Elmira CA Real Estate & Homes For Sale
Elmira is a small unincorporated community in Solano County near Vacaville, so Solano County’s zoning, well, septic and short-term rental rules apply. Most owners should expect a private well and septic system, and some surrounding parcels may be under Williamson Act farmland contracts.
Browse Elmira, CA real estate and homes for sale below, then use this guide to check what matters before you buy or sell.
| County | Solano County |
|---|---|
| Local government | Unincorporated — Solano County Planning Services (2008 General Plan) |
| Water and sewer | Private wells and septic; Vacaville city water only within city limits |
| Housing | Rural homes, lots with outbuildings, acreage |
| Hazards to check | Fire protection by Vacaville Fire Protection District |
| Getting around | Near Vacaville |
| Local rules | County STR permit and 5% occupancy tax; Williamson Act; county transfer tax |
By Matthew Martinez, Founder, CEO & Managing Broker, Diamond Real Estate Group. California DRE #01869679.
Elmira, California is a small unincorporated community in Solano County, ZIP code 95625, that grew up around a railroad stop near Vacaville in 1868. It had 193 residents at the 2020 Census on about half a square mile, so sales are too few for a local median; for scale, Redfin put Vacaville’s August 2026 median at $609,597. With no city government, Solano County’s zoning, well, septic and short-term rental rules decide what you can do with a property here.
- County
- Solano County
- Government
- Unincorporated (county rules)
- ZIP code
- 95625
- Population
- 193 (2020 Census)
- Area
- 0.53 sq mi (census-designated place)
- Fire protection
- Vacaville Fire Protection District (since 1986)
- Transfer tax
- $1.10 per $1,000 (county only)
- Short-stay tax
- 5% of rent (county)
Elmira homes for sale
Listings in Elmira are occasional, so the MLS results below may be few or none. Our property search covers the wider Vacaville area and the county land around it, so you can see rural homes and acreage nearby as well.
What do homes in and around Elmira sell for?
$609,597
August 2026, Redfin
$612,235
August 2026, Redfin
$580,000
September 2026, C.A.R.
There is no meaningful Elmira-only price. Redfin’s page for ZIP 95625 showed no median, sales count or days-on-market figures for August 2026, which usually means too few homes traded to report (Redfin). The nearest useful comparisons are Vacaville next door, Dixon, and the county as a whole (C.A.R.).
Those are city and county figures. A property in Elmira, or on the county land around it, is priced on different things: the lot, the well and septic system, outbuildings, zoning and whether the parcel is under a Williamson Act contract. A comparable sale from a Vacaville subdivision tells you little about any of them, so an Elmira valuation should rest on rural sales with similar land and utilities.
From Vaca Station to Elmira: a railroad town’s history
Elmira began with the railroad. In 1868 the California Pacific Railroad opened a one-room depot about a mile south of today’s town, called Vaca Station, and a general store, a boarding house and a blacksmith shop followed. Later that year Stephen Hoyt laid out a town on 40 acres he owned to the north. When the Vaca Valley and Clear Lake Railroad was set to join the line there in 1870, the store, post office and blacksmith shop were moved to Hoyt’s site on railroad flat cars. Confusion with Vacaville led residents to rename the town, and in February 1871 it became Elmira, after the birthplace of lawyer and teacher Jerome Banks (Jerry Bowen, Solano, The Way It Was, 2001).
Through the 19th and early 20th centuries, Elmira was the main railroad stop between Fairfield and Davis, and travellers reached Vacaville by a spur from it. That changed when highways took over: U.S. Route 40 was built through Vacaville, Vacaville grew, and Elmira declined. Fires in the 1890s, 1972 and 1975 took several of the old commercial buildings, including Fry’s, one of the last country stores in upper Solano County. By 2001 the town had about 200 residents, and the same history noted that Vacaville was slowly growing toward Elmira.
