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Vacaville, California is a city located in Solano County, California, 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 (including 9,461 in convalescent homes and both state prisons). 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 now defunct Basic Vegetable Products Co. (Onion Factory) and The Nut Tree. Today the city is known for its retail shopping, its annual Vacaville Fiesta Days and Onion Festival. Other nearby cities include Fairfield, Napa, Dixon, Suisun City and Winters. It is about 18 minutes away from the University of California, Davis. The unincorporated Allendale and Elmira are generally considered to be part of Vacaville.
ZIP codes: 95687, 95688, 95696 (Nut Tree)
Geography
Vacaville is located at 38°21'14" North, 121°58'22" West (38.353810, -121.972683). Another source places the city at 38° 21' 44.17" North, 121° 57' 57.78" West (38.36227, -121.96605).
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 water body within the city is the 105 acre Lagoon Valley Lake.
Demographics
As of the 2000 census, 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 3rd in having the lowest crime level, first in Northern California, due to its large police department.*
See also: Issei Japanese American
Industry in Vacaville
While Vacaville has traditionally been strongly influenced by the neighboring Travis Air Force Base, the largest employer is the State Prison. Vacaville is also a growing Biotechnology/Pharmaceutical "hub" with facilities operated by Large Scale Biology Corporation, Genentech, ALZA Corporation, Chiron Corporation, and Durect Corporation.
Sports teams
The city was home to the Solano Steelheads of the now-defunct Western Baseball League. It is now home to the Solano Thunderbirds of the California Collegiate League (CCL).
Schools
High Schools
- Buckingham Charter Magnet
- Country High
- Vacaville High Vaca High (est. 1898)
- Will C. Wood High Wood
Middle Schools
- Vaca Peña
- Willis Jepson
Elementary Schools
- Alamo
- Browns Valley
- Callison, Jean
- Cambridge
- Cooper
- Foxboro
- Fairmont
- Hemlock
- Markham, Edwin
- Orchard
- Padan
- Sierra Vista
Private Schools
- Notre Dame
- Vacaville Christian
- Bethany Lutheran
Trivia
- Vacaville has the highest per capita concentration of electric cars in the world.
- Although the city is named for Juan Manuel Vaca, it is often jokingly referred to as "Cow Town" by residents, in an obvious literal deconstruction of the name and common misstep made by outsiders.
- Actor Jon Voight filmed The All American Boy in Vacaville.
Famous residents
- Eva Benson Buck, philanthropist (Buck Foundation)
- Cong. Frank Buck
- Edwin Markham, poet ("Man with the Hoe")
- Willis Linn Jepson, botanist
- George Duke, professional boxer (who once beat Bobo Olson)
- Casey Sheehan, Awarded Bronze Star w/Palm Fronds posthumously for actions in Iraq on April 4, 2004
- Cindy Sheehan, anti-war protester, "Peace Mom"
- Papa Roach, Nu Metal Band
- Vincent "Vince" Newsome, NFL Professional Football Player, LA Rams 1983-1990;Cleveland Browns 1991-1992. See bio: *
- Ryan Eshelfest, Mechanic, helped in the development of the guillotine
- Jermaine Dye, Professional Baseball Player, 2005 World Series MVP with the Chicago White Sox
- Dennis Alexio, Professional Kickboxer
- Edwin Legaspi, Accomplished Investor - 2007 takeover of Berkshire-Hathaway, and Duplexes
External links
Footnotes
- Part of the Travis Unified School District
"Vacaville, California"