2023 Best Places to Live in the San Francisco Bay Area

• Suburb of Oakland, CA

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  Rating 3.93 out of 5  55 reviews

Current Resident: Very peaceful town, full of fantastic shops, stores, cafes, and restaurants to check out. Generally feels very safe, mostly populated by college students and families. Albany Bulb and Albany Hill Park are beautiful hiking/walking spots to check out, the former near the ocean and the latter providing great views.... Read 55 reviews

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• Population 19,958

• Town in California

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  Rating 4.04 out of 5  141 reviews

Current Resident: Mountain View is in the middle of silicon valley! Mountain View is filled with so many job opportunities and other opportunities for students. Recreation center offers various classes for people of all ages to sign up and stay active. The community is nice and close.... Read 141 reviews

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• Population 82,409

• City in California

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  Rating 4.08 out of 5  206 reviews

Current Resident: Berkeley is a diverse and inclusive city with a mix of residents from various ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds. This diversity enriches the community and contributes to a wide range of cultural experiences. Also, Berkeley is situated in a picturesque setting with the Berkeley Hills to the east and the San Francisco Bay to the west. The city has numerous parks, hiking trails, and beautiful viewpoints.... Read 206 reviews

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• Population 119,607

• Town in California

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  Rating 4.05 out of 5  109 reviews

Current Resident: I like the family friendly activities that are available in Palo Alto. There are excellent schools, shops, and restaurants. The people are very friendly and the weather in the Bay Area is amazing year-round!... Read 109 reviews

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• Population 68,624

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA

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  Rating 4.39 out of 5  33 reviews

Former Resident: Growing up in Foster City was fantastic! It is a fantastic place to raise a family. The water and parks are serene. Don't expect a nightlife - there isn't one. As someone in their 20's, I am looking for something else, with a little more excitement.... Read 33 reviews

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• Population 33,511

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA

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  Rating 4.16 out of 5  67 reviews

Current Resident: San Carlos is blessed with great weather throughout the year. All of North, South and Easy bay are easily accessible making our daily commute very easy. The neighborhood has quaint downtown full of restaurants with excellent food and ambience. Even the new apartments being built by the Laurel street and the Caltrain station are aesthetically pleasing. SC is full of Redwood and other large trees. Edgewood park is close by and great for hikes and picnics. Trader Joe's, Lucky, Home depot, TJ Max, etc are close by. Access to highly rated schools, downtown book shops, SC Youth center makes it perfect for kids too!... Read 67 reviews

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• Population 30,754

• Suburb of Oakland, CA

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  Rating 3.91 out of 5  58 reviews

Current Resident: Love this town... but diversity should get a C grade at best - especially compared to the surrounding area. High income is required to live here ($200k+) and household costs are grossly understated on this site. Farmer's market, parks, few good restaurants, town owned by one family who refuses to modernize and hampers small business growth, awesome teachers, etc. Loads of jobs within an hour commute but perfect town to work remotely from.... Read 58 reviews

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• Population 16,750

• Suburb of San Jose, CA

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  Rating 4.4 out of 5  5 reviews

Current Resident: I love the open space, the wildlife, the feel of close to major freeways, jobs and activities yet feels far away from the noise of big city life.... Read 5 reviews

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• Population 8,520

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA

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  Rating 4.34 out of 5  41 reviews

Current Resident: Burlingame is home! I moved here with my mom and dad when I was 2 1/2. My two little sisters were born here, this is home! Everywhere you go - you will see a friendly smile and friends who you grew up either in school or from the local softball team. Burlingame is clean, the people are kind and the weather is usually beautiful! Of course, I am so excited for August when I go away to school, but I will truly miss my town. I already cannot wait to come back to visit, because I know that I will be welcomed home with so many hugs and smiles!... Read 41 reviews

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• Population 31,142

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA

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  Rating 4.16 out of 5  38 reviews

Current Resident: San Anselmo has a very involved community with downtown parties nightly with different local bands playing. The town is very cute, the main area containing different types of shops and a few parks scattered around the town. It's a very pretty area and has a lot of biking, hiking, and walking opportunities. Although, it's not very diverse, the main majority being white people. It is also incredibly expensive to live at, all houses reaching an average of one million dollars to buy.... Read 38 reviews

