Growing city close to its agricultural roots near UC Davis
Maroon “Stroll Through History” banners hug light poles along Woodland’s Main Street, where local businesses operate in row house fashion, showcasing various architectural styles. On the side of an 1890s structure, the bright blaze of golden sunflowers surrounds a farmer inspecting his crop, titled “Celebrating 150 Years.” Alluding to the city’s agricultural roots, this mural embodies generations of values evident today.
Sitting roughly 20 miles northwest of Downtown Sacramento and 11 miles north of Davis, Woodland is a growing city of 60,000 whose identity resembles its past. “It’s like the city never got rid of its rural roots,” says Shaun Alston, executive broker for Eagle Realty, who’s been selling in the area for 30 years. “Part of the attraction is its small-town vibe, with a slightly urban feel downtown, which brings a hodgepodge of young professionals from different cultural backgrounds.” Students attending the nearby University of California, Davis, find Woodland more affordable, and many stay to work in the area’s vast agricultural sector.
Woodland has long been at the forefront of innovative agricultural practices and the city states it is committed to helping the world adjust to climate and natural resource challenges by improving food products and varieties. Partnerships with UC Davis and food processors have allowed the city to advance plant genetics and food safety, and stay at the center of one of the world’s highest concentrations of seed research and technology.
Farm-to-fork fare and nearby shopping centers
Woodland’s Communications and Strategic Policy Manager, Spencer Bowen, raves about the city's dining scene. “A lot of Woodland’s restaurants are farm-to-fork, including Savory Café on Main Street. The owner picks up fresh produce every morning, which frames the day’s menu.” Rose Gonzales, Realtor for Real Broker, LLC. with years of experience selling here, recommends Kitchen428 Restaurant & Mojo’s Lounge in the historic Jackson Building downtown. Specializing in steaks and chops, the eatery offers unique dishes like the Thai Totchos, an Asian twist on tater tots, and baked brie and fig, made with local honey.
Several shopping centers sit along Main Street, including West Gate, which features Raley’s grocery store and a hardware store, and West Court Plaza which houses dollar stores, Mexican restaurants and a Walmart Neighborhood Market. Family-owned Nugget Markets is nearby, featuring a bakery and deli. Boutiques, antique shops and locally owned businesses border coffee shops, the Blue Note Brewing Company and the popular Whole Warrier Axe Throwing amusement center downtown. Department stores like Marshall’s and HomeGoods are just east of Country Road 102.
Find a taste of Mexico at Las Brasas on Woodland.
You never know what you will find at Home Goods ever changing deals in Woodland.
Raley's offers great groceries and is located on the west end of Woodland.
Whole Warrior Axe Throwing features projected gaming systems for family fun in Woodland.
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Technical education in agriculture, and higher education options nearby
The Woodland Joint Unified School District, which earns a B-plus from Niche, serves nearly 10,000 students throughout 18 schools. Programs include Career Technical Education (CTE) classes in agriculture and natural resources, with focuses on agricultural mechanics, horticulture and sustainable agricultural practices. Woodland Community College, located east of Vic Fazio Highway, offers certificate degrees and transfer programs, dual enrollment with area high schools and a tuition grant for eligible students. UC Davis, to the south, is ranked near the top for its agricultural and forestry program and has 107 academic majors.
Woodland is home of the great Woodland Community College.
Beamer Elementary School offers exceptional educational options.
Your children will thrive at Douglass Middle School.
Woodland Senior High School is one of the top schools in the area.
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Giant outdoor dinner, county fair and theatre fun
Every September, Main Street is transformed into a giant feast. “We have an outdoor harvest dinner where the city partners with a local nonprofit to serve a four-course meal prepared by local restaurants,” says Bowen. “Usually about 700 people show up from across the region, which means we have to set up one massively long table.” Other events and attractions include the Yolo County Fair and a performing arts theatre. Built in 1885, the original Woodland Opera House Community Theatre was one of the region’s first performing arts venues. It was later destroyed by a fire, prompting the reconstruction that stands today as a California State Historic Site. Some of the original bricks were used in the rebuilding.
State Theatre has been an icon of Woodland and was built in the 1930's.
Woodland is home of the Yolo County Fairgrounds which holds many events each year.
The main street in Woodland has many eateries and shops to choose from.
