Davis is the most populous city inYolo County, California, United States. Located in theSacramento Valley region ofNorthern California, the city had a population of 66,850 in 2020,[10] not including the on-campus population of theUniversity of California, Davis, which was over 9,400 (not including students' families) in 2016.[11] As of 2023,[update] there were 40,850 students enrolled at the university, and is known as the biking capital of America.[12]
Davis sits on land that was historically inhabited by Indigenous people associated with theClovis culture. ThePatwin, a southern branch ofWintun people, eventually displaced existing Indigenous tribes. The Patwin were subsequently displaced by the American and Mexican government in the 1830s as part of theCalifornia genocide.[13][14][15] Patwin burial grounds have been found across Davis, including on the site of the UC DavisMondavi Center.[16] Territory that eventually became Davis emerged fromranchos, Laguna de Santos Callé.[17]Jerome C. Davis, a prominent farmer and one of the early claimants to land in Laguna de Santos Callé, lobbied to the United States Congress to retain the land that eventually became Davis.[17][18] Davis became a depot on theSouthern Pacific Railroad in 1868, when it was namedDavisville after Jerome C. Davis.[19] The post office at Davisville shortened the town name to "Davis" in 1907. The name stuck, and the city of Davis wasincorporated on March 28, 1917.[citation needed]
From its inception as a farming community, Davis is known primarily for its contributions to agricultural policy along with veterinary care and animal husbandry. Following the passage of the University Farm Bill in 1905 by theCalifornia State Legislature, GovernorGeorge Pardee selected Davis out of 50 other sites as the future home to theUniversity of California's University Farm, officially opening to students in 1908.[20] The farm, later renamed the Northern Branch of the College of Agriculture in 1922, was upgraded to become the seventhUC general campus, theUniversity of California, Davis, in 1959.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.0 square miles (26 km2). 10.0 square miles (26 km2) of it is land and 0.03 square miles (0.078 km2) of it, or 0.35%, is water.[5]
The Davis climate resembles that of nearbySacramento and is typical of California'sCentral ValleyMediterranean climate region: warm and dry in the spring, summer and autumn, and cool and wet in the winter. It is classified as aKöppenCsa climate. Summer days are hot, ranging from 85 to 105 °F (29 to 41 °C), but the nights turn pleasantly cool, almost always dropping below 70 °F (21 °C). The Delta Breeze, a flow of cool marine air originating from the Pacific Ocean viaSan Francisco Bay and theSacramento–San Joaquin River Delta, frequently provides relief in the evening. Winter temperatures generally reach between 45 and 65 °F (7 and 18 °C) in the afternoon; nights average at about 35 to 40 °F (2 to 4 °C), but occasionally fall below freezing.
Average temperatures range from 46 °F (8 °C) in December and January to 75 °F (24 °C) in July and August. Thick ground fog calledtule fog settles into Davis during late fall and winter. This fog can be dense, with near zero visibility. As in other areas of Northern California, the tule fog is a leading cause of road accidents in the winter season.
Mean rainfall per annum is about 20 inches (510 mm). The bulk of the rainfall occurs between about mid-November to mid-March, with typically no precipitation falling from mid-June to mid-September.[22]
Record temperatures range from a high of 116 °F (47 °C) on July 17, 1925, to a low of 12 °F (−11 °C) on December 11, 1932.[23]
Climate data for Davis, California, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–present
Davis is internally divided by two freeways (Interstate 80 andState Route 113), a north–south railroad (California Northern), an east–west mainline (Union Pacific) and several major streets. The city is unofficially divided into six main districts made up of smaller neighborhoods (often originally named as housingsubdivisions):
Central Davis, north of Fifth Street and Russell Boulevard, south of Covell Blvd., east of SR 113, and west of the railroad tracks running along G Street. Within these boundaries is the officially denoted neighborhood of Old North Davis, which is sometimes also considered part of Downtown.[citation needed]
Downtown Davis, roughly the numbered-and-lettered grid north of I-80, south of Fifth Street, east of A Street, and west of the railroad tracks, including the Aggie Village and Olive Drive areas.[26]
East Davis, north of I-80, south of Covell Blvd., and east of the railroad tracks. It includes the older, 'inner' East Davis of lettered streets and neighborhoods such as Davis Manor, Chestnut, and Rancho Yolo, as well as more distinctly identified (in some cases walled-in) subdivisions such as Mace Ranch, Lake Alhambra Estates, and Wildhorse.[citation needed]
North Davis, north of Covell Blvd. North Davis includes Covell Park, Senda Nueva, Northstar, and North Davis Farms.
