Since the late 20th century, it has been one of the fastest growing urban regions in the United States as Sacramento continues to emerge as a distinct metropolitan area.

The growth is due in part to first, higher costs of living in the Bay Area which have caused commuters to move as far as Yolo and Sacramento counties and more recently, growth and rising living costs in the core of Sacramento, building up more areas in the surrounding counties for commuters.

Local and state governments are trying to prevent destruction of forests and open land and curbing the spread before Sacramento faces an urban sprawl crisis as the Greater Los Angeles Area has.

In 2002, Time Magazine featured an article recognizing Sacramento as the most diverse and integrated city in America.

El Dorado and Placer Counties form the remainder of the inner core of Greater Sacramento and are composed of the Sierra Nevada foothills and mountains.

It is home to Sunsweet Growers, which owns the world's largest dried fruit plant in Yuba City.

Douglas County, Nevada was recently briefly added to the Sacramento Combined Statistical Area.

The western half of Greater Sacramento is centered on the Central Valley, one of the most vital agricultural areas in the country.

Sacramento and the valley area have a Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csa), characterized by damp to wet, cool winters and hot, dry summers.

The racial makeup was 52.5% White, 7.0% Black, 1.1% American Indian, 14.9% Asian, 0.9% Pacific Islander, 10.4% Other and 13.2% Two or More Races.

Owing to its central location between the Bay Area and Nevada border, Greater Sacramento is a key transportation hub into Northern California.

Sacramento is the largest rail hub west of the Mississippi River and was the first terminus of the First transcontinental railroad before it extended to Oakland.

Other train stations in the Greater Sacramento area are Davis, Roseville, Rocklin, Auburn, Colfax and Truckee.

The Yuba-Sutter Transit provides bus service in the Yuba–Sutter area and direct connection to downtown Sacramento on weekdays.

Gold Country Stage and Tahoe Truckee Area Rapid Transit serve Nevada County and transfer service to Auburn to Sacramento is provided.

Greyhound, Megabus, Flixbus, and Amtrak provide long-distance bus lines to Greater Sacramento.

Sacramento Republic FC is a soccer team that plays in the USL Championship at Papa Murphy's Park, which is located on the grounds of Cal Expo.

A new stadium in downtown Sacramento is planned to be completed ahead of the club's move to Major League Soccer (MLS).

[19] The Sacramento River Cats are a triple-A baseball team affiliated with the San Francisco Giants.