North Highlands

Hillsdale is one of northern Sacramento’s most diverse suburbs. Its 30,000 residents come from all different backgrounds, both domestic and abroad, and every street has a unique population. Walking along its narrow sidewalks, homeowners can see maples and oaks overhead, in addition to condos, ranch-styles and anything in between. “It’s very community-oriented, and nonprofits do a lot of outreach in this area,” says David Hurley of eXp Realty, who has sold for over 20 years in Sacramento. “I think it draws a lot of people from downtown since you’re able to hop on the 80 freeway within 5 minutes.” Along with a 12-mile commute to the big city, these commuters have access to Sacramento Regional Transit, and families have multiple options in the Twin Rivers School District. They’re just south of Elkhorn Boulevard restaurants and grocers, and some neighborhood parks even have karate classes. More than single-family homes, this 1970s development has everything from condos to duplexes. Two-bed manufactured homes can be found in the west, starting at $30,000, while two-bed condos top out at $250,000. Ranch-style homes are scattered throughout the neighborhood, and these three-beds are between $380,000 and $500,000. Four-bedrooms can be found in the upper half of this range, and they’re concentrated in the southeast. These traditional homes have single-car garages and wide driveways; front yards are roomy, while backyards tend to be half the size. The median sold price is 16% lower than neighboring Foothill Farms and 67% lower than Citrus Heights, so it’s one of the more affordable places in northern Sacramento. Westernmost residents should be aware of noise from McClellan Airbase. Interstate 80 runs along the neighborhood’s eastern side, so commuters are only a 12-mile hop from downtown: this is approximately a 20-minute trip without traffic. Sacramento Regional Transit also operates bus No. 93 through Hillsdale, which connects to the city’s light rail. Hopping on the train at the Watt Avenue / I-80 Station, the total trip is usually around an hour. Most students start at Woodridge Elementary, rated a C by Niche, and its student-teacher ratio is 17-to-1. They’ll likely advance to Foothill Ranch Middle, and this school receives a B-minus from Niche. Foothill High, also rated a B-minus, offers pathways in culinary art, sports medicine, digital media and more. Students north of Roseville Road can still attend Foothill Ranch Middle, but they’ll likely go to Hillsdale Elementary and Highlands High. Pending an application process, some students have the chance at Westside Preparatory Charter School, and Niche considers it the No. 1 standout middle school in Sacramento. Elkhorn Boulevard is a one-stop shop for locally owned restaurants and grocers. Here, residents can grab a decorated dessert at Donut Time or browse imported goods at European Delicatessen. They might also head a mile east to Elkhorn Plaza, where they’ll find Aji Sushi. This is one of the most highly rated restaurants in the area, and its unlimited sushi bar is a local favorite. A couple of miles down Hillsdale Boulevard, Rich Express Chinese Food is known for its low prices and generous portions. Sky Zone Trampoline Park is south of Palm Avenue, and the Aerospace Museum of California showcases planes of all shapes and sizes. The biggest park in this area, Foothill Community Park holds 25 acres of oak-covered paths and fields. Visitors can play pickup at its westernmost tennis courts or, moving north on the trails, take a karate class at Foothills Community Center. South of Roseville Road, homeowners are within a mile of Robert Frost Park. Its three diamonds host Foothill Farms Little League games, and Hillsdale Church is right next door. “We do community outreach here and sponsor the Foothill Little League,” says Sheila Ashburn, a volunteer and a local since 1970. “In the summer months, we do music in the quad, where we invite local artists to play a 45-minute set. We wanted a space where kids and families can come and listen to a live show since the neighborhood doesn’t have many places like that. In the fall we have a large craft fair for the neighborhood and others to participate in and enjoy the activities.” Golfers can drive about 3 miles north to Foothill Golf Course, a 9-holer open to the public. This course is managed by a PGA Tour pro and his family, and its Cameron Champ Foundation provides scholarships for underserved youth.

