California · best for retirees · #49 of 50 states

Best Cities for Retirees in California

California ranks #49 of 50 for retirees, with a retirees score of 43.4. Folsom is its best city for retirees at 68.9.

See all 50 states for retirees →

#1 city in CA for retirees

Folsom68.9

Retirees score out of 100

California, all states: #49 of 50
Population: 83,916

Open Folsom →

Tax burden

11%

% of income

Income tax

14.4%

State + local

Life expectancy

79.3 yr

CDC NCHS

Home value

$764,158

Typical home value

Cost of living

110.7

BEA RPP · 100 = avg

What Retirees Should Know About California

At #49 out of 50, California isn't a traditional retirement hotspot — but that doesn't tell the whole story. The state has genuine strengths in health, and retirees with specific priorities (established communities) may find it suits them better than the aggregate ranking suggests.

For retirees, healthcare access and tax friendliness are non-negotiable. California's health score of 78/100 reflects strong medical infrastructure — life expectancy here is 79.3 years, above the national average. On the tax front, the overall burden stands at 11% of income. The 14.4% income tax rate is worth factoring into retirement income projections. Property taxes run 0.71% (effective rate), which is among the lowest in the nation.

At $764,158, the typical home is worth more than the 50-state average — retirees relocating from lower-cost areas may face sticker shock. Safety is worth researching at the local level — the statewide safety score of 55/100 suggests some areas perform better than others. Livability amenities are more limited compared to top-ranked states, so retirees who value a vibrant social scene should focus their search on the state's larger metro areas.

