Lifestyle

Quality of life means different things to different people, and Solano County delivers many different versions. Within our 7 cities and unincorporated portions of the county you can find:

  • Location: urban, suburban, rural small town, rustic, and refined
  • Geography: rolling hills, extensive flatlands, open space, waterfront views and properties
  • Lifestyle: family-friendly, young professionals, and empty nesters
  • Housing: single-family, condo, affordable, new and established neighborhoods
  • Careers: entry level, blue collar, government, professionals, medical, and sciences
  • Amenities: restaurants, arts and theater scene, sports and recreation on water and land
  • Shopping: local-owned, chain, and big-box stores, large malls, and compact walkable downtowns

Cost of Living

Solano County is the location of choice for young professionals, families, and empty nesters because of its affordability, family-friendly atmosphere, and recreational opportunities. All while in close proximity to a wide range of job and career options.

Cost of Living
This index compares the relative cost of living in different locations. Using the United States as the base location (i.e. a value of 100), an index value of 120 means that the cost of living in that particular community is 20 percent higher than in the base location; a value of 94 indicates a more affordable location.
Location Benicia Dixon Fairfield Rio Vista Suisun City Vacaville Vallejo
Cost of Living 168 131 128 122 118 134 116
Source: Sperling's BestPlaces, August 2016 
The total of all cost of living categories is weighted as follows: 30% housing, 15% groceries, 10% transportation, 6% utilities, 7% health care, and 32% miscellaneous (clothing, services, entertainment); state and local taxes are not included. July 2016

Housing

Housing is one of the biggest draws to Solano, both for the low cost in comparison with prices in San Francisco and San Jose, and also from the variety of options. Be sure to see the City profiles for further pricing information.

Housing Cost (Median Sales price)
Starter (1-2 bedrooms) Mid-level (3-4 bedrooms) Executive (4+ bedrooms)
$277,000 $360,000 $411,111
Source: Trulia.com, August 2016

 

Rental Housing Cost (Median)
Single Family Homes Apartments / Townhomes
$1,635 (2-bedroom) $1,024 (1-bedroom)
$2,150 (3-bedroom) $1,285 (2-bedroom)
$2,300 (4-bedroom) $2,240 (3-bedroom)
Source: Trulia.com, August 2016


 

Public Education

Learn more about your community’s educational achievements at these school district sites.

K-12 Education1

Enrollment*

Student/Teacher Ratio*

Number of Schools*

Benicia Unified School District
350 E. K Street, Benicia, CA 94510
4,526 24 8
Solano County Office of Education
5100 Business Center Dr., Fairfield, CA 94534
358 8 3
Dixon Unified School District
180 S. 1st St., Dixon, CA 95620
2,956 23 7
Travis Unified School District
2751 De Ronde Dr., Fairfield, CA 94533
5,284 23 10
Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District
2490 Hilborn Rd., Fairfield, CA 94534
20,703 23 30
Vacaville Unified School District
401 Nut Tree Rd., Vacaville, CA 95687
12,447 22 18
Vallejo City Unified School District
665 Walnut Ave., Vallejo, CA 94592
11,095 25 20
       
1 https://www.solanocoe.net/solanoschools      
* https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/districtsearch/      

Healthcare

Businesses located in Solano County have access to medical facilities that offer Occupational and Industrial Healthcare programs and services including worksite wellness education, pre-employment exams, industry-specific exams or screenings, drug screening, etc. With UC Davis operating a major medical training program and conducting cutting edge research on a variety of conditions, Solano residents are in good hands.

Healthcare Facilities
Name Location No. of Beds Services/Specialties/Other Information
David Grant USAF Medical Center
101 Bodin Cir., Fairfield, CA 94533
(707) 423-3000
Travis AFB 298 > Primary Care
> Preventive Care
> Hospital Care and Surgery
> Urgent and Emergency Care
> Mental Health and Substance Abuse
> Medical Equipments and Supplies
> Lab Tests and Radiology
> Specialty Care
> Case Management
> Dental
> Pharmacy
> Vision
> Women's Health and Pregnancy
> Children's Health
> Others
Kaiser Permanente Vacaville Medical Center
1 Quality Dr., Vacaville, CA 95688
(707) 624-4000
Vacaville 112 > Emergency and Urgent Care
> Pharmacy
> Substance Abuse
> Adult Medicine
> Cardiology
> Case Management
> Family Medicine
> Specialty Care
> Nutrition
> Laboratory and Radiology
> Vision
> Women's Health
Kaiser Permanente Fairfield Medical Offices
1550 Gateway Blvd., Fairfield, CA 94533
(707) 427-4000
Fairfield > Emergency and Urgent Care
> Pharmacy
> Adult and Family Medicine
> Nutrition
> Pediatrics
> Laboratory and Radiology
> Case Management
> Vision
> Women's Health
> Others
Northbay Medical Center
1200 B Gale Wilson Blvd., Fairfield, CA 94533
(707) 646-5000
Fairfield 154 > Emergency and Urgent Care
> Primary Care
> Women's Health
> Specialty Care
> Trauma
> Prenatal Care
> Orthopedics
> Neuroscience
> Neonatal Intensive Care
> Cardiology
>Cancer Center
> Occupational Health
> Pharmacy
> Laboratory and Radiology
> Others
Vacavalley Medical Center
1000 Nut Tree Dr., Vacaville, CA
(707) 624-7000
Vacaville 50 > Emergency and Urgent Care
> Primary Care
> Women's Health
> Specialty Care
> Trauma
> Prenatal Care
> Orthopedics
> Neuroscience
> Neonatal Intensive Care
> Cardiology
>Cancer Center
> Occupational Health
> Pharmacy
> Laboratory and Radiology
> Others
Sutter Solano Medical Center
300 Hospital Dr., Vallejo, CA 94589
(707) 554-4444
Vallejo 106 > Back and Spine Services
> Cancer Services
> Dermatology
> ENT Services
> Women's Health
> Cardiology
> Laboratory and Radiology
> Neuroscience
> Orthopedics
> Surgery
> Emergency Care
> Others
UC Davis Medical Center
2315 Stockton Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95817
(916) 734-2011
Sacramento 646 > Women's Health
> Child Care
> Primary Care
> Surgery
> Cancer Center
> Others
Survey 2022