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• Population 12,795

• Town in California

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  Rating 4.29 out of 5  232 reviews

Current Resident: I would say one of my main priorities when looking for a location to live is how safe the area/neighborhoods are. I would definitely vouch for San Ramon not only being extremely safe feeling but also extremely clean kept and beautiful. The city is sourrounded by beautiful hills and red wood trees that make you have a nice Northern California feel to it. I grew up in Pleasanton a few towns down and about 15 minutes away, and I would say it is pretty similar to Pleasanton just missing a cute downtown area to walk around. That is one thing I would change, adding a downtown or something similar. Thats not to say we aren't surrounded by many establishments because there are a good amount of shopping centers to enjoy with food, grocery stores, select department stores and even an outdoor mall. Another thing I would choose to change if I had the power, would be the extremely high and ridiculous prices. And I'm not only talking prices for living situations but for the local spots and stores.... Read 232 reviews

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• Population 85,688

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA

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  Rating 4.2 out of 5  15 reviews

Visitor: Quaint town, beautiful place to visit. A nice place for empty nesters to relocate. Quite walkable too.... Read 15 reviews

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• Population 10,145

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA

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  Rating 4.14 out of 5  64 reviews

Current Resident: Belmont is a pretty good city, a lot of fun activities to do. There are good restaurants and cafes and such, lots of places for younger people to get jobs as well. The school systems are good, commuting to said schools are also fine unless you require the 260 SamTrans bus in which case you're out of luck. Lots of good programs for youth, I do several extracurriculars here. There isn't much to do past 8 PM though. Housing is expensive. Overall a pretty good place to live, though.... Read 64 reviews

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• Population 28,109

• City in California

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  Rating 4.13 out of 5  272 reviews

Current Resident: The city of Sunnyvale is beautiful. I am privileged to live near downtown and have convenience accessible, such as transportation traveling from city to city by train, entertainment districts for adults and children to enjoy themselves, and also has stores ranging from farmer's market to retail. Though the city might sound all great, I worry that this beautiful city is being taken advantage of by some people who leave feces, tents, and piles of trash on the sidewalk. I am concerned for visitors and locals walking into places they might feel unsafe and unsanitary. I still have high hopes for Sunnyvale, for the city is still expanding with ongoing construction plans of building apartments and stores. I believe that my love for the city of Sunnyvale will grow as the city grows.... Read 272 reviews

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• Population 155,550

• Suburb of San Jose, CA

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  Rating 4.12 out of 5  75 reviews

Former Resident: I grew up in Menlo Park and it was great. A very clean, peaceful, pretty town. Very safe, and the public schools are amazing. People here are very friendly, and it definitely has a strong neighborhood vibe. And there are lots of things to do! Unfortunately its very very expensive, which is typical for anywhere in this area.... Read 75 reviews

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• Population 33,677

• Suburb of Oakland, CA

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  Rating 3.53 out of 5  40 reviews

Current Resident: Piedmont is a wonderful community, providing a unique sense of community with close access to urban amenities in San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley. No city is perfect, but Piedmont comes close -- providing strong public schools, a low crime rate, and fabulous community resources including an Arts Center, STEAM building, community pool, multiple parks, sports courts, and a thriving recreation center. Residents care deeply about the city and larger community and work together to affect change -- whether traveling to Mexico to build houses through the community church or volunteering with the local chapter of Boys Team Charity. The desire to affect change can also be seen in the city's attempt to address issues related to race, climate change, and housing. Refreshingly, progress continues as folks generally respect varying viewpoints and find compromise. Piedmont schools allow Oakland students to attend, but unfortunately, the Oakland School District mostly prevents the transfers.... Read 40 reviews

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• Population 11,368

• Town in California

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  Rating 4.32 out of 5  165 reviews

Current Resident: Pleasanton has very nice neighborhoods. There are a LOT of trees and parks here that make it seem very natural. The Meadowlark Dairy downtown serves delicious ice cream as well as other treats. A lot of the restaurants downtown are amazing too! If you live near a school, it's definitely walkable. Both high schools are great (and I love the friendly rivalry we've had)! The town is a very safe place to live in and has a very family-friendly environment. The public library has a lot of great books and the staff there are very friendly to both adults and children!... Read 165 reviews

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• Population 79,558

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA

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  Rating 4.48 out of 5  21 reviews