All 188 Cities Ranked for Retirees

# City	Grade	Retirees score	Overall	Health	Household finances	Affordability	Population
1Folsom	A+	68.9	68.0	74	91	33	83,916
2Cupertino	A+	66.2	68.3	90	98	17	58,566
3Palo Alto	A+	65.6	70.9	88	94	17	67,237
4Elk Grove	A	65.4	63.3	68	80	40	179,155
5Pleasanton	A	64.7	65.2	85	96	14	76,960
6Rocklin	A	64.1	64.8	72	84	37	73,327
7Roseville	A	63.8	63.6	70	81	40	155,955
8Dublin	A	63.4	66.5	87	97	14	70,803
9San Ramon	A	63.2	64.5	86	97	15	85,993
10Newport Beach	A	63.1	64.8	80	93	15	83,845
11Sunnyvale	A+	63.0	69.3	88	95	17	154,236
12Encinitas	A	62.7	65.1	80	92	18	61,480
13Fremont	A	62.7	64.2	85	96	15	228,295
14Laguna Niguel	A	62.7	64.1	76	90	17	64,139
15Mountain View	A	62.5	65.1	86	94	17	83,732
16Yorba Linda	B+	62.4	62.9	78	95	17	67,170
17Petaluma	B+	61.9	61.4	73	79	26	59,247
18El Dorado Hills	A	61.8	64.2	76	99	25	51,026
19Mission Viejo	B+	61.6	62.2	74	89	17	92,151
20Livermore	A	61.3	63.2	76	97	18	85,522
21San Clemente	B+	61.2	62.1	73	91	22	63,273
22San Mateo	A+	61.1	67.1	79	90	14	103,105
23Redondo Beach	B+	61.1	60.7	83	96	19	69,291
24Aliso Viejo	A	61.0	63.6	77	93	17	51,113
25Santa Clara	A+	60.9	68.1	85	90	17	130,256
26Thousand Oaks	B+	60.8	62.3	76	83	21	125,205
27Milpitas	B	60.8	58.6	84	95	17	78,578
28Carlsbad	B+	60.4	61.2	79	90	19	114,373
29San Francisco	A	60.3	64.1	82	81	21	830,235
30Walnut Creek	B+	60.3	59.1	79	85	18	70,088
31Novato	B+	60.2	59.6	76	73	20	52,546
32South San Francisco	B+	59.7	62.8	77	87	17	64,305
33Daly City	B+	59.5	62.0	79	80	20	101,964
34Lake Forest	B+	59.5	61.9	74	83	19	86,281
35Alameda	B+	59.4	59.9	79	87	21	77,238
36Redwood City	A	59.3	64.0	77	94	15	82,447
37Irvine	A	59.1	63.4	83	80	15	311,690
38Huntington Beach	B+	59.1	60.0	72	79	21	195,240
39Fountain Valley	B+	59.1	59.0	76	76	20	56,258
40Simi Valley	B+	58.9	59.9	71	82	26	125,634
41Citrus Heights	C+	58.9	54.3	57	60	53	86,995
42Lincoln	B	58.6	56.8	68	76	41	52,956
43Woodland	B	58.5	57.1	62	64	51	61,854
44Rancho Cordova	B	58.1	57.8	60	57	52	81,849
45Carmichael	C	57.9	52.0	62	54	49	76,948
46Arcadia	B	57.8	57.8	83	74	25	55,170
47Union City	B	57.7	57.5	79	85	18	67,464
48Torrance	B	57.4	56.3	82	76	24	142,130
49San Rafael	B	57.3	58.0	74	71	22	60,433
50Castro Valley	B+	57.2	62.1	74	90	20	65,001
51Clovis	B	56.8	57.0	59	69	54	124,725
52Eastvale	B+	56.6	60.5	67	97	23	70,633
53San Jose	B+	56.4	59.7	73	89	21	990,138
54Vacaville	B	56.2	56.9	59	74	39	102,596
55Placentia	B+	56.1	60.3	70	76	23	52,826
56Orange	B+	55.8	59.4	69	74	24	138,266
57Camarillo	B	55.8	56.2	74	74	24	70,186
58Santa Rosa	B	55.7	58.0	67	65	37	177,090
59Diamond Bar	C+	55.7	54.1	80	69	21	53,355
60Glendora	B	55.6	55.9	73	76	26	50,926
