The Town FilesGold River, California
Community in Sacramento County · population 7,844 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $724,400
- Household income
- $175,120
- Jan low / Jul high
- 41° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 53.9
Gold River is a community of 7,844 people in Sacramento County, California. The median home is worth $724,400, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more upscale than 94% of California towns, better for retirees than 88% of California towns, better transit than 84% of California towns.
How Gold River ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Gold River is worth $724,400, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 4.1 times the median household income of $175,120, which is more affordable than 90% of California towns. Median rent is $2,448 a month. 86.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Gold River | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $724,400 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,448 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $175,120 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.1× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 86.8% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Gold River
| People | Gold River | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 53.9 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 32.5% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 15.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 65.6% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.9% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 7.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 17.7% | — |
| Work from home | 35.8% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 23.1 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.6% | 93.3% |
Weather in Gold River
July highs average 94.4°F and January lows 41.1°F. About 19.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 90 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 4 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gold River since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on December 24, 2015 about 9.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 24, 2015.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.25 inches on October 2, 2016.
Severe weather in Sacramento County since 1996
Sacramento County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4482: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Sacramento County
Sacramento County had 726,937 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $80,125 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Gold River itself the ACS puts it at 2.4%.
Public schools in Gold River
1 public school with 722 students, about 23.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold River Discovery Center K-8 | K-8 | 722 | 23.3 |
Towns near Gold River
- Fair Oaks, CA1.6 mi · 32,514 people · home $683,000
- Rancho Cordova, CA3.5 mi · 79,332 people · home $477,600
- Carmichael, CA4.1 mi · 79,793 people · home $579,500
- Orangevale, CA4.5 mi · 35,569 people · home $565,100
- Citrus Heights, CA5.1 mi · 87,583 people · home $454,600
- Mather, CA5.7 mi · 4,698 people · home $585,900
- Folsom, CA6.4 mi · 80,454 people · home $755,200
- Foothill Farms, CA6.7 mi · 35,834 people · home $414,000
Gold River questions
Is Gold River, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Gold River scores better for retirees than 88% of California towns and quieter than 62%. 32.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 53.9).
How much does a house cost in Gold River?
The median owner-occupied home in Gold River is valued at $724,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $175,120, so homes cost about 4.1 times income. Median rent is $2,448 a month.
What is the weather like in Gold River?
July highs average 94.4°F and January lows 41.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 19.2 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Gold River get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gold River since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on December 24, 2015. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)