As Sacramento grew in the 20th century, Arcade Park became desirable for its low-priced housing and quick commute. “That whole area was built up the 1950s for everyone who worked downtown,” says Heather Barnes, a Sacramento Realtor since 2014. “You have a lot of people that have been there for a long time, and first-time buyers can usually afford to live here, too.” This diverse community is sandwiched between two commercial areas on Watt Avenue and Auburn Boulevard, and it’s split by Interstate 80 down the middle. As a result, Arcade Park can feel different every quarter mile. Westernmost streets, for instance, are busier and more packed together, whereas eastern ones are more spread out. On either side, this residential-retail space is packed with oak trees, and schools get high ratings in all grade levels. Since Arcade Park is over six square miles, housing styles vary in age and size: buyers could have a 1950s home under 1,000 square feet, or they might opt for a 2019-built home with double the square footage. Still, three- and four-bed ranch-styles are the most common home type here. They typically have lots much bigger than surrounding neighborhoods, and backyards have a few trees. In some cases, buyers can get this extra space without the extra price: prices align with neighboring North Edison and Del Paso Vale. On the other hand, Arcade Park’s tags are higher than Oakdale, Mira Loma and Haggin Park. Single-family homes north of Interstate 80 are priced between $300,000 and $695,000; mobile home parks are also found here, but properties don’t go up for sale often. East of the freeway, similar homes are between $450,000 and $560,000. Estates with even bigger lots and more square footage are in the south, and they’re found between $800,000 and $900,000. Freeway access is one of the major draws of this neighborhood, as ramps onto Interstate 80 and the Capital City Freeway are right on the west side. Both routes lead about 10 miles into downtown Sacramento, they take 15 minutes with usual traffic. Accessible via the Watt Avenue / Interstate 80 Station, the Light Rail’s Blue Line is another option; it takes about 30 minutes but could be quicker during rush hour. Sri Siddhi Vinayaka Cultural Center is centrally located in Arcade Park, and it’s one of the few Hindu temples in Sacramento. Despite these conveniences, people will most likely need a car to get around. Along the neighborhood’s west side, Watt Avenue is the closest place to eat and shop. Fast food spots are neighbors with locally owned restaurants such as El Parian Taqueria and Manna Thai. Industrial warehouses mix with stores like Walmart and Dollar Tree. While Khyber Market sells Afghani products and fresh meat in this district, more grocery options are north along Madison Avenue. Shoppers can find a Target and Smart & Final here. On the neighborhood’s east side, Auburn Boulevard houses construction companies, car dealerships and other businesses. In the north, Hamilton Street Park offers shady oak trees and lawns for a quiet afternoon. Others might prefer to exercise on tennis courts, soccer fields, basketball courts and horseshoe pits. About 3 miles west, Oakdale Park sits right next to the elementary school of the same name, and its open field caters to picnickers and dog owners. Del Paso Regional Park is the southernmost park in this neighborhood, and its mile-long trail weaves through another oak grove. While this space doesn’t have many amenities right now, the City of Sacramento received a grant of $3.25 million in 2022. Officials plan to renovate the park’s baseball field and add sports courts by June 2025. About 2 miles south, Del Paso Country Club provides a championship course for members and their guests. Students can start at Pasadena Avenue Elementary, rated a B-minus by Niche. Winston Churchill Middle is likely their next step, and it’s rated an A-minus. Niche also ranks it as the No. 8 public middle school for Sacramento, ahead of 83 others. Mira Loma High gets an A-plus, and Niche considers it the No. 2 standout high school in Sacramento. Every April, its students celebrate the International Exposition and showcase their diversity through clothing, dance, music and food. The International Baccalaureate Art Show is held annually in March, when the Sacramento Fine Arts Center exhibits student work. If these high schoolers want to stay local, American River College is nearby.