61Tracy	B	55.5	57.1	63	79	35	96,966
62West Sacramento	B	55.2	57.0	59	57	51	54,927
63Sacramento	C+	55.2	52.6	59	53	51	528,706
64Brentwood	B	55.1	57.3	66	87	20	65,208
65Yuba City	D	55.1	48.5	56	47	59	69,471
66Chino Hills	B	55.0	57.0	74	81	22	77,927
67Tustin	B	54.1	57.3	71	71	22	78,981
68San Buenaventura (Ventura)	B	54.1	56.8	68	66	30	109,857
69Buena Park	B	53.9	55.9	68	72	28	82,871
70Santa Clarita	B	53.7	55.8	72	80	26	230,221
71Santa Monica	C+	53.6	54.3	79	70	23	91,169
72Turlock	C+	53.6	53.1	52	56	56	72,502
73Lakewood	C+	53.5	54.9	72	81	26	79,850
74Arden-Arcade	C	53.4	50.0	54	43	51	94,994
75Temecula	B	53.1	56.6	60	80	37	111,167
76Gilroy	B	53.1	56.0	62	86	26	59,004
77Palm Desert	C	53.1	51.3	57	54	50	51,990
78San Diego	B	52.9	57.0	73	67	25	1,389,526
79Murrieta	B	52.9	55.9	58	80	38	112,064
80La Habra	C+	52.9	55.6	64	64	31	61,970
81Covina	C+	52.9	55.5	67	67	36	49,888
82Chula Vista	C+	52.9	54.7	66	71	32	276,375
83Rancho Cucamonga	B	52.8	55.8	64	74	34	175,411
84Monterey Park	C+	52.8	52.8	71	53	30	59,132
85Santee	D	52.7	48.8	67	75	33	59,332
86Alhambra	C+	52.5	54.7	75	55	30	81,022
87La Mesa	C	52.5	51.3	68	60	32	60,797
88Costa Mesa	B	52.4	58.2	68	72	22	110,330
89Manteca	C+	52.4	53.5	58	65	45	89,043
90Garden Grove	C+	52.3	55.6	64	58	31	170,964
91West Covina	C+	52.3	54.1	70	66	30	107,037
92Redlands	B	52.2	56.4	66	69	44	73,375
93San Leandro	C+	52.2	52.8	67	69	26	87,826
94Oceanside	C+	52.1	53.2	67	68	30	172,242
95Yucaipa	C	51.9	50.5	58	63	52	54,421
96Vista	C+	51.8	55.7	64	62	31	99,114
97Concord	C+	51.8	52.7	63	72	27	124,035
98Pasadena	C+	51.7	53.5	73	61	24	136,969
99Burbank	C	51.7	50.7	72	63	25	104,546
100Davis	B	51.6	57.6	74	30	31	66,978
101Beaumont	B	51.6	56.9	51	68	52	56,266
102Fullerton	C+	51.6	53.8	69	63	25	140,968
103Carson	C	51.5	52.3	63	72	36	92,871
104Napa	C+	51.2	53.5	63	71	27	78,239
105Upland	C+	51.1	54.5	63	69	38	79,257
106Hacienda Heights	C+	51.1	54.1	74	67	27	54,291
107Lodi	C	51.1	50.3	57	56	54	67,607
108Hayward	C+	51.0	53.4	67	72	24	158,801
109Glendale	C	50.9	51.7	69	55	25	190,748
110Fairfield	C	50.9	51.1	57	66	39	120,785
111Santa Cruz	C+	50.7	55.6	71	59	24	61,607
112Norwalk	C+	50.5	53.2	63	67	37	99,789
113Westminster	C	50.5	52.4	63	51	27	89,860
114Hanford	C	50.1	50.8	50	47	66	59,754
115Berkeley	B	49.9	57.1	76	55	25	120,257
116Redding	C	49.9	50.2	57	45	65	93,409
117Santa Barbara	C+	49.8	55.4	70	61	25	87,779
118Corona	C+	49.7	53.3	53	72	37	159,670
119San Marcos	C	49.7	51.9	70	71	26	94,882
120Escondido	C+	49.6	53.2	61	58	36	149,668
121Visalia	C	49.4	50.5	56	55	64	143,939
122Modesto	D	49.4	47.1	46	50	56	219,215
123Whittier	C	49.3	51.2	65	66	32	86,165
124Fontana	C+	49.2	55.5	54	67	47	214,169
125Downey	C	49.1	51.7	64	63	33	110,939
