California Real Estate & Relocation Guide

Elk Grove, California

Population: 72,000

Located in Sacramento County

Today, Elk Grove is the second-fastest-growing area in the region and the first newly incorporated city of the year, with a population growth that is phenomenal. However, its ability to retain the feel of that small town that began back in 1850 makes Elk Grove special to its residents.

As the population has grown so have its retail and service businesses. This has allowed Elk Grove to beautifully blend that small-town feeling with all the amenities of an urban area. With the explosion of growth, a conscious effort has been made to maintain the community's character. Janet Toppenberg, executive director of the Elk Grove Chamber of Commerce, points out, "It takes attitude and effort to maintain our small town/rural feel. We try to encourage it with such family-oriented events as the Salute to Red, White and Blue and Western Day."

The area has also taken steps to ensure that business and residential developments don't displace the natural beauty of the region by preserving open spaces such as the Cosumnes River Preserve and the Stone Lakes Wildlife Refuge. In addition, the Elk Grove Community Services District has made providing quality parks for its residents a priority. In fact, Elk Grove is known for its excellence in park systems management.

Elk Grove is a family-oriented area that offers everything from starter homes to ranch estates. Its population is diverse in ethnicity, age, income levels and other areas-a trend Elk Grove has seen recently is that of multi-generation families moving to the area. The region boasts excellent schools and a district with an impeccable reputation. Also, as Elk Grove blossoms and more businesses make their home in the area, inhabitants will be able to live and work in the region with a minimal commute.

Residents are proud of the city's past, and the Elk Grove Historical Society is an active force in the community. It offers living history demonstrations of life in the 19th century at the Rhodes School, which was originally built in 1872. "We are working on opening the Elk Grove Hotel and Stage Stop Museum, which will feature relics from Elk Grove's past," says Elliot Mulberg, a member of the historical society. Elk Grove is poised for success, as population, retail and business growth seem assured. Yet its residents are equipped with the desire to maintain the family-oriented, rural atmosphere that attracted James Hall to the area more than 150 years ago.

Courtesy of Elk Grove Chamber of Commerce