More historic than 8% of U.S. towns · #744 of 847 in California. What drives it
Most of Gold River was built recently: 0.2% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1991. Below: maps from 1914 on and the census since 2000.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Gold River is more historic than 8% of U.S. towns, #744 of 847 in California. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
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HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Gold River’s overall grade.
Few California towns list much on the Register (a typical California town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Gold River’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (31% of California towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on two of the three inputs, so a change in either one moves the letter more than it would with three. The pre-1940 share (±0.5 points) is firm at this size.
Founding year: our sources. Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Gold River’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Gold River. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1914Folsom sheet · 1:31,680
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Gold River.
The story so far
Gold River, in brief
Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Gold River yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
Gold River is a census-designated place (CDP) in Sacramento County, California, United States. The population was 7,844 at the 2020 census, down from 7,912 at the 2010 census. Gold River is part of the Sacramento-Arden-Arcade-Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area. With a median family income of $141,399 according to U.S. Census Bureau in 2021, Gold River is the highest-income community in Sacramento County. The community of Gold River consists of a residential planned development and some smaller subdivisions served by the Gold River Discovery Center (a K through 8 school), as well as some retail, commercial and light industrial areas. The community consists of detached single family home…
Its population held steady between the last two censuses: 7,912 in 2010, 7,844 in 2020.
Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.
Gold River is more historic than 8% of U.S. towns, #744 of 847 in California. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
How old are the homes in Gold River?
0.2% of Gold River’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate), against a typical 3.4% for a California town; the median home was built in 1991.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (1), U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
2024
