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Vacaville, California

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City of Vacaville, California
Location in Solano County and the state of California
Location in Solano County and the state of California
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
CountySolano
Incorporated1892
Government
 • MayorLen Augustine
Area
 • Total27.1 sq mi (70.1 km2)
 • Land27.1 sq mi (70.1 km2)
 • Water0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Population
 (2000)
 • Total88,625
 • Density3,273/sq mi (1,263.6/km2)
Time zoneUTC−8 (Pacific)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−7 (Pacific)
Websitehttp://www.cityofvacaville.com
Vaca Mountains during summer

Vacaville, California is located in Solano County, California, United States, between Sacramento and San Francisco. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 88,625. According to the Community Development Department of the City of Vacaville, the total population as of 2005 was 96,735. The city was founded in 1852 by William McDaniel and named after Juan Manuel Vaca, who had received a substantial land grant from Don Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo.

The city was a Pony Express stop and was home to many large produce companies and local farms which flourished due to the Vaca Valley's rich soil, including The Nut Tree. Today the city is known for its retail shopping and its annual Vacaville Fiesta Days and Onion Festival. Other nearby cities include Fairfield, Napa, Dixon, Suisun City and Winters. The University of California, Davis campus is located about 20 miles to the northeast. The unincorporated Allendale and Elmira are generally considered to be part of Vacaville.

ZIP codes: 95687, 95688, 95696 (Nut Tree)

Geography and environment

Vacaville is located at 38°21'14" North, 121°58'22" West (38.353810, -121.972683)Template:GR. No other source places the city at 38° 21' 44.17" North, 121° 57' 57.78" West (38.36227, -121.96605). There are a number of rare and endangered species in the Vacaville area. Endangered plants which have historically occurred in the vernal pool areas in and around Vacaville include Legenre limosa, Plagiobothrys hystriculus, Downingia humilis, Contra Costa Goldfields (Lasthenia conjugens), and Showy Indian clover (Trifolium amoenum).[1] However, Showy Indian clover is now thought to be extinct throughout Solano County.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 70.1 km² (27.1 mi²). Approximately 100% of the area is land. Excluding the Putah South Canal and minor local creeks, the only significant body of water within the city is the 105 acre Lagoon Valley Lake.

In the summer of 2003, a crop circle was discovered by a local pilot in a cornfield in the outskirts of Vacaville. This crop circle was discovered shortly after the crop circles in the nearby Fairfield/Rockville area. While the Fairfield/Rockville crop circles garnered international attention (Fairfield Daily Republic, Tim Fields, July 06, 2003), the Vacaville crop circles failed to generate much interest.

Crop Circle Summer 2003

Demographics

As of the 2000 censusTemplate:GR, there are 88,625 people residing in the city. The population density is 1,263.6/km² (3,272.3/mi²). There are 28,696 housing units at an average density of 409.1/km² (1,059.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 72.11% White, 10.02% African American, 0.97% Native American, 4.18% Asian, 0.45% Pacific Islander, 6.74% from other races, and 5.53% from two or more races. 17.88% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 28,105 households, 20,966 are families: 41.4% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.0% are married couples living together, 12.4% have a female householder with no husband present, and 25.4% are non-families. 19.2% of all households are made up of individuals and 6.4% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.83 and the average family size is 3.24.

The median age is 34 years, and the age distribution of the population is rather spread out: 27.0% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 35.4% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 8.3% who are 65 years of age or older. However, the sex ratio is higher than the national average. For every 100 females there are 118.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 124.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $57,667, and the median income for a family is $63,950. Males have a median income of $43,527 versus $31,748 for females. The per capita income for the city is $21,557. 6.1% of the population and 4.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 7.4% of those under the age of 18 and 4.8% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

When compared to cities of similar size, Vacaville ranks third in having the lowest crime level, and first in Northern California, due in part to its large police department. Vacaville residents are among the safest in the state. Statistics show that Vacaville's violent crime rate has dropped 23 percent over the past five years, from 351 violent crimes in 1998 to 270 violent crimes in 2002. The overall crime rate has increased 1 percent the past five years, officials said.

[1]

Industry

Vacaville is a growing biotechnology/pharmaceutical hub with facilities operated by Large Scale Biology Corporation, Genentech, ALZA Corporation, Chiron Corporation, and Durect Corporation.

Education

The city of Vacaville is served by two unified public school districts, a community college district, many private schools and colleges.

Public Elementary and Secondary Schools

The Vacaville Unified School District includes the following campuses:

  • Alamo Elementary
  • Alternative Education Program
  • Browns Valley Elementary
  • Cooper Elementary
  • Edwin Markham Elementary
  • Eugene Padan Elementary
  • Fairmont Elementary
  • Hemlock Elementary
  • Jean Callison Elementary
  • Orchard Elementary
  • Sierra Vista Elementary
  • Vaca Pena Middle School
  • Willis Jepson Middle School
  • Buckingham Charter Magnet High School
  • Country High School
  • Vacaville High School
  • Will C. Wood High School
  • Adult Education

Travis Unified School District

The Travis Unified School District campuses include:

  • Cambridge Elementary
  • Foxboro Elementary

Its campuses serving Vacaville secondary students are:

  • Golden West Middle School
  • Vanden High School
  • Travis Education Center

Private Schools

Private institutions with campuses in Vacaville are:

  • Bethany Lutheran Preschool and Elementary School
  • Faith Academy (independent)
  • Notre Dame Parochial School
  • Vacaville Adventist (Seventh-day Adventist)
  • Vacaville Christian Schools

Colleges and Universities

Solano Community College Vacaville is served by the Solano Community College District.

Other Colleges & Universities

  • California Maritime Academy
  • Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine
  • Chapman University
  • The University of Phoenix

Trivia

  • Vacaville has the highest per capita concentration of electric cars in the world, giving it the nickname "Voltageville".[2]
  • Actor Jon Voight filmed The All American Boy in Vacaville.
  • Rock band Papa Roach appeared in the documentary MTV:The Road Home, filmed in Vacaville. It included shots of the local high school and various stores through the town.
  • Vacaville is mentioned in the 1987 Whoopie Goldberg movie, Fatal Beauty.
  • Vacaville is mentioned in the movie Con-Air, as the location where Cyrus the Virus was being held in prison.

Famous residents

Line note references

  1. ^ Environmental Assessment for the Green Tree Assessment District, Earth Metrics Inc Report 7690, City of Vacaville, March, 1989

Template:Mapit-US-cityscale

Footnotes

  1. ^ Part of the Travis Unified School District
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