Elk Grove is a city in Sacramento County, California, United States. Located just south of the state capital of Sacramento, it is part of the Sacramento metropolitan area. As of the 2020 Census, the population of the city was 176,124.[10] A 2021 Census estimate puts the population of the city at 187,985.[11] Elk Grove has many wineries, wine cellars, and vineyards.[12] Elk Grove was the fastest-growing city in the U.S. between July 1, 2004, and July 1, 2005, and is also presently the second-largest city in Sacramento County by population.[13]

Elk Grove, California
Flag of Elk Grove, California
Official seal of Elk Grove, California
Official logo of Elk Grove, California
Location of Elk Grove in Sacramento County, California
Location of Elk Grove in Sacramento County, California
Elk Grove, California is located in the United States
Elk Grove, California
Elk Grove, California
Location in the contiguous United States
Coordinates: 38°26′18″N 121°22′55″W / 38.43833°N 121.38194°W / 38.43833; -121.38194
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
CountySacramento
DistrictCosumnes CSD[1]
IncorporatedJuly 1, 2000[3]
Government
 • TypeCouncil/Manager[4]
 • MayorBobbie Singh-Allen[5]
 • Vice MayorRod Brewer (appointed by city council and rotated annually)[5]
 • Chief Of PoliceBobby Davis
 • Fire Chief (Cosumnes CSD)Felipe Rodriguez[6]
Area
 • Total42.20 sq mi (109.29 km2)
 • Land42.03 sq mi (108.86 km2)
 • Water0.17 sq mi (0.43 km2)  0.12%
Elevation46 ft (14 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total187,985[2]
 • Rank2nd in Sacramento County
26th in California
147th in the United States
 • Density4,190.44/sq mi (1,617.89/km2)
Time zoneUTC−8 (Pacific)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−7 (PDT)
ZIP codes[9]
95624, 95757–95759
Area code916, 279
FIPS code06-22020
GNIS feature IDs277506, 2410425
Websiteelkgrovecity.org

It is a general law city with a council/manager form of government.[5] One of Elk Grove's largest employers is the Elk Grove Unified School District, which is the city's second-largest employer.

History

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The Miwok inhabited the area.[14]

Spanish explorer Gabriel Moraga entered the region in 1808, naming the valley "Sacramento Valley" in honor of Sacramento, the Holy Sacrament in Spanish, giving the northerly city of Sacramento its name.[15] A writer on Moraga's expedition wrote of the region:

Canopies of oaks and cottonwoods, many festooned with grapevines, overhung both sides of the blue current. Birds chattered in the trees and big fish darted through the pellucid depths. The air was like champagne, and (the Spaniards) drank deep of it, drank in the beauty around them.[16]

Elk Grove was founded in 1850 as a stage stop for travelers coming from Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay Area, when the Elk Grove Hotel and Stage Stop was opened by James Hall and the town was named after it.[17] In 1868 the Western Division of the Central Pacific Railroad came through about a mile east of Elk Grove. At this new location another hotel was built to accommodate travelers and was named the Elk Grove Hotel.[18]

In the following decades, Elk Grove remained a small farming community with little urban development. In the late 1980s, suburban development projects began to spring up around the community, specifically in the north near Sacramento. These were meant to serve Sacramento's population, as well as San Francisco commuters seeking a commuting community relatively near the San Francisco Bay Area where they could reside. Such changes triggered a period of rapid growth. On July 1, 2000, Elk Grove incorporated as a city. The city's growth peaked in 2004 and 2005, when Elk Grove was declared the fastest growing city in the US.[19]

Apple Inc. manufactured its iMac line in Elk Grove as late as 2002. After many of those tasks were offshored in 2004, the facility was converted into the modern Apple Elk Grove campus.[20] In 2018, Apple invested $4.2 million into expanding the office space, expanding its already established AppleCare support presence in the region.[21]

In 2008, Elk Grove suffered heavily from the subprime mortgage crisis due to its suburban nature.[22]

In 2011, two Sikh American grandfathers were killed while out for a walk on Stockton Boulevard.[23] This led to a national public outcry by the community, raising safety concerns for the city's 3,000 Sikh community members.[24] The city completed the "Singh and Kaur Park" in 2021 to commemorate the lives of the slain men, and to raise awareness about the Sikh faith.[25] In 2020, Elk Grove elected Bobbie Allen-Singh as its new mayor, making her the first Sikh woman to hold the position of mayor in an American city.[26] She secured re-election for her second term in 2022 and for her third term in 2024, achieving victories in both elections by progressively larger margins.[27][28]