Public Safety

Jurisdiction Population Property Crime Violent Crime
City of Benicia 28,471 377 16
City of Dixon 20,775 389 54
City of Fairfield 118,383 3,782 442
City of Rio Vista 9,502 140 11
City of Suisun 29,922 664 114
City of Vacaville 101,147 2,442 331
City of Vallejo 122,657 4,941 1,037
Source: https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2019/crime-in-the-u.s.-2019/tables/table-8/table-8-state-cuts/california.xls  

Climate

Solano residents enjoy moderate temperatures through most of the year. The warmer summer days turn to cool evenings, thanks to the Delta Breeze, when cool marine air is funneled into inland areas.

Climate
City January 2022  (Low/High) April 2022 (Low/High) July 2022 (Low/High) Annual Wind Speed*
(in mph)
Annual Precipitation*
(in inches)
Annual Average Humidity*
Benicia 37 F / 69 F 41 F / 90 F 53 F / 92 F 14.38 25.80 77.72%
Dixon 31 F / 68 F 38 F / 88 F 53 F / 101 F 15.91 26.47 78.08%
Fairfield 31 F / 67 F 41 F / 89 F 54 F / 95 F 16.77 30.83 76.77%
Rio Vista 30 F / 67 F 37 F / 88 F 54 F / 101 F 15.07 24.60 73.86%
Suisun City 31 F / 67 F 41 F / 89 F 54 F / 95 F 15.66 25.85 74.82%
Vacaville 31 F / 70 F 43 F / 90 F 55 F / 103 F 16.99 29.96 77.89%
Vallejo 35 F / 68 F 55 F / 94 F 53 F / 85 F 16.06 26.55 81.20%
Sources: https://weather.com/weather/monthly/l/6a8ac98061ed6ae9784fa3e17acfa517a6f4c68887aa2f1391f2c15d42a2d688 (*) www.usa.com, 2022

Arts & Culture

Young or old, active or observant, on the water or on land—whatever you enjoy doing in your leisure time, you can find in Solano County.

Arts & Culture
Venue Location / Phone
Arts Benicia 991 Tyler St, Benicia
(707) 747-0131
Benicia Old Town Theater Group 140 West J St, Benicia
(707) 746-1269
Benicia Plein Art Gallery 307 First St, Benicia
(707) 495-2940
Benicia Performing Arts Foundation 424 First St, Benicia
(707) 534-2277
Coal Shed Studios 153 Waterfront Ave, Vallejo
(707) 552-2293
Downtown Theatre 1035 Texas St, Fairfield
(707) 940-0700
Empress Theatre 330 Virginia St, Vallejo
(707) 552-2400
Mare Island Historic Park Foundation 328 Seawind Dr, Vallejo
(707) 557-1538
Missouri Street Theatre 1125 Missouri St, Ste 1000, Fairfield
(707) 422-1598
The Downtown Theater 1035 Texas St. Fairfield
(707) 940-0700
Theater of Arts Solano Community College 4000 Suisun Valley Rd, Fairfield
(707) 864-7000
Solano College Theatre 4000 Suisun Valley Rd, Suisun City
(707) 864-7199
USA World Classics Event Center 1525 Sonoma Blvd Vallejo
(707) 552-3400
Vacaville Performing Arts Theatre 1010 Ulatis Dr, Vacaville
(707) 469-4013
Vallejo Music Theatre 3467 Sonoma Blvd #10, Vallejo
(707) 649-2787
Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum 734 Marin St, Vallejo
(707) 643-0077
Vallejo Symphony 714-A Marin St, Vallejo
(707) 643-4441

Sports and Recreation

Outdoor recreation and open space is a big draw for families and young professionals tired of living in cramped quarters in the larger Bay Area cities. Five of our cities are on waterways, which means boating and fishing are popular pastimes. Mountain biking and wine tasting are also popular. When your favorite team is playing in the Bay Area, they are just a short distance away.

