Best Cities for Remote Workers in California
California ranks #50 of 50 for remote workers, with a remote workers score of 19.5. Folsom is its best city for remote workers at 65.6.
- California, all states
- #50 of 50
- Population
- 83,916
What Remote Workers Should Know About California
California ranks #50 out of 50 for remote workers — a state where remote workers may face some headwinds. Remote work fundamentally changes the relocation calculus: when your salary comes from elsewhere, what matters is how far it stretches locally and how good daily life feels. With a cost-of-living index of 110.7, California is above average — remote workers from lower-cost areas won't see a purchasing power advantage.
The high work-from-home rate of 14.1% suggests an established remote work culture with coworking spaces and digital infrastructure already in place. 95% of households have a broadband subscription, at or above the 50-state average, so home internet is widely adopted.
The 11% tax burden is above average, which can offset some of the cost-of-living advantages for higher-earning remote professionals. Housing affordability (score: 14/100) is a concern — the typical home is worth $764,158, which may require a strong remote salary to afford comfortably.
All 188 Cities Ranked for Remote Workers
| # City | Grade | Remote Workers score | Overall | Affordability | Economy | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Folsom | A+ | 65.6 | 68.0 | 33 | 80 | 83,916 |
| 2Elk Grove | A | 60.8 | 63.3 | 40 | 71 | 179,155 |
| 3Roseville | A | 60.3 | 63.6 | 40 | 71 | 155,955 |
| 4Rocklin | A | 59.6 | 64.8 | 37 | 72 | 73,327 |
| 5Sunnyvale | A+ | 58.1 | 69.3 | 17 | 88 | 154,236 |
| 6Palo Alto | A+ | 58.0 | 70.9 | 17 | 86 | 67,237 |
| 7El Dorado Hills | A | 57.8 | 64.2 | 25 | 100 | 51,026 |
| 8Rancho Cordova | B | 57.8 | 57.8 | 52 | 53 | 81,849 |
| 9San Mateo | A+ | 57.5 | 67.1 | 14 | 87 | 103,105 |
| 10Mountain View | A | 57.4 | 65.1 | 17 | 88 | 83,732 |
| 11Dublin | A | 57.3 | 66.5 | 14 | 82 | 70,803 |
| 12Cupertino | A+ | 57.2 | 68.3 | 17 | 84 | 58,566 |
| 13Petaluma | B+ | 57.2 | 61.4 | 26 | 69 | 59,247 |
| 14Santa Clara | A+ | 56.9 | 68.1 | 17 | 87 | 130,256 |
| 15San Francisco | A | 56.6 | 64.1 | 21 | 81 | 830,235 |
| 16Redwood City | A | 56.0 | 64.0 | 15 | 87 | 82,447 |
| 17Pleasanton | A | 55.2 | 65.2 | 14 | 83 | 76,960 |
| 18South San Francisco | B+ | 55.2 | 62.8 | 17 | 81 | 64,305 |
| 19Fremont | A | 55.0 | 64.2 | 15 | 83 | 228,295 |
| 20Livermore | A | 54.9 | 63.2 | 18 | 85 | 85,522 |
