California
Among the top 1% of US states for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 2% of US states
WeatherWeather: grade A+, better than 100% of US states
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 16% of US states
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 70% of US states
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 37% of US states
- top 1% for comfortable days
- top 4% for sunny days
- bottom 1% for monthly rent
California is a U.S. state with about 39,356,000 residents. It grades A+ for weather and F for affordability. Standout strengths include comfortable days, sunny days, and walkability. It rates lower on income tax and natural disaster risk.
Official websiteca.gov (opens in new tab)
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$95k88th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$71kbetter than 6% of US states
Home Value$709k98th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 1% of US states
Monthly Owner Costs$3kbetter than 2% of US states
Property Tax Rate0.73%better than 69% of US states
Income Tax13.30%better than 1% of US states
Sales Tax8.85%better than 14% of US states
Estimated total tax burden21.48%better than 4% of US states
Unemployment6.5%better than 12% of US states
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)53°F92nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)75°F43rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation16.1 in8th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall1.5 inbetter than 82% of US states
Sunny Days285 daysbetter than 96% of US states
Summer Humidity54°Fbetter than 78% of US states
Comfortable Days194 daysbetter than 99% of US states
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk98.8better than 1% of US states
Air Quality58 AQIbetter than 2% of US states
School Quality76.9better than 76% of US states
Violent Crime1171/100kbetter than 54% of US states
Property Crime2313/100kbetter than 22% of US states
Community
Population39,356,104100th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age37.318th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6798th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0069th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+2910th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)35.2%4th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)5.3%41st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)39.7%94th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)14.9%98th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.9%67th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time29 minbetter than 10% of US states
Walkability12.1/20better than 96% of US states
Airport Distance43 mibetter than 71% of US states
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access91.4%better than 94% of US states
Amenities Nearby0.88better than 10% of US states
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 41% of US states
Frequently asked questions
- Is California an affordable place to live?
- California is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $71k, better than 6% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in California?
- The median home value in California is $709k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in California?
- Median household income in California is $95k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in California?
- Median gross rent in California is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is California safe?
- California is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1171/100k (better than 54%). Property crime is 2313/100k.
- What is the weather like in California?
- California averages 75°F in July and 53°F in January, with 16.1 in of annual precipitation and about 285 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in California?
- Public-school quality in California is above average, scoring better than 76% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in California?
- The average one-way commute in California is 29 min.
Best places to live in California
Top cities in California
Counties in California
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)