2022 Best Counties to Live in California

• County in California

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  Rating 4.39 out of 5  85 reviews

Visitor: I visited San Mateo multiple times and loved the environment, weather, and everything about it! There are a lot of fun places to visit and great restaurants as well.... Read 85 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• Population 762,488

• County in California

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  Rating 4.17 out of 5  150 reviews

Current Resident: Everyone here is so incredibly kind! I cannot say enough good things about this place. The schools are great, the people are great, it is very diverse, and we are generally happy!... Read 150 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A minus

• Population 1,932,022

• County in California

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  Rating 4.26 out of 5  58 reviews

Current Resident: I have grown up in Alameda and go to school in Oakland. This is my home and I am very grateful to have lived here for the last 18 years. Although it is an extremely expensive place to live, it is filled with a diverse community of people and countless activities for all interests. We are said to be in a "liberal bubble" with most of the residents having progressive viewpoints surrounding governmental policy, diversity, gender equality, etc.... Read 58 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A minus

• Population 1,673,133

• County in California

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  Rating 4.32 out of 5  205 reviews

Current Resident: From modern to historical, Orange County has got is all! Orange county is home to one of the well known missions, San Juan Capistrano, bringing all sorts of people down to the region to become acquainted with the history of our lovely state. Moreover, Orange County spans along a cost with beautiful scenic beaches, such as Corona Del Mar and Thousand Steps. The food is outstoudning, with a variety of options from all over the world.... Read 205 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• Population 3,182,923

• County in California

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  Rating 4.26 out of 5  34 reviews

Current Resident: There are good public schools and a lot of protected habitat. There's a lot of local businesses and the county is fairly close to both San Francisco and the East Bay while maintaining a mostly small town atmosphere. There are cons to the small town atmosphere though, like very few establishments being open 24/7. The county lacks diversity; it's a predominately and historically white county. It is very safe though. There are many police and fire stations and hospitals, all very responsive. Cost of living is incredibly high and nightlife is mostly non existent because most establishments close before 9. It's a good location for families with lots of parks, good schools, and low crime rates.... Read 34 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• Population 262,387

• County in California

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  Rating 3.98 out of 5  54 reviews

Current Resident: I've lived in Contra Costa County my entire life, and it has always been a community that feels like home. School districts, recreational clubs, and cities are all very interconnected, creating a strong sense of familiarity for residents. There's a wide array of activities available for families, individuals, and visitors.... Read 54 reviews

• grade A

• grade A minus

• Population 1,161,643

• County in California

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  Rating 4.48 out of 5  1,268 reviews

Current Resident: San Diego is my home, and I never plan to leave. We are known for our perfect weather, but there is so much more to us. Our culture is like none other. The people are so diverse and friendly. The mix of cultures result in incredible food, with many restaurants open late! If you’re craving great Turkish food—head to Main Street in National City. Great Italian? Villa Capri in Rancho Bernardo! As if those weren’t enough options to live here, we have even more. Skydiving, hot air balloon rides, the Del Mar Fair, designer stores and outlet malls, kayaking, the list is endless. You can even swim with dolphins at SeaWorld. San Diego is family friendly, young adult friendly with the nightlife, business friendly, and dog friendly too. It is not only my city, but like all the other residents here, it is my home.... Read 1,268 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade A minus

• Population 3,296,317

• County in California

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  Rating 4 out of 5  9 reviews

Current Resident: Pleasant rural living. Safe. Scenic. Ideal weather. Clean mountain air and water. Best retirement place in California for outdoor lovers. Mid-county foothills offer both rural privacy and easy accessibility via Interstate 80. Senior friendly supports, services, and activities abound. Better public transportation would be nice.... Read 9 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade A+

• Population 400,330

• County in California

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  Rating 3.81 out of 5  601 reviews

Current Resident: Sacramento is a great mid sized city. Commutes around the city are doable, not very congested. There are lots of trees and parks around Sacramento. As the Farm-to-fork capitol, there is lots of fresh produce and diverse food options. There are plenty of farmer markets daily. It’s perfectly located close to beautiful nature. Only two hours away from Lake Tahoe and the Bay Area. One hour away from Napa Valley. The Sacramento Airport is international and not too busy for an easy travel experience. Sacramento is a nice place to be a young professional. There are lots of opportunities to connect with state government. There is a fun nightlife, which includes bars and clubs. The concerts and shows that come to town are great! I have had pleasant experiences with locals. It can be difficult to find affordable places to live. But I think what I like most about Sacramento is that you can always find something to enjoy, but you are not spending a ridiculous amount of money to enjoy yourself.... Read 601 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade A minus

