El Dorado County, California

County in California, United States

For the California wine region, see El Dorado AVA.

County in California, United States

El Dorado County

County

Images, from top down, left to right: A barn in El Dorado County, the shore of Lake Tahoe in Ed Z'berg Sugar Pine Point State Park, the South Fork American River running through the El Dorado hills, Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park

Flag

Seal

Interactive map of El Dorado County

Location in the state of California

Country| United States
State| California
Regions| Northern California, Sierra Nevada, Gold Country
Metropolitan area| Greater Sacramento
Incorporated| February 18, 1850[1]
Named after| Spanish for "the golden" and El Dorado
County seat| Placerville
Largest community| El Dorado Hills
Government

• Type| Council–CAO
• Body|

Board of Supervisors[2]

* John Hidahl
* George Turnboo
* Wendy Thomas
* Lori Parlin
* Brooke Laine

• Chair| Lori Parlin
• Vice Chair| Wendy Thomas
• Chief Administrative Office[3]| Tiffany Schmid
Area

• Total

| 1,786 sq mi (4,630 km2)
• Land| 1,708 sq mi (4,420 km2)
• Water| 78 sq mi (200 km2)
Highest elevation

[4]

| 10,886 ft (3,318 m)
Population

(2020)

• Total

| 191,185

• Estimate

(2024)

| 192,823
• Density| 110/sq mi (41/km2)
GDP

[5]

• Total| $9.877 billion (2022)
Time zone| UTC−8 (Pacific Time Zone)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−7 (Pacific Daylight Time)
ZIP code|

95762

Area code| 530, 916, 279
FIPS code| 06-017
GNIS feature ID| 277273
Congressional districts| 3rd, 5th
Website| www.edcgov.us

El Dorado County (/ˌɛl dəˈrɑːdoʊ/ ⓘ; El Dorado, Spanish for "The Golden [one]"), officially the County of El Dorado, is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 191,185.[6] The county seat is Placerville.[7] The county is part of the Sacramento-Roseville-Arden-Arcade, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is located entirely in the Sierra Nevada, from the historic Gold Country in the western foothills to the High Sierra in the east. El Dorado County's population has grown as Greater Sacramento has expanded into the region. Where the county line crosses US 50 at Clarksville, the distance to Sacramento is 15 miles (24 km). In the county's high altitude eastern end at Lake Tahoe, environmental awareness and environmental protection initiatives have grown along with the population since the 1960 Winter Olympics, hosted at the former Squaw Valley Ski Resort in neighboring Placer County.

## History

[edit]

Main articles: Sutter's Mill and California Gold Rush

What is now known as El Dorado County has been home to the Maidu, Nisenan, Washoe, and Miwok Indigenous American nations for centuries. The region became famous for being the site of the 1848 discovery that sparked the California Gold Rush. As a result, the name "El Dorado" was derived from the Spanish word for, "The Gilded One".[8][9] The County of El Dorado was one of California's original 27 counties created effective February 18, 1850 (the number has risen to 58 today).

The final segments of the Pony Express mail route ran through El Dorado County until its replacement with the telegraph service in 1861; U.S. Route 50 follows the Pony Express route today.

The Placerville Mountain Democrat, California's oldest surviving newspaper, serves El Dorado County.

The Caldor Fire started on August 14, 2021, near Little Mountain, south of Pollock Pines in El Dorado County,[10] about two miles (3.2 km) east of Omo Ranch and four miles (6.4 km) south of Grizzly Flats.[11][12] It initially burned slowly, but exploded in size on August 16 due to high winds. By the night of August 16, it was 6,500 acres (2,600 ha).[13] On August 17, the fire grew to 30,000 acres (12,000 ha) as it expanded rapidly north and east, crossing the North Fork Cosumnes River and approaching Sly Park Reservoir. By August 20, the fire had burned nearly to U.S. Route 50, forcing a closure of the highway.[14] Over the next few days, the fire crossed Highway 50 in the vicinity of Kyburz. Starting on August 27, winds drove the fire rapidly east towards the Lake Tahoe Basin. By August 30, it had reached Echo Summit, less than five miles (8.0 km) from South Lake Tahoe.

There are only two municipalities in El Dorado County: Placerville and South Lake Tahoe.[15]

## Government and policing

[edit]

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### Policing

[edit]

The El Dorado County Sheriff provides court protection, county jail administration, and coroner service for all of the county and provides patrol and detective services for the unincorporated areas of the county. Incorporated cities Placerville, population 11,000, and South Lake Tahoe, population 22,000, have municipal police departments.

### Sheriffs

[edit]

* James Hume (Feb 18, 1850 – November 7, 1852)
* Steven Charles Austin (Nov 7, 1852 – November 7, 1856)
* William Tanner Henson (Nov 7, 1856 – September 15, 1859)
* Walter J. Burwell (Sep 15, 1859 – August 15, 1863)
* Henry Gooding (Aug 15, 1863 – November 7, 1867)
* Jacob Hart Neff (Nov 7, 1867 – November 7, 1871)
* Charles Benjamin Dunnam (Nov 7, 1871 – November 7, 1875)
* Jason McCormick (Nov 7, 1875 – November 7, 1881)
* George Burnham (Nov 7, 1881 - November 7, 1883)
* Thomas Augustus Galt (Nov 7, 1883 - November 7, 1887)
* George H. Hilbert (Nov 7, 1887 - November 7, 1898)
* Archie Speer Bosquit (Nov 7, 1898 - November 7, 1907)
* Gilbert Cook (Nov 7, 1907 – May 9, 1912)
* Albert George Bradshaw (May 9, 1912 - November 7, 1914)
* Charles E. Hand (Nov 7, 1914 – November 7, 1925)
* Charles F. Woods (Nov 7, 1925 – November 7, 1931)
* George Martin Smith Sr. (Nov 7, 1931 – November 7, 1941)
* Lowell Fred West (Nov 7, 1941 – November 7, 1949)
* Rowland M. Morris (Nov 7, 1949 – November 7, 1955)
* Ernie Carlson (Nov 7, 1955 – November 7, 1965)
* Robert Mitchum (Nov 7, 1965 - November 7, 1971)
* Ernie Carlson (Nov 7, 1971 - November 7, 1975)
* Al Coombs (Nov 7, 1975 - November 7, 1977)
* Richard "Dick" Pacileo (Nov 7, 1975 – November 7, 1991)
* Don McDonald (1991 – 1997)
* Hal Barker (1997 – 2002)
* Jeff Neves (Nov 7, 2001 – November 7, 2010)
* John D'Agostini (Nov 7, 2010 – January 3, 2023)
* Jeff Leikauf (January 3, 2023 – Present)

## Geography

[edit]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,786 square miles (4,630 km2), of which 1,708 square miles (4,420 km2) is land and 78 square miles (200 km2) (4.4%) is water.[16]

The county, owing to its location in the Sierra Nevada, consists of rolling hills and mountainous terrain. The northeast corner is in the Lake Tahoe Basin (part of the Great Basin), including a portion of the lake itself. Across the Sierra crest to the west lies the majority of the county, referred to as the "western slope." A portion of Folsom Lake is in the northwest corner of the county.

Much of the county is public land. The Eldorado National Forest comprises a significant portion (approximately 43%) of the county's land area, primarily on the western slope. The Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, formerly part of the Eldorado and two other National Forests, manages much of the land east of the crest. The Pacific Crest Trail runs through the eastern part of the county, along or roughly paralleling the Sierra crest. The county is home to the Desolation Wilderness, a popular destination for hiking, backpacking, and fishing.

### Adjacent counties

[edit]

* Placer County – north
* Douglas County, Nevada – northeast
* Alpine County – southeast
* Amador County – south
* Sacramento County – southwest

### Geographic features

[edit]

* American River
* Carson Range
* Crystal Range
* Echo Lake
* Fallen Leaf Lake
* Folsom Lake
* Francis Lake
* Freel Peak[17] as its highest point at 10,886 feet (3,318 m)
* Gilmore Lake
* Green Springs Ranch
* Lake Tahoe
* Loon Lake
* Lost Lake
* Mount Price
* Mount Tallac
* Pyramid Lake
* Sierra Nevada
* Silver Peak
* Talking Mountain
* Union Valley Reservoir
* Waca Lake

## Recreation

[edit]

### Local landmarks

[edit]

* Fountain-Tallman Soda Works
* John Pearson Soda Works
* Combellack-Blair House
* Rubicon Point Light

### Parks

[edit]

* D. L. Bliss State Park
* Desolation Wilderness
* Eagle Falls trailhead
* Eldorado National Forest
* Emerald Bay State Park
* Folsom Lake State Recreation Area
* Glen Alpine Springs trailhead
* Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park
* Pine Hill Ecological Reserve
* Tahoe National Forest

### Skiing

[edit]

* Heavenly Ski Resort
* Sierra-At-Tahoe Ski Resort

### Racing

[edit]

* Placerville Speedway

### Wineries

[edit]

* California Shenandoah Valley AVA
* El Dorado AVA
* Fair Play AVA
* Sierra Foothills AVA

## Demographics

[edit]

The vast majority of the population lives in a narrow strip along U.S. Route 50, with the majority living between El Dorado Hills and Pollock Pines. The remainder resides in the South Lake Tahoe area, and in various dispersed rural communities.

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

1850| 20,057| | —
1860| 20,562| | 2.5%
1870| 10,309| | −49.9%
1880| 10,683| | 3.6%
1890| 9,232| | −13.6%
1900| 8,986| | −2.7%
1910| 7,492| | −16.6%
1920| 6,426| | −14.2%
1930| 8,325| | 29.6%
1940| 13,229| | 58.9%
1950| 16,207| | 22.5%
1960| 29,390| | 81.3%
1970| 43,833| | 49.1%
1980| 85,812| | 95.8%
1990| 125,955| | 46.8%
2000| 156,299| | 24.1%
2010| 181,058| | 15.8%
2020| 191,185| | 5.6%
2024 (est.)| 192,823| [18]| 0.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[19]
1790–1960[20] 1900–1990[21]
1990–2000[22] 2010[23] 2020[24]

### 2020 census

[edit]

El Dorado County, California – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race. Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[25] | Pop 2010[23] | Pop 2020[24] | % 2000  | % 2010  | % 2020

|
|
|
|
|
|

White alone (NH)  | 132,725  | 144,689  | 140,141  | 84.92%  | 79.91%  | 73.30%
Black or African American alone (NH)  | 745  | 1,296  | 1,436  | 0.48%  | 0.72%  | 0.75%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)  | 1,272  | 1,553  | 1,273  | 0.81%  | 0.86%  | 0.67%
Asian alone (NH)  | 3,250  | 6,143  | 9,024  | 2.08%  | 3.39%  | 4.72%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)  | 169  | 261  | 276  | 0.11%  | 0.14%  | 0.14%
Other race alone (NH)  | 237  | 318  | 1,215  | 0.15%  | 0.18%  | 0.64%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)  | 3,335  | 4,923  | 11,361  | 2.13%  | 2.72%  | 5.94%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)  | 14,566  | 21,875  | 26,459  | 9.32%  | 12.08%  | 13.84%
Total | 156,299 | 181,058 | 191,185 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00%

### 2011

[edit]

Population, race, and income

Total population[26] | 179,878
White[26] | 157,853  | 87.8%
Black or African American[26] | 1,367  | 0.8%
American Indian or Alaska Native[26] | 1,802  | 1.0%
Asian[26] | 6,260  | 3.5%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander[26] | 167  | 0.1%
Some other race[26] | 6,323  | 3.5%
Two or more races[26] | 6,106  | 3.4%
Hispanic or Latino (of any race)[27] | 21,222  | 11.8%
Per capita income[28] | $34,385
Median household income[29] | $68,815
Median family income[30] | $82,930

#### Places by population, race, and income

[edit]

Places by population and race

Place  | Type[31] | Population[26] | White[26] | Other[26]
[note 1] | Asian[26] | Black or African
American[26] | Native American[26]
[note 2] | Hispanic or Latino
(of any race)[27]
Auburn Lake Trails | CDP | 3,741 | 97.0% | 1.5% | 0.2% | 1.0% | 0.3% | 2.3%
Cameron Park | CDP | 16,697 | 90.8% | 6.1% | 2.2% | 0.6% | 0.4% | 15.4%
Camino | CDP | 1,933 | 98.7% | 0.7% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 3.5%
Cold Springs | CDP | 569 | 90.9% | 9.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 3.3%
Coloma | CDP | 353 | 82.4% | 17.3% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 20.1%
Diamond Springs | CDP | 11,367 | 93.6% | 2.3% | 1.3% | 0.7% | 2.1% | 9.4%
El Dorado Hills | CDP | 43,563 | 84.0% | 5.4% | 8.9% | 1.7% | 0.1% | 7.3%
Georgetown | CDP | 2,338 | 89.9% | 8.2% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 1.8% | 10.7%
Grizzly Flats | CDP | 923 | 97.4% | 0.0% | 0.9% | 0.0% | 1.7% | 6.7%
Placerville | City | 10,394 | 82.5% | 12.0% | 2.0% | 0.7% | 2.9% | 19.4%
Pollock Pines | CDP | 6,953 | 95.2% | 3.6% | 0.8% | 0.0% | 0.4% | 9.8%
Shingle Springs | CDP | 4,797 | 92.7% | 2.0% | 0.0% | 0.7% | 4.6% | 16.7%
South Lake Tahoe | City | 21,814 | 76.8% | 16.8% | 4.5% | 0.6% | 1.3% | 31.3%
Tahoma ‡ | CDP | 563 | 82.8% | 17.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 8.5%
‡ Data for El Dorado County area of this CDP
Places by population and income

Place  | Type[31] | Population[32] | Per capita income[28] | Median household income[29] | Median family income[30]
Auburn Lake Trails | CDP | 3,741 | $35,522 | $79,573 | $92,308
Cameron Park | CDP | 16,697 | $34,839 | $72,562 | $84,361
Camino | CDP | 1,933 | $26,015 | $51,742 | $63,412
Cold Springs (El Dorado County) | CDP | 569 | $30,925 | $97,576 | $99,286
Coloma | CDP | 353 | $22,462 | $44,844 | $44,844
Diamond Springs | CDP | 11,367 | $28,786 | $52,911 | $62,150
El Dorado Hills | CDP | 43,563 | $44,920 | $115,121 | $123,816
Georgetown | CDP | 2,338 | $24,117 | $52,169 | $62,614
Grizzly Flats | CDP | 923 | $20,902 | $32,365 | $56,813
Placerville | City | 10,394 | $26,109 | $53,385 | $66,890
Pollock Pines | CDP | 6,953 | $30,826 | $54,478 | $62,760
Shingle Springs | CDP | 4,797 | $34,055 | $86,786 | $89,778
South Lake Tahoe | City | 21,814 | $22,958 | $41,685 | $51,538
Tahoma ‡ | CDP | 563 | $32,105 | $54,286 | $63,646
‡ Data for El Dorado County area of this CDP

### 2010 Census

[edit]

The 2010 United States census reported that El Dorado County had a population of 181,058. The racial makeup of El Dorado County was 156,793 (86.6%) White, 1,409 (0.8%) African American, 2,070 (1.1%) Native American, 6,297 (3.5%) Asian, 294 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 7,278 (4.0%) from other races, and 6,917 (3.8%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 21,875 persons (12.1%).[33] The largest growth in the county has come in El Dorado Hills where the population grew by 24,092 residents to a total of 42,108 since 2000.[33]

Population reported at 2010 United States Census

The County

Total
Population

White

African
American

Native
American

Asian

Pacific
Islander

other
races

two or
more races

Hispanic
or Latino
(of any race)

El Dorado County | 181,058 | 156,793 | 1,409 | 2,070 | 6,297 | 294 | 7,278 | 6,917 | 21,875

Incorporated
cities

Total
Population

White

African
American

Native
American

Asian

Pacific
Islander

other
races

two or
more races

Hispanic
or Latino
(of any race)

Placerville | 10,389 | 8,716 | 80 | 162 | 98 | 13 | 867 | 453 | 1,863
South Lake Tahoe | 21,403 | 15,733 | 182 | 232 | 1,186 | 39 | 3,230 | 801 | 6,665

Census-designated
places

Total
Population

White

African
American

Native
American

Asian

Pacific
Islander

other
races

two or
more races

Hispanic
or Latino
(of any race)

Auburn Lake Trails | 3,426 | 3,190 | 6 | 28 | 36 | 5 | 45 | 116 | 208
Cameron Park | 18,228 | 16,242 | 143 | 194 | 425 | 36 | 461 | 727 | 2,056
Camino | 1,750 | 1,604 | 7 | 14 | 18 | 4 | 55 | 48 | 197
Cold Springs | 446 | 413 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 6 | 43
Coloma | 529 | 462 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 15 | 37 | 63
Diamond Springs | 11,037 | 9,743 | 39 | 176 | 110 | 6 | 518 | 445 | 1,377
El Dorado Hills | 42,108 | 35,089 | 615 | 196 | 3,563 | 71 | 681 | 1,893 | 3,802
Georgetown | 2,367 | 2,128 | 47 | 59 | 18 | 2 | 45 | 68 | 177
Grizzly Flats | 1,066 | 954 | 6 | 14 | 7 | 2 | 19 | 64 | 96
Pollock Pines | 6,871 | 6,195 | 18 | 128 | 56 | 3 | 251 | 220 | 713
Shingle Springs | 4,432 | 3,919 | 14 | 108 | 50 | 3 | 132 | 206 | 469
Tahoma‡ | 780 | 736 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 17 | 35

Other
unincorporated areas

Total
Population

White

African
American

Native
American

Asian

Pacific
Islander

other
races

two or
more races

Hispanic
or Latino
(of any race)

All others not CDPs (combined)  | 56,226 | 51,669 | 242 | 744 | 712 | 110 | 933 | 1,816 | 4,111
‡ Note: these numbers reflect only the portion of this CDP in El Dorado County

### 2000

[edit]

As of the census[34] of 2000, there were 156,299 people, 58,939 households, and 43,025 families residing in the county. The population density was 91 inhabitants per square mile (35/km2). There were 71,278 housing units at an average density of 42 per square mile (16/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 89.7% White, 0.5% Black or African American, 1.0% Native American, 2.1% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 3.6% from other races, and 3.0% from two or more races. 9.3% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 14.9% were of German, 13.4% English, 10.3% Irish, 6.6% Italian and 6.6% American ancestry according to Census 2000. 90.5% spoke English and 6.5% Spanish as their first language.

There were 58,939 households, out of which 34.2% had youngsters under the age of 18 living with them, 60.1% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.0% were non-families. 20.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.1% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 26.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.3 males.

The 2000 census also states that the median income for a household in the county was $51,484, and the median income for a family was $60,250. Males had a median income of $46,373 versus $31,537 for females. The per capita income for the county was $25,560. About 5.0% of families and 7.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.6% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.

## Politics

[edit]

### Voter registration statistics

[edit]

Population and registered voters

Total population[35] | 191,185
Registered voters[36][note 3] | 135,300  | 70.77%
Democratic[36] | 41,030  | 30.33%
Republican[36] | 56,812  | 41.99%
Democratic–Republican spread[36] | -15,782 | -11.66%
American Independent[36] | 7,780  | 5.75%
Green[36] | 633  | 0.47%
Libertarian[36] | 2,672  | 1.97%
Peace and Freedom[36] | 442  | 0.33%
Unknown[36] | 7  | 0.01%
Other[36] | 1,157  | 0.86%
No party preference[36] | 24,767  | 18.31%

#### Cities by population and voter registration

[edit]

Cities by population and voter registration  City  | Population[35] | Registered voters[36]
[note 3] | Democratic[36] | Republican[36] | D-R spread[36] | Third parties, Unknown, Other[36] | No party preference[36]

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Placerville | 10,747 | 6,381 | 2,284 | 2,353 | -1.08% | 604 | 1,140
South Lake Tahoe | 21,330 | 12,111 | 5,228 | 2,694 | +20.92% | 1,306 | 2,883
Unincorporated Areas | 159,108 | 116,808 | 33,518 | 51,765 | -15.62% | 10,781 | 20,744

### Overview

[edit]

El Dorado is a predominantly Republican county in presidential and congressional elections. However, from 1880 until 1952, the county was a Democratic stronghold, with Theodore Roosevelt and Warren Harding being the only two Republicans to carry the county. Since 1952, however, El Dorado has gone Democratic only three times: in 1960 narrowly for John F. Kennedy, in 1964 in a landslide for Lyndon Johnson, and in 1976 narrowly for Jimmy Carter.

United States presidential election results for El Dorado County, California[37] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies)

|
|
|

No. | % | No. | % | No. | %
2024 | 61,109  | 54.61% | 47,703  | 42.63%  | 3,096  | 2.77%
2020 | 61,838  | 53.24% | 51,621  | 44.44%  | 2,700  | 2.32%
2016 | 49,247  | 51.76% | 36,404  | 38.26%  | 9,498  | 9.98%
2012 | 50,973  | 57.27% | 35,166  | 39.51%  | 2,859  | 3.21%
2008 | 50,314  | 53.92% | 40,529  | 43.44%  | 2,466  | 2.64%
2004 | 52,878  | 61.23% | 32,242  | 37.33%  | 1,244  | 1.44%
2000 | 42,045  | 58.29% | 26,220  | 36.35%  | 3,871  | 5.37%
1996 | 32,759  | 51.84% | 22,957  | 36.33%  | 7,480  | 11.84%
1992 | 25,906  | 39.92% | 21,012  | 32.38%  | 17,969  | 27.69%
1988 | 30,021  | 59.33% | 19,801  | 39.13%  | 781  | 1.54%
1984 | 27,583  | 64.93% | 14,312  | 33.69%  | 583  | 1.37%
1980 | 21,238  | 58.27% | 10,765  | 29.53%  | 4,446  | 12.20%
1976 | 12,472  | 47.69%  | 12,763  | 48.80% | 919  | 3.51%
1972 | 11,330  | 54.20% | 8,654  | 41.40%  | 921  | 4.41%
1968 | 7,468  | 49.00% | 6,054  | 39.72%  | 1,719  | 11.28%
1964 | 5,775  | 39.53%  | 8,810  | 60.30% | 25  | 0.17%
1960 | 6,065  | 49.16%  | 6,175  | 50.05% | 97  | 0.79%
1956 | 4,613  | 53.60% | 3,957  | 45.97%  | 37  | 0.43%
1952 | 5,203  | 60.51% | 3,297  | 38.35%  | 98  | 1.14%
1948 | 2,894  | 43.04%  | 3,493  | 51.95% | 337  | 5.01%
1944 | 1,990  | 39.55%  | 3,016  | 59.95% | 25  | 0.50%
1940 | 2,019  | 32.37%  | 4,144  | 66.44% | 74  | 1.19%
1936 | 1,228  | 23.12%  | 4,019  | 75.66% | 65  | 1.22%
1932 | 956  | 23.12%  | 3,034  | 73.37% | 145  | 3.51%
1928 | 1,228  | 44.25%  | 1,516  | 54.63% | 31  | 1.12%
1924 | 852  | 28.49%  | 361  | 12.07%  | 1,778  | 59.45%
1920 | 1,636  | 64.36% | 726  | 28.56%  | 180  | 7.08%
1916 | 1,068  | 35.10%  | 1,755  | 57.67% | 220  | 7.23%
1912 | 16  | 0.59%  | 1,613  | 59.04% | 1,103  | 40.37%
1908 | 986  | 44.74%  | 1,019  | 46.23% | 199  | 9.03%
1904 | 1,248  | 54.10% | 865  | 37.49%  | 194  | 8.41%
1900 | 1,193  | 45.14%  | 1,406  | 53.20% | 44  | 1.66%
1896 | 1,130  | 39.54%  | 1,674  | 58.57% | 54  | 1.89%
1892 | 1,159  | 43.80%  | 1,270  | 48.00% | 217  | 8.20%
1888 | 1,350  | 47.02%  | 1,456  | 50.71% | 65  | 2.26%
1884 | 1,289  | 45.47%  | 1,469  | 51.82% | 77  | 2.72%
1880 | 1,419  | 47.89%  | 1,520  | 51.30% | 24  | 0.81%
Election results from statewide races

Year  | Office  | Results
2010  | Governor | Whitman 56.2 - 38.6%
Lieutenant Governor | Maldonado 55.6 - 32.8%
Secretary of State | Dunn 53.5 - 37.4%
Controller | Chiang 46.1 - 45.7%
Treasurer | Walters 51.3 - 41.0%
Attorney General | Cooley 60.4 - 29.4%
Insurance Commissioner | Villines 53.6 - 33.8%

The county is noted as a center of political concern with the United Nations non-binding sustainable development plan Agenda 21, which was on the County Board of Supervisors meeting Agenda on May 15, 2012. Concerns included the threat of U.S. Forest Service road closures and traffic roundabouts.[38] On February 19, 2013, 14 members of the El Dorado County Grand Jury resigned, forcing Supervising Judge Steven Bailey to dissolve it.[39]

El Dorado County has a secessionist movement, calling for the county of less than 200,000 residents to become a new state of the union. Wyoming, the least populous current state, has approximately three times the number of residents. Sharon Durst, one of the leaders of the movement, was previously a supporter of the State of Jefferson movement, that advocates for Northern California counties and Southern Oregon counties to form a new state. El Dorado County's seat, Placerville, is located 45 miles from Sacramento, the state's capital. The leadership of the movement acknowledges that it is unlikely that the California legislature would approve their separation from the state, as required by the United States Constitution. They promote an unproven theory that the county "is technically not a legitimate piece of California and is instead 'other property' of Congress".[40]

El Dorado County is split between two Congressional districts, with the western third of the County in the 5th Congressional District, represented by Tom McClintock, and the eastern two-thirds in the 3rd Congressional District, represented by Kevin Kiley. In the State Assembly, the county is split between the 5th Assembly district, represented by Republican Joe Patterson and the 6th Assembly district, represented by Democrat Maggy Krell.[41] In the State Senate, it is in the 1st senatorial district, represented by Republican Megan Dahle.[42]

## Crime

[edit]

The following table includes the number of incidents reported and the rate per 1,000 persons for each type of offense.

Population and crime rates

Population[26] | 179,878
Violent crime[43] | 520 | 2.89
Homicide[43] | 3 | 0.02
Forcible rape[43] | 50 | 0.28
Robbery[43] | 71 | 0.39
Aggravated assault[43] | 396 | 2.20
Property crime[43] | 1,736 | 9.65
Burglary[43] | 932 | 5.18
Larceny-theft[43][44] | 1,540 | 8.56
Motor vehicle theft[43] | 178 | 0.99
Arson[43] | 17 | 0.09

### Cities by population and crime rates

[edit]

Cities by population and crime rates  City  | Population[45] | Violent crimes[45] | Violent crime rate
per 1,000 persons  | Property crimes[45] | Property crime rate
per 1,000 persons

|
|
|
|
|

Placerville | 10,479 | 55 | 5.25 | 194 | 18.51
South Lake Tahoe | 21,586 | 148 | 6.86 | 544 | 25.20

## Transportation

[edit]

See also: Transportation in the Sacramento metropolitan area

### Major highways

[edit]

Map of El Dorado County in Northern California

* U.S. Route 50
* State Route 49
* State Route 89
* State Route 153
* State Route 193
* Luther Pass

### Public transportation

[edit]

* El Dorado Transit[46] runs local service in Placerville and surrounding areas (as far east as Pollock Pines). Commuter service into Sacramento and Folsom is also provided.
* Tahoe Transportation District[47] is the transit operator for the South Lake Tahoe area. Service also runs into the state of Nevada.

### Airports

[edit]

General aviation airports include Placerville Airport, Georgetown Airport, Cameron Park airport and Lake Tahoe Airport.

## Asbestos

[edit]

Portions of El Dorado County are known to contain natural asbestos formations near the surface.[48] The USGS studied amphiboles in rock and soil in the area in response to an EPA sampling study and subsequent criticism of the EPA study. The study found that many amphibole particles in the area meet the counting rule criteria used by the EPA for chemical and morphological limits, but do not meet morphological requirements for commercial-grade-asbestos. The executive summary pointed out that even particles that do not meet requirements for commercial-grade-asbestos may be a health threat and suggested a collaborative research effort to assess health risks associated with naturally occurring asbestos.[49]

In 2003, after construction of the Oak Ridge High School (El Dorado Hills) soccer field, the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry found that some student athletes, coaches and school workers had received substantial exposures. The inside of the school needed to be cleaned of dust.[48]

## Sister city

[edit]

* Warabi, Saitama Prefecture, Japan is a sister city to El Dorado County, California on March 26, 1975.[50]

## Communities

[edit]

El Dorado County Courthouse in Placerville

### Cities

[edit]

* Placerville (county seat)
* South Lake Tahoe

### Census-designated places

[edit]

* Auburn Lake Trails
* Cameron Park
* Camino
* Cold Springs
* Coloma
* Diamond Springs
* El Dorado Hills
* Georgetown
* Grizzly Flats
* Meyers
* Pollock Pines
* Shingle Springs
* Tahoma

### Other unincorporated communities

[edit]

* Camp Richardson
* Camp Sacramento
* Cool
* Echo Lake
* El Dorado
* Fair Play
* Garden Valley
* Greenwood
* Happy Valley
* Kyburz
* Omo Ranch
* Outingdale
* Phillips
* Pilot Hill
* Rescue
* Somerset
* Strawberry
* Twin Bridges

### Population ranking

[edit]

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of El Dorado County.[51]

† county seat

Rank  | City/town/etc.  | Municipal type  | Population (2020 Census)

|
|
|

1  | El Dorado Hills | CDP  | 50,547
2  | South Lake Tahoe | City  | 21,330
3  | Cameron Park | CDP  | 18,881
4  | Diamond Springs | CDP  | 11,345
5  | † Placerville | City  | 10,747
6  | Pollock Pines | CDP  | 7,112
7  | Shingle Springs | CDP  | 4,660
8  | Auburn Lake Trails | CDP  | 3,388
9  | Georgetown | CDP  | 2,255
10  | Camino | CDP  | 1,871
11  | Grizzly Flats | CDP  | 1,093
12  | Tahoma (partially in Placer County)  | CDP  | 1,034
13  | Cold Springs | CDP  | 556
14  | Coloma | CDP  | 521
15  | Shingle Springs Rancheria[52] | AIAN | 108

## Education

[edit]

School districts include:

K-12:[53]

* Black Oak Mine Unified School District
* Lake Tahoe Unified School District
* Tahoe-Truckee Unified School District

Secondary:[53]

* El Dorado Union High School District

Elementary:[53]

* Buckeye Union Elementary School District
* Camino Union Elementary School District
* Gold Oak Union Elementary School District
* Gold Trail Union Elementary School District
* Indian Diggings Elementary School District
* Latrobe Elementary School District
* Mother Lode Union Elementary School District
* Pioneer Union Elementary School District
* Placerville Union Elementary School District
* Pollock Pines Elementary School District
* Rescue Union Elementary School District
* Silver Fork Elementary School District

## See also

[edit]

* Community Observatory
* James W. Marshall
* National Register of Historic Places listings in El Dorado County, California

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Other = Some other race + Two or more races
2. ^ Native American = Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander + American Indian or Alaska Native
3. ^ a b Percentage of registered voters with respect to total population. Percentages of party members with respect to registered voters follow.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Chronology". California State Association of Counties. Archived from the original on January 29, 2016. Retrieved February 6, 2015.
2. ^ "Board of Supervisors - El Dorado County".
3. ^ "Chief Administrative Office - El Dorado County".
4. ^ "Freel Peak". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved February 6, 2015.
5. ^ "Gross Domestic Product: All Industries in El Dorado County, CA". Federal Reserve Economic Data. Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
6. ^ "El Dorado County, California". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
7. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on July 12, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
8. ^ "Brief History of El Dorado County". El Dorado County GenWeb. August 1, 2008. Archived from the original on April 1, 2013. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
9. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Printing Office. p. 116.
10. ^ "Caldor Fire Incident Update". Cal Fire. State of California. August 16, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2021. "Situation Summary: The Caldor Fire started August 14, 2021 near Little Mountain, south of Pollock Pines in El Dorado County."
11. ^ "CALDOR FIRE: 219,000+ acres, 68 percent contained". August 17, 2021.
12. ^ "How did the Caldor Fire in California start?". AS.com. August 23, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
13. ^ Stanton, Sam; McGough, Michael; Kasler, Dale; Ahumada, Rosalio (August 18, 2021). "Caldor Fire levels homes in Grizzly Flats, destroys school, church in El Dorado County". The Modesto Bee. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
14. ^ "Caldor Fire Containment Remains at 71%". September 19, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
15. ^ "About Us". www.edcgov.us. Archived from the original on April 23, 2024. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
16. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
17. ^ "Freel Peak : Climbing, Hiking & Mountaineering : SummitPost". www.summitpost.org. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
18. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2024". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 9, 2025.
19. ^ "Census of Population and Housing from 1790-2000". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
20. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
21. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
22. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
23. ^ a b "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – El Dorado County, California". United States Census Bureau.
24. ^ a b "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – El Dorado County, California". United States Census Bureau.
25. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – El Dorado County, California". United States Census Bureau.
26. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B02001. U.S. Census website . Retrieved October 26, 2013.
27. ^ a b U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B03003. U.S. Census website . Retrieved October 26, 2013.
28. ^ a b U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B19301. U.S. Census website . Retrieved October 21, 2013.
29. ^ a b U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B19013. U.S. Census website . Retrieved October 21, 2013.
30. ^ a b U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B19113. U.S. Census website . Retrieved October 21, 2013.
31. ^ a b U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census website . Retrieved October 21, 2013.
32. ^ U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B01003. U.S. Census website . Retrieved October 21, 2013.
33. ^ a b "2010 Census P.L. 94-171 Summary File Data". United States Census Bureau.
34. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
35. ^ a b "El Dorado County, California". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
36. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q California Secretary of State. October 21, 2024 - Report of Registration. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
37. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
38. ^ Carlos Alcalá (May 24, 2012). "El Dorado County folks riled by U.N. agenda for sustainable growth". Sacramento Bee. Archived from the original on April 11, 2013. Retrieved March 10, 2013.
39. ^ Cathy Locke (March 10, 2013). "The Public Eye: El Dorado County grand jury disbands after mass resignation". Sacramento Bee. Archived from the original on March 12, 2013. Retrieved March 10, 2013.
40. ^ Ting, Eric (July 17, 2023). "'This state is under tyranny': Scenes from California's latest secession movement". SFGate. San Francisco. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
41. ^ "Members Assembly". State of California. Retrieved April 5, 2013.
42. ^ "Senators". State of California. Retrieved April 5, 2013.
43. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Office of the Attorney General, Department of Justice, State of California. Table 11: Crimes – 2009 Archived December 2, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 14, 2013.
44. ^ Only larceny-theft cases involving property over $400 in value are reported as property crimes.
45. ^ a b c United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation. Crime in the United States, 2012, Table 8 (California). Retrieved November 14, 2013.
46. ^ "El Dorado Transit - El Dorado Transit: Public Transportation for El Dorado County, California". www.eldoradotransit.com. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
47. ^ Tahoe Transportation District
48. ^ a b Raloff, Janet (July 8, 2006), "Dirty Little Secret", Science News, archived from the original on July 13, 2007
49. ^ Meeker, G.P.; Lowers, H.A.; Swayze, G.A.; Van Gosen, B.S.; Stutley, S.J.; Brownfield, I.K. (December 2006), "Mineralogy and Morphology of Amphiboles Observed in Soils and Rocks in El Dorado Hills, California", USGS Report, Open-File Report, United States Geological Survey: 37, Bibcode:2006usgs.rept...37M, doi:10.3133/ofr20061362
50. ^ "Northern and Central California Sister Cities in Japan".
51. ^ "2020 U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 16, 2024.
52. ^ Staff, Website Services & Coordination. "US Census Bureau 2010 Census Interactive Population Map". www.census.gov. Retrieved March 15, 2018.[permanent dead link]
53. ^ a b c "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: El Dorado County, CA" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved October 4, 2024. \- Text list

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
El Dorado County, California (category)

* Official website
* El Dorado County Deeds, 1873-1930.
* official El Dorado County Historical Museum website
* El Dorado Environmental air quality management \- naturally occurring asbestos information
* El Dorado County Weather
* El Dorado County Visitors Authority
* Sierra Community Access Television
* El Dorado Western Railway Foundation blog \- The railway is restoring the Diamond & Caldor No. 4 Shay locomotive at the El Dorado County Historical Museum.

* v
* t
* e

Places adjacent to El Dorado County, California

|  | Placer County | Douglas County, Nevada

|
|

|  |
Sacramento County |

El Dorado County, California

|  |
| Amador County | Alpine County

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of El Dorado County, California, United States

County seat: Placerville

Cities|

* Placerville
* South Lake Tahoe

El Dorado County map

CDPs|

* Auburn Lake Trails
* Cameron Park
* Camino
* Cold Springs
* Coloma
* Diamond Springs
* El Dorado Hills
* Georgetown
* Grizzly Flats
* Meyers
* Pollock Pines
* Shingle Springs
* Tahoma‡

Unincorporated
communities|

* Camp Richardson
* Clarksville
* Cool
* Echo Lake
* El Dorado
* Fair Play
* Fallen Leaf
* Frenchtown
* Fresh Pond
* Garden Valley
* Gold Hill
* Greenwood
* Kelsey
* Kyburz
* Latrobe
* Little Norway
* Lotus
* Meeks Bay
* Mount Aukum
* Nashville
* Newtown
* Omo Ranch
* Outingdale
* Pacific
* Phillips
* Pilot Hill
* Pino Grande
* Pleasant Valley
* Quintette
* Rescue
* Riverton
* Sciots Camp
* Sierra Springs
* Sly Park
* Smithflat
* Somerset
* Strawberry
* Twin Bridges
* Volcanoville
* White Hall

Former
settlements|

* Buckeye Flat
* Caldor
* Green Valley
* Higgins Point
* Indak
* Jayhawk
* Powningville
* Rubicon
* Rubicon Springs
* Salmon Falls
* Wentworth Springs
* Yalisumni

Footnotes|

‡This CDP also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

* California portal
* United States portal

* v
* t
* e

Greater Sacramento

Counties|

* El Dorado
* Nevada
* Placer
* Sacramento
* Sutter
* Yolo
* Yuba

Major city|

* Sacramento

Cities
and
towns|

| 100k–200k|

* Elk Grove
* Roseville

|

25k–100k|

* Antelope
* Arden-Arcade
* Carmichael
* Citrus Heights
* Davis
* El Dorado Hills
* Fair Oaks
* Florin
* Folsom
* Foothill Farms
* Galt
* Lincoln
* North Highlands
* Orangevale
* Rancho Cordova
* Rocklin
* West Sacramento
* Woodland
* Yuba City

10k–25k|

* Auburn
* Cameron Park
* Diamond Springs
* Gardnerville Ranchos (NV)
* Granite Bay
* Grass Valley
* La Riviera
* Lemon Hill
* Linda
* Marysville
* North Auburn
* Olivehurst
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* Rosemont
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Sub-regions|

* Gold Country
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* v
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Counties|

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Most populous
cities|

* Los Angeles
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* United States
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Other|

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38°47′N 120°32′W﻿ / ﻿38.78°N 120.53°W﻿ / 38.78; -120.53
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