Communities

Sacramento County, rich in history and host to the Capitol of California, has witnessed sustained, rapid growth for more than three decades. Now home to more than 1.3 million people, Sacramento was one of the original 27 charter counties incorporated on Feb. 18, 1850.

The area, first noted on explorers' maps as the confluence of the Sacramento and American rivers, attracted Captain John A. Sutter who obtained vast land holdings here and developed his master plan for New Helvetia. His success was destroyed when James W. Marshall discovered gold near Sutter's mill on the American River. Workers deserted the fields and stock to search for gold.

But Sacramento's early agricultural history sustained the local economy until World War II added a military component and expanded the housing market substantially.

Today, the county still ranks 22nd in agricultural production despite rapid urbanization. In 2001, the California Farm Bureau reported $294.9 million in agricultural production. The top five categories were wine grapes, milk, nursery stock, Bartlett pears and poultry.

Sacramento is much more today. New home construction is taking place at the El Dorado County line to the east, along the western border with Yolo County, at the edge of Sutter County, and in Elk Grove and Galt, near San Joaquin County. Sacramento is at the center of a metropolitan area, offering a diverse economy, varied housing opportunities, cultural and entertainment opportunities associated with major cities.

From the world-renown Sacramento Railroad Museum steeped in the historic Transcontinental Railroad to Sacramento International Airport, Sacramento County has kept pace with the march of history.

The median value of a Sacramento County home in the year 2000 was $144,200. More than 58 percent of the 475,000 living units here are occupied by the homeowner. Per capita income measured in 1999 was $21,142 and the median household income reached $43,816. The U.S. Census Bureau Quickfacts report on Sacramento County may be obtained at http://quickfacts.census.gov