South Davis, south of I-80, and includes Willowbank.El Macero, California, although outside the city limits, is sometimes considered part of South Davis; El Macero is part of theDavis Joint Unified School District, and El Macero children who attend public schools attend Davis's public schools.[citation needed]
West Davis, north of I-80 and west of SR 113. West Davis includes Westwood, Evergreen, Aspen, Stonegate (west of Lake Boulevard and including Stonegate Lake and the Stonegate Country Club) and the eco-friendlyVillage Homes development, known for its solar-powered houses.
TheUniversity of California, Davis is located south of Russell Boulevard and west of A Street and then south of 1st Street. The land occupied by the university is not incorporated within the boundaries of the city of Davis and lies within both Yolo and Solano Counties.
Local energy planning began in Davis after the energy crisis of 1973. A new building code promotedenergy efficiency. Energy use in buildings decreased dramatically and in 1981 Davis citizens won a $100,000 prize from utilityPG&E, for cutting electricity use during the summer peak.[27]
In 2013, Davis became part of the stateCool Roof Initiative with the "CoolDavis" campaign, requiring all new roofing projects to meet Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC) requirements, including the installation of light-colored roofs. The aim is to reflect more sunlight back into space via thealbedo effect, and reduce the amount of heat absorbed in hopes of limiting climate change.[29]
The census reported that 96.7% of the population lived in households, 2.8% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0.6% were institutionalized.[47]
There were 25,667 households, out of which 24.5% included children under the age of 18, 38.7% were married-couple households, 6.6% werecohabiting couple households, 32.9% had a female householder with no partner present, and 21.8% had a male householder with no partner present. 25.2% of households were one person, and 9.1% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.52.[47] There were 13,229families (51.5% of all households).[48]
The age distribution was 16.0% under the age of 18, 27.8% aged 18 to 24, 24.0% aged 25 to 44, 18.2% aged 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65years of age or older. The median age was 28.1years. For every 100 females, there were 89.0 males.[47]
There were 27,066 housing units at an average density of 2,714.2 units per square mile (1,048.0 units/km2), of which 25,667 (94.8%) were occupied. Of these, 43.5% were owner-occupied, and 56.5% were occupied by renters.[47]
In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $87,421, and theper capita income was $50,060. About 5.3% of families and 25.1% of the population were below the poverty line.[49]
The 2010 United States census[50] reported that Davis had a population of 65,622. The population density was 6,615.8 inhabitants per square mile (2,554.4/km2). The racial makeup of Davis was 42,571 (64.9%) White, 1,528 (2.3%) African American, 339 (0.5%) Native American, 14,355 (21.9%)Asian, 136 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 3,121 (4.8%) from other races, and 3,572 (5.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic orLatino of any race were 8,172 persons (12.5%).
The census reported that 63,522 people (96.8% of the population) lived in households, 1,823 (2.8%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 277 (0.4%) were institutionalized.
There were 24,873 households, of which 6,119 (24.6%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 9,343 (37.6%) wereopposite-sex married couples living together, 1,880 (7.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, and 702 (2.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,295 (5.2%)unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 210 (0.8%)same-sex married couples or partnerships. 5,952 households (23.9%) were made up of individuals, and 1,665 (6.7%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55. There were 11,925families (47.9% of all households); the average family size was 2.97.
The population age and sex distribution was 10,760 people (16.4%) under the age of 18, 21,757 people (33.2%) aged 18 to 24, 14,823 people (22.6%) aged 25 to 44, 12,685 people (19.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 5,597 people (8.5%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 25.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.0 males.
There were 25,869 housing units, with an average density of 2,608.0 per square mile (1,007.0/km2), of which 10,699 (43.0%) were owner-occupied, and 14,174 (57.0%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.5%. 27,594 people (42.0% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 35,928 people (54.7%) lived in rental housing units.
This city of approximately 65,000 people abuts a university campus of 32,000 students. Although the university's land is not incorporated within the city, many students live off-campus in the city.
Bicycling has been one of the most popular modes of transportation in Davis for decades, particularly among school-age children andUC Davis students. In 2010, Davis became the new home of theUnited States Bicycling Hall of Fame.