Geography

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Climate

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Elk Grove is 5–10 miles (8–16 km) south of the state capital in Sacramento and experiences a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen: Csa) with hot summers and cool winters. Summers are moderated by a cool Pacific Ocean breeze also known as the "delta breeze" which comes through the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta from the San Francisco Bay.[29]

Climate data for Elk Grove, California
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 74
(23)
79
(26)
88
(31)
95
(35)
103
(39)
112
(44)
112
(44)
113
(45)
117
(47)
101
(38)
86
(30)
73
(23)
117
(47)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 56
(13)
61
(16)
66
(19)
72
(22)
80
(27)
88
(31)
93
(34)
92
(33)
88
(31)
78
(26)
64
(18)
56
(13)
75
(24)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 41
(5)
42
(6)
44
(7)
47
(8)
51
(11)
56
(13)
59
(15)
59
(15)
59
(15)
53
(12)
46
(8)
40
(4)
50
(10)
Record low °F (°C) 21
(−6)
23
(−5)
25
(−4)
34
(1)
37
(3)
41
(5)
49
(9)
50
(10)
44
(7)
31
(−1)
24
(−4)
15
(−9)
15
(−9)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.5
(89)
3.38
(86)
2.88
(73)
1.31
(33)
0.65
(17)
0.16
(4.1)
0.05
(1.3)
0.06
(1.5)
0.31
(7.9)
0.92
(23)
2.13
(54)
2.91
(74)
18.59
(472)
Source: [30]

Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note
19602,205
19703,72168.8%
198010,959194.5%
199017,48359.5%
200059,984243.1%
2010153,015155.1%
2020176,12415.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[31][2]

2020

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Elk Grove city, California – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000[33] Pop 2010[34] Pop 2020[35] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 32,252 58,305 51,218 53.77% 38.10% 29.08%
Black or African American alone (NH) 4,967 16,462 17,149 8.28% 10.76% 9.74%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 370 507 521 0.62% 0.33% 0.30%
Asian alone (NH) 10,392 39,479 58,036 17.32% 25.80% 32.95%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 336 1,731 2,446 0.56% 1.13% 1.39%
Other race alone (NH) 237 350 1,141 0.40% 0.33% 0.65%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 3,032 8,600 12,221 5.05% 5.62% 6.94%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 8,398 27,581 33,392 14.00% 18.03% 18.96%
Total 59,984 153,015 176,124 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

Economy

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Employers

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Top 12 employers in Elk Grove in 2022[36]
# Employer # of Employees
1 Apple Inc. 5,000
2 Elk Grove Unified School District 3,857
3 CA Correctional Health Care Services 1,437
4 Walmart (3 locations) 569
5 Kaiser Permanente (2 locations) 530
6 Costco Wholesale Corporation 400
7 Raley's/Bel Air Markets 378
8 City of Elk Grove 374
9 Alldata LLC 363
10 Cosumnes Community Services District 318
11 Safeway (2 locations) 252
12 Trader Joe's 100

Arts and culture

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Public libraries

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The Elk Grove Public Library is located at 8900 Elk Grove Boulevard in a modern two-story building, it moved to this location in 2008 from its old building one block east. The library is part of the broader Sacramento Public Library system. The Elk Grove Library also serves neighboring communities such as Vineyard, Wilton, Sloughhouse, and Rancho Murieta.[37] Additional local libraries supplement neighborhoods, such as the public Franklin High Library. Elk Grove Public Library was the first free Public in Sacramento County.[38]

Parks and recreation

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Cosumnes Community Services District owns and operates over 100 parks in Elk Grove, including Emerald Lakes Golf Course.[39]

Government

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Beginning in 2012, voters elect the mayor for a two-year term. Prior to 2012, the mayor's position was a one-year term and was chosen by the city council. The remaining four positions on the city council are elected by districts for four-year terms.[5]

On November 8, 2016, Steve Ly became the second directly elected mayor following Gary Davis. He is the first ethnic Hmong mayor in the United States, having immigrated at the age of four with his family as refugees from Laos after the end of the Vietnam War.[40][41] Currently, Bobbie Singh-Allen sits as mayor having defeated Ly in the 2020 election following Ly's controversial tenure.[42] The remaining council members are Darren Suen (District 1), Rod Brewer (District 2), Kevin Spease (District 3) and Sergio Robles (District 4).[5]

Elk Grove is in California's 7th congressional district, represented by Democrat Doris Matsui.[43]

