California cities
California's largest cities ranked on cost, safety, schools, jobs and quality of life. Aliso Viejo leads the list.
We scored California's cities on the same factors as our state rankings, then ranked them. Below are the 10 largest by population. Two scores per city: value (what you get for the cost) and overall livability (everything combined). Tap any city for its full profile.
| # | City | Median home | Rent | Value | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 197 | San Diego | $664,000 | $1,885 | 47 | 50 |
| 206 | Anaheim | $623,300 | $1,823 | 36 | 49 |
| 208 | Bakersfield | $272,000 | $1,177 | 57 | 49 |
| 232 | Los Angeles | $705,900 | $1,641 | 32 | 46 |
| 240 | San Francisco | $1,194,500 | $2,130 | 37 | 45 |
| 251 | Oakland | $772,400 | $1,676 | 34 | 44 |
| 281 | San Jose | $986,700 | $2,366 | 39 | 41 |
| 358 | Sacramento | $385,500 | $1,434 | 44 | 31 |
| 359 | Fresno | $273,900 | $1,115 | 42 | 31 |
| 376 | Long Beach | $614,900 | $1,516 | 21 | 28 |
See what you'd need to earn to live the same way somewhere else.
Open the salary calculator ›‹ Back to the California state profile