Although the history of the Sacramento area stretches back to the Gold Rush of 1849 and earlier, Rancho Cordova has been considered a separate community for only about 60 years. The Spanish granted the Rancho de los Americanos to Captain Joseph L. Folsom in 1849. At the center of the grant were the Cordova Vineyards. In 1955, a post office was established in the area and named Rancho Cordova. The community soon became known as a subdivision of Sacramento and residents voted to incorporate in 2003.

Rancho Cordova students attend excellent public schools within the Folsom-Cordova Unified, San Juan Unified, and Elk Grove Unified School Districts. The city is home to nine elementary schools, two middle schools and three high schools. Rio Americano, Del Campo and Jesuit high schools are the highest-rated schools in the Sacramento area. Rancho Cordova also offers alternative high schools and special education centers to meet the needs of its diverse student body. For post-secondary education, there are several technical and community colleges in town. Nearby are California State University, Sacramento, Humphreys College, University of California, Davis and the University of the Pacific.

Rancho Cordova residents enjoy all that the Sacramento metropolitan area has to offer. In addition to Old Sacramento, the Sacramento Ballet and Camellia Symphony Orchestra provide cultural interludes. The Wells Fargo History Museum, McClellan Aviation Museum, Discovery Museum History Center and the California State Railroad Museum offer a look at the area’s rich past.