensions using public data from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA Air Quality System, NOAA NCEI, and Walk Score. Each dimension is a percentile rank against every other city — so a score of 80 means the city is in the top 20% nationally on that dimension.
The overall score is a weighted average. Five lifestyle profiles — general, families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals — weight the dimensions differently to reflect what each cares about. Families get more weight on safety and schools; young professionals get more weight on jobs and walkability; retirees get more weight on climate.
Compare North Highlands with other California cities scored on UrbRank.
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