What county rule means for an Elmira property
Because Elmira isn’t a city, Solano County Planning Services handles zoning and land-use questions, and the county’s 2008 General Plan sets the policies (Solano County zoning FAQ). In practice that changes four things for a buyer.
- Short-term rentals: a stay of 30 days or less needs the appropriate county permit, a business license and a transient occupancy tax certificate before it is listed, and the county’s page treats dwellings occupied by a resident family separately from those that are not (Solano County Planning Services). The county’s tax is 5% of rent, below Vacaville’s 8%.
- Transfer tax: only the county documentary transfer tax applies, $1.10 per $1,000 of value, because there’s no city to add one.
- Farmland contracts: if a parcel is under a Williamson Act contract, its use stays restricted for the contract term, which runs at least 10 years. The county no longer accepts new agricultural preserves, so a buyer can’t count on putting a parcel into the program later; check its status in the county GIS viewer.
- Fire protection: Elmira’s own fire district, formed by a local vote on August 30, 1928, merged into the Vacaville Fire Protection District on May 26, 1986 (Vacaville Fire Protection District). In June 2025 the county reported that the Vacaville, Suisun and Montezuma fire protection districts were reorganizing into one district through the Local Agency Formation Commission, so check which district is on the current tax bill.
Our Solano County real estate guide explains how these county rules differ from the cities’.
Wells, septic and water in Elmira
The City of Vacaville’s utilities administration has its office at 6040 Vaca Station Road in Elmira, but the city supplies water only “within City limits” (City of Vacaville Utilities). For an Elmira home, find out early whether it has a private well and a septic system, and plan the inspections around them.
- Septic permit history: Solano County Code chapter 6.4 requires a construction permit for every septic installation, repair, replacement or expansion, based on a site evaluation, and permits don’t transfer to a new owner. We didn’t find a county rule requiring an inspection at sale, so order your own: a pump-out and a tank and leach-field inspection, then compare the result with the permit file at Environmental Health (707-784-1636) (Solano County Environmental Health).
- Alternative systems: if the home has an alternative (engineered) septic system, it needs a county operating permit renewed every year with monitoring and an annual performance report. Ask the seller for the current permit and the last report.
- The well: ask for the well log, a recent flow test and water-quality results. Well construction and destruction need permits from the county’s Well Program under Code chapter 13.10 (Solano County Well Program).
- Lender requirements: tell your lender at the start that the property is on a well and septic, and ask which water and septic reports it needs before closing.
On a well-and-septic property, make your offer contingent on the septic and well inspections and on the county permit records, not only on a general home inspection.
Tiny homes and ADUs on Elmira parcels
Whether a tiny home is allowed on an Elmira parcel starts with its zoning. In unincorporated Solano County, accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and junior ADUs are allowed only on residential lots; on agricultural lots a second home falls under the county’s separate “secondary dwelling” criteria. The details are in the county’s ADU ordinance (Ordinance 1794) and its ADU summary (Solano County Planning Services).
A tiny house built on a foundation as an ADU follows those rules, and if the septic system has to be expanded or modified to serve it, that work needs its own county septic construction permit. For a tiny house on wheels, ask Planning Services (707-784-6765) before you buy whether it can be used as a dwelling on that parcel, and get the answer in writing.
Living next to Vacaville
Elmira shares several public services with its larger neighbour. The community is in the Vacaville Unified School District, whose district office is at 401 Nut Tree Road in Vacaville; confirm the assigned schools for an address with the district. For homes on city water and sewer, look at Vacaville, the city next door; Interstate 80 runs through it toward Fairfield and Dixon.