The downtown area is very walkable in Woodland.
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A wide range of housing styles and prices
On average, homes in Woodland sell after 32 days, compared to the national average of 44, and throughout the last 12 months, the average sale price for single-family homes has been $591,991, which as about the same as the year before. Prices for two-bedroom cottages near Main Street range between $194,000 and $250,000, many of which need renovation. Three-bedroom properties sell for between $270,000 and $500,000, while four-bedrooms start at $505,000 and can sell for over $900,000. Custom-built homes on 1-acre lots range from $1 million to $2.3 million. Two-bedroom condos start at around $260,000, while eight-bedroom condos sell for about $500,000.
Woodland’s housing styles have changed with the times. Cottages and bungalows from the early- to mid-1900s sit along wide, sidewalk-lined streets in the city’s western end. Many have wooden or iron fences surrounding front yards and narrow driveways leading to one-car garages. Ranch-style homes built between the 1950s and ‘90s have well-manicured yards large enough for a few mature trees and two-car garages. New traditional Craftsman-style dwellings on larger lots are being built in the city’s southeastern end.
This bungalow cottage is a classic home with shake siding and covered porch in Woodland.
In the south area of Woodland there are smaller 2 bedroom homes like this cottage.
Woodland has 3 bedroom, 3-car garage ranch style homes.
Just west of downtown Woodland, there are newer ranch style homes on a golf course.
This custom modern home is on farm land with many acres west of Woodland.
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City-wide green spaces
Recreation is bountiful in Woodland, which has more than 414 acres of parks and facilities. Many include playgrounds, tennis and pickleball courts and walking trails. At John Ferns Park, friends can challenge each other to a handball or disc golf game, and kids can beat the summer heat at the splash pad. Christiansen Park offers ball fields, a horseshoe pit and picnic areas. The Woodland Community and Senior Center toward the south is often the setting for meetings and special events, with a kitchen, banquet hall and meeting rooms at the public’s disposal. The Charles Brooks Community Swim Center is in the city’s northern end and offers swimming lessons and other programs.
Woodland Community & Senior Center offers event rooms and many sports in Woodland.
Christiansen Park offers excellent baseball amenities.
John Ferns Park has a nine hole disc golf course.
These two youths are practicing there soccer skills at Woodland Sports Park.
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Multiple transit options and cycling investment
Interstate 5 and Vic Fazio Highway (State Route 113) intersect in the city’s eastern end, and Interstate 80 is about 13 miles south and leads to Sacramento. Residents here are primarily car-dependent, but Woodland’s public transportation, YoloBus, carries locals throughout the county and into Sacramento. Point-to-point micro transit utilizes an on-demand shuttle service, and seniors can be driven to doctor appointments or leisure activities via the Community Care Car program. Woodland Memorial Hospital is in the southwestern part of the city, and Sacramento International Airport is about 12 miles east.
Bowen emphasizes that city officials are investing in cycling infrastructure. “We’ve opened the first dedicated pedestrian east-west bridge over 113, as well as a bike loop that connects many city amenities,” Bowen says. “It’s cool to watch folks commute to work and kids able to bike to schools and swimming lessons now.”
New technology park, area crime and 300 days of sun
Construction of the 350-acre Woodland Research and Technology Park is ongoing. The park will serve as a technology and business hub, helping to bolster start-ups and grow existing companies. Gathering spaces, walking paths and diverse housing units are included in the plans, and greenbelts and bike trails will connect to greater Woodland. The city will also open a new swimming pool in 2025.
Woodland's property and violent crime rates are well below the national averages. Over the last five years, violent crime has increased, and property crime has decreased.
Woodland experiences warm summers and cool, rainy winters. “This area of California sees around 300 days of sun every year,” says Bowen, “and we don’t get any snow, but it does get cold here at night.” Residents of Woodland aren’t in a high-risk fire zone, but the air quality will become hazardous if the wind blows smoke toward the city, and only an isolated flood risk exists.
Written By
Tess Evans
Photography Contributed By
Daniel Reagan
Video By
Brian Bernhard
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On average, homes in Woodland, CA sell after 35 days on the market compared to the national average of 52 days. The median sale price for homes in Woodland, CA over the last 12 months is $550,000, up 2% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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