Davis, CA

Davis, California

Introduction to Davis, California

The city of Davis is located in Yolo County, California, 11 miles west of Sacramento and 72 miles northeast of San Francisco. Davis is served by two major freeways, Interstate 80 and California State Route 113. Home to University of California at Davis, the city is known as a university town with a progressive and environmentally conscious mind set. The city is also home to an off-campus branch of Sacramento City College. Davis is often referred to as the "most bicycle friendly town in the world", due to its wide streets and numerous bike paths. Since the 1960s, Davis has had one of the highest cyclist per capita ratios in the nation.

Founded in 1868, the city was originally named Davisville for Jerome C. Davis, a prominent local farmer. By the time of its incorporation in 1917, the city's name had been shortened to Davis. Historically an agricultural town, Davis became home to the University of California at Davis in 1908, at which time the university was known as the "University Farm School". Today Davis is widely noted for its contributions not only in agriculture, but in many other fields, including life sciences, biotechnology, veterinary medicine, medical technology, and engineering.

Arts, Culture, and Entertainment in Davis

One of Davis' strong points is its emphasis on parks and open spaces. The city's Central Park includes a Teen Center and the Davis Farmer’s Market, an event held every Wednesday and Saturday year round at which attendees can find gourmet foods, arts and crafts and specialty products, and can also enjoy live entertainment. The area also offers many cultural attractions. Art lovers can sample works at a number of galleries including "The Artery", a local artists’ cooperative, and at a longtime downtown site, the "Pence Gallery". Music lovers can enjoy year-round performances by The Davis Musical Theater Company and the Davis Comic Opera Company. Other local attractions include:

• Toad Tunnel: Constructed in 1995 to prevent frogs from being killed by traffic on a newly-constructed overpass which replaced a crossing route to the reservoir, the 18-inch high and 21-inch wide tunnel went unused at first because the frogs refused to use it. When the tunnel was lit to encourage its use, some frogs died from the heat of the lamps. Another problem: word got around in the bird community about the frog-producing hole in the ground at the tunnel's exit. The tunnel still lives, however, and its exit has been decorated to resemble a toad town.
• UC Davis Arboretum
• Whole Earth Festival: A three-day annual music and education festival which takes place at UC Davis during Mother's Day Weekend.
• Picnic Day: Another annual event held at the UC Davis campus every April, this is the largest student-run event in the US. Over 150 free events are featured including a large parade and a Battle of the Bands.

Proximity to the State Capital of Sacramento yields quick and easy access to several attractions there, including the following:

• California State Railroad Museum
• Old Sacramento
• Sacramento Zoo
• Sacramento Convention Center
• Discovery Museum
• Crocker Art Museum

The city of San Francisco, 72 miles to the southwest, has a wealth of attractions of its own, including:

• Golden Gate Bridge
• Nob Hill
• Embarcadero Square
• Chinatown
• Cable Car Museum
• Alcatraz
• Ghirardelli Square
• Fisherman's Wharf
• San Francisco Zoo

Fans of professional sports can see teams in either of these cities. Some of the choices include:

• Major League Baseball (MLB): Oakland Athletics (Amer Lg)
• Major League Baseball (MLB): San Francisco Giants (Natl Lg)
• Minor League Baseball (MiLB): Sacramento River Cats (Oakland A's AAA affiliate)
• Minor League Baseball (MiLB): San Jose Giants (SF Giants single-A affiliate)
• National Football Lg (NFL): San Francisco 49'ers
• National Football Lg (NFL): Oakland Raiders
• National Basketball Assn: Golden State Warriors
• National Basketball Assn: Sacramento Kings
• National Women's Basketball Assn: Sacramento Monarchs
• World Indoor Soccer Lg: Sacramento Knights
• Major League Lacrosse (MLL): San Francisco Dragons

High Points

Davis strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in California):

Category	Trophy
College Educated Adults (vs. Peers)	Top 1%
Walking and Biking to Work (vs. Peers)	Top 1%
Public Transportation Use (vs. State)	Top 11%
Short Commute Times (vs. State)	Top 15%
Median Family Income (vs. Peers)	Top 17%

Comparative Profile of Davis, CA

Comparing Davis to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in California (State):

Ratings range from (lowest) to (highest).

The People

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Racial Diversity
Female Share of the Population
Well-Paid Single Women
Well-Paid Single Men
Male Share of the Population
Senior Citizens
Children Under 5 Years Old
Age of the Population

Families

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Average Household Size
Portion of People Married

Wealth

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
College Educated Adults
Median Family Income
People in Middle Class or Better
People Above Poverty

Commute & Sprawl

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Walking and Biking to Work
Public Transportation Use
Working at Home
Short Commute Times

Housing

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals
Housing Recently Built
Seasonal and Vacation Housing
People Living Alone
Affordability of Property Taxes
Affordability of Rents

Crime

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Low Property Crime
Low Violent Crime

Davis Almanac

Davis Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

• Temp ranges are avg daily min and max for the month
• Precipitation is rainfall (and rainfall equiv of snowfall)

Davis Population (2000)

(From 2000 Census, as reported by individuals)

Political Contributions (2004)

Money donated by Davis residents to parties and candidates for the 2004 elections.

by Political Party

by Presidential Candidate

Neighborhood and Nearby Area Names

According to the US Postal Service, Davis, its neighborhoods, and/or surrounding areas are also referred to as:

Note that not all alternate names are acceptable for use in US Post Office addresses.

Nearby Cities and Towns

Davis Hospitals

SUTTER DAVIS HOSPITAL
(Proprietary)
2000 SUTTER PLACE
(530) 756-6440
Emergency Service: Yes

Starbucks in Davis

Davis High Schools (2004)

DAVIS SENIOR HIGH
315 W. 14TH ST.
530-757-5400
Serves 1,894 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 24.1

DAVIS SCHOOL FOR INDEPENDENT STUDY
526 B ST.
530-757-5333
A Non-traditional School
Serves 207 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 30

KING (MARTIN LUTHER) HIGH (CONT.)
635 B ST.
530-757-5425
A Non-traditional School
Serves 64 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 13.9

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