Elmira compared with nearby areas
| Area | Government | One verified difference |
|---|---|---|
| Elmira | Unincorporated, Solano County | 193 residents (2020); county rules; county TOT 5% |
| Vacaville | Incorporated city | 103,850 residents (July 2025 estimate); city water inside city limits; median $609,597 (August 2026, Redfin); TOT 8% |
| Dixon | Incorporated city | Water from California Water Service or the city; citywide services tax on new homes ($770 in 2024/25, rising 4% a year); TOT 9% |
| Fairfield | Incorporated city | TOT 12% since January 2025; next to Travis Air Force Base |
How Diamond Real Estate Group helps Elmira buyers
An Elmira purchase is a rural purchase, even this close to a city of 100,000. We start with the documents that decide value here: the septic and well permit files at county Environmental Health, the parcel’s zoning and any Williamson Act contract, the fire district on the tax bill, and the county’s position on any second unit or tiny home you have in mind. Then we price the property against rural sales with similar land and utilities rather than Vacaville subdivision homes.
See our buyer services, our financing guide for loans on well-and-septic properties, and a home valuation if you own land near Elmira.
Selling a home in Elmira
Elmira is unincorporated, so there is no city office involved in a sale. Solano County Planning Services handles zoning, and county Environmental Health holds the septic and well permit records that most Elmira buyers will ask for.
Transfer tax
With no city government, the only transfer tax is the county’s $1.10 per $1,000 of price, or $660 on a $600,000 property. Old Republic Title’s guide lists the seller as the customary payer in Solano County, but buyer and seller can agree otherwise. Our transfer tax page explains exemptions.
Septic and well records
The county’s onsite sewage disposal program issues sewage disposal, site evaluation and operation and maintenance permits. Its program page does not mention an inspection triggered by a sale, and we found no such rule. Even so, a recent pump-out and tank inspection, compared with the county file, is what buyers and many lenders expect. Request the records from Environmental Health Technical Services at 707-784-1636, or at 675 Texas Street in Fairfield.
For the well, gather the well log, a recent flow test and water-quality results before you list.
What the hazard report adds
Elmira sits among working farmland, and the expert natural hazard report states whether a property is within one mile of designated farmland. It also covers fire hazard zones. In a High or Very High zone, provide AB 38 documentation or sign the agreement for the buyer to complete the inspection.
State items on every sale
- A smoke alarm compliance statement.
- The water heater strapping certification.
- A disclosure about any plumbing fixtures that miss the water-conservation standard.
What Elmira buyers want answered
Expect questions about the parcel’s zoning, whether it is under a Williamson Act contract, which fire district appears on the tax bill, and whether outbuildings or a second unit were permitted.
Rural parcels need rural comparables, so start with a home valuation built on sales of similar land.
Sources for this section: Old Republic Title: A Guide to Bay Area Counties, Closing Costs (January 2024); Solano County Environmental Health: Onsite Sewage Disposal Program; California Public Law: Civil Code section 1103.4; Justia: California Civil Code section 1102.19; California Public Law: Health and Safety Code section 13113.8; California Public Law: Health and Safety Code section 19211; California Public Law: Civil Code section 1101.4.
Elmira, CA FAQs
Where is Elmira, California?
Elmira is an unincorporated community in Solano County, near the City of Vacaville, on the railroad line that once made it the main stop between Fairfield and Davis. It started in 1868 as the town around Vaca Station, a California Pacific Railroad depot.
What is Elmira’s ZIP code?
95625. Mail for the City of Vacaville’s utilities administration at 6040 Vaca Station Road also goes to Elmira, CA 95625, even though the city supplies water only inside its own limits.
Is Elmira part of Vacaville?
No. Elmira is unincorporated, so Solano County, not the City of Vacaville, handles its zoning, permits and short-term rental rules. It is in the Vacaville Unified School District and the Vacaville Fire Protection District, a special district separate from city government.
How many people live in Elmira?
The 2020 Census counted 193 residents in the Elmira census-designated place, which covers about 0.53 square miles. A 2001 local history put the town at about 200 people.
Why is it called Elmira?
Residents renamed the town in February 1871 because its original identity as Vaca Station kept getting confused with Vacaville. They chose Elmira, the birthplace of lawyer and teacher Jerome Banks; Stephen Hoyt, who laid out the town, had suggested Stephenville or Hoytville.
Can I put a tiny home on a property in Elmira?
