Population192,323 (2025 est.)
Gold Country Beginnings and High Sierra Horizons
El Dorado County, CaliforniaEl Dorado County stretches from California’s western Sierra foothills toward Lake Tahoe, bringing very different elevations and communities into one county. Placerville is the county seat, while Coloma marks the gold discovery that helped trigger the California Gold Rush. The county historical museum offers context for those changes and the people affected by them. A foothill history outing and a high-country visit reveal different parts of this varied Sierra landscape.
El Dorado County at a Glance
Population192,323 (2025 est.)
County SeatPlacerville
Largest communityEl Dorado Hills
Established1850
ZIP CodesSee postal resources
Total Area, Including Water1,786 sq mi (total)
Major RoutesSee transportation resources
Area CodesVaries by community
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Discover El Dorado County
El Dorado County
James Marshall's discovery of gold at Coloma in January 1848 helped set off the California Gold Rush. El Dorado County became one of California's original counties in 1850, with Coloma as its first seat; county government moved to Placerville in 1857. That period reshaped a region with much older Indigenous histories. The county's historical museum and archival collections provide ways to explore settlement, transportation and everyday life rather than treating the gold discovery as the whole story.
Placerville's historical museum is a practical starting point for learning about county history, with photographs, maps and other records supporting deeper exploration. Coloma provides a separate focus on the gold-discovery landscape. Farther east, the county reaches the Lake Tahoe region, where elevation and distance make a different kind of itinerary. Choose between a foothill-centered day and a high-country outing before combining stops, so the county's geography works with your plans.
What Shapes Us
Coloma's Turning Point
The 1848 gold discovery at Coloma links a specific place with a far-reaching historical event, providing an entry point to the region's rapid nineteenth-century changes.
County Collections
The El Dorado County Historical Museum preserves photographs, maps and records that help connect broad historical events with the experiences of local communities.
A Sierra Transect
The county spans foothill communities and high-country landscapes toward Lake Tahoe, making elevation and travel distance essential parts of understanding its different destinations.
Follow the Sierra from foothill stories to mountain horizons.
A Closer Look
El Dorado County
Places and perspectives from El Dorado County
El Dorado County headlines via Google News
Former firefighter convicted of planting explosives near Sacramento-area roadways - Sacramento Bee
Former firefighter convicted of planting explosives near Sacramento-area roadways Sacramento Bee
Read the Story Nov 2, 2026 • 2 min read
Around El Dorado County
Stories from every corner of El Dorado County.
Former firefighter convicted of planting explosives near Sacramento-area roadways - Sacramento Bee
Former firefighter convicted of planting explosives near Sacramento-area roadways Sacramento Bee
Nov 2, 2026 • 2 min read
Two die in two separate crashes in El Dorado County, CHP says - KCRA
Two die in two separate crashes in El Dorado County, CHP says KCRA
Nov 2, 2026 • 2 min read
Pedestrian killed after being struck by a vehicle in El Dorado County - KCRA
Pedestrian killed after being struck by a vehicle in El Dorado County KCRA
Nov 2, 2026 • 2 min read
Update: Plummer Fire in El Dorado County - Nov. 1 status - Sacramento Bee
Update: Plummer Fire in El Dorado County - Nov. 1 status Sacramento Bee
Nov 1, 2026 • 2 min read
The Towns In California's Sierra Nevada Where Retirees Are Actually Moving To - WorldAtlas
The Towns In California's Sierra Nevada Where Retirees Are Actually Moving To WorldAtlas
Nov 1, 2026 • 2 min read
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Support the businesses that help make our communities thrive. From family-owned shops and restaurants to trusted local services, discover businesses worth visiting throughout the county.
County Resources
Find the Right Local Connection
Start with the organization responsible for the service you need. Follow its official link for current requirements, office locations and availability.
Government
Start with the county’s public information and department directory for local contacts and service information.
Schools
Public school contacts
Selected local schools from the NCES 2024-2025 directory. Contact the school or district to confirm enrollment, attendance boundaries and current services; this is not a complete school list.
Northside Elementary – Elementary; grades KG-06. 860 Cave Valley Rd., Cool, CA 95614. 530-333-8355.
Blue Oak Elementary – Elementary; grades KG-05. 2391 Merrychase Dr., Cameron Park, CA 95682. 530-676-0164.
California Montessori Project-Shingle Springs Campus – Elementary; grades KG-08. 4645 Buckeye Rd., Shingle Springs, CA 95682. 530-672-3095.
Camino Polytechnic – Elementary; grades KG-08. 3060 Snows Rd., Camino, CA 95709. 530-644-4552.
Camino Elementary – Elementary; grades KG-08. 3060 Snows Rd., Camino, CA 95709. 530-644-4552.
Clarksville Charter – Other; grades KG-12. 4818 Golden Foothill Parkway Ste 9, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762. 916-957-5802.
Cottonwood – Other; grades KG-12. 3921 Sandstone Drive Ste. A, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762. 530-285-2003.
Hospitals
Local hospital contacts
Facility contacts from the CMS Hospital General Information directory, updated July 22, 2026. Contact the facility directly to confirm current services and appointment arrangements.
Marshall Medical Center – Acute Care Hospitals. 1100 Marshall Way, Placerville, CA 95667. 530-622-1441.
Barton Memorial Hospital – Acute Care Hospitals. 2170 South Avenue, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150. 530-541-3000.
