El Dorado County · Relocation Guide
An honest local's guide to relocating in the western El Dorado County foothills near Folsom Lake, around 700–1,200 feet — commute, lifestyle, neighborhoods, schools, what homes cost, and what to know before you go.
El Dorado Hills is the upscale western gateway to El Dorado County — rolling foothill terrain just east of Folsom, anchored by the open-air El Dorado Hills Town Center and a string of master-planned and gated communities like Serrano, Blackstone, and Promontory. For buyers who want newer, higher-end homes with foothill views and Folsom Lake nearby, it's one of the region's most sought-after addresses.
People relocate here for the combination of newer construction, planned-community amenities, and a roughly 35-to-40-minute commute to Sacramento via US-50. The things to understand going in are price (this is one of the area's pricier markets), Mello-Roos in many newer neighborhoods, and foothill summer heat.
An open-air retail, dining, and entertainment hub gives the community a real downtown-style gathering place.
Serrano, Blackstone, Promontory and others offer newer homes, often with golf, trails, and views.
Boating, trails, and the lake's recreation are minutes away on the community's western edge.
About 35–40 minutes to downtown Sacramento and quick access toward the Tahoe corridor.
Approximate drive times from El Dorado Hills in normal conditions — handy when you're weighing where to land.
A few of the areas Farris helps relocating buyers consider around El Dorado Hills.
A large gated, golf-course community of custom and production homes on the area's hillsides.
Condos and homes near the open-air shopping, dining, and entertainment district.
A newer master-planned neighborhood on the southern side with its own community amenities.
Hillside homes on larger lots with foothill and valley views.
El Dorado Hills is served by the Buckeye Union School District (TK–8) and the El Dorado Union High School District (9–12), with some areas in neighboring districts. Boundaries are address-specific — confirm them for any home you're considering.
As of May 2026, the median list price around El Dorado Hills is about $1,099,000 (+4.7% YoY). El Dorado Hills runs toward the higher end of the regional market, and price varies sharply by community, view, lot, and whether a home is gated or carries Mello-Roos — so a property-specific read is especially useful here. For current inventory, days on market, and the full breakdown, see the El Dorado Hills market report — and for an address-level figure, request a free home value report.
The honest fine print most relocation pages skip.
El Dorado Hills tends to suit you if:
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