Possibly, depending on zoning. County rules allow ADUs and junior ADUs only on residential lots, while agricultural lots fall under separate secondary-dwelling criteria (Ordinance 1794). A foundation-built tiny home also needs septic capacity; for a tiny house on wheels, get Planning Services’ answer in writing before you buy.
Do Elmira homes have city water and sewer?
Don’t assume so. Vacaville supplies water only within its city limits, so check each address for a private well and a septic system; county Environmental Health holds the permit records.
Is a septic inspection required when an Elmira home sells?
We didn’t find a county rule that triggers one at sale. Order a pump-out and a system inspection yourself, and compare the result with the county permit file; an alternative system should also have a current annual operating permit.
Can I rent an Elmira property to short-term guests?
Only with county approval. A stay of 30 days or less needs a county permit, a business license and a transient occupancy tax certificate, and the county’s tax is 5% of rent.
Which fire district covers Elmira?
The Vacaville Fire Protection District, which absorbed the Elmira Fire Protection District in 1986 and covers about 135 square miles from four stations. In 2025 it was reorganizing with the Suisun and Montezuma districts through LAFCo, so the name on your tax bill may change.
What do homes near Elmira cost?
Elmira has too few sales for its own median; Redfin showed none for ZIP 95625 in August 2026. Nearby, Vacaville’s median was $609,597 and Dixon’s ZIP 95620 median was $612,235 that month (Redfin), but rural parcels with wells and outbuildings need their own comparables.
Types of property for sale in Elmira
Elmira has no city zoning, so what a parcel can hold comes from Solano County’s zoning map and its 2008 General Plan, which Planning Services administers (Solano County zoning FAQ). In practice, listings with an Elmira address fall into a few groups:
- Homes in the old town grid, where the actual water connection/supply and wastewater system must be confirmed by records and the responsible service agency.
- Rural homes with outbuildings, where the zoning district decides what the barn or shop can be used for.
- Farm parcels, some under Williamson Act contracts, which the county no longer accepts new enrollments into (Solano County agricultural preserves). See our Williamson Act guide.
- Vacant land, where legal access, the actual water-service or lawful-supply option and wastewater feasibility should be established before relying on a house plan. Our Solano County land guide and guide to buying land in California cover the order of checks.
If you want a newer subdivision home, those are in Vacaville and the other cities; our Solano County new construction page covers them.
Costs to plan for when buying in Elmira
- Property tax: under Proposition 13 the base rate is 1% of assessed value, plus voter-approved debt and any direct charges on the bill (BOE Publication 29). A taxable ownership transfer can trigger reassessment and supplemental billing, subject to exclusions and the actual value change. Look up the seller’s bill on the Solano County tax collector’s site, and see our Solano County property tax guide.
- Homeowners’ exemption: if the home will be your main residence, file for the exemption with the Solano County Assessor.
- Well and septic work: budget for a well flow and water-quality test and a septic pump-out and inspection before you remove contingencies, as described above.
- Transfer tax: only the county’s documentary transfer tax applies, covered in the selling section above and in our California transfer tax guide.
Getting around from Elmira
Elmira sits just south-east of Vacaville. The nearest passenger rail is Capitol Corridor’s Fairfield-Vacaville Hannigan station, on the line between the Bay Area and Sacramento (Capitol Corridor stations). Interstate 80 runs through Vacaville toward Fairfield, Davis and Sacramento, and our Vacaville, Dixon and Fairfield pages cover the neighboring cities.
Luxury homes and estates in Elmira
High-end property around Elmira means acreage rather than a luxury subdivision. A larger rural home, a custom house with shop buildings, or a farm parcel with a residence is shaped by county zoning and, on farmland, by any Williamson Act contract. A contract binds later owners (Gov. Code §51243), so read it before planning a guest house, an arena or a pool house.
On a high-value rural purchase, the checks that matter most are:
- Water and septic capacity for the house you plan, not just the house that’s there. Get the well log, a flow test and the county septic file (Solano County Environmental Health).