The Cosumnes Community Services District is the largest Community Services District in California and provides parks and recreation services and fire protection services in Elk Grove. Located in southern Sacramento County, the district covers 157 square miles (410 km2).The board of directors is the governing body of the district and is composed of five duly-elected or appointed residents. At the beginning of each year, the board selects from its members a president and vice-president to serve during the ensuing year.[44]

Education

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The Elk Grove Unified School District is the fifth largest school district in California and one of the fastest growing school districts in the nation. It also consistently ranks among the top school districts in the state. Located in southern Sacramento County, the district covers 320 square miles (830 km2), one-third of the county. For the 2002–03 school year, the district served more than 52,500 students, and grew to 62,767 students in the 2016–2017 school year. Those students attend 40 elementary schools, 9 middle schools, 9 high schools and 7 alternative high schools.[45]

There are also several private schools in town. A local community college, Cosumnes River College, offers both career training and a transfer program to four-year universities, such as the CSU system and UC system across the state of California. Located nearby are California State University, Sacramento and the University of California, Davis. Elk Grove is also the home of the private six-year Universalist college Quest Seminary.[dubiousdiscuss][46] In 2013, California Northstate University College of Pharmacy, which offers a Doctor of Pharmacy degree program, relocated to Elk Grove (near Interstate 5).

Infrastructure

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Buses

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Elk Grove is serviced by a E-tran, a fared bus system that traverses many of the city's main routes.[47] SmaRT Ride is a free, on-demand, Sacramento Regional Transit District system for students that services main routes.[48]

Rail

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There are plans for SacRT to expand its light rail system two miles south from Cosumnes River College to Elk Grove Boulevard, however these plans for a new light-rail station are currently in the planning phase.[49]

Amtrak California San Joaquin inter-city rail and Altamont Corridor Express commuter rail were expected to be brought directly to Elk Grove in 2021, on the existing rail line which extends from Marysville in the north to Stockton in the south.[50] In February 2024, Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen announced that the City of Elk Grove had closed escrow on the new station property.[51]