Bicycle infrastructure became a political issue in the 1960s, culminating in the election of a pro-bicycle majority to the City Council in 1966.[56] By the early 1970s, Davis had become a pioneer in the implementation ofcycling facilities. As the city expands, new facilities are usually mandated. As a result, Davis residents today enjoy an extensive network of bike lanes, bike paths, and grade-separatedbicycle crossings.[57] The flat terrain and temperate climate are also conducive to bicycling.[58]
Bicycle crossing over Covell Blvd.
In 2005, the Bicycle-Friendly Community program of theLeague of American Bicyclists recognized Davis as the first Platinum Level city in the US.[59][60] Bicycling appears to be declining among Davis residents: from 1990 to 2000, the US Census Bureau reported a decline in the fraction of commuters traveling by bicycle, from 22 percent to 15 percent.[61] This resulted in the reestablishment of the city's Bicycle Advisory Commission and creation of advocate groups such as "Davis Bicycles!". In 2016, Fifth Street, a main road in Davis, was converted from four lanes to two lanes to allow for bicycle lanes and encourage more bicycling.
In 1996, 2001, 2006, and 2009, the UC Davis "Cal Aggie Cycling" Team won the national road cycling competition.[62] The team also competes off-road and on the track, and has competed in the national competitions of these disciplines. In 2007, UC Davis also organized a record-breaking bicycle parade numbering 822 bicycles.[citation needed]
A continuous stream of bands, speakers and various workshops occurs throughout Mother's Day weekend on each of Whole Earth Festival's (WEF) three stages and other specialty areas. The WEF is organized entirely by UC Davis students, in association with the Associated Students of UC Davis and the university.
Celebrate Davis is the annual free festival held by the Davis Chamber of Commerce. It features booths by Davis businesses, live music, food vendors, live animals, activities like rock climbing and zip-lining. It concludes with fireworks after dark. Parking is problematic, so most people ride their bikes and use the free valet parking.
Picnic Day is an annual event at theUniversity of California, Davis and is always held on the third Saturday in April. It is the largest student-run event in the US. Picnic Day starts off with a parade, which features theUC Davis California Aggie Marching Band-uh!, and runs through campus and around downtown Davis and ends with the Battle of the Bands, which lasts until the last band stops playing (sometimes until 2 am). There are over 150 free events and over 50,000 attend every year. Other highlights include: theDachshund races, a.k.a. the Doxie Derby, held in the Pavilion; the Davis Rock Challenge, the Chemistry Magic Show, and the sheep dog trials. Many departments have exhibits and demonstrations, such as the Cole Facility, which until recently showed afistulated cow (a cow that has been fitted with a plastic portal (a "fistula") into its digestive system to observe digestion processes). Its name was "Hole-y Cow".
The Davis Transmedia Art Walk is a free—self-guided—public art tour includes 23 public murals, 16 sculptures, and 15 galleries and museums all in downtown Davis and the University of Davis campus. A free Davis Art Walk map serves as a detailed guide to the entire collection. The art pieces are all within walking distance of each other. The walk is a roughly circuitous path that can be completed within an hour or two. Every piece of art on the Art Walk has been embedded with an RFID chip. Using a cellphone that supports this technology, you access multimedia files that relate to each work. You can even leave a comment or "burn your own message" for other visitors to see. Artist hosted tours are held on the weekend by appointment only. To pick up a copy of the Davis Art Walk map, visit the Yolo County Visitors Bureau (132 E St., Suite 200; (530) 297–1900) or the John Natsoulas Center for the Arts (521 1st St.; (530) 756–3938).
TheManetti Shrem Museum of Art, located on the UC Davis campus, opened on November 13, 2016, and carries on the legacy of the university's world-renowned first generation art faculty, which contributed to innovations in conceptual, performance and video art in the 1960s and 70s. The museum has generated nationwide attention with exhibits by artists such asWayne Thiebaud,Bruce Nauman,John Cage, andRobert Arneson as well as its striking architecture, featuring a 50,000 square-foot "Grand Canopy" of perforated aluminum triangular beams, supported by 40 steel columns. Every year the museum exhibits works by graduating art students. The museum is free and hosts lecture series and events throughout the year, as well as weekend art studio activities for all ages.
TheMondavi Center, located on the UC Davis campus, is one of the biggest non-seasonal attractions in Davis. The Mondavi Center is a theater which hosts many world-class touring acts, including star performers such as Yo-Yo Ma, Yitzhak Perlman and Wynton Marsalis, and draws a large audience from Sacramento.
