Elk Grove is celebrating 25 years of cityhood. From a vision for incorporation to becoming Sacramento County’s second-largest city, Elk Grove is now a vibrant home for residents and businesses alike. 

Elk Grove was the first city of the new millennium, incorporating on July 1, 2000. A quarter of a century later, this diverse community has earned awards and recognitions that tell a big story. 

• 100 Best Cities to Live in the U.S. (Livability.com, 2023) 
• #8 Safest Cities in America (MoneyGeek, 2025)
• #2 Most Diverse School District in California (Niche, 2024) 
• #19 Most Affordable Place to Live in California (Moneyinc.com, 2024)

“We’ve built a thriving, diverse and resilient community that balances growth with heart and innovation with tradition,” says Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen. “Elk Grove residents are engaged and have expressed that their top priorities are promoting safety, reducing traffic congestion, encouraging economic development and addressing homelessness.” In 2022, Elk Grove voters approved a 1% sales tax, Measure E, to support projects that enhance the city’s livability.

In 2006, the Elk Grove Police Department was formed and now stands as one of the most innovative and effective departments in the state. To keep the community safe, Elk Grove PD uses cutting edge technology — their Real-Time Information Center gathers information with a network of cameras and can now deploy drones as first responders to expedite service and enhance safety for residents and officers.  

Elk Grove has the region’s best road conditions and benefits from numerous road improvement projects over the years. Improvements range from road reconstruction, road widenings and the addition of roundabouts, major freeway interchanges, pedestrian overcrossings and soundwalls. Each project has helped to address increased traffic as the city has grown to ensure the quality of life for residents. Elk Grove’s “Fix-it-First” approach to pavement maintenance earned the Overall Winner in the 2025 Outstanding Local Streets and Roads Project Awards, presented by the League of California Cities, County Engineers Association of California and California State Association of Counties earlier this year.

“We’ve built a thriving, diverse and resilient community that balances growth with heart and innovation with tradition.” — Bobbie Singh-Allen, Mayor

Residents also benefit from new civic amenities, including Elk Grove’s own animal shelter, established in 2019, and the District56 development, a 56-acre community gathering space that includes an Olympic-size pool and aquatic center, community center, veterans’ hall, senior center and 28-acre nature preserve with hiking trails.

“District56 blends modern amenities with outdoor spaces that honor art and nature,” says Kara Reddig, Elk Grove deputy city manager.  “Open just over five years, it is quickly becoming the center of many community celebrations.” 

To revitalize Elk Grove’s Historic Main Street district, the city has constructed Old Town Plaza and completely redeveloped its Railroad Street corridor. This part of town, just off Elk Grove Boulevard and Railroad Street, now bustles with activity as several businesses, eateries and market-rate apartments add new energy. “Growing larger is expected as a city matures, but it takes dedication to quality of
life and economic vitality to ensure that older parts of town are included in that evolution to the future,” states Elk Grove Economic Development Director Darrell Doan.

With the lowest level of homelessness per capita in the region, Elk Grove has taken measured steps to address homelessness. The city opened a year-round shelter in November 2024 and continues to offer several transitional housing options that are providing resources for the community’s unhoused residents. Thanks to funding from Measure E, new Homeless Navigators are connecting those needing assistance with the shelter and other resources. “Elk Grove strives to be a compassionate city that serves everyone,” says Sarah Bontrager, Elk Grove’s housing and public services manager. “These resources are providing help and instilling hope in those who need it most.”

Addressing the overall housing crisis, Elk Grove continues to encourage and support affordable housing projects. The city has helped to provide loans and financing for some of those projects with the conviction that those who work in Elk Grove should be able to live in Elk Grove. “The demand for affordable housing is high and we’re dedicated to trying to increase supply,” says Bontrager.

Looking beyond its first 25 years of cityhood, Elk Grove continues to focus on the future to build on its success.