Sports Venues and Organizations
Professional Sports Venue / Distance (from Fairfield, county seat)
Golden State Warriors – NBA Basketball team Oracle Arena, Oakland, CA – 47 miles
Oakland Athletics – MLB Baseball team Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, CA – 47 miles
Oakland Raiders – NFL Football team Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, CA – 47 miles
San Francisco Giants – MLB Baseball team AT&T Park, San Francisco, CA – 46 miles
San Francisco 49ers – NFL Football team Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA – 74 miles
San Jose Sharks – NHL Hockey team SAP Center, San Jose, CA – 80 miles
San Jose Earthquakes – MLS Soccer team Avaya Stadium, San Jose, CA – 76 miles
Santa Cruz Warriors – NBA D-League team Kaiser Permanente Arena, Santa Cruz – 106 mi.
Local Recreational Sports
City of Benicia Parks & Community Services
250 E L St, Benicia, CA
(707) 746-4285
Adult Sports Softball Volleyball Basketball Pickleball Tennis Badminton (All ages) Youth Sports Basketball Volleyball Tennis Soccer Summer Camps
City of Dixon Parks & Recreation
600 East A St., Dixon, CA
(707) 678-7000
Adult Activities Exercise to Music Lap Swim Tennis Lessons Adult Softball Drop-In Adult Co-Ed Volleyball Youth Sports Basketball Just4Kicks Soccer Tennis
City of Fairfield Parks & Recreation
1000 Webster Street, Fairfield, CA
(707) 428-7465
Adult Sports Softball Volleyball Martial Arts Yoga Aquatic Fitness Youth Sports Basketball T-Ball Dance Martial Arts Water Polo Soccer Tennis
City of Rio Vista Parks Department
1 Main St, Rio Vista, CA
(707) 374-6451 ext. 1116
Arts & Crafts Swimming Lunch & Learn First Aid Performing Arts Life Skills Glee Club Fishing Dance Cooking
City of Suisun Parks & Community Services
611 Village Drive, Suisun City, CA
(707) 421-7200
Instructional classes Field sports Basketball Softball Dance Line dancing Tai Chi Martial arts Preschool Seniors programs
City of Vacaville Parks & Recreation
40 Eldridge Ave, Ste 13, Vacaville, CA
(707) 449-5658
Adults Sports Basketball Flag Football Softball Volleyball Youth Sports Baseball Basketball Football Tiny Tots Volleyball
Greater Vallejo Recreation District
395 Amador St., Vallejo, CA
(707) 648-4600
Adults Sports Basketball Slow Pitch Softball Youth Sports Soccer Volleyball Cheerleading Basketball Flag Football Tennis T-Ball Baseball
Recreational Facilities Description
City of Benicia Parks & Community Services
(707) 746-4285
3 Parks Aquatics Community Center Senior Center Marina Clock Tower City Gym Boat launch
City of Dixon Parks & Recreation (707) 678-7000 6 Parks Aquatics Center Senior Center Dog park
City of Fairfield Parks & Recreation (707) 428-7465 4 Parks Aquatics Center Adult Recreation Center Community Center Neighborhood Center Sports Center Nature Park Education Center
City of Rio Vista Parks Department
(707) 374-6451 ext. 1116
7 Parks Baseball Fields Skate Park Basketball Courts Pool Soccer fields
City of Suisun Parks & Community Services
(707) 421-7200
9 Parks Community Center Baseball Fields Senior Center Marina, Boat Launch Sports Complex
City of Vacaville Parks & Recreation
(707) 449-5658
28 Parks Soccer Fields Baseball Fields Softball Fields Pool Community Center Senior Center Aquatics Center
Greater Vallejo Recreation District
(707) 648-4600
35 Parks Soccer Fields Volleyball Courts Basketball Courts Softball Fields Pool Community Centers Softball Fields Soccer Fields
Source: Google search; Coal Shed Studios; Downtown Theatre; Empress Theatre; Mare Island Historic Park Foundation; Missouri Street Theatre; USA World Classics Event Center; Vacaville Performing Arts Theatre; Vallejo Music Theatre; Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum; Vallejo Symphony; Golden State Warriors; Oakland Athletics; Oakland Raiders; San Francisco 49ers; San Francisco Giants; San Jose Sharks; San Jose Earthquakes; Santa Cruz Warriors; City of Benicia Parks & Community Services; City of Dixon Parks & Recreation; City of Fairfield Parks & Recreation; City of Rio Vista Parks Department; City of Suisun Parks & Community Services; City of Vacaville Parks & Recreation; Greater Vallejo Recreation District, August 2016