Sacramento makes list of rising luxury cities in the US. Here’s one reason why

Cortlynn Stark, The Sum
·2 min read

Sacramento earned a spot on a list of the top rising luxury cities, but it’s not because of expensive homes or wealthy residents.

A report from Architectural Digest ranked 115 cities for luxurious living. Six of the top 10 are in California.

Architectural Digest compared cities with a population of more than 100,000 in 2023 and that have experienced population growth since 2020. The cities were ranked based on activities (30%), properties (25%), dining (15%), annual income (10%), diversity (10%) and safety (10%).

Sacramento placed 39th on the list, ranking at 65th for luxury activities, 41st for property, 42nd for dining and 46th for high earners.

But the city topped the list for diversity. It also had the smallest gap between the most and least common ethnicities, according to Architectural Digest.

Modesto and Stockton also made the list, ranking at 55th and 82nd, respectively.

Irvine, Carlsbad and Chula Vista topped the list.

Irvine, in Southern California with an “abundance of $1 million properties, high earners, and safe environment make it the ideal location to settle into subtle grandeur,” according to the report. It placed third for higher earners, eighth for safety, and first for luxury property with 70% of properties sold for $1 million or higher.

Carlsbad — north of San Diego — took first for luxury activities and higher earners, and second for luxury property. It also had the highest percentage of households with an annual income over $150,000, at 50.7%. Also in the San Diego-area, Chula Vista placed sixth for activities, eighth for property and 10th for luxury food.

Here’s the top 10 nationally:

  1. Irvine, california

  2. Carlsbad, California

  3. Chula Vista, California

  4. Frisco, Texas

  5. Rancho Cucamonga, California

  6. Stamford, Connecticut

  7. Lewisville, Texas

  8. Cary, North Carolina

  9. Temecula, California

  10. Murrieta, California

Here’s where the rest of the California cities ranked: Elk Grove (18th), Clovis (31st), Roseville (32nd), Fontana (37th), Sacramento (39th), Moreno Valley (44th), Visalia (48th), Modesto (55th), Fresno (61st), Victorville (76th), Bakersfield (77th), Corona (79th), and Stockton (82nd).

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