[7][8] For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Kirkwood as a census-designated place (CDP).

Zack Kirkwood, a cattle rancher who had settled in the area, opened an inn, named Kirkwood's, in 1863 with the opening of the Amador/Nevada Wagon Toll Road, the primary route through the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

After Zack's death, the inn stayed in the family and continued to operate until 1966, when it was sold to an investment group, who then converted it into the present-day Kirkwood Mountain Resort.

Summertime is very mild, with little precipitation, while winter is very wet and cold.

There were 757 housing units at an average density of 141.9 per square mile (54.8/km2).

The racial makeup of the CDP was 87.50% White, 2.08% Native American, 2.08% Asian, 1.04% Pacific Islander, and 7.29% from two or more races.

There were no families and 0.9% of the population living below the poverty line, including 0.0% of those under 18 and 0.0% of those over 64.

The community was eventually connected when the town of Kirkwood took over the utility.

[14] In episode 4 of season 2 of The West Wing entitled "In This White House", Deputy White House Communications Director Sam Seaborn references Kirkwood in a televised debate about school funding, though he mistakenly states that Kirkwood is located in Oregon.

His debate competitor, Ainsley Hayes, corrects him by noting that the town is located in California.