Is Gold River, CA a Good Place to Live?
Gold River is a small town of 7,910 in California, with a median household income of $153,438 and a 3.5% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 109 (US average = 100), which is 9% above the national average.
Strengths: Gold River stands out for solid school ratings (B+), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices. Whether Gold River is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Gold River city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 108.9Gold River's overall cost of living index is 108.9, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Gold River costs roughly 9% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Gold River, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $644,200 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,466 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 87.7% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $153,438 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Near National AverageGold River's violent crime rate is 518.1 per 100,000 residents — 36% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Gold River is served primarily by San Juan Unified. The student-to-teacher ratio is 22.6:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Gold River, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | San Juan Unified | — |
| Elementary Schools | 43 | — |
| Middle Schools | 9 | — |
| High Schools | 15 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 22.6:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.4% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 98.9% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Gold River sees average highs of 56.5°F in January and 94.4°F in July, with 20.9 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Gold River, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 56.5°F |
| Average High — July | 94.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 20.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Gold River, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 7,910 | — |
| Median Age | 52.2 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.5% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 27.5 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 71.8% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 2.6% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 4.1% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 19.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 18.2% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 31.5% | 16.8% |