Loomis, California
"A Small Town is Like a Big Family
History:
The history of Loomis can really be traced back to one man, James Loomis, a pioneer and founder in the mid 19th century. As the Gold Rush boomed in the foothills around Loomis, the man became the saloonkeeper, railroad agent, and postmaster for the blossoming area. Sitting in present-day Loomis, the Placer post office opened in 1861 to serve the ever-growing needs of settlers. The post office underwent a name change to Smithville only a year later in 1862, in honor of honor of town leader L.G. Smith. The name changed again in 1869 to Pino, but after plenty of mail got lost due to the confusion with Reno, it was finally awarded the name “Loomis.”
In 1890, the Southern Pacific Railroad stopped in Loomis, which helped the settlement grow and prosper. In fact, by the early 20th century, Loomis was one of the largest fruit-shipping stations in all of northern California. Still to this day, historic landmarks of the High Hand and Blue Goose fruit packing sheds stand in Loomis, as do the Union Pacific railroad tracks, the predecessor of the Southern Pacific.
Location and demographics:
Loomis is an incorporated town in Placer County, California, less than 25 miles from the state capital of Sacramento. Throughout its history, Loomis has also been called Pine, Pino, Smithville, and Placer, but became an official town in 1984. As of the 2013 U.S. Census, Loomis measured a population of only 6,688 residents with a low population density of only 910 people per square mile. The town of covers an area of 7.27 square miles.
A large portion of Loomis is unincorporated. These unincorporated parts are not included in census data, skewing the statistics and not capturing a true snapshot of the town. The maps on the right are of Loomis (left) vs. 95650 (right). The map on the right covers a lot more area than the map on the left and while it may not be an absolute map of incorporated and unincorporated Loomis, it's a more accurate picture of the whole town.
Economy
As of 2012, the per capita income in Loomis was $32,624, with median household income of $75,494. However, the cost of living in Loomis is around 53% higher than the national average, though not considered high compared to the rest of California. Something to keep in mind when reviewing these numbers are that the census does not take into account the unincorporated parts of Loomis.
The industries that provide the most jobs to Loomis residents include construction (20%), manufacturing (17%), retail (10%), professional services (6%), and financial and insurance jobs (5%), among others.
Neighborhoods
Loomis attracts many buyers from all over northern California who want to live in a safe, tight-knit community that still has small town charm, but modern amenities like freeways and bigger cities are just a few minutes away.
And if country living doesn't appeal to you, Loomis offers some exclusive gated communities with some of the areas most beautiful estates and other, non-gated neighborhoods with luxury homes.
Recreation
Loomis sits in close proximity to Folsom Lake, Lake Tahoe, the Sierra Mountains, and the El Dorado National Forests. Alexander's Horseshoe Bar and Grill is a popular eatery for residents to enjoy a great meal or even take cooking classes. Golfers can tee off for 9 holes at the Indian Creek Golf Club. Families congregate for summer night fun every Thursday from May through August at the Downtown Loomis Thursday Night Family Fest, and the Eggplant Festival every October in Loomis has become a popular tradition.
Real Estate in Loomis
There are approximately 2,356 households in Loomis, with 77.7% owner-occupied and 22.3% filled by renters. Real estate values in Loomis have gone up 8.4% over the last year, and analysts predict healthy real estate value appreciation over the next year.
Education
Loomis has a bevy of quality public schools and charter schools, including the recently opened Loomis Basin Charter School and Del Oro High School, with sports teams very competitive in women’s basketball and swimming, but especially the Golden Eagles football program, which has won a section record 7 CIF championships.
Sierra College and William Jessup are just minutes from Loomis, while Sacramento State University and UC Davis are short distances away.
For more information about Loomis schools, visit the district's website:
The Town that Almost Wasn't...
As late as the early 1980s, there was a growing movement to annex the area of present-day Loomis into the neighboring city of Rocklin. But Loomis residents voted to maintain their autonomy so their home could retain its small town character and historic charm. So the town of Loomis was officially incorporated on December 17 of 1984. No wonder why to this day, the town motto is, “A small city is like a big family.”
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