Best cities for retirement in California
These rankings show the best-scoring cities for retirement within California, based on the same scorecard used for the national list.
Data: ACS 2023 (5-year). Dataset generated: 2025-12-22T00:30:52.238Z. National list · All states
| State Rank | City | US Rank | Grade | Score | Typical rent (2BR) | Typical home value | Age 65+ share | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Visalia, CA | #78 | B | 61 | $1,285/mo | $340,600 | 13% | $79,952 |
| #2 | Bakersfield, CA | #80 | B | 61 | $1,233/mo | $347,300 | 11% | $77,397 |
| #3 | Fresno, CA | #100 | C | 57 | $1,293/mo | $348,500 | 12% | $66,804 |
| #4 | Modesto, CA | #111 | C | 55 | $1,504/mo | $415,600 | 14% | $77,899 |
| #5 | Stockton, CA | #131 | C | 52 | $1,422/mo | $412,900 | 13% | $76,851 |
| #6 | Sacramento, CA | #132 | C | 52 | $1,742/mo | $484,600 | 14% | $83,753 |
| #7 | Roseville, CA | #133 | C | 52 | $2,098/mo | $630,600 | 17% | $117,354 |
| #8 | Victorville, CA | #135 | C | 52 | $1,258/mo | $342,500 | 10% | $70,663 |
| #9 | Elk Grove, CA | #138 | C | 51 | $1,838/mo | $603,400 | 13% | $122,229 |
| #10 | Santa Rosa, CA | #148 | D | 49 | $2,163/mo | $685,000 | 19% | $97,410 |
| #11 | Palmdale, CA | #152 | D | 47 | $1,505/mo | $435,300 | 11% | $81,151 |
| #12 | Lancaster, CA | #153 | D | 47 | $1,564/mo | $409,100 | 12% | $76,083 |
| #13 | Fontana, CA | #156 | D | 46 | $1,637/mo | $558,500 | 9% | $98,187 |
| #14 | San Bernardino, CA | #158 | D | 45 | $1,449/mo | $384,900 | 10% | $63,988 |
| #15 | Oxnard, CA | #160 | D | 43 | $1,856/mo | $617,800 | 12% | $93,372 |
| #16 | Riverside, CA | #163 | D | 42 | $1,800/mo | $542,100 | 12% | $88,575 |
| #17 | Escondido, CA | #165 | D | 41 | $1,967/mo | $663,500 | 14% | $84,477 |
| #18 | Huntington Beach, CA | #168 | D | 40 | $2,434/mo | $1,047,300 | 19% | $119,885 |
| #19 | Chula Vista, CA | #169 | D | 40 | $2,064/mo | $697,400 | 13% | $105,173 |
| #20 | Pomona, CA | #170 | D | 40 | $1,772/mo | $569,600 | 13% | $78,869 |
| #21 | Oceanside, CA | #171 | D | 39 | $2,211/mo | $702,000 | 16% | $93,724 |
| #22 | Moreno Valley, CA | #172 | D | 39 | $1,891/mo | $461,400 | 10% | $87,477 |
| #23 | Salinas, CA | #173 | D | 39 | $1,925/mo | $610,900 | 10% | $89,150 |
| #24 | Garden Grove, CA | #175 | D | 38 | $1,997/mo | $765,500 | 15% | $90,166 |
| #25 | Torrance, CA | #176 | D | 38 | $2,370/mo | $1,036,600 | 18% | $113,105 |
| #26 | Orange, CA | #177 | D | 37 | $2,267/mo | $900,700 | 15% | $116,945 |
| #27 | Rancho Cucamonga, CA | #178 | D | 36 | $2,260/mo | $694,400 | 14% | $109,511 |
| #28 | Ontario, CA | #180 | D | 36 | $1,877/mo | $568,000 | 10% | $82,806 |
| #29 | Corona, CA | #181 | F | 36 | $2,052/mo | $656,500 | 12% | $106,438 |
| #30 | San Francisco, CA | #183 | F | 35 | $2,982/mo | $1,380,500 | 17% | $141,446 |
| #31 | Santa Ana, CA | #184 | F | 34 | $2,071/mo | $657,800 | 11% | $88,354 |
| #32 | San Diego, CA | #185 | F | 34 | $2,348/mo | $848,500 | 14% | $104,321 |
| #33 | Fullerton, CA | #186 | F | 34 | $2,167/mo | $859,600 | 15% | $104,219 |
| #34 | Santa Clarita, CA | #187 | F | 34 | $2,475/mo | $721,000 | 13% | $119,926 |
| #35 | Long Beach, CA | #188 | F | 34 | $1,979/mo | $762,200 | 13% | $83,969 |
| #36 | Sunnyvale, CA | #189 | F | 33 | $3,240/mo | $1,816,600 | 12% | $181,862 |
| #37 | San Jose, CA | #190 | F | 33 | $2,683/mo | $1,187,800 | 14% | $141,565 |
| #38 | Glendale, CA | #191 | F | 33 | $2,277/mo | $1,043,900 | 19% | $84,262 |
| #39 | Pasadena, CA | #192 | F | 32 | $2,446/mo | $1,045,000 | 17% | $103,778 |
| #40 | Anaheim, CA | #195 | F | 31 | $2,171/mo | $771,700 | 13% | $90,583 |
| #41 | Fremont, CA | #196 | F | 30 | $2,922/mo | $1,289,400 | 14% | $176,350 |
| #42 | Irvine, CA | #197 | F | 29 | $3,063/mo | $1,115,400 | 11% | $129,647 |
| #43 | Hayward, CA | #198 | F | 29 | $2,403/mo | $820,700 | 13% | $113,775 |
| #44 | Oakland, CA | #199 | F | 29 | $2,113/mo | $924,700 | 14% | $97,369 |
| #45 | Los Angeles, CA | #200 | F | 26 | $2,148/mo | $879,500 | 14% | $80,366 |
FAQ
›Which cities are included for California?
This page includes incorporated cities in California that appear in our top 200 city dataset (city proper).
›Is this a state ranking or a national ranking?
The State Rank orders only the cities shown here. The US Rank shows where each city falls in the full national dataset for this vertical.
›Where does the data come from?
Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates (city proper / incorporated place), with optional NOAA climate normals when available.