In 2014, 20-year-old Wilton resident Dylan Lupton was chosen as one of NASCAR's 12 Next drivers -- only a year after he won the Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award.
Just imagine living only a few miles from Sacramento, the capital of California -- one of the most diverse cities in the state -- while still living the simple life of the farmers and ranchers of yesteryear. Well, that is exactly what Wilton offers. As one of its 5,300 residents you can buy or rent a ranch style house surrounded by your own land and such lovely sights as the Sierra Nevada Mountains. With crime rates so low they barely register and a median income per household of almost double the national average, there can be few better places to live.
Moving to Wilton
You will be entering one of the country's fastest growing property markets. After all, houses in Wilton are not serviced apartments, but mostly ranch houses that can come with orchards, tack barns, swimming pools and a whole lot more that previous residents have maintained, nurtured and even developed themselves. As they say in the city, these are pet friendly apartments. Land is a priceless commodity in this part of the world and as potential resident you will need to be prepared to put in the work. If you do, it will not only have a positive effect on the value of your property, but in your standing in the community. Just imagine, in a couple of years you could be compering such close knit community events Wilton Barn Dance and the Wilton Winter Festival.
How Much Will It Cost?
Almost exclusively the homes to rent or buy are ranches -- put simply, one floor properties standing in their plot of land that can stretch up to 5 acres. In fact if it is land you are looking for, some of the cheaper houses come with bigger lots than the more expensive ones. The expensive properties tend to be the relatively new ones. For example one ranch style house built in 1920 with three bedrooms and almost 5 acres of land is almost half the price of a house built in 1968 with some recent extensions and two acres of land. You can find two bedroom houses, rarely if ever, less than two bedrooms (there are no one bedroom apartments here), which are generally a lot cheaper, but mostly Wilton deals in 3 to 5 bedroom ranches.
What Do I Need to Do Before I Move?
You should probably consider getting renter's insurance. Check with your landlord, but often his insurance will not cover your own belongings. Though for example Wilton has a low crime rate, you will be living in earthquake country. Wilton is nowhere as high risk as say San Andreas -- Wilton has one of the lowest risks of earthquakes in the state -- but in this part of the world it is recommended that you err on the side of caution.
How Can I Get Around?
A big give away to the fact you can't live in Wilton without a car, or possibly two, is that a majority of the houses have huge garages with space for 2 cars or more. Apart from a few extras you can buy at such place as Dillard stores you will have to do most of your food shopping in the nearby city of Elk Grove, about 8 miles away. Car pools are common in this part of the world so you needn't do all the driving on your own. For those fitness fanatics, Wilton is also the perfect place for cycling and walking. Among the great trails that run through the town is Wilton loop. It may sound a daunting task on paper, but at the end of the day cycling 8 miles to Elk Grove on flat asphalt will only take you between 30 to 40 minutes.
Neighborhoods
With most of its 29 square miles being taken up by rivers, fields and farmland, it is difficult to break Wilton down into a series of neighborhoods. Instead, one would have to say it consists of a network of main and minor roads and small country lanes. The two main roads, which will lead you into the Sacramento County's main cities, are Dillard Road and Wilton Road. Home to all the town's schools, the fire station (where they also hold the winter festival), the sheriff's department, and Dillard's stores, Dillard Road is perhaps the most exclusive of them all. It is also the busiest. Quieter minor roads include Green Road, which is not only near the Cosumnes River, it also offers clear sights of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Lanes off Dillard Road such as Peach and Plum Lane stretch very close to the area's river and lakes.
Live the Life
Wherever you are moving from, wherever you have lived in the past, one would be hard pressed to believe you have experienced a better quality of life that Wilton can afford. Where else can you spend a normal day picking strawberries at Wilton strawberries or horseback riding at Over the Top? Even when they are older they only have to drive 16 miles to reach the bright lights of California's capitol. As for you, just think how lovely it would be to wake up to fresh eggs every morning from Billy's or any other of the 8 farms in the town. To put a price on such a relaxing idyllic life is virtually impossible.