| 21West Sacramento | B | 54.6 | 57.0 | 51 | 54 | 54,927 |
| 22Milpitas | B | 54.5 | 58.6 | 17 | 82 | 78,578 |
| 23Newport Beach | A | 54.3 | 64.8 | 15 | 87 | 83,845 |
| 24Woodland | B | 54.3 | 57.1 | 51 | 43 | 61,854 |
| 25Vacaville | B | 54.3 | 56.9 | 39 | 63 | 102,596 |
| 26Citrus Heights | C+ | 54.3 | 54.3 | 53 | 50 | 86,995 |
| 27Laguna Niguel | A | 54.0 | 64.1 | 17 | 81 | 64,139 |
| 28Clovis | B | 54.0 | 57.0 | 54 | 58 | 124,725 |
| 29Encinitas | A | 53.9 | 65.1 | 18 | 87 | 61,480 |
| 30San Ramon | A | 53.9 | 64.5 | 15 | 82 | 85,993 |
| 31Castro Valley | B+ | 53.9 | 62.1 | 20 | 94 | 65,001 |
| 32Lincoln | B | 53.9 | 56.8 | 41 | 66 | 52,956 |
| 33Daly City | B+ | 53.8 | 62.0 | 20 | 75 | 101,964 |
| 34Aliso Viejo | A | 53.5 | 63.6 | 17 | 83 | 51,113 |
| 35Lake Forest | B+ | 53.5 | 61.9 | 19 | 79 | 86,281 |
| 36Santa Rosa | B | 53.5 | 58.0 | 37 | 60 | 177,090 |
| 37San Rafael | B | 53.4 | 58.0 | 22 | 73 | 60,433 |
| 38Irvine | A | 53.3 | 63.4 | 15 | 78 | 311,690 |
| 39Tracy | B | 53.3 | 57.1 | 35 | 66 | 96,966 |
| 40Yorba Linda | B+ | 53.2 | 62.9 | 17 | 86 | 67,170 |
| 41Sacramento | C+ | 53.2 | 52.6 | 51 | 52 | 528,706 |
| 42San Jose | B+ | 53.1 | 59.7 | 21 | 81 | 990,138 |
| 43San Clemente | B+ | 53.0 | 62.1 | 22 | 81 | 63,273 |
| 44Placentia | B+ | 53.0 | 60.3 | 23 | 70 | 52,826 |
| 45Mission Viejo | B+ | 52.8 | 62.2 | 17 | 78 | 92,151 |
| 46Novato | B+ | 52.8 | 59.6 | 20 | 67 | 52,546 |
| 47Beaumont | B | 52.7 | 56.9 | 52 | 61 | 56,266 |
| 48Carmichael | C | 52.7 | 52.0 | 49 | 44 | 76,948 |
| 49Simi Valley | B+ | 52.5 | 59.9 | 26 | 71 | 125,634 |
| 50Thousand Oaks | B+ | 52.4 | 62.3 | 21 | 77 | 125,205 |
| 51Alameda | B+ | 52.2 | 59.9 | 21 | 75 | 77,238 |
| 52Gilroy | B | 52.2 | 56.0 | 26 | 72 | 59,004 |
| 53Eastvale | B+ | 51.9 | 60.5 | 23 | 85 | 70,633 |
| 54Orange | B+ | 51.9 | 59.4 | 24 | 70 | 138,266 |
| 55Turlock | C+ | 51.9 | 53.1 | 56 | 44 | 72,502 |
| 56Huntington Beach | B+ | 51.7 | 60.0 | 21 | 72 | 195,240 |
| 57Manteca | C+ | 51.0 | 53.5 | 45 | 52 | 89,043 |
| 58Redondo Beach | B+ | 50.8 | 60.7 | 19 | 79 | 69,291 |
| 59Brentwood | B | 50.7 | 57.3 | 20 | 77 | 65,208 |
| 60Arden-Arcade | C | 50.7 | 50.0 | 51 | 37 | 94,994 |
| 61Carlsbad | B+ | 50.6 | 61.2 | 19 | 80 | 114,373 |
| 62Walnut Creek | B+ | 50.6 | 59.1 | 18 | 74 | 70,088 |
| 63Temecula | B | 50.3 | 56.6 | 37 | 68 | 111,167 |
| 64Fountain Valley | B+ | 50.2 | 59.0 | 20 | 67 | 56,258 |
| 65Santa Ana | B | 50.1 | 55.8 | 34 | 60 | 312,534 |
| 66Fairfield | C | 49.9 | 51.1 | 39 | 58 | 120,785 |