Current Resident: Larkspur is rather like a Norman Rockwell Painting. The business district is immensely charming and historic. Lots of restaurants, coffee shops and charming boutiques. Kids walk to highly rated schools from their storybook neighborhoods. Nature abounds with Redwood forests, the bay, wetlands and Mt Tam. It has a Mediterranean climate. It’s probably the ideal place to raise a family if you can afford it and the rest of Marin County is at your disposal and just 10 miles away across the Golden Gate is one of the most storied cities in North America. It also has been home to many of the greats in rock n roll history. Politically it’s liberal and though it’s not super diverse it is a very accepting and open minded place to live at least it has been for this Gay couple.... Read 21 reviews

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• Population 12,972

• City in California

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  Rating 4.15 out of 5  1,007 reviews

Current Resident: San Francisco is the best City in the World. It has water, trees, good food, great museums, gorgeous views everywhere you go. I know people give it a hard time but I have lived in the Bay Area my entire life and moved to San Francisco when I was 19 years old. I have lived here for nearly 20 years and its my home. I am lucky to have been raised by San Francisco. I spent all my 20s seeing live bands 3-7 times a week, walking everywhere and feeling safe, meeting my absolute best friends and being surrounded by a loving group of people and society. SF is accepting, its open, its free. No where else is like this and with the perfect weather we have. The only thing I would want to change are our failures to keep rent affordable and to use vacant space to house everyone! No one needs to be homeless here.... Read 1,007 reviews

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• Population 865,933

• Suburb of San Jose, CA

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  Rating 4.11 out of 5  73 reviews

Current Resident: I've been in Los Altos since I was two years old, I would have to hand it to the community. The crime rate is low, and it is a great place to raise a family, or even retire!... Read 73 reviews

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• Population 31,562

• Suburb of Oakland, CA

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  Rating 3.73 out of 5  22 reviews

Current Resident: I live in Alamo and would consider it a very safe suburb. Excellent public schools in the area, with a great restaurant and downtown scene either in Danville or Walnut Creek, both very close by. Very expensive place to live mostly populated by families and couples. Not known for diversity, but very small welcoming community.... Read 22 reviews

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• Population 13,852

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA

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• Population 2,309

• Suburb of San Jose, CA

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  Rating 4.67 out of 5  3 reviews

Current Resident: I want to see a lot more sights to see more nature. Sometimes I try and go for walks but the experience ends up to be too noisy. I guess that’s something that happens with people and cars normally though. There are a couple parks here and there but nothing too exciting. There is a good amount of small businesses which is nice to go grab a bagel a milkshake. The people are mostly very friendly. One things I don’t like is the amount of trash I see it’s not a lot but more than I’d like to see.... Read 3 reviews

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• Population 3,492

• Town in California

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  Rating 4.14 out of 5  202 reviews

Current Resident: The downtown is amazing! There are countless stores to choose from, and each and every single one of the stores are all super-duper trendy and glamorous. I really appreciate having the privilege of being able to live in this pleasurable place. There are quite a few people living in this town, but it is a large place. There are many different elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools, and a college nearby, too. Most of the schools are great, and earn a high amount of points on school-review websites. Also, there are a lot of events that go on within Walnut Creek, such as the Art and Wine Festival, the Walnut Festival (an annual tradition), and the running festival. Walnut Creek is located at the foot of Mount Diablo, which is a very fabulous and snazzy mountain that you can climb up. Every decade, it will snow, sometimes only every few years, and everyone goes outside when it falls. I am very happy that I can grow up somewhere like here. I really love Walnut Creek.... Read 202 reviews

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• grade A

• Population 69,876

• City in California

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  Rating 3.88 out of 5  208 reviews

Current Resident: I am in love with Santa Clara, it's culturally diverse. Hospitals are close and roads are close to freeways. The stores are walking distance. Santa clara electric system is separate from PG&E, making prices cheaper. Water is included in rent. The areas to rent are pet inclusive allowing for people to be with loved ones and having understanding neighbors. There's always a good location to dine in or to even have drinks. Public school systems have pretty well maintained fields and have alot of opportunities. Real estate is expensive however for living costs. Renting is more affordable. Jobs are available and competitive.... Read 208 reviews

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• grade A

• Population 127,922