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Ranked for Affordable Living

Best Places to Live in California for Affordable Living

Low cost of living, rent, home prices, and total tax burden Ranked by how well each place fits the Affordable Living profile across cost, schools, climate, and safety — see how we score.

Top 25 places

  1. #1AlturasPopulation 2,683 · mixed overall livability54% match
  2. #2Searles ValleyPopulation 1,716 · mixed overall livability54% match
  3. #3DunniganPopulation 1,045 · mixed overall livability54% match
  4. #4Big RiverPopulation 1,028 · solid overall livability54% match
  5. #5StratfordPopulation 1,034 · mixed overall livability46% match
  6. #6NeedlesPopulation 4,895 · mixed overall livability43% match
  7. #7Desert EdgePopulation 3,715 · mixed overall livability43% match
  8. #8WeedpatchPopulation 2,788 · mixed overall livability43% match
  9. #9Wofford HeightsPopulation 2,267 · mixed overall livability43% match
  10. #10WestwoodPopulation 1,116 · mixed overall livability43% match
  11. #11ParklawnPopulation 1,543 · solid overall livability36% match
  12. #12LenwoodPopulation 4,016 · mixed overall livability34% match
  13. #13MojavePopulation 3,865 · mixed overall livability34% match
  14. #14BoronPopulation 2,469 · mixed overall livability34% match
  15. #15Sky ValleyPopulation 2,307 · mixed overall livability34% match
  16. #16ParkwoodPopulation 2,073 · mixed overall livability34% match
  17. #17LondonPopulation 1,785 · mixed overall livability34% match
  18. #18Lost HillsPopulation 1,754 · mixed overall livability34% match
  19. #19MaricopaPopulation 1,217 · solid overall livability34% match
  20. #20GerberPopulation 1,084 · mixed overall livability34% match
  21. #21Live OakPopulation 9,222 · mixed overall livability31% match
  22. #22HayforkPopulation 3,227 · mixed overall livability31% match
  23. #23HoopaPopulation 2,489 · mixed overall livability31% match
  24. #24Del ReyPopulation 1,491 · mixed overall livability31% match
  25. #25Casa LomaPopulation 1,431 · solid overall livability31% match

Match % is a range-based fit: the share of this profile's weighted factors whose value for a place lands inside the profile's preferred band. It is not an absolute quality score, and very small communities are excluded from this list.

Tune these weights yourself on the interactive map →

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