The United States' Sacramento County contains the census-designated place Fair Oaks. It is a part of the metro statistical area that includes Roseville, Arden, Arcade, and Sacramento. 916 and 279 are the city's area codes, while the zip code for Fair Oaks is 95628. The cities of Citrus Heights on the north, Carmichael on the west, Orangevale and Folsom on the east, the American River and Gold River on the south, and Orangevale and Folsom on the west all abut Fair Oaks. As a semi-rural neighborhood with convenient access to Highway 50, Fair Oaks offers a mix of expensive, custom home pocket neighborhoods, a few apartments, and some open space.

Fair Oaks experiences hot, dry summers and moderate, wet winters thanks to its Mediterranean climate. The warmest and coldest months are July and December respectively, with the annual mean temperature averaging 61.0 °F. The "delta breeze" from the San Francisco Bay helps to relieve the summer's oppressive heat, which averages 73 days with temperatures above 90 °F. In January and December, fog frequently occurs. About 18.52 inches of precipitation fall on the area each year, mostly from October to April with sporadic light rain in June and September. During late July through early September, occasional monsoonal surges bring elevated humidity, cloudiness, and precipitation. At Fair Oaks' low elevation of 174 feet, snow is unusual, although hail during chilly storms can cause driving problems.

Earl LeGette Elementary School, Northridge Elementary School, Orangevale Open K-8 School, Will Rogers Middle School, Bella Vista High School, Del Campo High School, and other public schools are among those in Fair Oaks that are a part of the San Juan Unified School District. Relevant private schools in Fair Oaks also include Summit Christian School, Sacramento Waldorf School, and St. Mel Catholic School, as well as Summit Christian School.

There are numerous ways to get about Fair Oaks. The Sacramento Regional Transit District serves the neighborhood, however there isn't any light rail service at the moment. The American River Parkway Bike Trail is the largest of the many bike routes in the area. Major roads including Interstate 80 (which connects San Francisco and Reno), Interstate 80 Business (West Sacramento), Highway 50 (which connects Sacramento and South Lake Tahoe), and State Route 244 are the main routes that provide access to Fair Oaks. Local transport is facilitated by important avenues and roads like Madison Avenue, Sunrise Boulevard, Hazel Avenue, and Fair Oaks Boulevard, with Sunrise Ave Bridge having significant traffic during morning and afternoon rush hours.