Geographically, the city, and all of Atlantic County, is part of the South Jersey region and of the Atlantic City-Hammonton metropolitan statistical area, which in turn is included in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden combined statistical area and the Delaware Valley.

[21] Folsom was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on May 23, 1906, from portions of Buena Vista Township.

[1][2] Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the borough include Penny Pot.

[6] The borough form of government used by Folsom is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie.

The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council.

[40][41] As of 2024[update], the mayor of Folsom is Republican Glenn Smith, whose term of office ends December 31, 2025.

[3][42][43][44][45][46][47] In January 2020, the borough council appointed Jake Blazer to fill the balance of the term expiring in December 2021 that had been held by Greg Schenker until he resigned from office.

[48] In September 2016, the borough council selected Lisa O'Toole from a list of three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2018 that had been vacated by Bryan Gummoe, who resigned the previous month.

[49] In the November 2016 general election, Independent Greg Schenker defeated O'Toole to win the balance of the term of office.

[50] The borough council selected Louis DeStefano in August 2014 from among three names offered by the Republican municipal committee to fill the vacant seat of Mayor Thomas N. Ballistreri, who had resigned earlier that month.

[55] For the 119th United States Congress, New Jersey's 2nd congressional district is represented by Jeff Van Drew (R, Dennis Township).

[57] For the 2024-2025 session, the 8th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the New Jersey Senate by Latham Tiver (R, Southampton Township) and in the General Assembly by Andrea Katz (D, Chesterfield Township) and Michael Torrissi (R, Hammonton).

[59][60] As of 2025[update], Atlantic County's Executive is Dennis Levinson (R, Northfield), whose term of office ends December 31, 2027.

[79] Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 65.2% (vs. 58.8% in Atlantic County) were registered to vote, including 83.7% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 76.6% countywide).

[100] Resident students are also eligible to attend the Atlantic County Institute of Technology in the Mays Landing section of Hamilton Township[101] or the Charter-Tech High School for the Performing Arts, located in Somers Point.

New Jersey Route 54 is oriented northeast to southwest across the borough, linking Folsom with Hammonton and Buena Vista Township.

NJ Transit provides bus service on the 315 route that runs between Cape May and Philadelphia.