15 Best Places To Live In California & What Makes Them So Desirable

California is the kind of place that you visit and immediately start checking the real estate listings. With year-round sunshine, stunning landscapes and an enticing lifestyle, that excitement is completely understandable.

But actually buying a house in California can be an overwhelming and expensive process. To ease the process for you, we’ve created this guide to the 15 best cities to live in California and what makes each of them so appealing.

15 Best Cities To Live In California

California is a huge state. To make your house hunting more manageable, we selected the top 15 cities to live in using a weighted ranking system. Some of the factors considered include crime rate, unemployment rate, well-being index and affordability measures. You can read more about the methodology at the end of this article. Here’s the cities that came out on top.

1. Dublin

Located in the East Bay just outside San Francisco, Dublin tops our list of the best places to live in California. Thanks to its proximity to Silicon Valley, Dublin has a high median household income. The area has a suburban feel and a good school system, and it’s not far from San Francisco’s many amenities. This combination of factors makes it a very popular place to live.

If these factors check your boxes, browse homes for sale in Dublin and consult the Dublin housing market report.

2. Rancho Santa Margarita

This suburb in Southern California might be close to the city of Los Angeles, but it’s also surrounded by nature with the Santa Ana Mountains and the nearby Trabuco Canyon. Rancho Santa Margarita especially suits those who work in the city but prefer to spend weekends outdoors.

If you’re an outdoorsy person who values access to a city, browse homes for sale in Rancho Santa Margarita and check out the Rancho Santa Margarita housing market report.

3. Lincoln

Lincoln is a suburb located outside Sacramento in Northern California. This area is growing rapidly but still has relatively affordable housing for California. It also offers that small-town, rural feel that many homebuyers are after. Lincoln’s big parks and golf courses make it ideal for those who want to enjoy the beautiful California weather year-round.

Browse homes for sale in Lincoln and check out the Lincoln housing market report to see if living there is right for you.

4. Aliso Viejo

Aliso Viejo is another suburb of Los Angeles, this time located in picturesque Orange County. Situated on the coast, Aliso Viejo is just minutes from the beach. The area has a strong local economy and a high-performing school system, making it a great option for young families.

To learn more about the area, browse homes for sale in Alisa Viejo and check out the Alisa Viejo housing market report.

5. San Ramon

San Ramon is another suburb in the East Bay, situated between San Francisco and Silicon Valley. Because of its proximity to so many tech companies, San Ramon has a very high average salary and high housing costs. Still, the suburb attracts homebuyers with its many job opportunities, plenty of local parks and events and a strong school system.

Browse homes for sale in San Ramon and check out the San Ramon housing market report if you’re interested in the city.

6. Oakley

If you want to live in the East Bay but need a lower cost of living, consider Oakley. This more rural option may have a longer commute, but the lower housing costs may be worth it. In addition to cheaper costs, Oakley offers lots of local parks and recreational water activities at the Big Break Regional Shoreline.

If Oakley suits your needs, browse homes for sale in Oakley and check out the Oakley housing market report.

7. Moorpark

Moorpark is located in Ventura County outside of Los Angeles. The area is more rural, with many local farms and parks. Moorpark is one of the more affordable cities in Southern California and is a super family-friendly place to live. If you have kids and need to be near the Los Angeles area, Moorpark might be a good fit for you.

Take a minute to browse homes for sale in Oakley and check out the Oakley housing market report.

8. Foster City

Foster City is a master-planned community located in Southern California. The whole area is designed around a lagoon system and over 16 miles of canals. This means that, while the houses are very expensive, many of them are on the water or close to the waterfront. Both safe and luxurious, Foster City is a very high-income area that can be a great place to live if you have the budget.

If this sounds right for you, search for homes for sale in Foster City and consult the Foster City housing market report.

9. Fremont

Fremont is a larger suburb of San Jose in Northern California. Its proximity to Silicon Valley means that there’s a big tech scene and a lot of high-paying jobs nearby. Fremont also offers a central location, great weather and high safety ratings. If you can afford the higher cost of living and housing, it could be the perfect place to live.

Browse homes for sale in Fremont and check out the Fremont housing market report.

10. Martinez

Martinez is another suburb located in the East Bay just outside San Francisco. Homebuyers are drawn to its suburban feel and proximity to both the city of Oakland and beautiful wine country of Northern California. Martinez also has a lot of hiking options and is near the Carquinez Strait, making it ideal for nature lovers. If you want to be near San Francisco but love outdoor recreation, Martinez could be the perfect balance for you.

Take some time to sift through homes for sale in Martinez and check out the Martinez housing market report.

11. Benicia

Benicia is another small town in Northern California. The area is an artistic community, with many galleries, studios and frequent arts events. It has a beautiful waterfront and is a great location if you want something slightly cheaper and more laid back, but still accessible to the city.

If this sounds like your scene, view homes for sale in Benicia and check out the Benicia housing market report.

