Elk Grove, California

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Elk Grove is a city in Sacramento County, California, located just south of Sacramento and part of the Sacramento metropolitan area. The 2020 census recorded about 176,124 residents, with a 2024 estimate around 182,797. It is the second-largest city in the county.

Government and economy
Elk Grove operates as a general-law city with a council/manager government. The mayor is Bobbie Singh-Allen, with Rod Brewer serving as vice mayor (appointed by the council and rotated each year). The city’s large public employer is the Elk Grove Unified School District. The Cosumnes Community Services District provides parks, fire protection and other services.

History
The Miwok people originally lived in the area. In 1808, Spanish explorer Gabriel Moraga named the Sacramento Valley. Elk Grove began in 1850 as a stage stop for travelers and was named after elk horns found nearby. The arrival of the Central Pacific Railroad in 1868 spurred growth. It remained a farming community until a late-1980s suburban boom. Elk Grove incorporated as a city on July 1, 2000 and became one of the country’s fastest-growing cities in 2004–2005. Apple once manufactured iMacs here, and later expanded the Apple Elk Grove campus.

Parks, libraries and culture
The Cosumnes Community Services District runs 106 parks, 12 water play areas, a golf course, and about 18 miles of trails. The Elk Grove Public Library, part of the Sacramento Public Library system, is at 8900 Elk Grove Boulevard and serves nearby communities. In 2011, two Sikh grandfathers were killed on Stockton Boulevard, leading to the 2021 Singh and Kaur Park to honor them and promote awareness of the Sikh faith. In 2020, Bobbie Singh-Allen became the first Sikh woman mayor in the United States, and she was re-elected in 2022 and 2024.

Education
Elk Grove hosts the Elk Grove Unified School District, one of California’s largest and fastest-growing districts, with about 40 elementary schools, 9 middle schools, 9 high schools, and several alternative high schools. Cosumnes River College offers career and transfer programs. Nearby California State University, Sacramento and UC Davis are accessible, and California Northstate University College of Pharmacy moved to Elk Grove in 2013.

Transportation and planning
Public transit is provided by E‑Tran and the SmaRT Ride on-demand service. There are plans to extend light rail to Elk Grove. Rail services such as Amtrak California’s Gold Route and the Altamont Corridor Express were planned to reach Elk Grove, with a new station property announced in February 2024. Interstate 5 and California State Route 99 run north–south through the city, with a planned Capital SouthEast Connector expressway to link I‑5, SR 99 and US 50.

Sister city
Elk Grove is twinned with Concepción de Ataco in El Salvador.

Geography and quick facts
The city covers about 42.2 square miles, mostly land. It sits at an elevation of about 46 feet. Elk Grove uses ZIP codes 95624 and 95757–95759 and area codes 916 and 279. It is in the Pacific time zone.