Sacramento County, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sacramento County
County
County of Sacramento
Images, from top down, left to right: California State Capitol, Folsom Powerhouse State Historic Park, Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Sutter's Fort
Flag Seal
Location in the state of California
Country	United States
State	California
Region	Sacramento Valley, San Joaquin Valley, Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta
Metro area	Greater Sacramento
Incorporated	February 18, 1850
Named for	The capital city of Sacramento, which is named for the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist
County seat (and largest city)	Sacramento
Government
• Type	Council–CEO
• Body	Board of Supervisors
Area
• Total	994 sq mi (2,570 km2)
• Land	965 sq mi (2,500 km2)
• Water	29 sq mi (80 km2)
Highest elevation	831 ft (253 m)
Population  (April 1, 2020)
• Total	1,585,055
• Estimate  (2023)	1,584,288
• Density	1,594.6/sq mi (615.69/km2)
Gross Domestic Product
• Total	US$98.990 billion (2022)
Time zone	UTC−8 (Pacific Standard Time)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−7 (Pacific Daylight Time)
Area code(s)	209, 916
Congressional districts	3rd, 6th, 7th

Sacramento County is a county in the state of California. In 2020, about 1,585,055 people lived here. Its main city, Sacramento, is also the state capital of California since 1854.

Sacramento County is the main part of the Greater Sacramento region. It covers about 994 square miles (2,574 km²) in the northern Central Valley. The county stretches from the low delta lands near the Sacramento River to the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. It even touches San Francisco Bay in its southern part. Recently, California has had many droughts, which makes it harder for the county to get enough water.

History of Sacramento County

Sacramento County was one of California's first counties. It was created in 1850 when California became a state. The county gets its name from the Sacramento River, which is on its western side. A Spanish officer named Gabriel Moraga named the river "Santisimo Sacramento," which means "Most Holy Sacrament." This refers to a special religious event in the Catholic Church.

A famous explorer, Alexander Hamilton Willard, who was part of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, is buried in the old Franklin Cemetery in the county.

Geography and Nature

Sacramento from the Riverwalk

Sacramento County covers about 994 square miles (2,574 km²). Most of this area is land (965 sq mi or 2,499 km²), and a smaller part is water (29 sq mi or 75 km²). Much of the county is very close to sea level, and some parts are even below it. The highest point is Carpenter Hill, which is 831 feet (253 meters) tall, located in the southeast near Folsom.

Important rivers in the county include the American River, Sacramento River, and Cosumnes River.

Neighboring Counties

Sacramento County shares its borders with these other counties:

• Sutter County - to the northwest
• Placer County - to the north
• El Dorado County - to the northeast
• Amador County - to the east
• San Joaquin County - to the south
• Contra Costa County - to the southwest
• Solano County - to the west
• Yolo County - to the west

Protected Natural Areas

The county is home to some special protected areas:

• Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge
• California National Historic Trail
• Pony Express National Historic Trail

People and Population

Population in 2020

In 2020, Sacramento County had 1,585,055 people. The population is very diverse, meaning people from many different backgrounds live here.

Ethnic origins in Sacramento County

Population in 2010

In 2010, the county had 1,418,788 people. About 57.5% were White, 15.4% African American, and 14.3% Asian. About 21.6% of the people were Hispanic or Latino.

Education in Sacramento County

Sacramento County has many schools and colleges for students of all ages.

Colleges and Universities

There are several public and private colleges and universities:

Public Universities

• California State University Sacramento
• UC Davis Extension (includes medical and nursing schools)

Community Colleges

• Los Rios Community College District (with campuses like American River College, Cosumnes River College, Folsom Lake College, and Sacramento City College)
• San Joaquin Delta Community College District
• Sierra Joint Community College District

Private Colleges

• University of the Pacific in Sacramento
• National University Sacramento Regional Campus
• University of San Francisco Regional Campus
• Many other specialized private schools

K-12 Schools

The county has many school districts for students from kindergarten through 12th grade:

• Center Joint Unified School District
• Elk Grove Unified School District
• Folsom-Cordova Unified School District
• Natomas Unified School District
• River Delta Unified School District
• Sacramento City Unified School District
• San Juan Unified School District
• Twin Rivers Unified School District

There are also districts just for high school or elementary school.

Getting Around: Transportation

Pocket-Greenhaven

Sacramento County has many ways to travel, from public buses and trains to major highways and airports.

Public Transportation

• Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT): This system provides bus and light rail services. The light rail has Blue, Green, and Gold lines.
• Yolobus: Connects Sacramento County with nearby Yolo County, including Davis.
• Both SacRT and Yolobus offer bus services to Sacramento International Airport.
• Amtrak: Passenger trains run from the Sacramento Valley station. You can take trains like the Coast Starlight or California Zephyr to other parts of California and the U.S.

Major Roads and Highways

Many important highways pass through Sacramento County, making it easy to travel by car:

• I-5
• I-80
• I-80 Bus.
• US 50
• SR 12
• SR 16
• SR 84
• SR 99
• SR 104
• SR 160
• SR 220
• SR 275

Airports

• Sacramento International Airport: This is a large airport with many passenger flights. It is owned by Sacramento County.
• The county also owns two smaller airports for general aviation: Sacramento Mather Airport and Sacramento Executive Airport.
• Sacramento McClellan Airport: This used to be a military base and is now a privately owned airport.

Local Roads

The Sacramento County Department of Transportation (SACDOT) takes care of about 2,200 miles (3,540 km) of roads in the county's unincorporated areas. These roads range from big six-lane streets to smaller country roads.

Cities and Towns

Old Town Elk Grove

Folsom Lake

Sacramento County has several cities and many smaller communities.

Cities

• Citrus Heights
• Elk Grove
• Folsom
• Galt
• Isleton
• Rancho Cordova
• Sacramento (This is the main city and county seat)

Census-Designated Places (CDPs)

These are areas that are like towns but are not officially incorporated as cities.

Unincorporated Community

• Locke

Population Ranking of Communities (2020 Census)

This table shows the largest cities and towns in Sacramento County based on the 2020 census. † county seat

Images for kids

• 

  A map of Sacramento County from 1885, showing its different areas.

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Sacramento para niños