El Dorado Hills: master-planned villages in the foothills

An unincorporated community

El Dorado Hills is not a city. El Dorado County handles zoning, planning and building permits, and the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office provides law enforcement. The El Dorado Hills Community Services District runs parks, recreation and community facilities, the El Dorado Hills Fire Department provides fire protection, and the El Dorado Irrigation District supplies water and, for most homes, sewer service. PG&E provides electricity and gas. The El Dorado County guide explains the county’s structure.

Villages, HOAs and special taxes

El Dorado Hills was developed from the 1960s onward as a collection of planned villages and subdivisions, with more added over the decades. North of Highway 50, many neighborhoods are older and closer to Folsom Lake; south of the freeway, newer villages have been built around the Town Center and beyond. Some communities are gated with their own associations.

• HOAs: many homes are in an association, and some are in more than one. Read the CC&Rs, budget and reserve study.
• Special taxes: many newer villages are in community facilities districts. Amounts vary widely between neighborhoods and parcels; read the tax bill.
• Architectural review: exterior changes, including solar, fences and landscaping, usually need approval.

Hillside lots and wildfire planning

The terrain is part of the appeal: views toward the valley, oak woodland and open space. It also means more lot-level diligence than on the valley floor.

• Slopes, retaining walls and drainage systems. Ask for permits and engineering.
• Driveway grade and access, especially on larger hillside parcels.
• Mapped Fire Hazard Severity Zones, defensible-space expectations and insurance availability. Get quotes early.
• Open space behind the home: who maintains it and whether it is permanently protected.

Getting around

Highway 50 is the main route, with interchanges at El Dorado Hills Boulevard/Latrobe Road and Silva Valley Parkway, among others. Folsom’s shopping and the Iron Point light rail station are a short drive west. Commutes toward Sacramento depend heavily on Highway 50 traffic through Folsom and Rancho Cordova, so test the drive at the times you’d travel. The business park south of the freeway is a major local employment area.

El Dorado Hills or Folsom?

Many buyers compare El Dorado Hills with Folsom, just across the county line. Folsom is an incorporated city in Sacramento County with SMUD electricity and city services. El Dorado Hills is unincorporated, uses PG&E and gets services from districts. Taxes, special taxes, insurance and utility costs can differ significantly. Compare actual bills, not averages.

Buying in El Dorado Hills

1. 01Look up the parcel with the El Dorado County Assessor and confirm the jurisdiction.
2. 02Read the tax bill for special taxes and the HOA documents for every association that applies.
3. 03Check the Fire Hazard Severity Zone map and start insurance quotes as soon as your offer is accepted.
4. 04Inspect slopes, retaining walls and drainage; consider a specialist for hillside lots.
5. 05Confirm water and sewer with EID; some larger parcels may have septic.

Dan’s buyer guidance and our guide to comparing homes during your search help with the process. Nearby Cameron Park offers a different mix of lots and rules. Sellers can read the El Dorado Hills home-selling guide and request a comparative market analysis.

This guide describes property, travel, costs and services, not who lives in any neighborhood. For school assignment, confirm with the school district for the specific address.

Common questions

Is El Dorado Hills a city?

No. El Dorado Hills is an unincorporated community in El Dorado County. The county handles land use and permits, and a community services district, a fire department and the irrigation district provide local services.

Why do special taxes vary so much in El Dorado Hills?

Different villages were financed through different community facilities districts, formed at different times for different improvements. Amounts depend on the parcel, so read the tax bill for the specific home.

Will I be able to insure a hillside home?

Insurance availability depends on the property and the market at the time. Check the fire hazard zone, review the seller’s defensible-space records and start quotes early in escrow.

Official sources

Records and rules are parcel-specific, so look up the exact address with the responsible agency.

• El Dorado Hills Community Services DistrictParks, recreation and community facilities in El Dorado Hills.(opens in a new tab)
• El Dorado Irrigation DistrictWater and sewer service areas.(opens in a new tab)
• El Dorado CountyAssessor, Recorder-Clerk, Planning and Building for unincorporated areas.(opens in a new tab)
• Office of the State Fire Marshal: Fire Hazard Severity ZonesStatewide fire hazard zone maps and guidance.(opens in a new tab)
• California Department of InsuranceHomeowners insurance guidance, including high-fire-risk areas.(opens in a new tab)

Local rules, districts and fees change. This guide is general information, not legal, tax, insurance or lending advice, and it describes places by property, travel, costs and services, never by who lives there.