Sakiai District has traditionally been an area of extensive farming. The basic branches of agriculture are cattle-breeding and crop-growing, flax and sugar beets being the most popular crops. Private farming prevails today. An area of 39,428 ha in the district is covered with forests.

There are no big industrial enterprises in Sakiai, though some larger factories are situated in the settlements, including Kriuku Baldai (Kriukai Furniture) in Kriukai, Gelgaudiskio Melioracija and Gelgaudiskio Gelzbetonis (Gelgaudiskis Ferro-concrete Plant), Gelgaudiskis, Suvalkijos Linai (Suvalkija Flax), Kudirkos Naumiestis, Lekeciai Wood Processing Plant and Gahlert Textile, a German-Lithuanian joint venture in Luksiai. Mainly small trading and service industries constitute the economic structure of the District.

Sakiai is the administrative centre of the municipality. Mr Vidas Cikana was elected Mayor of the District in 1997.

History tells that Sakiai, originally known as Village Sakaiciai, was founded in the 16 century ( first mentioned in historical manuscripts in 1599). The village at first belonged to the Gelgaudiskis Estate, well-known at that time. In 1719 it was named Sakiai. In 1748 a church was built, and in 1776 the town was given Magdeburg Rights. From 1918 until 1950 Sakiai was a county centre.

The monument to Vincas Kudirka, the author of Lithuania's national anthem.