Sacramento, the state capital · Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0California rankings · 2026
Rankings in California
21 lists rank California’s towns of 2,500+ (846 with an overall grade); San Miguel leads the overall list with an A.
Graded lists sort on the same grades every town page shows; described lists (climate, income, property taxes, libraries) carry no letters. How grades work
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All California rankings →Every California list
Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.
Best places to live841 towns · #1 San MiguelBest small towns347 towns · #1 San MiguelMost affordable towns846 towns · #1 Desert EdgeSafest towns416 towns · #1 ImperialTowns with the best schools847 towns · #1 MontecitoHealthiest towns847 towns · #1 West Menlo ParkBest towns for jobs & income847 towns · #1 PiedmontMost walkable towns847 towns · #1 Berkeley and San Francisco and StanfordTowns with the lowest natural-hazard risk847 towns · #1 Fruitridge PocketBest towns for the outdoors847 towns · #1 Santa Venetia and West BishopMost historic towns847 towns · #1 View Park-Windsor HillsTowns with the most civic life448 towns · #1 Carmel-by-the-SeaTowns with the least snow38 towns · #1 PhelanDescribed, no lettersSnowiest towns38 towns · #1 TruckeeDescribed, no lettersTowns with the mildest winters757 towns · #1 Palos Verdes EstatesDescribed, no lettersTowns with the hottest summers757 towns · #1 NeedlesDescribed, no lettersTowns with the coolest summers757 towns · #1 EurekaDescribed, no lettersTowns with the highest incomes846 towns · #1 Alamo and 17 moreDescribed, no lettersTowns with the lowest property taxes754 towns · #1 Desert EdgeDescribed, no lettersFastest-growing towns451 towns · #1 ParadiseDescribed, no lettersTowns with the most-used libraries116 towns · #1 Carmel-by-the-SeaDescribed, no letters
Every town
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The California page links every graded town with its letter and state rank, plus the smaller places. National lists: rankings across America.
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