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Best places to live in California (2026)

The top 50 of 200 ranked places in California, by all-round score. 19 other places without FBI crime data are on the places list.

Ranked by an all-round score: the average of all 14 quality scores (housing costs, taxes, jobs, healthcare, education, family life, safety, natural disasters, climate and more), weighted equally. Places missing from the FBI crime table are left out, since their safety is unknown. Scores are out of 100.

  1. 1Encinitas, CASuburb · 3-bed $1.76M · very safe79
  2. 2Cupertino, CASuburb · 3-bed $2.69M · very safe79
  3. 3Danville, CASuburb · 3-bed $1.29M · very safe79
  4. 4Daly City, CASuburb · 3-bed $1.14M · very safe77
  5. 5Mission Viejo, CASuburb · 3-bed $1.14M · very safe77
  6. 6San Ramon, CASuburb · 3-bed $1.20M · very safe77
  7. 7Aliso Viejo, CASuburb · 3-bed $1.02M · very safe77
  8. 8Santa Clara, CASuburb · 3-bed $1.67M · safe76
  9. 9Palo Alto, CASuburb · 3-bed $3.28M · very safe76
  10. 10South San Francisco, CASuburb · 3-bed $1.22M · very safe76
  11. 11Sunnyvale, CASuburb · 3-bed $1.85M · very safe76
  12. 12Mountain View, CASuburb · 3-bed $2.07M · safe76
  13. 13Milpitas, CASuburb · 3-bed $1.30M · very safe75
  14. 14Lake Forest, CASuburb · 3-bed $1.08M · very safe75
  15. 15Newark, CASuburb · 3-bed $1.10M · very safe75
  16. 16Fountain Valley, CASuburb · 3-bed $1.24M · very safe75
  17. 17Redwood City, CASuburb · 3-bed $1.92M · very safe75
  18. 18Newport Beach, CASuburb · 3-bed $3.14M · very safe75
  19. 19San Bruno, CASuburb · 3-bed $1.38M · safe75
  20. 20Poway, CASuburb · 3-bed $991k · very safe75
  21. 21Laguna Niguel, CASuburb · 3-bed $1.37M · very safe74
  22. 22Burbank, CASuburb · 3-bed $1.24M · very safe74
  23. 23Rancho Santa Margarita, CASuburb · 3-bed $1.03M · very safe74
  24. 24Pleasanton, CASuburb · 3-bed $1.29M · very safe74
  25. 25Fremont, CAMid-size city · 3-bed $1.34M · very safe73
  26. 26Rancho Palos Verdes, CASuburb · 3-bed $1.53M · very safe73
  27. 27Dublin, CASuburb · 3-bed $1.07M · very safe73
  28. 28San Clemente, CASuburb · 3-bed $1.56M · very safe73
  29. 29Alameda, CASuburb · 3-bed $1.20M · safe72
  30. 30Irvine, CASuburb · 3-bed $1.36M · very safe71
  31. 31Glendale, CASuburb · 3-bed $1.29M · very safe71
  32. 32San Francisco, CAMajor city · 3-bed $1.77M · higher crime71
  33. 33Livermore, CASuburb · 3-bed $987k · very safe71
  34. 34Redondo Beach, CASuburb · 3-bed $1.45M · very safe71
  35. 35Cypress, CASuburb · 3-bed $970k · very safe71
  36. 36San Mateo, CASuburb · 3-bed $1.81M · very safe70
  37. 37Torrance, CASuburb · 3-bed $1.09M · very safe70
  38. 38Corona, CASuburb · 3-bed $685k · very safe70
  39. 39Huntington Beach, CASuburb · 3-bed $1.28M · very safe70
  40. 40Campbell, CASuburb · 3-bed $1.77M · safe70
  41. 41Eastvale, CASuburb · 3-bed $798k · very safe70
  42. 42Tustin, CASuburb · 3-bed $1.12M · very safe70
  43. 43La Mirada, CASuburb · 3-bed $864k · very safe70
  44. 44Carlsbad, CABeach town · 3-bed $1.35M · very safe70
  45. 45San Marcos, CASuburb · 3-bed $865k · very safe69
  46. 46Lakewood, CASuburb · 3-bed $869k · safe69
  47. 47Yorba Linda, CASuburb · 3-bed $1.15M · very safe69
  48. 48Hayward, CASuburb · 3-bed $811k · safe69
  49. 49Cerritos, CASuburb · 3-bed $987k · safe69
  50. 50Orange, CASuburb · 3-bed $1.04M · very safe69

Cheapest places to live in California

Ranked by the typical value of a 3-bedroom home (Zillow), lowest first.

  1. 1Delano, CASmall city · rent $2,060/mo · cost of living 101$314k
  2. 2Porterville, CASmall city · rent $2,030/mo · cost of living 101$329k
  3. 3Tulare, CASmall city · rent $2,030/mo · cost of living 100$342k
  4. 4Bakersfield, CABig city · rent $2,060/mo · cost of living 101$354k
  5. 5Hanford, CASmall city · rent $2,040/mo · cost of living 102$364k

Safest places to live in California

Ranked by violent crimes per resident in FBI 2019 data, lowest first. Places missing from the FBI table are left out.

  1. 1Danville, CASuburb · violent crime 0.1× the US rate51 per 100k
  2. 2Aliso Viejo, CASuburb · violent crime 0.1× the US rate52 per 100k
  3. 3Rancho Santa Margarita, CASuburb · violent crime 0.2× the US rate62 per 100k
  4. 4Yorba Linda, CASuburb · violent crime 0.2× the US rate62 per 100k
  5. 5Irvine, CASuburb · violent crime 0.2× the US rate64 per 100k

Safest places from natural disasters in California

Ranked by our natural disaster score: FEMA's expected deaths, injuries and home damage from 18 hazards, plus federally declared disasters in the county since 2000.

  1. 1Lincoln, CA5 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, earthquakes89
  2. 2North Highlands, CA6 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, earthquakes89
  3. 3Rancho Cordova, CA6 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, earthquakes89
  4. 4Rocklin, CA5 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, earthquakes89
  5. 5Antelope, CA6 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, earthquakes88

Best places to live for families in California

Ranked by a family score: the average of our Kids & family, Safety, Education and Affordable housing scores. Places missing from the FBI crime table are left out.

  1. 1Danville, CASuburb · kids excellent · safety excellent · 3-bed $1.29M75
  2. 2Eastvale, CASuburb · kids excellent · safety excellent · 3-bed $798k74
  3. 3Chino Hills, CASuburb · kids excellent · safety excellent · 3-bed $814k73
  4. 4San Ramon, CASuburb · kids excellent · safety excellent · 3-bed $1.20M72
  5. 5Cupertino, CASuburb · kids excellent · safety excellent · 3-bed $2.69M72

Best places to live · Cheapest places to live · Safest places to live · Safest places from natural disasters · Best places to live for families

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Data: US Census, Zillow, HUD, BEA, FBI 2019, FEMA, NOAA, NASA, CMS, NCES and others. How scores work.