Tony Baloney’s may seem unassuming on the outside, but there’s a story of five-plus decades inside. This sandwich shop has been serving locally renowned subs since 1972, and it’s a staple of Haggin Park. “Everyone knows Tony around town,” says Stephanie Lair, daughter of the local celebrity and now-owner of the restaurant. “We used to be across the street from McLellan Air Force Base, so the GIs would come over. They’d have orders of 100 sandwiches or more, so it was pretty crazy in the 1960s and 70s. That’s been a big part of the crowd that keeps coming back. They bring their kids, and their kids bring their kids.” This perpetuity is a symbol of the surrounding neighborhood: while it’s changed a lot over the years, residents have stayed and welcomed a new crowd into the mix. Though people still tend to work with their hands around here, young professionals have arrived in search of cheaper housing prices and a quick commute to downtown; families enjoy bigger yards and proximity to Madison Avenue shopping; and singles can go to a city party in a flash. Madison Avenue runs east to west, right through the middle of the neighborhood. This drivable district houses many of the area’s busy shops and restaurants, and it’s less than a mile from all homes. Among well-known chains such as Target and Mattress Firm, local businesses sell car parts, appliances and more. Small-town grocers, such as Gatronom Kiev Market and Teremok European Store, specialize in products from across the pond. Near fast food spots, Cricket Country Kitchen offers homestyle breakfast and an eclectic interior, adorned with license plates and other Americana. Indoor attractions are also a key feature of this district. North of Madison, Sky Zone is a trampoline park where visitors can play high-flying basketball and other games. Bowlero, just south, has 50 bowling lanes that cater to private groups and parties. October brings the Sacramento Scream Park to life — or, rather, death — when ghouls and ghosts haunt its themed exhibitions. While owners only make up a quarter of this market, they have a lot of options in Haggin Park. Next to Arcade Creek and Madison Avenue, Brookside Mobile Home Park offers two-bedrooms around 1,000 square feet, and they range from $20,000 to $110,000. Condos are the next step up, east of Garfield Avenue and priced between $185,000 and $350,000. These are a similar size, and most are renovated with new interiors. Single-family homes are mostly west of Garfield, but some higher-end properties are in the southeast corner of the neighborhood. In both cases, these ranch-styles could have two, three or four bedrooms, and they range from $265,000 to $685,000. Their backyards usually have some room, as the median lot size in Haggin Park is slightly bigger than neighboring Foothill Farms, Citrus Heights and Merrihill. Most properties were built in the 1970s, but buyers can find stuff from the 1940s and 2010s, too. Even with this variation, Haggin Park’s median sale price is less than most surrounding neighborhoods. In the southeast corner of the neighborhood, Arcade Creek Park has a playground decorated with animal carvings, and kids can enjoy its ground-level rope swing. This green space connects to the Jo Smith Nature Trail, a half-mile path along Arcade Creek. Hikers, if they’re lucky, can see wild turkeys in the fall and salmon in the summer. The trail butts up against American River College’s Horticulture Department, where goats and garden beds make up a miniature farm, and sports fans are right next to the college’s football and soccer stadiums. Just west, Del Paso Regional Park doesn’t have many amenities, but it does have a mile-long trail under an oak grove. The City of Sacramento plans to improve the park via a $3.25 million grant, which will fund a baseball field renovation, new walkways and sports courts by June 2025. Smaller parks are in the northern part of the neighborhood: with seven acres or less, Eugene H. Ahner and Walerga Parks feature open fields, sports courts and playgrounds. “American River College is about five minutes from Madison Avenue, so it’s a great area for students or professors,” says Gina Haskell, a Sacramento Real Estate Agent since 2021. “Mercy San Juan Hospital isn’t far from there either, so rental properties can be used short-term for traveling nurses or other health care workers.” Madison Avenue also leads west to Interstate 80. This freeway, in conjunction with Highway 160, takes commuters 11 miles into downtown Sacramento. However, this 15-minute route can often clog during rush hour. The No. 1 bus provides an alternative since it connects to the Light Rail’s Blue Line. While this option saves from traffic, it takes about an hour. Students in the north can attend Pioneer Elementary, a kindergarten through eighth school that’s rated a B by Niche. They also consider it the No. 4 elementary school in Sacramento, ahead of 50 others. Southern-facing students likely attend Oakdale Elementary: it serves the same grade levels and gets a C from Niche. Both regions can enroll at Foothill High, which receives a B-minus from Niche. After construction was completed in February 2024, its Aquatic Center now has a 13-lane competition pool. All schools are a mile or two from the neighborhood.

