Philadelphia - PA vs Sacramento - CA: 2026 Housing Comparison

What this means for buyers

Sacramento - CA is roughly 48% more expensive than Philadelphia - PA in typical home value. Homes sit on market longer in Sacramento - CA (22 days vs 15), suggesting more buyer leverage there. Sacramento - CA sees more listings with price cuts (29.8% vs 26.3%), a sign of softening seller expectations.

Philadelphia vs Sacramento: what the numbers say

At today's 7.40% average 30-year rate with 20% down, the typical home would cost about $2,138 a month in principal and interest in Philadelphia and $3,173 in Sacramento, a gap of $1,034 a month.

Typical rent runs $1,903 in Philadelphia and $2,269 in Sacramento, so the mortgage payment alone is 1.1 times rent in Philadelphia and 1.4 times rent in Sacramento, before taxes and insurance.

Home prices are 16.9 years of rent in Philadelphia and 21.0 in Sacramento; the lower ratio in Philadelphia means buying there is cheaper relative to renting.

Over the last 23 months typical values moved +5.4% in Philadelphia and -2.3% in Sacramento; over just the last three months the change was +0.7% in Philadelphia and +0.3% in Sacramento.

Homes sell for 100.1% of list price in Philadelphia and 99.6% in Sacramento, after 15 and 22 days on the market, with price cuts on 26% and 30% of listings. All three signs point the same way: buyers have more room to negotiate in Sacramento.

The number of homes for sale is up 9% on a year ago in Philadelphia and down 4% on a year ago in Sacramento.

Payments assume a 30-year fixed loan at the Freddie Mac weekly average rate (2026-10-15), 20% down, principal and interest only. Home values, rents and market figures are Zillow Research metro data.