I live in downtown Sac. You couldn't pay me to live in the burbs...boooorrrring!
Though, if I had my drothers, iId be in San Diego!!
I've lived in apartments, etc., before and
hated having neighbors close by. I live about 20 miles south of Sacramento itself in the country. OK, the drive to work and back is a bit more than I care for, but I grew up in the area and my wife works for a local school and she has only a 1-2 mile commute. The nearest house is over 200-ft to the north. The next closest is over 500-ft to the south. Nice and quiet!

I bet VF laughs at this, but it works for me for a little privacy and peace.
I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.
Summers are hot (but it's a dry heat!) and the Delta breezes tend to cool things down a bit most evenings. No snow to deal with; coldest temperatures are about freezing level for a month or two out of the year. Tahoe, SF, and Chico are only 1.5-2 hours away. Yosemite and Monterey/Carmel are maybe 3-3.5 or so.
I lived in OC for 2.5 years and hated it.
No Santa Ana winds to deal with and there generally is not nearly as much smog and traffic as down there. Rush hour traffic is getting worse here, but careful selection of where you live and work can eliminate that.
The surrounding areas are very rural, so yes, it is nothing like living in the LA area. That can be good or bad, depending on what you like.