- Permit history for additions, shops and second units, matched to the county’s records.
- Easements and access, including any shared driveway or road agreement in the title report.
- Insurance, quoted early. Our guides to insuring a high-value home and the California FAIR Plan explain the options.
Some Elmira-area owners prefer not to list publicly. Ask Diamond Real Estate Group which permitted private-marketing options fit your property, goals and the applicable MLS rules. Availability of any particular listing is not guaranteed. We can’t promise what will come up. If a home with a guest house is on your list, see homes with guest houses for how second units are permitted and valued.
Elmira real estate: questions people ask
Who issues building permits in Elmira?
Solano County does, because Elmira isn’t a city. Zoning and land-use questions go to county Planning Services, and wells and septic systems go to county Environmental Health. The City of Vacaville’s rules apply only inside Vacaville’s limits. Before you buy, ask the county what the zoning allows for your plans and get any important answer in writing.
Is there a train near Elmira?
Yes. The closest Capitol Corridor stop is the Fairfield-Vacaville Hannigan station, served by trains between the Bay Area and Sacramento. Check Capitol Corridor for current schedules. Interstate 80 runs through neighboring Vacaville for drivers.
Does a Williamson Act contract stay with the land after I buy?
Yes. Under state law the contract binds each new owner for its remaining term, and the County currently says it does not accept new preserve/contract enrollment applications, while boundary adjustments or replacement contracts for already-contracted property may be approved. Check a parcel’s status before you make an offer, and read the contract’s terms on homes, outbuildings and uses.
Sources for this section
- Solano County Planning Services, zoning FAQ: https://www.solanocounty.gov/government/resource-management/planning-services/development-planning/look-zoning-faq
- Solano County, agricultural preserves and Williamson Act contracts: https://www.solanocounty.gov/government/resource-management/planning-services/development-programs/agricultural-preserveswilliamson-act-contracts
- California BOE, Publication 29: https://www.boe.ca.gov/proptaxes/pdf/pub29.pdf
- Solano County tax collector, tax search: https://ca-solano.publicaccessnow.com/TaxCollector/TaxSearch.aspx
- Solano County Assessor, homeowners’ exemption: https://www.solanocounty.gov/government/assessorrecorder/assessor-division/property-tax-savings/homeowners-property-tax-exemption
- Capitol Corridor, stations: https://www.capitolcorridor.org/stations/
- Gov. Code §51243: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=GOV§ionNum=51243
- Solano County Environmental Health, onsite sewage program: https://www.solanocounty.gov/government/resource-management/environmental-health/water-protection-waste-management-technical-services/onsite-sewage-disposal-program
Sources & notes
- Wikipedia: Elmira, California (Census counts, area, ZIP, school district; accessed October 2026)
- Jerry Bowen, “Elmira sits on the edge of history,” Solano, The Way It Was (November 25, 2001)
- Redfin: 95625 housing market, Vacaville and 95620 (August 2026); C.A.R.: September 2026 sales and price report
- Solano County: zoning FAQ, short-term rentals, ADUs, Williamson Act contracts, septic program and well program; County Code ch. 6.4, ch. 11 art. II (TOT) and art. IV (transfer tax)
- Vacaville Fire Protection District: department history and Fire & Safety Journal Americas: fire district reorganization (June 26, 2025)
- City of Vacaville Utilities: water and Vacaville Unified School District
Figures carry their dates where they appear. This is general information, not legal, tax or insurance advice; confirm the rules for a specific property with the agency named. Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.
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Local property guides
- Buying in Elmira: Parcel Jurisdiction and Actual Public or Private Services
- Elmira Water and Wastewater Due Diligence: Public Service and Private Systems
- Private Roads and Site Access in Elmira: Rights, Interfaces and Practical Checks
- Owning Acreage in Elmira: A Budget for Actual Services and Land Duties
- Comparing Elmira Homes With Land: Services, Rights and Usable Acreage
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