TheUC Davis Arboretum is anarboretum andbotanical garden. Plants from all over the world grow in different sections of the park. There are notableoak and native plant collections and a smallredwood grove. A small waterway spans the arboretum along the bed of the old North Fork of Putah Creek. Occasionallyherons[which?],kingfishers[which?], andcormorants[which?] can be seen around the waterways, as well as the ever-presentducks. Tours of the arboretum led by volunteer naturalists are often held for grade-school children.
The Domes (AKA Baggins End Innovative Housing) is an on-campus cooperative housing community designed by project manager Ron Swenson and future student-residents in 1972. Consisting of 14 polyurethane foam-insulated fiberglass domes and located in the Sustainable Research Area at the western end of Orchard Road, it is governed by its 26 UCD student residents. It is one of the few student co-housing cooperative communities in the US, and is an early example of the modern-day growingtiny house movement. The community has successfully resisted several threats to its continuation over the years.
The Davis Farmers Market[63] is held every Wednesday evening and Saturday morning. Participants sell a range of fruits and vegetables, baked goods, dairy and meat products (often from certified organic farms), crafts, and plants and flowers. From May through September, the market hostsPicnic in the Park, with musical events and food sold from restaurant stands.[64][65]
Davis has one newspaper,The Davis Enterprise, a thrice-weekly[66] newspaper founded in 1897. UC Davis also has a weekly newspaper calledThe California Aggie that covers campus, local and national news. Davis Media Access, a community media center, is the umbrella organization of television station DCTV.[citation needed] There are also numerous commercial stations broadcasting from nearby Sacramento. Davis has two community radio stations:KDVS 90.3 FM, on the University of California campus, and KDRT 95.7 FM, a subsidiary of Davis Media Access and one of the firstlow-power FM radio stations in the United States. Davis has the world's largest English-languagelocal wiki,DavisWiki. In 2006,The People's Vanguard of Davis began news reporting about the city of Davis, the Davis Joint Unified School District, the county of Yolo, and the Sacramento area.[67]
Entrance to the Toad Tunnel in front of the Post Office
Davis'sToad Tunnel is awildlife crossing that was constructed in 1995 and has drawn much attention over the years, including a mention onThe Daily Show. Due to the construction of an overpass, animal lovers worried abouttoads being killed by cars commuting from South Davis to North Davis, since the toads traveled from one side of a dirt lot (which the overpass replaced) to the reservoir at the other end. After much controversy, a decision was made to build a toad tunnel, which runs beneath the Pole Line Road overpass which crossesInterstate 80. The project cost $14,000, equivalent to $29,000 in 2024.[68] The tunnel is 21 inches (53 cm) wide and 18 inches (46 cm) high.
TheUniversity of California, Davis, or UC Davis, a campus of the University of California, had a 2019 Fall enrollment of 38,369 students.[69] UC Davis has a dominant influence on the social and cultural life of the town.
An off-campus branch ofSacramento City College is located in Davis. The satellite is located in West Village, an area built by UC Davis to house students and others affiliated with the university.
The city has nine public elementary schools (North Davis, Birch Lane, Pioneer Elementary, Patwin, Cesar Chavez, Robert E. Willett, Marguerite Montgomery, Fred T. Korematsu at Mace Ranch, and Fairfield Elementary (which is outside the city limits but opened in 1866 and is Davis Joint Unified School District's oldest public school)). Davis has one school forindependent study (Davis School for Independent Study), four publicjunior high schools (Ralph Waldo Emerson,Oliver Wendell Holmes, Frances Harper, and Leonardo da Vinci Junior High), one main high school (Davis Senior High School), onealternative high school (Martin Luther King High School), and a small project based high school (Leonardo da Vinci High School). Cesar Chavez is aSpanish immersion school, with no English integration until the third grade. The junior high schools contain grades 7 through 9. Due to a decline in the school-age population in Davis, two of the elementary schools in south Davis may have their district boundaries changed, or magnet programs may be moved to equalize enrollment. Valley Oak was closed after the 2007–08 school year, and their campus was granted to Da Vinci High (which had formerly been located in the back of Davis Senior High's campus) and a special-ed preschool. On average, class size is about 25 students for every teacher.[70]
At one time, Chavez and Willett were incorporated together to provide elementary education K–6 to both English-speaking and Spanish immersion students in West Davis. César Chávez served grades K–3 and was called West Davis Elementary, and Robert E. Willett (named for a long-time teacher at the school, now deceased) served grades 4–6 and was known as West Davis Intermediate. Willett now serves K–6 English-speaking students, and Chavez supports the Spanish immersion program for K–6.
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