126Chino	C+	48.9	53.3	60	71	37	92,652
127Menifee	C	48.9	51.8	50	63	46	110,305
128Santa Ana	B	48.8	55.8	55	61	34	312,534
129Rosemead	C	48.3	49.8	66	47	33	50,013
130Vallejo	D	48.1	45.3	54	57	43	124,268
131Oxnard	C	47.8	51.5	57	62	39	200,928
132Anaheim	C	47.4	52.0	61	59	28	344,521
133Lake Elsinore	C	47.1	51.9	47	67	45	72,461
134Pittsburg	C	47.1	50.1	54	63	36	76,257
135Cathedral City	C	46.9	50.9	45	48	56	52,267
136Pico Rivera	D	46.8	47.9	58	60	41	60,272
137Gardena	D	46.7	48.0	63	55	38	59,422
138Baldwin Park	C	46.6	50.6	58	50	42	70,138
139Indio	C	46.6	49.0	44	53	57	91,950
140Jurupa Valley	C	46.0	52.4	43	62	49	107,011
141South Whittier	C	46.0	50.4	63	65	37	55,650
142Ontario	C	45.6	52.4	52	56	44	180,547
143Richmond	D	45.4	47.2	51	57	37	115,505
144National City	D	45.2	47.4	57	42	44	58,893
145Chico	D	45.1	48.5	61	27	59	102,188
146Bakersfield	D	45.1	47.4	47	45	64	411,986
147Montebello	C	45.0	49.5	60	53	38	61,045
148Salinas	D	44.9	44.7	52	55	41	161,761
149Stockton	D	44.7	42.6	51	46	57	322,326
150Watsonville	D	44.6	44.9	49	47	40	51,712
151Oakland	D	44.3	46.3	62	60	27	439,418
152Riverside	C	44.2	49.0	48	57	46	319,069
153Bellflower	D	44.2	47.8	57	50	38	76,819
154Long Beach	D	43.8	45.8	62	51	33	455,548
155El Cajon	D	43.7	44.0	53	32	39	104,449
156Moreno Valley	C	43.6	49.1	41	59	47	211,666
157Colton	D	43.5	48.2	48	46	55	53,772
158Los Angeles	D	43.4	47.4	62	45	28	3,857,263
159Fresno	D	43.2	45.5	43	34	63	545,970
160El Monte	D	43.1	48.7	56	38	42	106,109
161Antioch	D	43.1	43.8	51	62	34	116,477
162Perris	D	42.9	48.8	39	59	51	80,511
163Pomona	D	42.9	46.0	57	48	43	147,943
164Rialto	D	42.7	48.5	46	56	52	104,143
165Highland	D	42.5	48.4	49	42	54	56,675
166Santa Maria	D	42.2	47.8	53	45	47	110,462
167South Gate	D	42.2	46.4	52	49	44	91,483
168Delano	D	42.1	43.4	37	40	70	51,679
169Porterville	F	42.1	41.8	44	35	72	63,157
170Tulare	D	41.9	46.3	44	39	67	70,945
171Apple Valley	F	41.8	41.4	46	40	59	75,473
172Paramount	D	41.6	47.1	51	50	45	52,050
173Hemet	F	41.5	42.3	34	38	60	91,326
174San Jacinto	D	41.2	46.4	37	46	56	55,180
175Merced	F	40.9	42.1	47	24	66	91,953
176Hawthorne	D	40.8	43.2	52	45	32	85,191
177Palmdale	F	40.6	41.3	54	47	48	164,634
178Inglewood	F	40.2	41.3	48	45	35	104,569
179Lancaster	F	40.2	40.6	52	47	50	169,169
180Hesperia	D	39.6	43.3	43	40	58	100,775
181Madera	D	38.9	43.6	35	21	65	67,831
182Huntington Park	D	37.7	43.2	44	33	47	53,108
183Victorville	F	37.6	38.6	41	39	58	137,627
184Lynwood	D	37.5	43.2	46	40	45	64,578
185East Los Angeles	F	37.2	40.9	47	38	44	111,647
186Compton	F	35.9	39.2	43	41	45	92,698
187San Bernardino	F	35.7	41.2	40	35	58	222,724
188Florence-Graham	F	34.0	37.9	40	31	48	60,690

