California county rankings
Best counties in California to live
We scored 56 counties with 5,000+ residents on home affordability, unemployment, education, population growth and total crime per 100,000 people.
| # | County | Score | Home value | Income | Unemployment | Crime /100k |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Placer County | 83 | $658,800 | $114,678 | 4.5% | 1,106 |
| 2 | El Dorado County | 77 | $640,500 | $106,190 | 4.8% | 869 |
| 3 | Inyo County | 74 | $338,400 | $72,432 | 2.7% | 1,216 |
| 4 | Nevada County | 71 | $602,800 | $84,905 | 4.7% | 980 |
| 5 | Amador County | 70 | $422,800 | $81,526 | 6.1% | 952 |
| 6 | San Benito County | 69 | $751,500 | $108,289 | 6.0% | 732 |
| 7 | Modoc County | 68 | $212,000 | $56,648 | 6.0% | 1,210 |
| 8 | Mono County | 63 | $514,300 | $86,953 | 2.0% | 1,161 |
| 9 | Calaveras County | 62 | $441,800 | $79,877 | 5.9% | 1,322 |
| 10 | San Luis Obispo County | 60 | $777,200 | $93,398 | 5.1% | 1,239 |
| 11 | Yolo County | 59 | $593,800 | $88,818 | 5.3% | 1,646 |
| 12 | Glenn County | 57 | $338,400 | $70,487 | 7.4% | 836 |
| 13 | Yuba County | 57 | $380,000 | $73,313 | 7.3% | 1,240 |
| 14 | Colusa County | 55 | $375,100 | $75,149 | 8.4% | 1,005 |
| 15 | Contra Costa County | 53 | $830,800 | $125,727 | 5.9% | 2,046 |
Also see: Where to move in California
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023); FBI Crime Data Explorer county agency totals. "—" means no reporting data.
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See the full Smart Movers Club report on California