| 67Union City | B | 49.7 | 57.5 | 18 | 75 | 67,464 |
| 68Buena Park | B | 49.7 | 55.9 | 28 | 67 | 82,871 |
| 69La Habra | C+ | 49.5 | 55.6 | 31 | 63 | 61,970 |
| 70San Buenaventura (Ventura) | B | 49.4 | 56.8 | 30 | 63 | 109,857 |
| 71Murrieta | B | 49.4 | 55.9 | 38 | 64 | 112,064 |
| 72Costa Mesa | B | 49.3 | 58.2 | 22 | 70 | 110,330 |
| 73Hanford | C | 49.3 | 50.8 | 66 | 28 | 59,754 |
| 74Tustin | B | 49.2 | 57.3 | 22 | 69 | 78,981 |
| 75Fontana | C+ | 49.2 | 55.5 | 47 | 59 | 214,169 |
| 76Yucaipa | C | 49.0 | 50.5 | 52 | 55 | 54,421 |
| 77Lodi | C | 49.0 | 50.3 | 54 | 44 | 67,607 |
| 78Yuba City | D | 48.9 | 48.5 | 59 | 24 | 69,471 |
| 79Redlands | B | 48.7 | 56.4 | 44 | 63 | 73,375 |
| 80Redding | C | 48.7 | 50.2 | 65 | 44 | 93,409 |
| 81Davis | B | 48.5 | 57.6 | 31 | 57 | 66,978 |
| 82Rancho Cucamonga | B | 48.5 | 55.8 | 34 | 66 | 175,411 |
| 83Santa Cruz | C+ | 48.4 | 55.6 | 24 | 66 | 61,607 |
| 84Concord | C+ | 48.2 | 52.7 | 27 | 65 | 124,035 |
| 85Modesto | D | 48.1 | 47.1 | 56 | 39 | 219,215 |
| 86Garden Grove | C+ | 47.9 | 55.6 | 31 | 58 | 170,964 |
| 87Berkeley | B | 47.7 | 57.1 | 25 | 64 | 120,257 |
| 88Chula Vista | C+ | 47.7 | 54.7 | 32 | 62 | 276,375 |
| 89Camarillo | B | 47.6 | 56.2 | 24 | 68 | 70,186 |
| 90Lake Elsinore | C | 47.6 | 51.9 | 45 | 58 | 72,461 |
| 91Corona | C+ | 47.5 | 53.3 | 37 | 65 | 159,670 |
| 92Oxnard | C | 47.5 | 51.5 | 39 | 53 | 200,928 |
| 93Visalia | C | 47.3 | 50.5 | 64 | 43 | 143,939 |
| 94San Diego | B | 47.2 | 57.0 | 25 | 64 | 1,389,526 |
| 95Covina | C+ | 47.2 | 55.5 | 36 | 55 | 49,888 |
| 96Vista | C+ | 47.1 | 55.7 | 31 | 59 | 99,114 |
| 97Hayward | C+ | 47.1 | 53.4 | 24 | 65 | 158,801 |
| 98Chino | C+ | 47.1 | 53.3 | 37 | 62 | 92,652 |
| 99Upland | C+ | 46.8 | 54.5 | 38 | 64 | 79,257 |
| 100Menifee | C | 46.8 | 51.8 | 46 | 53 | 110,305 |
| 101Fullerton | C+ | 46.7 | 53.8 | 25 | 63 | 140,968 |
| 102Chino Hills | B | 46.6 | 57.0 | 22 | 74 | 77,927 |
| 103Jurupa Valley | C | 46.6 | 52.4 | 49 | 57 | 107,011 |
| 104Torrance | B | 46.5 | 56.3 | 24 | 65 | 142,130 |
| 105Glendora | B | 46.5 | 55.9 | 26 | 62 | 50,926 |
| 106San Leandro | C+ | 46.4 | 52.8 | 26 | 60 | 87,826 |
| 107Arcadia | B | 46.3 | 57.8 | 25 | 64 | 55,170 |
| 108Vallejo | D | 46.3 | 45.3 | 43 | 51 | 124,268 |
| 109La Mesa | C | 46.1 | 51.3 | 32 | 59 | 60,797 |
| 110Pittsburg | C | 46.0 | 50.1 | 36 | 56 | 76,257 |
| 111Santa Barbara | C+ | 45.9 | 55.4 | 25 | 70 | 87,779 |
| 112Ontario | C | 45.8 | 52.4 | 44 | 54 | 180,547 |
| 113Oceanside | C+ | 45.7 | 53.2 | 30 | 59 | 172,242 |
