Sacramento, California is a great place to live with many job opportunities and a vibrant culture. Local companies such as Intel, UnitedHealth Group, Sutter Health, and Chevron are among the many businesses that contribute to the city’s economy. The cost of living in Sacramento is quite high compared to the rest of the US; according to 2019 data, the rent for a two-bedroom apartment was around US$1780 compared to US$1430 nationally, while the food cost index was 105 versus 100 in the US. Despite this, Sacramento is still an attractive place for people moving to California due to its safe neighborhoods and strong labor market.
The Sacramento metropolitan area is the fifth largest in California after the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the San Francisco Bay Area, the Inland Empire, and the San Diego metropolitan area and is the 27th largest in the United States.
Sacramento’s economy has historically been dominated by the state and federal governments, and currently employs more than 120,000 public sector workers. In recent years, however, Sacramento has seen a diversification of its local economy, with gains in healthcare, manufacturing, and technology. Adventist Health, Aerojet Rocketdyne, Blue Diamond Growers, Golden 1 Credit Union, Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Nugget Markets, Powerschool, Raley’s Supermarkets, Solidigm, Sutter Health, Teichert, The McClatchy Company, and VSP Vision Care are well-known companies based in Sacramento and the surrounding metropolitan area. Other major companies that operate in Sacramento include Amazon, Apple, Centene, Hewlett Packard, Intel, Oracle and Siemens Mobility.
In recent years, the Port of Sacramento has suffered operating losses and is facing bankruptcy. This serious loss in business is caused by strong competition from the Port of Stockton, which has a larger facility and a deeper channel. Since 2006, the City of West Sacramento has taken over responsibility for the Port of Sacramento. During the Vietnam War, the Port of Sacramento was the main terminus for all military supplies, equipment, and other cargo bound for Southeast Asia.