• Population 1,571,767

• County in California

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  Rating 4.33 out of 5  3 reviews

Current Resident: Yolo county itself is amazing and is a very convenient spot for college students. It is close by to major colleges, like UC Davis and Sac State, and has little commute time. The cost of living is less than other counties and it is a growing county. Anybody can have access to resources if they need any. Furthermore, the residents are friendly and they county itself is very clean. I love this county.... Read 3 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade B+

• Population 216,703

• County in California

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  Rating 4.34 out of 5  70 reviews

Current Resident: San Luis Obispo County is one of the most beautiful places in this country. It boasts of amazing weather, beautiful beaches, low crime and is home to California Polytechnic State University. Living in this piece of paradise does come with a price tag. Taxes are high, real estate is expensive and job opportunities are not as prevalent as big cities. Overall, It doesn’t get better than living in San Luis Obispo county!... Read 70 reviews

• grade B+

• grade A minus

• Population 282,771

• County in California

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  Rating 4.08 out of 5  122 reviews

Current Resident: From Watsonville all the way to Davenport. The area is so diverse ecologically speaking. Rolling hills along the coast to gigantic Redwood trees. Lovely mountain towns of Felton, Ben Lomond, and Boulder Creek to oceanic sweet coastal towns of Capitola, Rio del Mar, Seacliff, Seascape and up to the city of Santa Cruz. The most beautiful of coastlines I have ever seen. The weather is unbeatable. Never too hot, never to cold. daytime to long sleeve shirts with a light sweater during the day. Summers are lovely as much of the coast gets fog to keep it cool. The water is cold, but swimmable 60-65 degrees in the summer, and the marine life is out of this world. Monterey Bay boasts some of the most diverse marine life in the country!... Read 122 reviews

• grade B+

• grade B minus

• Population 272,138

• County in California

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  Rating 4.55 out of 5  139 reviews

Current Resident: Everything about this area is absolutely wonderful. The weather is always great and the proximity to the ocean and mountains simultaneously allows for you to never be bored. Living in many places as a child I never seemed to find a place that fit but Santa Barbara definitely is amazing. The only thing would be living prices may be high especially when it comes to housing. The prices can be pretty expensive but the lovely area is worth it. This area does get somewhat touristy during summer times but nothing compared to other beach towns. Since there are other cities separating us and LA the number of people coming over during the summer is significantly smaller compared to other beach towns. Speaking of LA, however, the city life of Santa Barbara can seem too limited if you are looking for a larger city experience so having LA 2 hours away allows you to find more nightlife and larger city benefits if you so desire. Overall, Santa Barbara is a great place to live for any age range.... Read 139 reviews

• grade B+

• grade B

• Population 447,651

• County in California

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  Rating 4.12 out of 5  43 reviews

Nearby Resident: Living here in Napa County is so beautiful to see the countryside and surrounded by many counties. The Sonoma, Angwin, Fairfield, Vallejo, and all certain areas here in Northern California have the exclusive experience to visit.... Read 43 reviews

• grade B+

• grade A minus

• Population 138,795

• County in California

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  Rating 4.25 out of 5  67 reviews

Current Resident: I love how close this county is to the beach. No matter where you live it is a short/semi-short drive to the beach. The city Ventura has a very homey feel, and is kind of like a beach town out of the movies. Downtown is so fun, and is great at night because of the lights, restaurants and you can see the sunset. Ojai, is a great city to escape your crazy life. They have lots of great little restaurants, such as bocallis, and also they have lots of beautiful wineries. Their downtown is very fancy, and really beautiful with lots of neat stores and boutiques. Oxnard has established a great outdoor mall, called the Collection where people can shop, eat, paint, bowl, and watch movies. It's somewhat new and all the buildings and the overall area looks very nice and inviting. I was born and raised in Ventura, and I am so happy. I have loved growing up here because I can always go to the beach, go shopping, and my family especially loves to go camping at the different spots along the coast!... Read 67 reviews

• grade B+

• grade B+

• Population 845,255

• County in California

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  Rating 3.9 out of 5  10 reviews

Current Resident: I grew up here, then, after living in many other places, I found that there really is no place like home. Rural and gorgeous, yet with Highway 50, it's easy to get to Sacramento or Tahoe. If you love the country life, this is the best. Our schools are top notch, especially Ponderosa, Union Mine and Oakridge. We love our sheriff and police and support them. If you are looking for an exciting place with lots of night life, stay in the city. If you love things natural and not picky about the condition of the roads, this is the place to be.... Read 10 reviews

• grade B+

• grade A

• Population 190,568

• County in California

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  Rating 3.83 out of 5  52 reviews