Public Safety
Start with the county’s public information and department directory for local contacts and service information.
Emergency Services
Start with the county’s public information and department directory for local contacts and service information.
Parks & Public Lands
Start with the county’s public information and department directory for local contacts and service information.
Trails
Start with the county’s public information and department directory for local contacts and service information.
Utilities
Start with the county’s public information and department directory for local contacts and service information.
Libraries
Local library contacts
Locations and public phone numbers are from the IMLS FY2024 Public Libraries Survey. Call the branch to confirm current hours and services before visiting.
El Dorado County Library – 345 Fair Lane, Placerville, CA 95667. 530-621-5540.
Cameron Park Branch – 2500 Country Club Dr., Cameron Park, CA 95682. 530-621-5500.
El Dorado Hills Library – 7455 Silva Valley Parkway, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762. 916-358-3500.
Georgetown Library – 6680 Orleans Street, Georgetown, CA 95634. 530-333-4724.
Pollock Pines Library – 6210 Pony Express Trail, Pollock Pines, CA 95726. 530-644-2498.
South Lake Tahoe Library – 1000 Rufus Allen Blvd., South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150. 530-573-3185.
Courts
Start with the county’s public information and department directory for local contacts and service information.
DMV
California — Locations & Hours
California — Renew Registration
Transportation
Start with the county’s public information and department directory for local contacts and service information.
Postal Services
USPS location finder — Search by street address, city or ZIP Code for nearby post offices, collection boxes and available services.
USPS ZIP Code lookup — Find the mailing ZIP Code for a specific street address.
USPS Hold Mail — Arrange a temporary mail hold and review identity-verification requirements.
USPS change of address and forwarding — Review forwarding options and submit an address-change request through USPS.
USPS package pickup — Check pickup availability for your address and schedule eligible shipments.
Veterans
National services available to local residents
VA accredited representatives — Find help with VA claims and benefit applications.
VA health care applications — Review application options and supporting information.
VA disability claims — Find the official steps for submitting a disability claim.
GI Bill and education benefits — Review how to apply for VA education benefits.
Veteran career and employment support — Explore VA employment, training and career assistance.
Employment
National services available to local residents
USAJOBS federal employment — Search federal openings by location and occupation.
Apprenticeship Finder — Search apprenticeship opportunities by location and occupation.
My Next Move career exploration — Explore occupations, industries and career interests.
Government job-training resources — Find routes to state training programs and support for different job seekers.
Unemployment benefit guidance — Find your state program and its application and eligibility information.
Get to Know El Dorado County
Useful answers for residents, visitors and anyone planning their next step.
Local Questions
El Dorado County Questions, Answered
Explore practical details about the county and the organizations that serve it.
192,323 (July 1, 2025 Census estimate). This is a dated Census Bureau estimate, rather than a live resident count.
1,786.361 square miles, including water (2020 Census geography). The total combines land and water area.
No. Coloma was the first county seat, following the gold discovery there. County government moved to Placerville in 1857. About El Dorado County.
The El Dorado County Historical Museum in Placerville maintains photographs, maps and other historical records. Its official page explains how to contact staff with a research question. El Dorado County Historical Museum.
Start with these official California resources: Renew DL/ID; Locations & Hours; Renew Registration. Choose the page for the service you need, then check its office or online instructions before making a trip. These links cover state services; they do not establish that every transaction is available at a county office.
Use USPS ZIP Code Lookup for the mailing ZIP Code of a specific street address. Use the USPS location finder to search for nearby postal facilities and available services. An address lookup is more useful for mailing than assuming the entire county shares one ZIP Code.
The VA explains how to find and appoint an accredited representative for benefit claims. Contact a representative to confirm availability before appointing them. For education benefits, use the GI Bill application guidance. These are national VA services available to eligible local residents, rather than a listing of county offices.
Search USAJOBS for federal positions and the Apprenticeship Finder for apprenticeship opportunities, using location filters to narrow the results. USAGov job-training guidance points to training programs and state resources. Check each listing for current availability, eligibility and application instructions; a search result does not guarantee an opening in the county.
Placerville's historical museum is a practical starting point for learning about county history, with photographs, maps and other records supporting deeper exploration. Coloma provides a separate focus on the gold-discovery landscape. Farther east, the county reaches the Lake Tahoe region, where elevation and distance make a different kind of itinerary. Choose between a foothill-centered day and a high-country outing before combining stops, so the county's geography works with your plans.
The 2020 Census geography figures record 1,707.850 square miles of land and 78.511 square miles of water in El Dorado County. The county’s total area includes both. These are geographic measurements for that Census vintage, not a measurement of current water levels or public recreation access.
In the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate series, El Dorado County had an estimated 191,237 residents on July 1, 2020, and 192,323 on July 1, 2025. Over that interval, the estimated population increased by 1,086 residents, or about 0.6%. Both figures come from the same estimate vintage, which revises earlier years for a consistent comparison.
Shop - Dine - Discover
Meet Local Businesses
Support the businesses that help make our communities thrive. From family-owned shops and restaurants to trusted local services, discover businesses worth visiting throughout the county.
My Local Guide
Local Businesses
Businesses Serving El Dorado CountyExplore the businesses listed for this county.
Businesses serving El Dorado County
Additional county facts: county overview and references.
Connect with local businesses.El Dorado County