Notable people

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Sister cities

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Elk Grove is a sister city of Concepción de Ataco in El Salvador.[60]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Cosumnes CSD - Fire, Parks & Recreation Dept - Elk Grove & Galt, CA - Community Services District Home Page". Archived from the original on February 5, 2015. Retrieved February 5, 2015.
  2. ^ a b "QuickFacts Elk Grove city, California". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on November 28, 2022. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
  3. ^ "California Cities by Incorporation Date". California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions. Archived from the original (Word) on November 3, 2014. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
  4. ^ "City Government". City of Elk Grove. Archived from the original on December 25, 2018. Retrieved February 9, 2015.
  5. ^ a b c d e "City Council". City of Elk Grove. Archived from the original on December 25, 2018. Retrieved February 9, 2015.
  6. ^ Macdonald, Cameron. "Rodriguez becomes Cosumnes fire chief". Elk Grove Citizen. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
  7. ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on January 16, 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  8. ^ "Elk Grove". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved October 12, 2014.
  9. ^ "ZIP Code(tm) Lookup". United States Postal Service. Archived from the original on November 16, 2014. Retrieved December 5, 2014.
  10. ^ "Quick Facts Elk Grove city, California". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on November 28, 2022. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  11. ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Elk Grove city, California". www.census.gov. Archived from the original on November 28, 2022. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
  12. ^ "THE BEST 10 Wineries in Elk Grove, CA - Last Updated February 2021". Yelp. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  13. ^ "US Census Press Releases". Archived from the original on June 24, 2006. Retrieved January 2, 2016.
  14. ^ "HISTORY – Miwok of Elk Grove". Elk Grove Historical Society. Archived from the original on August 5, 2020. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  15. ^ "Sacramento, California City History and Historical Figures". ByCityLight.com. Archived from the original on February 7, 2016. Retrieved January 2, 2016.
  16. ^ "Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament - Sacramento, California". Cathedralsacramento.org. November 11, 2012. Archived from the original on November 16, 2012. Retrieved November 16, 2012.
  17. ^ Erwin, Gudde (2004). California Place Names: The origin and etymology of current geographical names. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. p. 121.
  18. ^ "Pleasant Grove Cemetery: Elk Grove's History". Archived from the original on March 12, 2011.
  19. ^ "Sacramento Suburb Tops Fast-Growth List". Los Angeles Times. June 21, 2006. Archived from the original on June 16, 2022. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
  20. ^ Duhigg, Charles; Keith Bradsher (January 21, 2012). "How the U.S. Lost Out on iPhone Work". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 29, 2018. Retrieved January 24, 2012.
  21. ^ "Apple spends $4.2m on office space to expand Elk Grove presence". AppleInsider. Archived from the original on June 29, 2022. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
  22. ^ "Is America's suburban dream collapsing into a nightmare?". CNN. June 16, 2008. Archived from the original on January 17, 2016. Retrieved January 2, 2016.
  23. ^ "Two Killed Sikh Grandfathers To Be Remembered with Park". NBC News. July 29, 2016. Retrieved November 10, 2024.
  24. ^ Romney, Lee (April 11, 2011). "Attack on Sikh men triggers outcry in Elk Grove, Calif., and beyond". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 10, 2024.
  25. ^ Cleary, Luke (May 29, 2021). "Community groups celebrate the opening of Singh and Kaur Park in Elk Grove". ABC10. Retrieved November 10, 2024.
  26. ^ "Bobbie Singh-Allen". The New Deal. November 7, 2024.
  27. ^ "Sacramento County - Election Night Results". results.saccounty.gov. Retrieved November 10, 2024.
  28. ^ "Who's ahead in Elk Grove elections? See early results for mayor, EGUSD and Measure N bond". Yahoo News. November 6, 2024. Retrieved November 10, 2024.
  29. ^ "Elk Grove climate: Average Temperature, weather by month, Elk Grove weather averages - Climate-Data.org". en.climate-data.org. Archived from the original on June 26, 2024. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  30. ^ "Zipcode 95624". www.plantmaps.com. Archived from the original on April 27, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
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  32. ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  33. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Elk Grove city, California". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 26, 2024. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  34. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Elk Grove city, California". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 26, 2024. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  35. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Elk Grove city, California". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on January 13, 2024. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  36. ^ 2021 ACFR civiclive.com Archived 2022-10-03 at the Wayback Machine
  37. ^ "Elk Grove Library". Saclibrary.org. Archived from the original on March 22, 2010. Retrieved November 29, 2009.
  38. ^ "Site Of First County Free Library Branch In California #817". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
  39. ^ "Elk Grove Opens 100th park". Elkgrovecity.org. April 27, 2021. Archived from the original on June 8, 2021. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  40. ^ "Elk Grove's new mayor cheered by Hmong worldwide". sacbee. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
  41. ^ Wang, Frances Kai-Hwa. "For Nation’s First Hmong Mayor, Life Is an 'American Story'" Archived October 8, 2019, at the Wayback Machine, NBC News, December 13, 2016. Accessed March 1, 2017. "Steve Ly will make history this month as the nation's first Hmong-American mayor, though it's a historic moment that he says he acknowledges, but doesn't dwell on.... According to 2010 US Census figures, 26.3 percent of Elk Grove's population is Asian and 1.2 percent Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander alone. Of those, Ly estimates that only about 2,000 to 3,000 voters are Hmong American."
  42. ^ Finch, Michael. "Bobbie Singh Allen announces bid for Elk Grove mayor, challenging embattled incumbent". sacbee.com. Sacramento Bee. Archived from the original on June 19, 2021. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
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  46. ^ "Quest Seminary". Questseminary.org. Archived from the original on July 26, 2012. Retrieved November 29, 2009.
  47. ^ "Transit (e-Tran) - City of Elk Grove". Elkgrovecity.org. September 13, 2015. Archived from the original on December 31, 2015. Retrieved January 2, 2016.
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  49. ^ "SacRT Initiatives". Sacramento Regional Transit District. October 15, 2019. Archived from the original on January 15, 2022. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
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  56. ^ "Elk Grove native Lance Briggs plans to retire from NFL"[permanent dead link], Cincinnati.com via Associated Press., September 3, 2015. Accessed March 1, 2017.
  57. ^ Hull, John. "Where Are They Now: Bill Cartwright" Archived June 22, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, Elk Grove Citizen, March 30, 2010. Accessed March 1, 2017. "Cartwright has countless memories of those experiences, but when he sits down and begins reminiscing of his days in Elk Grove, stories of his teenage years start flowing out in sharp detail."
  58. ^ Aleaziz, Hamed (August 12, 2017). "Earl Gage, SF's 1st black firefighter, to be memorialized Monday". SFGate. Archived from the original on July 16, 2020. Retrieved July 15, 2020.
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  60. ^ "Sister Cities". City of Elk Grove. Archived from the original on February 4, 2015. Retrieved February 5, 2015.
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