Current Resident: It is absolutely beautiful and every part of Sonoma County has something different to offer. There is the beach, the mountains, wine tasting, and lots of hiking. It is a very expensive county though!... Read 52 reviews

• grade B

• grade B+

• Population 492,498

• County in California

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  Rating 4.06 out of 5  1,148 reviews

Current Resident: Amazing venues, great food, and great experience! I’ve always loved Los Angeles because it’s a city that never sleeps. You will always find something amazing to do here. Whether you were into music, art, or just wanted to take a breather and check out some nice scenery, this is the place for you! I have lived here my entire life. I’ve never had any complaints. However, to be quite frank, there are a few need to knows when It comes to living here. You should definitely expect there to be a lot of people. This is one of the largely populated counties in the world. So you’re in for a treat when It comes to meeting new people. Also, with many people comes high gas prices. Gas prices fluctuate up and down all the time. You never know and can never predict when It will be at its lowest, or when It will sky rocket to a high price. So be prepared. It can get as high as $6 per gallon, or as low as $2 per gallon. Lastly, you will always be able to find a great place to live. Los Angeles awaits!... Read 1,148 reviews

• grade B

• grade B

• Population 10,019,635

• County in California

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  Rating 3.86 out of 5  7 reviews

Niche User: I like the having a variety of things in the county of Butte. I like my school that I go to. I do not like the fact that there has been so much traffic since the CAMPFIRE on November 8th 2018.... Read 7 reviews

• grade B minus

• grade B+

• Population 217,884

• County in California

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  Rating 3.6 out of 5  200 reviews

Current Resident: Fresno California is a city that has become a true metroplex over the last ten years and includes all of Fresno & Madera Counties and cities including Clovis, Madera, the new Riverstone, the new hill city Friant Ranch(to name a few). The Fresno area has a thriving economy, warm and accepting population, and a culture that places community with a focus on individuality at its core. Sought out by technology, scientific, and business for it’s highly educated residents, Fresno also possesses the States flagship University (CalState Fresno) which adds to the cities energy. The city is a wonderful combination of Urban, urban/suburban, Suburban, and rural areas that mesh well with each other and allow Fresnoians to live and experience many lifestyles within a short drive. Cost of living is expensive but so are salaries so most people live comfortably. The nicest areas have to be North Fresno with all the mansions. Fresno is a great place and the downtown keeps on remodeling!... Read 200 reviews

• grade B minus

• grade B

• Population 1,003,150

• County in California

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  Rating 4.5 out of 5  4 reviews

Current Resident: Nevada County is one of the most beautiful areas I've ever visited, the trees, lakes, people community feeling. You can walk down the street and strike up a conversation with anyone at anytime 😊. People out here are so friendly and welcoming we all feel like one big family, which in our world today i feel isn't as easy to come by anymore. If i was to say if I wanted anything to change here... it would be more activities for younger kids and adults to participate in together park events, communiry parties or gatherings.... Read 4 reviews

• grade B minus

• grade A

• Population 102,090

• County in California

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  Rating 3.22 out of 5  23 reviews

Current Resident: Solano county is a great place to live. It’s is very diverse and has very kind and social people. There’s also annually events such as fair and contest, which are found for all ages. It’s a great location to be because it close to Sacramento and the Bay Area. It’s also not to far away from Tahoe or Reno. The weather is perfect in fall and spring, hot in the summer and low 60’s to 50’s in the winter. Solano county also has a lot of great schools with awesome sports programs. A large amount of solan teams are know to be annually playoff contenders.... Read 23 reviews

• grade B minus

• grade B minus

• Population 451,432

• County in California

• grade B minus

• grade B+

• Population 13,291

• County in California

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  Rating 3.33 out of 5  3 reviews

Former Resident: Shasta County is home to beautiful scenery with Mount Lassen and Shasta in the background. The people are all about community and have warm welcoming hearts. It is creative place where people can start up new businesses. Whiskey Town Lake is a big tourist attraction. Overall Redding is a great place to get away and experience nature just as it is. During the four years I lived there I enjoyed walking along the Sundial Bridge and swimming in Whiskey Town Lake.... Read 3 reviews

• grade B minus

• grade A

• Population 181,935

• County in California

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  Rating 4 out of 5  6 reviews

Current Resident: Humboldt has unsurpassed beauty in its environment. Everywhere you look there are so many things to do if you are a lover of the great outdoors. I have lived all over California and this is my favorite place to enjoy the great out doors and get closer to nature. The homes are mostly older Victorian homes which do add to the charm.The night life is not much but on the other hand, there are a variety of Out door festivals and other happening that more than make up for lack of night life... Read 6 reviews

• grade B minus

• grade B

• Population 137,014