Eco-consciousness, strong neighborhoods and state-recognized distinguished schools have brought national acclaim to Rocklin. 

The August issue of Family Circle Magazine named the city one of the "10 Best Towns" for families in America. Rocklin was the only California city on the list.

Rocklin's environmentally-friendly achievements were prominent reasons for the selection, including being the first city in California to participate in Pacific Gas & Electric’s ClimateSmart™ program to offset the City’s 1.6 million pound carbon footprint and using solar technology to reduce energy costs for the Rocklin Police Department were prominent reasons for the selection.

"Citizens of Rocklin have always been committed to making it a great place to live, work and raise a family," Rocklin Mayor Brett Storey said. "We are proud of this nationwide recognition as it highlights a citywide partnership between residents and local government to manage resources in a way that provides the best possible quality of life and protects our future."

Family Circle Magazine engaged OnBoard, a New York research firm, to research 1,850 cities throughout the country based on population (between 15,000 and 150,000) and average income ($65,000). From those, the list was narrowed down to 800 based on family-friendly criteria including cost of living, jobs, schools and "green" policies. The communities were then ranked by state, and the highest rated cities in the top ten states nationwide were chosen as winners.

Eco-Consciousness
Rocklin is among the most aggressive cities in California with respect to environmental protection. Following are some of the highlights of this effort:

In 1997 the City adopted an Oak Tree protection ordinance and for the past five years, with volunteer labor, has conducted native Oak tree reforestation and restoration in Rocklin's parks and open space.

At a time when the City was developing, between 1952 and 2003, Rocklin's tree canopy coverage increased by 63 percent setting an example that cities can grow while preserving and even enhancing the environment.

Rocklin's new state-of-the-art police station is one of the City’s most energy efficient buildings. Its solar carports have decreased utility costs by almost 40 percent and provide clean, consistent, renewable energy.

Recycling efforts with the Placer County Materials Recovery Facility ensures that 100 percent of Rocklin residents are recycling whether they know it or not. Residents don’t have to sort their paper from their plastic, but instead, throw it all in the same can, and it is sorted later at the facility. This makes it simple and easy for residents to do their part to protect the environment.

Nearly 19 percent of open space and park land has been set aside by the City to protect and preserve for generations to come.

A Family Community
"In addition to our ongoing effort to be a 'green' community, there are many additional reasons why Rocklin is a family community. There are 26 parks and 200 acres of open space – including water parks to keep kids cool in the summer - as well as a myriad of city-run educational activities and recreational programs for pre-school students through seniors. The active participation of residents throughout the community has made Rocklin the award-winning city it is today." Mayor Storey concluded.

View the Family Circle Magazine Article