Northern California has 48 counties , as opposed to the 10 counties of Southern California .
Spanning the state 's northernmost 48 counties , in contrast to the 10 counties of Southern California , its main population centers include the San Francisco Bay Area ( anchored by the cities of San Francisco , San Jose , and Oakland ) , the Greater Sacramento area ( anchored by the state capital Sacramento ) , and the Metropolitan Fresno area ( anchored by the city of Fresno ) .
Northern California