Living in Natomas: The Ultimate Neighborhood Guide 

Families move to Natomas for the educational options, which rank among some of the best in the Sacramento area.

Charter Heavyweights: Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep (NP3) earns a Niche Grade A and ranks as the #253 public high school in California. Westlake Charter School also boasts a Niche Grade A rating, while Natomas Charter School closely follows with a Niche Grade A-.

Comprehensive Public Schools: Inderkum High School (Niche Grade B+) shines as an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School and hosts the California Early College Academy, touting a 96% graduation rate.

Higher Ed Extras: The American River College Natomas Center sits right in the neighborhood, featuring an advanced Makerspace equipped with 3D printers, laser cutters, and a podcast studio.

If you love spending time outdoors, Natomas delivers endless green space:

Discovery Park: Spanning over 300 acres where the Sacramento and American Rivers meet, this massive landmark offers boat launches, shaded picnic spots, and the official starting point for the 32-mile Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail.

North Natomas Regional Park: A 47-acre destination featuring two dog parks, sports fields, play structures, an amphitheater, and the popular Saturday morning Natomas Farmers Market.

Neighborhood Favorites: Check out Tanzanite Community Park for multi-use fields, Regency Community Park for open turf and skate areas, or tee off along natural river wetlands at the 250-acre Teal Bend Golf Club.

Shopping and dining in Natomas are organized around major open-air retail centers:

Sacramento Gateway: A bustling open-air plaza featuring lifestyle dining options, apparel boutiques, and a multi-screen movie theater complex.

Natomas Marketplace: Located right off I-80, this center handles all your big-box errands with Target, Best Buy, and Home Depot.

Park Place: A convenient neighborhood hub packed with specialty markets, fast-casual eateries, and everyday service providers.

Long before modern subdivisions popped up, the land belonged to the indigenous Nisenan Native Americans, who called it "Natomas," meaning "north place" or "upstream". Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, it operated as an agricultural basin of orchards and swampland until levee projects drained the soil.

The real suburban explosion started in 1988 with the construction of ARCO Arena (later Sleep Train Arena), home to the NBA’s Sacramento Kings. Fast forward to today: the old arena site is transforming into the UC Davis Health Innovation Park, a major biotech and medical campus that is fueling job growth. Plus, thanks to the Natomas Basin Habitat Conservation Plan, local development balances growth with protecting 22 special-status wildlife species across preserved habitats.