City retirees 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. City scores for retirees also weigh the county's expected yearly building losses from natural hazards (FEMA), lower is better; the share of adults without health insurance (CDC PLACES), a sign of local healthcare access, lower is better; the median age of residents (Census ACS), older is better: more peers and retiree services.

Compare: States with Similar Retirees Rankings

Also See: California for Other Lifestyles

Frequently Asked Questions

Is California a good state for retirees?

California ranks #49 out of 50 for retirees with a persona-weighted score of 43.4/100. Its strongest relevant category is Health (78/100) and its weakest is Affordability (14/100).

What is the best city for retirees in California?

Folsom ranks #1 in California for retirees with a score of 68.9/100, followed by Cupertino and Palo Alto.

What factors are most important for retirees in California?

Rankings weighted toward low taxes, quality healthcare, affordable living, safety, community livability, and pleasant environment — the priorities for retirement years.

# City

Grade

Retirees score

Overall

Health

Household finances

Affordability

Population

1Folsom

A+

68.9

68.0

83,916

2Cupertino

A+

66.2

68.3

58,566

3Palo Alto

A+

65.6

70.9

67,237

4Elk Grove

65.4

63.3

179,155

5Pleasanton

64.7

65.2

76,960

6Rocklin

64.1

64.8

73,327

7Roseville

63.8

63.6

155,955

8Dublin

63.4

66.5

70,803

9San Ramon

63.2

64.5

85,993

10Newport Beach

63.1

64.8

83,845

11Sunnyvale

A+

63.0

69.3

154,236

12Encinitas

62.7

65.1

61,480

13Fremont

62.7

64.2

228,295

14Laguna Niguel

62.7

64.1

64,139

15Mountain View

62.5

65.1

83,732

16Yorba Linda

B+

62.4

62.9

67,170

17Petaluma

B+

61.9

61.4

59,247

18El Dorado Hills

61.8

64.2

51,026

19Mission Viejo

B+

61.6

62.2

92,151

20Livermore

61.3

63.2

85,522

21San Clemente

B+

61.2

62.1

63,273

22San Mateo

A+

61.1

67.1

103,105

23Redondo Beach

B+

61.1

60.7

69,291

24Aliso Viejo

61.0

63.6

51,113

25Santa Clara

A+

60.9

68.1

130,256

26Thousand Oaks

B+

60.8

62.3

125,205

27Milpitas

60.8

58.6

78,578

28Carlsbad

B+

60.4

61.2

114,373

29San Francisco

60.3

64.1

830,235

30Walnut Creek

B+

60.3

59.1

70,088

31Novato

B+

60.2

59.6

52,546

32South San Francisco

B+

59.7

62.8

64,305

33Daly City

B+

59.5

62.0

101,964

34Lake Forest

B+

59.5

61.9

86,281

35Alameda

B+

59.4

59.9

77,238

36Redwood City

59.3

64.0

82,447

37Irvine

59.1

63.4

311,690

38Huntington Beach

B+

59.1

60.0

195,240

39Fountain Valley

B+

59.1

59.0

56,258

40Simi Valley

B+

58.9

59.9

125,634

41Citrus Heights

C+

58.9

54.3

86,995

42Lincoln

58.6

56.8

52,956

43Woodland

58.5

57.1

61,854

44Rancho Cordova

58.1

57.8

81,849

45Carmichael

57.9

52.0

76,948

46Arcadia

57.8

55,170

47Union City

57.7

57.5

67,464

48Torrance

57.4

56.3

142,130

49San Rafael

57.3

58.0

60,433

50Castro Valley

B+

57.2

62.1

65,001

51Clovis

56.8

57.0

124,725

52Eastvale

B+

56.6

60.5

70,633

53San Jose

B+

56.4

59.7

990,138

54Vacaville

56.2

56.9

102,596

55Placentia

B+

56.1

60.3

52,826

56Orange

B+

55.8

59.4

138,266

57Camarillo

55.8

56.2

70,186

58Santa Rosa

55.7

58.0

177,090

59Diamond Bar

C+

55.7

54.1

53,355

60Glendora

55.6

55.9

50,926

61Tracy

55.5

57.1

96,966

62West Sacramento

55.2

57.0

54,927

63Sacramento

C+

55.2

52.6

528,706

64Brentwood

55.1

57.3

65,208

65Yuba City

55.1

48.5

69,471

66Chino Hills

55.0

57.0

77,927

67Tustin

54.1

57.3

78,981

68San Buenaventura (Ventura)

