Gold River vs Folsom — a Comparison!

Nayab Matloob
6 min readNov 19, 2022
  1. Gold River, CA

Gold River, CA is a beautiful capital city of Sacramento County located in Northern California 25 ft above sea level. This suburban complex is covered with a lot of green grass and large trees and has nicely built houses. Gold River, CA is a nice mix of some light industrial areas with smaller subdivisions. Robert C. Powell is the person behind designing the Gold River, CA community that has never grown out of its value, attraction, and appeal since it was developed decades back.

In the 1870s, after the Chinese miners first identified the territories of the Mowachaht and Muchalaht peoples, Gold River, CA began to be identified as a place on the maps. With time, the area developed, and by the late 90s, Gold River, CA evolved into a west-coast tourism spot. Since then, it is attracting people who love the outdoors and open spaces for living or recreational purposes.

If you see on the map, Gold River, CA is located between two beautiful cities. On the south of Gold River, CA there is Rancho Cordova and on the east, you will find Folsom. To the north, the American River adds to the attraction of Gold River, CA. It’s a gorgeous and well-maintained community with nice floor plans and almost alike housing patterns. You will get all types of floor plans in Gold River, CA, so everyone with any preference can adjust to the community according to their comfort zone.

Gold River, CA has one of the safest and the most beautiful walking trails behind the houses, which is a big plus point for anyone living there. You can have a nice morning or evening walk with complete safety and peace of mind. Apart from that, as the American River is quite close to the Gold River, CA, so you can really enjoy some amazing sunsets and sunrises. This surreal scenery attracts anyone longing for serene views, especially nature photographers.

Gold River, CA is the highest-income spot in Sacramento County, with a median family income of over $102,500. The overall cost of living here is 153.3 which is higher than the US average of 100. This peaceful city has an unemployment rate of 7.4 percent, well above the US average of 6 percent. The future job growth in Gold River, CA over a period of 10 years, is expected to be 34.8 percent, which is higher than the US average of 33.5 percent.

Around 37.7 percent of people in the Gold River, CA are religious with Baptists being the majority. Apart from that, the violent crime rate in Gold River, CA is 14.1 on a scale of 1 to 100, with 100 being the highest and 1 the lowest. The average violent crime rate in the US is around 22.7. So, we can say that Gold River, CA counts among the safe cities in the US.

As far as weather is concerned, you will see pleasant weather in Gold River, CA almost all year round, with April, June, and October being the most beautiful months of the year. However, December and January aren’t as pleasant as the other months and July happens to be the hottest of all with an average temperature of 93.5°.

Gold River, CA offers affordable housing with amazing civic amenities, so if you are of those people who like small communities close to nature, this city is for you. With its rugged trails, fishing spots, freshwater lakes and rivers, and high peaks, Gold River, CA is a dream place for nature lovers. You can plan a visit to the place if you crave fun activities outdoors.

On visiting the Gold River, CA, you will also find some places that’ll enhance your experience of this pristine city. You can enjoy fishing at the Nimbus Dam and Fish Hatchery. Through the guides, you can learn about the characteristic of fish and all the other relevant information including their biology and history. It’s a great place, not only for kids but for the elderly also as they can enjoy walks in a calm place.

Besides that, you will find some of the most outdoor fun places in Gold River, CA to visit with your family over the weekend. These include the Sunrise Recreation Area, Fair Oaks Bluff, Sacramento State Aquatic Center, Gold River Park, and Bannister Park. If you’re visiting Gold River, CA, you can easily find comfortable hotels like the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Roseville — Galleria Area.

2. Folsom, CA

Folsom, CA is one of the most renowned cities in California known for its rich history, great recreational spots, excellent educational prospects, and state-of-the-art healthcare sector. It is located in Sacramento County in the US state of California. Folsom, CA is present halfway between San Francisco and Lake Tahoe.

The Maidu Indians and Nisenan indigenous people were the earliest recorded residents of Folsom, CA. The Nissan Community Park honors the history of these native people. During California’s Gold Rush (1848–1855), Gold miners known as 49ers rushed to Folsom and it was given the status of a city in 1946.

Folsom, CA is named after Joseph Libbey Folsom who was a renowned US army officer and real estate investor. He bought land owned by the heirs of San Francisco merchant Willliam Alexander Leidsdrooff in 1854 and named the area Granite City. However, Granite City was renamed Folsom city in his honor after his death.

Folsom CA has an ethnically diverse population of over 80,000 residents comprising White, Asian, Hispanic, and African Americans. Folsom, CA covers an area of 34 square miles out of which 31.9 square miles are covered with land and 2.4 square miles are covered with water. Folsom, CA has cold and lengthy winters with fog and chills whereas summers are generally hot and dry. Spring and Fall have warm days and cool evenings and nights.

Folsom City Council is the city’s primary governing body responsible for providing health, safety, and good quality of life to citizens to ensure Folsom’s high standards for public health, safety, and quality of life.

Folsom, CA is home to many attractive bridges in addition to more than 300 developed green spaces best for hiking trails. Coffee shops, restaurants, and shopping malls are also abundant in the city. Folsom Powerhouse State Park is the most stunning and eye-catching spot in Folsom, CA. This park preserves one of the first AC hydroelectric power stations in the US built In 1895.

Folsom Historical Museum located in downtown Folsom, CA preserves the valuable history of the city. The museum exhibits many antiques such as pottery, art crafts, and pictures of native people that take you back in time. If you want to visit a zoo, Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary built-in 1963 is the best spot. This zoo has outstanding facilities to shelter different animals.

Folsom Lake State Recreation Area located in the hillock of the Sierra Nevada offers many opportunities for hiking, biking, running, camping, picnicking, horseback riding, water-skiing, and boating. This park includes Folsom Lake and Lake Natoma, the best spots for fishing, swimming, canoeing, water skiing, and kayaking.

You can also visit the Folsom State Prison where the super hit song “Folsom Prison Blues” sung by Johnny Cash was performed. This prison was built in 1880 to control the overload of prisoners from other states. Visits to prison are not allowed, however, an adjacent museum exhibits the weapons, crafts, and other scary items made by prisoners.

Harris Center in Folsom, CA offers a variety of musical concerts, dance, theatrical performances, and art exhibits. Folsom provides a variety of dining options from wine bars to steakhouses and popular restaurants. The city also provides a range of shopping options including premium outlets such as Nike, Adidas, Coach, and Bose.

Many incredible festivals are celebrated annually in Folsom CA all with their colors and features. The most celebrated festivals are Renaissance Faire, Go Medieval, Tap Folsom, Folsom Gourd & Arts Festival, and Renaissance Faire.

Folsom CA is home to excellent educational institutes preparing students to pursue the best careers in their lives. High schools in the city include Folsom High School, Vista del Lago High School, and Cordova High School, one of the highest-performing schools in the Sacramento region. Folsom HS and Vista Del Lago have been listed among the best high schools in the US by US News. Folsom Lake College is a public community college which is providing a level of excellence in providing education. Folsom, CA also operates the Folsom Public Library, located in the Georgia Murray Building. Moreover, the University of California, Davis, and California State University Sacramento is just 32 miles and 15 miles away from Folsom, CA.

Folsom CA is home to many small businesses and emerging corporations. Intel Corporation, one of the largest multinational corporations in America also holds a campus in Folsom. With its low crime rates, high concentration of jobs, and lower unemployment ratio, Folsom, CA is becoming the top destination for living.

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