Living in Citrus Heights
When you visit the Greater Sacramento Metropolitan Area of California, you’ll find dozens of gorgeous cities nestled among the foothills.
Each city has benefits and challenges such as those that come inherently with any place you live.
Citrus Heights, California, is one of the cities in the Greater Sacramento Area. The hospitable community, high-quality entertainment opportunities, and local business variety make it a great place to live! However, Citrus Heights is not a perfect fit for everyone who wants to move to California.
Let’s take a look at Citrus Heights and the pros and cons of living here that you should consider before you decide where you want to move.
A Brief Overview of Citrus Heights
Some Details
Located about 15 miles northeast of California’s capital city of Sacramento, Citrus Heights was incorporated on January 1, 1997. The city is today home to about 89,000 residents and is well-known for its hospitality and community stability.
Freeway
Citrus Heights is situated right along Interstate 80, the main transcontinental highway that connects San Francisco to New York. It is located in one of the few areas of California known for its seismic stability, which makes it a popular choice for residents who aren’t fond of the constant threat of earthquakes.
Places to go
The beautiful Sunrise Mall and the nearby Birdcage Walk (a collection of local shops that run along a beautiful walkway) attract many visitors and thousands of employees to Citrus Heights. From the weekly Farmers Market to annual events such as the Hot August Bites and the Crab Feed, Citrus Heights residents enjoy a wide variety of community events throughout the year.
Community
Robust neighborhood associations, a community marching band, and multiple volunteer opportunities have helped Citrus Heights become a rich and friendly community that loves to help fellow residents and visitors alike enjoy its gorgeous scenery and fresh metropolitan vibe.
Let’s take a deeper look at some of the pros and cons of choosing Citrus Heights to be your home in the Greater Sacramento Area.
Pros of Citrus Heights, CA
We’ll start out with a deep dive into some of the pros of living in Citrus Heights, CA.
1. The Great Outdoors
Citrus Heights alone has about 26 parks and outdoor sites with options for hiking, walking, and biking. (Citrus Heights trails and open spaces).
Many of these parks also contain fun playgrounds for kids to enjoy, courts for playing baseball, basketball, or tennis, and community pools where families can escape the heat of California’s sunny climate.
Citrus Heights hosts lots of fun adult activities and sports lessons and also provides a multitude of summer camps for all ages. If you and your family love getting outside to play, learn sports, and explore nature, Citrus Heights has got you covered.
2. Family Fun
Besides the beautiful parks with all the great family entertainment options provided there, Citrus Heights and it’s adjacent cities offers many other opportunities for you and your family to enjoy life together.
You could:
- Play a game at TopGolf (in Roseville)
- See a show together at the nearby Greenback Theater (Sacramento)
- Spend hours playing at the Sunsplash water park (in Roseville)
- Enjoy a spin at the roller drome
- And more!
If you have a young family and want to enjoy life together, Citrus Heights is one of the best places to do it.
3. Local Shopping
If you’re the kind of person who enjoys being right next to all kinds of shops, Citrus Heights is the perfect city to move into.
From classics like Wal-Mart and Michaels to the highly popular Sunrise Mall or Sprouts Market, you’ll find whatever you need right in the center of Citrus Heights.
4. Great Restaurants
Citrus Heights is truly one of the most enjoyable places to eat in the Greater Sacramento Area!
It offers a wide variety of restaurants, from fast food like Taco Bell and Jack in the Box to more traditional family diners like Black Bear Diner or great pizza spots like 701 Pizza.
You’ll also find more exotic places to try, like Falafel Corner, Sunrise Thai, Yalla Yalla Food & Bakery Mediterranean Restaurant, or Antonjitos Locos. Plus, you can visit the delectable Leatherby’s Family Creamery for ice cream or O Cafe Bakery Bistro for a homebaked pastry.
If you’re a foodie and love to try new things, you’ll never be at a loss in Citrus Heights!
5. Investment Homes
Citrus Heights is a bit cheaper than some nearby areas of California.
Detached homes can start in the low $400,000 to $500,000 range, which is lower than some of the other cities in Sacramento. With its quiet neighborhoods and older homes, it’s a great place to purchase if you’re a first-time buyer looking for a house that you can enjoy for a few years and sell for a profit.
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To get my TOP PICKS for Citrus Heights properties under $500,000- Click Here NOW!