54.1

56.8

109,857

69Buena Park

53.9

55.9

82,871

70Santa Clarita

53.7

55.8

230,221

71Santa Monica

C+

53.6

54.3

91,169

72Turlock

C+

53.6

53.1

72,502

73Lakewood

C+

53.5

54.9

79,850

74Arden-Arcade

53.4

50.0

94,994

75Temecula

53.1

56.6

111,167

76Gilroy

53.1

56.0

59,004

77Palm Desert

53.1

51.3

51,990

78San Diego

52.9

57.0

1,389,526

79Murrieta

52.9

55.9

112,064

80La Habra

C+

52.9

55.6

61,970

81Covina

C+

52.9

55.5

49,888

82Chula Vista

C+

52.9

54.7

276,375

83Rancho Cucamonga

52.8

55.8

175,411

84Monterey Park

C+

52.8

59,132

85Santee

52.7

48.8

59,332

86Alhambra

C+

52.5

54.7

81,022

87La Mesa

52.5

51.3

60,797

88Costa Mesa

52.4

58.2

110,330

89Manteca

C+

52.4

53.5

89,043

90Garden Grove

C+

52.3

55.6

170,964

91West Covina

C+

52.3

54.1

107,037

92Redlands

52.2

56.4

73,375

93San Leandro

C+

52.2

52.8

87,826

94Oceanside

C+

52.1

53.2

172,242

95Yucaipa

51.9

50.5

54,421

96Vista

C+

51.8

55.7

99,114

97Concord

C+

51.8

52.7

124,035

98Pasadena

C+

51.7

53.5

136,969

99Burbank

51.7

50.7

104,546

100Davis

51.6

57.6

66,978

101Beaumont

51.6

56.9

56,266

102Fullerton

C+

51.6

53.8

140,968

103Carson

51.5

52.3

92,871

104Napa

C+

51.2

53.5

78,239

105Upland

C+

51.1

54.5

79,257

106Hacienda Heights

C+

51.1

54.1

54,291

107Lodi

51.1

50.3

67,607

108Hayward

C+

51.0

53.4

158,801

109Glendale

50.9

51.7

190,748

110Fairfield

50.9

51.1

120,785

111Santa Cruz

C+

50.7

55.6

61,607

112Norwalk

C+

50.5

53.2

99,789

113Westminster

50.5

52.4

89,860

114Hanford

50.1

50.8

59,754

115Berkeley

49.9

57.1

120,257

116Redding

49.9

50.2

93,409

117Santa Barbara

C+

49.8

55.4

87,779

118Corona

C+

49.7

53.3

159,670

119San Marcos

49.7

51.9

94,882

120Escondido

C+

49.6

53.2

149,668

121Visalia

49.4

50.5

143,939

122Modesto

49.4

47.1

219,215

123Whittier

49.3

51.2

86,165

124Fontana

C+

49.2

55.5

214,169

125Downey

49.1

51.7

110,939

126Chino

C+

48.9

53.3

92,652

127Menifee

48.9

51.8

110,305

128Santa Ana

48.8

55.8

312,534

129Rosemead

48.3

49.8

50,013

130Vallejo

48.1

45.3

124,268

131Oxnard

47.8

51.5

200,928

132Anaheim

47.4

52.0

344,521

133Lake Elsinore

47.1

51.9

72,461

134Pittsburg

47.1

50.1

76,257

135Cathedral City

46.9

50.9

52,267

136Pico Rivera

46.8

47.9

60,272

137Gardena

46.7

48.0

59,422

138Baldwin Park

46.6

50.6

70,138

139Indio

46.6

49.0

91,950

140Jurupa Valley

46.0

52.4

107,011

141South Whittier

46.0

50.4

55,650

142Ontario

45.6

52.4

180,547

143Richmond

45.4

47.2

115,505

144National City

45.2

47.4

58,893

145Chico

45.1

48.5

102,188

146Bakersfield

45.1

47.4

411,986

147Montebello

45.0

49.5

61,045

148Salinas

44.9

44.7

161,761

149Stockton

44.7

42.6

322,326

150Watsonville

44.6

44.9

51,712

151Oakland

44.3

46.3

439,418

152Riverside

44.2

49.0

319,069

153Bellflower

44.2

47.8

76,819

154Long Beach

43.8

45.8

455,548

155El Cajon

43.7

44.0

104,449

156Moreno Valley

43.6

49.1

211,666

157Colton

43.5

48.2

53,772

158Los Angeles

43.4

47.4

3,857,263

159Fresno

43.2

45.5

545,970

160El Monte

43.1

48.7

106,109

161Antioch

43.1

43.8

116,477

162Perris

42.9

48.8

80,511

163Pomona

42.9

46.0

147,943

164Rialto

42.7

48.5

104,143

165Highland

42.5

48.4

56,675

166Santa Maria

42.2

47.8

110,462

167South Gate

42.2

46.4

91,483

168Delano

42.1

43.4

51,679

169Porterville

42.1

41.8

63,157

170Tulare

41.9

46.3

70,945

171Apple Valley

41.8

41.4

75,473

172Paramount

41.6

47.1

52,050

173Hemet

41.5

42.3

91,326

174San Jacinto

41.2

46.4

55,180

175Merced

40.9

42.1

91,953

176Hawthorne

40.8

43.2

85,191

177Palmdale

40.6

41.3

164,634

178Inglewood

40.2

41.3

104,569

179Lancaster

40.2

40.6

169,169

180Hesperia

39.6

43.3

100,775

181Madera

38.9

43.6

67,831

182Huntington Park

37.7

43.2

53,108

183Victorville

37.6

38.6

137,627

184Lynwood

37.5

43.2

64,578

185East Los Angeles

37.2

40.9

111,647

186Compton

35.9

39.2

92,698

187San Bernardino

35.7

41.2

222,724

188Florence-Graham

34.0

37.9

60,690