12. Livermore

A mid-sized suburb of Oakland, Livermore is very close to wine country and has been heavily influenced by that industry. The city is home to a large laboratory that provides many jobs, resulting in a higher median income and housing cost. Livermore has tons of opportunities for hiking and biking while also providing a doable commute to the city.

If you can picture yourself living there, browse homes for sale in Livermore and check out the Livermore housing market report.

13. Folsom

Folsom is a suburb of Sacramento with a small-town feel and a cute downtown. If you like to be outdoors all year, it’s an easy drive to Lake Tahoe for winter recreation activities. Plus, Folsom is considered clean and safe, making it a great option for active families.

Browse homes for sale in Folsom and check out the Folsom housing market report.

14. Roseville

Roseville is another suburb of Sacramento and is close to Tahoe, meaning that amenities are never out of reach. The area is very family-friendly, with a highly rated school system and one of the most affordable median home prices on our list.

If this sounds right for you and your family, browse homes for sale in Roseville and check out the Roseville housing market report.

15. Danville

Danville is a very wealthy suburb of San Francisco. One of the most expensive places to live in the country, Danville has the amenities, schools and parks to match. The area is considered quiet and safe, which is great for families. If Danville fits your budget, it could be a wonderful place to call home.

Make sure to browse homes for sale in Danville and check out the Danville housing market report.

Factors Influencing The Best Areas In California For You

There are many factors to consider before moving to California, such as:

• Cost of living: California has one of the highest costs of living in the country. It’s important to create a budget and determine if you can afford to live there.
• Employment opportunities: There are many different industries in California, and they can vary widely by region. Do your research to identify the areas with the best job market for your skill set and apply in those areas.
• Local education: Like most states, public school quality in California can vary. If you have children who are in school, take time to research each area’s school system before committing to move.
• Neighborhood safety: Neighborhood safety is super important, especially when house hunting in a new state. To get a feel for an area’s safety, work with a real estate professional and reach out to people who actually live there.

FAQs: Best Places To Live In California

Still unsure about moving to California? These answers can help.

What is the best place to live in Southern California?

The best places to live in Southern California are generally the suburbs of Los Angeles. While residents face long commute times and expensive real estate, the area is gorgeous and has many benefits that make it worth the cost.

What is the best place to live in Northern California?

The best places to live in Northern California are generally the suburbs in the East Bay just outside San Francisco. This region has easy access to San Francisco, Oakland and Silicon Valley, featuring lots of tech jobs and luxurious housing. It’s an expensive place to live, but for many, it’s worth it.

Where is the cheapest place to live in California?

Though California tends to be pricier, there are still many affordable places to live. The cheapest cities in California include Eureka, Chico, Bakersfield and Vallejo.

What are the pros of living in California?

California has beautiful weather year-round, gorgeous mountains, cool cities and over 840 miles of coastline. The state is especially ideal for people who enjoy outdoor recreation and a healthy lifestyle.

What are the cons of living in California?

The biggest con of living in California is the high cost of living. Everything from gas to food is more expensive than other parts of the country. Housing costs can be especially prohibitive, so you’ll have to consider your needs and budget before making the move.

The Bottom Line

California is a beautiful state with a very appealing lifestyle. If you can afford the high cost of living, it can be a great place to move.

Ready to buy a home in California? Match with a real estate agent using Rocket Homes^SM.

Methodology

Rocket Homes collected and analyzed the most recent data on 12 key local and countywide metrics to give us insight into the top cities best for living. The 276 most populated cities analyzed are home to 79% of U.S. residents living in California. The metrics used in this study include the violent crime rate, property crime rate, unemployment rate, google search volume, median rent, well-being index, median monthly income, median monthly housing costs, median days on market for homes, median home list price and Freddie Mac primary mortgage market survey interest rates. Some of these metrics were then used to calculate housing cost to income ratio and Housing Affordability Index. These metrics were chosen based on public data availability and topical relevance. Metrics from the U.S. Census are based on 2021 ACS 5-year estimates and 2022 ACS 1-year estimates. In one case, county-level data was used because data is not recorded at the local level.

The housing cost to income ratio was calculated by taking the median monthly housing costs divided by the median monthly income to get the average percentage of income spent on housing costs in a household. The Housing Affordability Index was calculated using median sale price for homes in that city, interest rate from Freddie Mac primary mortgage market survey, and median yearly income. To interpret the indices, a value equal to or greater than 1 means that the average person has enough income to qualify for a mortgage in that area. The calculation assumes a down payment of 20% of the home price and a qualifying ratio of 25%.

Each data category was normalized and transformed into a range of points for scoring and comparison. Cities with violent crime rates greater than or equal to 55 and property crime rates greater than or equal to 65 were removed from the ranking. Weights were then applied to each metric depending on their individual importance in the study. The weighted scores for each metric were summed to create the overall Best Places To Live Score for each city. The final scores are sorted to produce the final rankings.

We also considered the following metrics, without weight: