Unattended Death and Biohazard Cleanup in Greenfield, CA

Greenfield was incorporated on January 7, 1947, in Monterey County, and its first mayor was Tom Rogers.

The town began as Clarke Colony: John S. Clarke and other promoters laid it out from 1902 to 1905 on 4,000 acres of the Rancho Arroyo Seco Mexican land grant in the Salinas Valley.

Greenfield was almost named "Clark City," but the U.S. Postal Service objected that there were too many Clark Cities in California - so the town was renamed for Edward Greenfield, one of its early founders.

The Clark Colony Water Company, organized to distribute Arroyo Seco River water, still holds 1916 prior water rights, and its early canals remain visible across the original colony lands.

The organized canal system and ideal growing conditions drew Danish, Swiss, and other settlers to the new colony.

Greenfield's nickname is the "Broccoli Capital of the World," and its motto is "Where Historic El Camino Real Meets Monterey Wine Country."

Greenfield is the second most populous city in the Salinas Valley and the fifth most populous city in Monterey County, sitting 33 miles southeast of Salinas at an elevation of 289 feet.

Greenfield was the fastest-growing city in Monterey County during the 2000s, and in 2006 it was the fourth fastest growing city in all of California, growing 15.6% in a single year.

Greenfield had a population of 18,937 in the 2020 Census, up from 16,330 in 2010 and just 12,583 in 2000.

Greenfield has only about 4,426 households (2020-2024) for its nearly 19,000 residents, because its households average a very large 4.56 persons each; about 54.5% of its homes are owner-occupied.