| 114Bakersfield | D | 45.7 | 47.4 | 64 | 40 | 411,986 |
| 115Escondido | C+ | 45.6 | 53.2 | 36 | 58 | 149,668 |
| 116Anaheim | C | 45.5 | 52.0 | 28 | 60 | 344,521 |
| 117Perris | D | 45.5 | 48.8 | 51 | 48 | 80,511 |
| 118Santa Clarita | B | 45.3 | 55.8 | 26 | 66 | 230,221 |
| 119Lakewood | C+ | 45.3 | 54.9 | 26 | 65 | 79,850 |
| 120Indio | C | 45.3 | 49.0 | 57 | 41 | 91,950 |
| 121Chico | D | 45.3 | 48.5 | 59 | 42 | 102,188 |
| 122Richmond | D | 45.3 | 47.2 | 37 | 56 | 115,505 |
| 123Norwalk | C+ | 45.2 | 53.2 | 37 | 55 | 99,789 |
| 124Palm Desert | C | 45.1 | 51.3 | 50 | 41 | 51,990 |
| 125Santee | D | 45.1 | 48.8 | 33 | 66 | 59,332 |
| 126Carson | C | 45.0 | 52.3 | 36 | 58 | 92,871 |
| 127Rialto | D | 45.0 | 48.5 | 52 | 49 | 104,143 |
| 128Napa | C+ | 44.9 | 53.5 | 27 | 64 | 78,239 |
| 129Cathedral City | C | 44.9 | 50.9 | 56 | 43 | 52,267 |
| 130Westminster | C | 44.7 | 52.4 | 27 | 52 | 89,860 |
| 131Moreno Valley | C | 44.5 | 49.1 | 47 | 50 | 211,666 |
| 132Riverside | C | 44.5 | 49.0 | 46 | 54 | 319,069 |
| 133Fresno | D | 44.3 | 45.5 | 63 | 35 | 545,970 |
| 134West Covina | C+ | 44.2 | 54.1 | 30 | 57 | 107,037 |
| 135Santa Maria | D | 44.1 | 47.8 | 47 | 41 | 110,462 |
| 136Stockton | D | 44.0 | 42.6 | 57 | 35 | 322,326 |
| 137Santa Monica | C+ | 43.7 | 54.3 | 23 | 60 | 91,169 |
| 138Pasadena | C+ | 43.7 | 53.5 | 24 | 58 | 136,969 |
| 139Tulare | D | 43.6 | 46.3 | 67 | 32 | 70,945 |
| 140San Marcos | C | 43.5 | 51.9 | 26 | 67 | 94,882 |
| 141Downey | C | 43.5 | 51.7 | 33 | 53 | 110,939 |
| 142Alhambra | C+ | 43.3 | 54.7 | 30 | 51 | 81,022 |
| 143Highland | D | 43.3 | 48.4 | 54 | 45 | 56,675 |
| 144Monterey Park | C+ | 43.2 | 52.8 | 30 | 50 | 59,132 |
| 145Colton | D | 43.2 | 48.2 | 55 | 42 | 53,772 |
| 146Hacienda Heights | C+ | 43.1 | 54.1 | 27 | 65 | 54,291 |
| 147Diamond Bar | C+ | 43.1 | 54.1 | 21 | 61 | 53,355 |
| 148South Whittier | C | 43.1 | 50.4 | 37 | 57 | 55,650 |
| 149San Jacinto | D | 43.1 | 46.4 | 56 | 41 | 55,180 |
| 150Whittier | C | 42.8 | 51.2 | 32 | 53 | 86,165 |
| 151Baldwin Park | C | 42.8 | 50.6 | 42 | 46 | 70,138 |
| 152Oakland | D | 42.8 | 46.3 | 27 | 59 | 439,418 |
| 153Salinas | D | 42.5 | 44.7 | 41 | 27 | 161,761 |
| 154Madera | D | 42.5 | 43.6 | 65 | 21 | 67,831 |
| 155National City | D | 42.4 | 47.4 | 44 | 41 | 58,893 |
| 156Pico Rivera | D | 42.2 | 47.9 | 41 | 48 | 60,272 |
| 157Merced | F | 42.1 | 42.1 | 66 | 22 | 91,953 |
| 158Watsonville | D | 41.8 | 44.9 | 40 | 19 | 51,712 |
| 159Glendale | C | 41.6 | 51.7 | 25 | 49 | 190,748 |
