The Sacramento area
Great place to live and work
Picturesque neighborhoods, mild winters and dry summers, recreation along two major rivers and proximity to the Sierra Nevada and the San Francisco Bay area – all make Sacramento one of California's most desirable places to live, work and raise a family.
As the capital of a state whose economy is the sixth largest in the world, you'll experience a vibrant business and cultural climate.
Sacramento is close to many of the world’s great destinations – the ski resorts of Lake Tahoe, the cable cars of San Francisco, the vineyards of Napa Valley, the stunning sites of Yosemite National Park and the coastal beaches of Mendocino. While it's true that one of Sacramento's assets is its central location, you don't need to hit the road to enjoy yourself.
Area facts
Location
Sacramento is located 90 miles northeast of San Francisco and 383 miles north of Los Angeles. Elevation: 17 feet.
Population
Approximately 485,000 residents live in the city limits and nearly 1.7 million in the metropolitan area, which consists of Sacramento and parts of Yolo, Placer and El Dorado counties. Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto is the 20th-largest television market in the country.
Climate
Sacramento enjoys moderate year-round temperatures. Summers are dry with little humidity. The winters are cool with an average annual rainfall of 17.2 inches.
Transportation
Sacramento is easy to get to from all directions. Interstate 80 and US Highway 50 run east/west; Interstate 5 and US Highway 99 run north/south. Sacramento International Airport is served by all major airlines. Regional Transit operates 29 miles of light rail track.
Culture
Sacramento is home to professional ballet, opera and theater companies. The capital city has dozens of theaters, galleries and museums. Cultural attractions include:
- California State Capitol Museum
- California State Railroad Museum
- Sutter's Fort
- Crocker Art Museum
- Sacramento Zoo
Higher education
- California State University, Sacramento
- University of California at Davis
- University of the Pacific's McGeorge School of Law
- Several community colleges
Great sports town
A spectacular downtown arena, the Golden 1 Center, is home to the Kings — Sacramento’s National Basketball Association franchise. The Sacramento River Cats, the triple-A baseball affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, play their home games at Raley Field, just across the river from Old Sacramento. The Sacramento Republic FB plays to sellout soccer crowds at Bonney Field and the Amgen Tour de California bicycle race traditionally features a Sacramento stage.
Recreation
With the American and Sacramento rivers, water recreation is one of the top outdoor activities.
The American River Parkway features 23 miles of bike trails and nature preserves. Salmon and Steelhead fishing, river rafting and boating are popular on the 1,000 miles of waterway around Sacramento and the Delta.
Folsom Lake and Lake Natoma offer sailing and windsurfing. Sacramento has a wealth of public golf courses and is one of the country's most avid softball communities.
Known as the "City of Trees," Sacramento has more than 120 city parks parks covering 2,000 acres. World-class snow skiing is less than two hours away at Lake Tahoe.
Annual events
- Sacramento Jazz Jubilee
- California State Fair
- California International Marathon
- Festival de la Familia
- Pacific Rim Street Festival
- Winterfest