Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Gold River is healthier than 49%
Gold River differs from California on 25 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 20 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Gold River. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Gold River
Cancer and arthritis run high in Gold River
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.7%), vs 6.4% across California. 3 in 10 adults have arthritis (29.4%), vs 20.8% across California. In all, Gold River runs above California on three of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 33% of residents are 65 or older (California 16%), and cancer and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Gold River’s lead shrinks
Gold River is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns, but 49% of the 1,527 towns with similar household incomes ($131K–$219K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Gold River is an active town
Only 15.1% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.6% across California. Habits ↓
Gold River keeps up with checkups
It beats California on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (77.8% vs 71.9%) and dentist visits (76.9% vs 62.8%). Checkups ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the California figure falls outside Gold River’s likely range.
What’s behind Gold River’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gold River is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns, #102 of 847 in California. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is smoking (fewer adults who smoke than 98% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 70%.
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Gold River’s median household income is $175,120; among the 1,527 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($131K–$219K), it’s healthier than 49%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Gold River adults…
Gold River runs below CA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 5. Tap one to see it as people.
Gold River is an older town: 33% of residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Heart disease, arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Gold River as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
2.1 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Gold River adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Care in and near Gold River
No hospital or community health center in Gold River itself. These are the nearest.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Gold River; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
How Gold River adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Gold River does better than California.
1 in 3 Gold River adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
5.6% of Gold River adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Gold River and the towns around it
Gold River has the best Health Grade of the 3 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold River | A | 24.1% | 10.8% | 7% | CDC place |
| Fair Oaks | A− | 27.7% | 10.2% | 9.5% | CDC place |
| Rancho Cordova | B+ | 29.8% | 10.3% | 12.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Gold River adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Gold River
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Gold River is better than California on 20 and worse on 5; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Gold River’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Gold River | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.3%13–17.8 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.5%9.9–13.2 | 13.4% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.2%10.7–13.9 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 24.1%20.2–28.5 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.8%9.3–12.3 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.8%31.3–38.5 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.3%36.5–44.1 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 29.4%26.4–32.6 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.3%8.2–10.5 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.7%10.6–12.8 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.7%5.9–7.5 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 5%4.2–6 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.3%3–3.7 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 5.3%4.2–6.5 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 7%5.5–8.6 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 15.1%12.5–18 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 12%10.1–14.2 | 15.3% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.5%26.8–34.4 | 35.1% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 3.7%3–4.5 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.8%74.8–80.6 | 71.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 76.9%74.3–79.2 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92.2%91.1–93.2 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.2%76–82 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 72.9%69–76.4 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79%73–84 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20%17.4–22.9 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.3%28.4–36.4 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.6%18.7–24.8 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 6.4%5.2–7.8 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 5.8%4.9–7 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 3.3%2.7–3.8 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.3%3.7–5 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 5.6%4.4–7 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.7%22.4–29.2 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.5%10.7–14.6 | 13.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 9.1%7.8–10.6 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.9%6.1–7.9 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 3.4%3–3.9 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.7%4.9–6.6 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.7%2.3–3.1 | 3.9% | 3.8% | Lower |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the California figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Gold River
Is Gold River a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gold River is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns: A for health, #102 of 847 in California. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Gold River?
CDC estimates 24.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 20.2% and 28.5%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Gold River?
Mercy San Juan Medical Center in Carmichael, 4.5 miles in a straight line from Gold River’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Gold River have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 3.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3–4.5%), against 10.6% across California.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Gold River more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A− to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Gold River.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The California figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.