| 160Burbank | C | 41.3 | 50.7 | 25 | 45 | 104,546 |
| 161Antioch | D | 41.3 | 43.8 | 34 | 53 | 116,477 |
| 162South Gate | D | 41.1 | 46.4 | 44 | 45 | 91,483 |
| 163Gardena | D | 40.7 | 48.0 | 38 | 48 | 59,422 |
| 164Paramount | D | 40.7 | 47.1 | 45 | 43 | 52,050 |
| 165El Monte | D | 40.6 | 48.7 | 42 | 42 | 106,109 |
| 166Rosemead | C | 40.5 | 49.8 | 33 | 46 | 50,013 |
| 167Montebello | C | 40.5 | 49.5 | 38 | 47 | 61,045 |
| 168Hemet | F | 40.5 | 42.3 | 60 | 26 | 91,326 |
| 169Pomona | D | 40.3 | 46.0 | 43 | 44 | 147,943 |
| 170El Cajon | D | 40.2 | 44.0 | 39 | 43 | 104,449 |
| 171Bellflower | D | 40.0 | 47.8 | 38 | 45 | 76,819 |
| 172Hesperia | D | 39.8 | 43.3 | 58 | 37 | 100,775 |
| 173Long Beach | D | 39.0 | 45.8 | 33 | 49 | 455,548 |
| 174Porterville | F | 39.0 | 41.8 | 72 | 11 | 63,157 |
| 175Apple Valley | F | 39.0 | 41.4 | 59 | 34 | 75,473 |
| 176Delano | D | 38.8 | 43.4 | 70 | 14 | 51,679 |
| 177Huntington Park | D | 38.7 | 43.2 | 47 | 39 | 53,108 |
| 178Los Angeles | D | 38.6 | 47.4 | 28 | 45 | 3,857,263 |
| 179Lynwood | D | 38.6 | 43.2 | 45 | 41 | 64,578 |
| 180San Bernardino | F | 38.4 | 41.2 | 58 | 38 | 222,724 |
| 181Victorville | F | 38.3 | 38.6 | 58 | 34 | 137,627 |
| 182Hawthorne | D | 37.8 | 43.2 | 32 | 44 | 85,191 |
| 183Palmdale | F | 37.2 | 41.3 | 48 | 39 | 164,634 |
| 184East Los Angeles | F | 37.2 | 40.9 | 44 | 29 | 111,647 |
| 185Lancaster | F | 37.1 | 40.6 | 50 | 36 | 169,169 |
| 186Inglewood | F | 36.5 | 41.3 | 35 | 39 | 104,569 |
| 187Compton | F | 36.5 | 39.2 | 45 | 40 | 92,698 |
| 188Florence-Graham | F | 36.2 | 37.9 | 48 | 26 | 60,690 |
City remote workers scores use each city's own data, with the category weights rescaled over the categories the city has; outdoor access has no city-level measure and is left out.
Compare: States with Similar Remote Workers Rankings
Also See: California for Other Lifestyles
Frequently Asked Questions
Is California a good state for remote workers?
California ranks #50 out of 50 for remote workers with a persona-weighted score of 19.5/100. Its strongest relevant category is Safety (55/100) and its weakest is Growth (6/100).
What is the best city for remote workers in California?
Folsom ranks #1 in California for remote workers with a score of 65.6/100, followed by Elk Grove and Roseville.
What factors are most important for remote workers in California?
Rankings weighted toward affordable cost of living, strong economy, outdoor access, livability, low taxes, and safe communities — what remote workers prioritize when choosing where to live.