Sackhoff was born in Portland, Oregon and grew up in St. Helens, Oregon. Her mother Mary is an ESL program coordinator and her father Dennis is a land developer. She graduated from Sunset High School in Beaverton in 1998. She participated in swimming and ballet until her right knee was injured, which led her to begin practicing yoga, which she continues today. Sackhoff has three tattoos: One, on the back of her neck, is a Chinese symbol ('choice').
