Yolo County

Yolo County, California, with a population of just over 215,000, is a naturally beautiful and richly diverse county. It is one of the leading agricultural producers in the nation with 661,000 acres that are used primarily for farming and ranching. The Capay Valley is one of the leaders in the nation for organic farming.

While agriculture is Yolo County’s primary industry, nearly 85% of the County’s population lives in the four cities of Davis, West Sacramento, Woodland, and Winters. It is an increasingly diverse county with 22% of the population born outside the United States.

An abundance of academic and cultural resources are located within the County, such as the University of California, Davis with 35,000 acres and the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts, a world-class performance center and concert hall.

Recreational activities include whitewater rafting and kayaking along Cache Creek, bicycling on scenic country roads and bike paths, and fishing and water-skiing along the Sacramento River. The Sacramento Rivercats baseball team is located in West Sacramento and the nearby Golden One Center is home to the Sacramento Kings basketball team.

The County seat is located in Woodland, which is just 20 miles northwest of the State Capitol of Sacramento. Its proximity to the Sacramento International Airport and two major highways places Yolo County within a major transportation hub, as well as within two hours driving distance to the San Francisco Bay Area, Napa-Sonoma wine region, and the pristine mountains and ski resorts of Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada.

Yolo County is committed to the preservation of open space, habitat and historical resources including water and agricultural resources. Complementing County efforts to preserve its farming and open space heritage, the County is keeping natural resources conservation high on its priority list. Yolo County aims to safeguard agriculture and open space, while creating more nature preserves and educational opportunities.

Yolo County is one of California’s original counties and operates under General Law. The County is governed by an elected Board of Supervisors consisting of five members. The County is organized into functional areas such as: General Government (which includes the Library and the County Archives and Records Center); Law and Justice Services; Health and Human Services; and Community Services.