West Sacramento proudly stands on the west bank of the Sacramento River, opposite Sacramento and the State Capitol. Like it’s cross-river neighbor, West Sacramento traces its origin to the 1849 Gold Rush. With gold dust accelerating Sacramento’s development as a major city, West Sacramento’s protected location allowed it to evolve independently, while preserving its small town character.

In 1987, West Sacramento history took a purposeful direction when citizens voted to incorporate, establishing the state’s 444th city—thus opening an exciting era turning West Sacramento into a premier business and living environment.

Today West Sacramento is pursuing the brightest opportunities of the new economy while retaining the city's old economy strengths and values. Businesses are investing in West Sacramento to take advantage of the city's central location, affordable land prices and rich pool of skilled labor. Cutting-edge companies like Affymetrix, Inc., manufacturer of the Gene Chip, and Dade Behring Inc., are part of the city's growing biotech and biomedical cluster. The California Fuel Cell Partnership, an international alliance of auto and energy companies, has established its unique research and demonstration facility in West Sacramento. From genes to clean engines, companies have realized that West Sacramento's proximity to U.C. Davis, the State Capitol and the Bay Area place it on a short list of must-consider sites.

On the other side of town, Flowmaster cranks out state-of-the-art exhaust systems sold to a loyal and national customer base, and the city's huge distribution and trucking business hums around the clock, moving products throughout the western United States. For these companies, West Sacramento's two interstate highways, and nearby air cargo, rail and port facilities offer an unmatched locational advantage.

Elsewhere, the city is creating the kind of residential neighborhoods that warm the hearts of young and old alike. Developers are building thousands of single-family homes in all price ranges in West Sacramento's award-winning Southport community. Linked by pedestrian paths and organized into a series of villages, the homes lie only a few miles from the State Capitol and downtown Sacramento. Along the river, new infill housing is underway, offering exciting, urban living opportunities a short walk away from the city's new River Walk Park.

West Sacramento is a rich stew of new and old companies, urban and suburban office parks, and established neighborhoods and developing residential areas. The successful blending of these elements is testimony to the city's unique central location and independent governance. The city is minutes away from downtown Sacramento, within easy reach of university talent, and served by an educated and skilled workforce of over one million people.

And if life were all about work, that would be enough. In West Sacramento, however, we still believe in having fun. That is why the city has an established parks and community service program, the Triple A Sacramento River Cats baseball team, a July 3rd fireworks extravaganza, and a program to develop, for public access and enjoyment, its 11 miles of scenic Sacramento River frontage.