Sutter County, part of the Sacramento Valley, was established in 1850 and named after pioneer John Sutter. The county seat is Yuba City; other towns include Live Oak and Meridian. The economy remains strongly agricultural—rice, walnuts, peaches—and the lifestyle is quiet and semi-rural. Yuba City, however, has developed a suburban feel with shopping centers and newer subdivisions. Housing types range from ranch-style homes on large lots to new suburban tracts. Average home prices are about US $430 000 – 470 000; building new typically costs US $225 – 300 per sq ft depending on infrastructure. The county is mostly rural-suburban; its proximity (~45 mi) to Sacramento makes it an emerging commuter zone. Terrain is flat, framed by the Sutter Buttes volcanic range. The region offers a lower-cost, small-town environment appealing to families and retirees.