As of 2010, the city of Los Angeles had an estimated population of more than 3.7 million people. Los Angeles is the entertainment capital of the world, site of major film studios such as Walt Disney, DreamWorks, MGM, Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros., Sony Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox and Universal Pictures. Major theme parks, including Disneyland, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Universal Studios Hollywood and Raging Waters, are also located in the Los Angeles area. Movie production, tourism and hospitality, and digital information technology are the major sectors of employment in the city. Los Angeles is also the largest manufacturing center in the country, and more than 389,300 workers were employed in that industry as of 2009, according to the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation.
The San Diego Association of Governments estimated the 2010 population of San Diego as 1.37 million, the second largest city in California and the eighth largest in the United States. Located about 120 miles south of Los Angeles, San Diego features attractions such as the San Diego Zoo, Wild Animal Park, Sea World and Legoland. It's also home to Balboa Park, one of the largest cultural parks in the United States, with 15 museums and art galleries. San Diego's industries include telecommunications, biotechnology, electronics and software, and 41 percent of workers over the age of 25 possess a bachelor's degree. In 2006, Money magazine ranked the city as the fifth-best place to live.
San Francisco's population was estimated at to be 805,000, according to the 2010 U.S. Census, making it the fourth highest populated city in California and representing a 3 percent increase from the 2000 Census. Located on the San Francisco Peninsula leading to the Pacific Ocean, the city is famous for such attractions as the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf. The city is also known for its cable cars, sloping hills and neighborhoods that include Pacific Heights, Chinatown and Nob Hill. As a thriving financial and technological center, San Francisco boasts many software-development companies, and its proximity to Silicon Valley attracts global, high-technology investors.
Sacramento, founded in 1849, is the capital of California, and the oldest incorporated city in California. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city had an estimated population of 1.4 million in 2009. Attractions include historic old Sacramento, the Sacramento Marina, Sacramento Zoo and Fairytale Town, a sprawling park built for children that features more than 25 sets modeled on classic nursery rhymes and fairy tales. The city's largest employer is the government and the transportation industry, especially as it relates to rail transportation. Agriculture is also an economic factor in the Sacramento valley where fruits, vegetables and rice are cultivated.
