Folsom vs Fresno
The short version
- Fresno is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 4% lower than in the Folsom area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $374,800 in Fresno and $755,200 in Folsom.
- Households earn more in Folsom ($139,804 vs $70,991 median).
- Fresno has more scorching days: 113 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 90.
- Folsom is growing faster: +14.3% since 2020 vs +2.5%.
- Commutes are shorter in Fresno (22 vs 27 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Folsom, CA | Fresno, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 91,983 | 555,549 |
| Growth since 2020 | +14.3% | +2.5% |
| People per square mile | 3,299 | 4,793 |
| Median age | 41.0 | 32.8 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 55% | 26% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $139,804 | $70,991 |
| Median home value | $755,200 | $374,800 |
| Home value to income | 5.4× | 5.3× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $2,352 | $1,421 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 106.7 | 102.2 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 130.2 | 95.7 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $80,000 | $76,600 |
| Homeowners | 70% | 50% |
| Top state income tax | 13.3% | 13.3% |
| Combined sales tax | 9.03% | 9.03% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 26.6 | 22.4 |
| Work from home | 31% | 11% |
| Take public transit | 2% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 6.3% | 8.9% |
| Poverty rate | 5.3% | 20.1% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 57° / 41° | 55° / 41° |
| July high / low | 94° / 61° | 98° / 69° |
| Precipitation per year | 19 in | 11 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 90 | 113 |
| Nights below freezing | 4 | 11 |
| Comfortable months | 6 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 98.1 | 99.3 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 35% | 29% |
| Home prices, past year | +0.1% | +2% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +19.9% | +35.5% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Folsom: February to May and October to November. Fresno: March to May and October to November.
Full monthly tables: Folsom weather by month and Fresno weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $80,000 in Folsom and $76,600 in Fresno. Moving from Folsom to Fresno, you would need about $71,800 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Folsom and Fresno
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Folsom and Fresno.
Which would you pick?
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