Davis is the most populous city in Yolo County, California. Located in the Sacramento Valley region of Northern California, the city had a population of 66,850 in 2020. This does not include the on-campus population of the University of California, Davis. As of 2019, there were 38,369 students enrolled at the university.
Davis is located 11 miles west of Sacramento and 70 miles northeast of San Francisco at the intersection of Interstate 80 and State Route 113. Neighboring towns include Dixon, Winters, Woodland, and West Sacramento. The topography is flat which has helped Davis to become known as a haven for bicyclists. The Davis climate resembles that of nearby Sacramento and is typical of California’s Central Valley Mediterranean climate region: warm and dry in the spring, summer, and autumn, and cool and wet in the winter.
Local energy planning began in Davis after the energy crisis of 1973. A new building code promoted energy efficiency. Energy use in buildings decreased dramatically and in 1981 Davis won a $100,000 prize from Pacific Gas and Electric utility for cutting electricity use during the summer peak. In 1984, the Davis City Council declared the city to be a nuclear-free zone. In 1998, the City passed a “Dark Skies” ordinance to reduce light pollution in the night sky. In 2013, Davis became part of the state Cool Roof Initiative.
According to the 2020 Census, the population of Davis was 66,850 people. The racial demographics were:
- 53.6% White
- 2.3% Black
- 13.8% Hispanic or Latino
- 23.3% Asian
- 1.1% Native American
- 9.6% Two or more races.
Top employers in the area (as of 2020) include:
- University of California, Davis (25,227)
- Davis Joint Unified School District (1,120)
- Sutter Health (505)
- City of Davis (341)
- Nugget Markets (265)
- Unitrans (260)
- Safeway (188)
- Courtyard Health Care Center (162)
- University Retirement Community (160)
- Davis Food Co-op (117)
Events in Davis during the year include:
- Whole Earth Festival – A continuous stream of bands, speakers, and various workshops occurs during the Mother’s Day weekend – organized by UC Davis Students.
- Celebrate Davis – An annual free festival held by the Davis Chamber of Commerce.
- Picnic Day – An annual event at UC Davis on the third Saturday in April.
- Davis Transmedia Art Walk – A free – self-guided – public art tour that includes 23 public murals, 16 sculptures, and 15 galleries and museums in downtown Davis and the UC campus.
- Manetti Shrem Museum of Art – Located on the UC Davis campus. It carries on the legacy of the university’s world-renowned first-generation art faculty.
- Mondavi Center – Located on the UC Davis campus is a theater that hosts world-class touring acts, including star performers such as Yo-Yo Ma, Yitzhak Perman, and Wynton Marsalis.
- UC Davis Arboretum – An arboretum and botanical garden on the UC Davis campus with plants from all over the world.
- Farmers Market – Held every Wednesday evening and Saturday morning.
- Davis Food Co-op – Founded in 1972, the Co-op is a full-service supermarket that has championed organic, healthy eating in the community.
Other websites to try: