Neighborhood and city spotlight: Rocklin, California.

Like a modern oasis within the traditionalism of Placer County, the city of Rocklin, California has been one of the fastest-growing cities in California, with a population increase of 64% since 2000 to it’s present level of 60,000 residents. Nestled in the rolling foothills with views of the Sutter-Butte mountain range to the west and Sierra Nevada’s to the northeast, Rocklin is still close enough to downtown Sacramento for a quick commute.

Mix in great local parks and recreation, a superlative school system and safe neighborhoods, and residents weren’t surprised when Family Circle magazine named Rocklin one of its “10 Best Towns” for families in America, the only one on that list in California.

Location and demographics:

Rocklin is an incorporated city sitting in South Placer County, only 25 minutes from downtown Sacramento. Encompassing zip codes 95678 and 95765, Rocklin has an ideal position adjacent to the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Sutter-Butte range, and is less than 2 hours from San Francisco and the same to Lake Tahoe. Rocklin neighbors Roseville, Granite Bay, Loomis, and Lincoln.

Rocklin as a community:

Rocklin is one of the most safest and family-friendly communities in all of California, with plenty of arts, culture, restaurants, and outdoor activities galore. According to the city’s mission statement, they want Rocklin “to become a city that provides its citizens with exceptional quality of life while maintaining its small town sense of community.” So far, they’ve accomplished just that.

A huge attraction for families is that Rocklin is one of the safest communities in all of California. In fact, when it comes to property crime, there is only a 1 in 57 chance of becoming a victim in Rocklin, compared to 1 in 38 for all of California. And violent crime is almost nonexistent, with only a 1 in 933 chance of becoming a victim in Rocklin, compared to 1 in 249 in the rest of California.

The history of Rocklin:

Rocklin was first settled during Gold Rush era, like most of the region. When the transcontinental railroad was completed, Rocklin became a popular stop in 1864 and was officially incorporated in 1893. By 1910, gold was no longer being panned from the hills but the granite industry was in full swing, attracting Irish, Spanish, and Finnish immigrants. In fact, granite unearthed in Rocklin was used to construct the state capitol building in Sacramento and many other buildings in San Francisco.

The first residential development sprung forth when the 30,000-acre Whitney Ranch was subdivided in the 1950s and 60s, giving birth to the Sunset Whitney neighborhood. High tech firms and other industries began relocating to Rocklin in the 1980s, attracted by its educated work force, low cost to do business, and proximity to Sacramento. Since then, the Stanford Ranch, Whitney Oaks, and Whitney Ranch neighborhoods have been well developed.

Schools and education:

The public school system is the pride of Rocklin, with four schools rated 10 out of 10 on GreatSchools.com: Valley View Elementary, Rocklin Academy, Sunset Ranch Elementary, and Rocklin Academy.

With 42% of Rocklin adults over 25 earning bachelor’s degrees or higher, it’s one of the best-educated communities in the region. Rockling is also home to Sierra College and William Jessup University.

Real Estate and home sales in Rocklin:

Rocklin has approximately 20,933 households, 66.3% of which are owner occupied, leaving 33.7% inhabited by renters.

Homes in Rocklin sell quickly and prices stay on the rise, thanks to the city’s desirable location, exemplary school system and low crime rates. When priced accurately, homes often sell in only a few days for asking price or higher. The current median home price in Rocklin is $401,700, which is a healthy 4.9 percent increase since the previous year.

If you’d like to hear more about homes for sale in Rocklin, or live there and would like to find out how much your house is realistically worth, please contact The Alfano Group because we’d love to help!

Jobs and the economy in Rocklin:

The economic base of Rocklin has a strong foundation with plenty of job opportunities for the 30,00 residents in the workforce. With a paltry unemployment rate of 4.3%, significantly lower than the rest of Placer County (6%), Sacramento (6.9%), and California (7.3%), Rocklin is home to plenty of companies and employers like the Rocklin Unified School District, Oracle America, Inc., United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI), and Esurance Insurance Services, Inc., all employing more than 500 people. The city did see its long-established granite mining business end in Rocklin in 2004, but jobs are picking up in the fields of solar, education, and media.

The median household income in Rocklin is $79,678, well ahead of the national media of $58,328 and healthy, even for Sacramento and Placer County.

Things to do and see in Rocklin:

Rocklin residents have plenty of entertainment and recreation options. The Rocklin Community Theater, the Rocklin Event Center, Rocklin Historical Society Museum, Maidu Interpretive Center, Aerospace Museum of California, and Joss House Museum all keep visitors occupied with arts, culture, history, and science exhibits and events.

But if exercise and laughter with the whole family is more your thing, the Scandia Family Fun Center, LaserCraze, Indoor Trampoline Park, and Johnson-Springview Park won’t disappoint. Golfers can tee off at the scenic 18-hole Rocklin Golf Course or Whitney Oaks Golf Club, open to the public. In fact, If you love the outdoors, Rocklin will never disappoint, with 30 well-kept public parks for, including an 18-hole Frisbee golf course.

If you’re in the mood for a great dinner, Rocklin boasts some of the best restaurants in the region, including The Chef's Table, Via Roma Pizzeria, Out of Bounds Brewery, Anatolia Table, and the Granite Rock Grill.

Famous Rocklin residents:

Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Home Improvement

Karyn White, pop singer

Jeffrey Leonard, retired MLB All-Star and professional baseball player, most notably for the San Francisco Giants

Kevin Martin, shooting guard of the Minnesota Timberwolves

Geoff Petrie, General Manager of the Sacramento Kings

Brotha Lynch Hung, rapper

John Romero, video game designer and programmer. Co-founder of id Software, creator of the video games Wolfenstein 3D, Doom (series), Quake (video game)