Cons of Citrus Heights
Now, let’s take a close look at some cons to Citrus Heights that might steer you away from this area.
1. Educational Quality
According to greatschools.org, many of the schools in Citrus Heights are average or below average in terms of quality.
Cambridge Heights Elementary School is rated fairly high, but most other schools are average or below based on educational quality and student preparedness for tests and college work.
Of course, different schools work well for different students, so it’s always important to connect with your own students and their teachers before deciding if a school is right for you, no matter how it’s rated.
2. Housing Age
Although they are a bit cheaper, many of the homes in Citrus Heights are older, most of them build during the 70s or 80s.
While older homes offer a lot of character, they also come with a lot more upkeep and maintenance concerns than newer homes.
If you’re not interested in investing in a home to improve outdated appliances and systems, you may have a more difficult time finding a home in Citrus Heights. While there are definitely newer homes, most of them cost a lot more and are more competitive than older homes.
3. Traffic Woes
Sunrise Boulevard is a huge blessing to Citrus Heights with its hundreds of local shops, delicious restaurants, and quality businesses.
However, it is right in the center of Citrus Heights and definitely adds another level of busyness to the traffic scene.
It’s safe to say that if you’re living in Citrus Heights, you’re going to face a LOT of traffic on and near Sunrise Boulevard, so be prepared!
4. Dry Heat
Citrus Heights does not have a particularly temperate climate.
It averages only about 20.5 inches of rainfall per year and rarely if ever sees any snow. The heat in Citrus Heights is dry and consistent throughout the year.
If you like hot weather, Citrus Heights could be a great place to live, especially with the abundance of pools, aquatic centers, and water parks nearby. However, it is going to be dry pretty much all of the time, so you may want to look elsewhere if you like more variety in your weather.
Moving to Citrus Heights, CA
So, there you have some of the pros and cons of Citrus Heights, California.
Overall, it’s a comfortable, family-friendly community in the midst of some fantastic shopping and entertainment opportunities.
If you want to learn more or decide that you’re ready to purchase a cheaper, older home in Citrus Heights, give me a call and I’d be happy to help you get started!
I hope you enjoyed this article. Please let me know if you have any questions. Warren
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If Citrus Heights is not right for you then, consider the other cities located in and around the Greater Sacramento Area.
To learn more read my top eight cities in Greater Sacramento area. Or, just go directly to my pros and cons for each city below:
- El Dorado Hills
- Citrus Heights
- Granite Bay
- Rocklin
- Folsom
- Lincoln
- Roseville
- Rancho Cordova
- Auburn
- Placerville
- Cameron Park
- Lake Tahoe
If you have any questions about real estate in the Tri-Valley area or the Greater Sacramento area, be sure and reach out to me.
I’d be delighted to help you find the best home for you and your family!
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Tri-Valley Area
My real estate spans from the East Bay (Tri-Valley) to the Greater Sacramento area.
If you would like to know more about the Tri-Valley area, please read: “Everything you need to know about the Tri-Valley area”
To better understand what each city has to offer, I have created a Pros and Cons videos and articles for each Tri-Valley Area:
To get my TOP PICKS FOR properties in the Tri-Valley area, please see below:
🏚️Get Warren’s Top Tri-Valley Homes under $$$ (Includes condos, Townhomes and single family) 🏠
- 🏡PLEASANTON ($1.4M)
- 🏡LIVERMORE ($800,000)
- 🏡DUBLIN ($1.2)
- 🏡SAN RAMON ($1.3)
- 🏡DANVILLE($1.4)
- 🏡ALAMO ($2M)
If you are thinking about purchasing or selling a home, please reach out to me by text, phone, or email.
If it is convenient, I can schedule a Zoom chat so we can discuss your home goals. Wishing you all the best on your home journey. Cheers!
eXp Realty
(925) 980-4603
DRE # 01861944
ALL MATERIAL PRESENTED HEREIN IS INTENDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN HAS BEEN OBTAINED THROUGH SOURCES DEEMED RELIABLE BUT CANNOT BE GUARANTEED AS TO ITS ACCURACY. SUBJECT MATERIAL MAY HAVE ERRORS, OMISSIONS, CHANGES OR WITHDRAWAL WITHOUT NOTICE. ANY INFORMATION OF SPECIAL INTEREST SHOULD BE OBTAINED THROUGH INDEPENDENT VERIFICATION.