Sitting just eight miles from Roseville, off Interstate 80, is the neighborhood of Oakdale. This North Highlands suburb is bordered west by the McClellan Business Park, once the site of McClellan Air Force Base, the inspiration for North Highlands’ post-World War II development. “This used to be a lot of military families with the base here, but now you're seeing a younger crowd that wants to be close to Roseville,” says Michael Cabras of eXp Realty of California, who has over two decades of experience in the area. “Roseville is the hot new area with shopping and dining, but you can get into Oakdale for half the price and be just 10 minutes away.” The area is a mix of single-family and multifamily housing, with lots of apartments; 60% of people in the neighborhood rent. The bustling neighborhood is intersected by Interstate 80 and Watt Avenue, which serves as a main artery from South Sacramento up to Placer County. Single-family homes and mobile homes in Oakdale are almost exclusively from the 1940s and ‘50s during the post-World War II development boom. The midcentury ranch-style homes are typically two- or three-bedroom houses with attached garages and mid-sized yards. Prices range from $350,000 to $420,000. Many of the homes have large trees in the yards, and the streets are flanked by sidewalks, making it easy to walk the dog. Mobile homes at parks like the 55+ Lamplighter Sacramento are in the $90,000 to $135,000 range. Kids in the area can head to Scandia Fun Center, which sits off Interstate 80 in the heart of the neighborhood. This amusement park has a large arcade, mini golf and batting cages in addition to thrill rides. Just to the east of the neighborhood is the Sky Zone Trampoline Park is a popular spot for local birthday parties with a ninja warrior course, zip lines and more. Bowlero of North Sacramento is the spot to roll a strike and offers league play. Hamilton Street Park has a playground for kids as well as tennis courts, a basketball court and plenty of green space. Locals go to play soccer at Oakdale Park or have an afternoon picnic in the open areas. Both Parks are just south of the neighborhood on Myrtle Avenue. Adults, on the other hand, can relax with a cold one at Delta Borne Brewing. The brewery has a rustic feel with wooden décor and often hosts food trucks. Throughout the week, Hot Stone Pizza is a popular spot due to daily lunch specials on pizza and much more. Brookfields Sacramento is a spot serving diner classics for breakfast, lunch and dinner, while Silver Garden & Mongolian BBQ is a casual spot to grab a bite to eat. Madison Avenue intersects the neighborhood from east to west and is home to many big-box and grocery stores like Target, Four Seasons Market and Smart & Final. Kids in Oakdale attend the Twin Rivers Unified School District. Those north of Madison Avenue attend Madison Elementary School, which holds a C-plus rating on Niche. Kids south of Madison head to Oakdale Elementary, which holds a C overall Niche grade but has an A-plus diversity ranking. Next is Foothill Ranch Middle School, which holds a B-minus rating and has an 18-to-1 student-teacher ratio. Finally, teens make their way to Foothill High School, which has a B-minus rating and has a strong basketball program. There are also a handful of private options from kindergarten through high school nearby. Oakdale and the surrounding areas are served by the Sacramento Regional Transit buses. The fixed route has frequent stops along Madison, providing easy transportation throughout Oakdale. With Interstate 80 intersecting the neighborhood from north to south, locals can be in downtown Sacramento in under 10 minutes. In addition, the interstate provides access to Stockton, Roseville and the rest of Northern California.