Posted by: Adam McCann

California once drew legions of fortune seekers to its short-lived Gold Rush. Although few newcomers are likely to strike gold in the literal sense today, the Golden State continues to charm big dreamers — and not just aspiring actors and tech developers, either. California’s many other riches are a magnet for families in search of opportunity.

There’s no shortage of economic activity in the state, for one. California’s GDP of over $2.7 trillion in 2017 exceeded those of all but four countries. That’s due in part to its way of setting kids up for success, by establishing some of the best universities in the world. And once employed, workers benefit from a comprehensive paid family-leave program. California was the first state to offer that incentive to American families and remains one of only a handful of states to implement such a policy.

In addition to economic, educational and family benefits, California has an abundance of fun and entertainment options, including Disneyland and Universal Studios. For outdoor-loving families, the state teems with natural beauty, providing plenty of opportunities to explore.

Such a combination of qualities makes California the ideal place for parents to raise their children. But some cities are more family-friendly than others. WalletHub compared 254 Golden State cities to determine which among them is most conducive to family life. In making such a comparison, we examined each city across 21 key metrics, ranging from “number of attractions” to “pediatricians per capita” to “unemployment rate.” Scroll down for the winners, additional expert commentary and a full description of our methodology.

1. Main Findings
2. Ask the Experts
3. Methodology

Main Findings

Embed on your website<iframe src="//d2e70e9yced57e.cloudfront.net/wallethub/embed/15993/geochart-california-family.html" width="556" height="347" frameBorder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> <div style="width:556px;font-size:12px;color:#888;">Source: <a href="https://ift.tt/2QI8c7t>  

Best Places to Live in California for Families

Overall Rank	City	Total Score	‘Family Life & Fun’ Rank	‘Education, Health & Safety’ Rank	‘Affordability’ Rank	‘Socioeconomic Environment’ Rank
1	Folsom, CA	80.84	5	33	2	29
2	San Ramon, CA	77.88	63	6	9	2
3	Los Altos, CA	76.78	17	1	92	6
4	El Dorado Hills, CA	76.67	142	39	1	11
5	Dublin, CA	76.15	45	11	12	13
6	Danville, CA	75.94	151	3	8	9
7	Pleasanton, CA	75.72	26	16	16	12
8	Cupertino, CA	75.22	36	13	53	1
9	Aliso Viejo, CA	75.15	33	17	7	38
10	Roseville, CA	74.95	6	47	4	73
11	Rancho Santa Margarita, CA	74.24	65	12	10	27
12	Elk Grove, CA	73.14	11	62	5	79
13	Rocklin, CA	72.83	77	34	3	77
14	Los Gatos, CA	72.62	18	4	101	39
15	Saratoga, CA	72.48	120	2	112	3
16	Eastvale, CA	71.42	21	103	11	25
17	Yorba Linda, CA	71.15	204	28	22	5
18	Palo Alto, CA	70.93	8	5	157	44
19	Fremont, CA	70.49	90	32	62	7
20	Sunnyvale, CA	69.80	78	15	100	14
21	Temecula, CA	69.72	16	110	18	46
22	Poway, CA	69.18	176	24	26	40
23	Encinitas, CA	69.08	51	35	59	51
24	Mission Viejo, CA	69.01	220	23	24	20
25	Thousand Oaks, CA	68.96	169	30	23	53
26	Rancho Palos Verdes, CA	68.83	236	9	55	8
27	Brentwood, CA	68.62	190	52	21	28
28	Davis, CA	68.57	42	40	19	137
29	Moorpark, CA	68.52	206	18	50	21
30	Irvine, CA	68.41	52	22	79	69
31	Santa Clara, CA	68.33	59	42	94	18
32	Foster City, CA	68.19	217	7	90	4
33	Livermore, CA	67.97	104	60	39	36
34	Lake Forest, CA	67.90	174	51	29	34
35	Lincoln, CA	67.67	224	37	27	23
36	San Clemente, CA	67.67	102	38	65	41
37	Goleta, CA	67.57	41	8	149	72
38	Vacaville, CA	67.52	107	56	14	99
39	Tracy, CA	67.41	148	74	20	49
40	Morgan Hill, CA	67.31	113	44	64	55
41	Camarillo, CA	67.14	170	45	34	61
42	Martinez, CA	66.98	137	58	35	60
43	Orcutt, CA	66.76	109	79	43	43
44	Fair Oaks, CA	66.72	147	95	6	110
45	Chino Hills, CA	66.65	201	73	25	24
46	Laguna Hills, CA	66.63	122	55	68	31
47	Laguna Niguel, CA	66.52	230	27	40	45
48	Oakley, CA	66.41	231	10	33	94
49	Simi Valley, CA	66.29	178	53	31	76
50	Carlsbad, CA	66.16	126	64	44	59
51	Milpitas, CA	66.12	138	49	91	22
52	Cypress, CA	65.96	168	20	107	35
53	Petaluma, CA	65.67	23	61	105	87
54	Manhattan Beach, CA	65.48	173	59	87	15
55	Walnut Creek, CA	65.27	246	19	63	32
56	Mountain View, CA	65.22	101	21	138	63
57	Antelope, CA	65.04	9	126	45	172
58	Brea, CA	65.00	144	80	56	47
59	Murrieta, CA	64.72	119	77	42	92
60	Redondo Beach, CA	64.64	149	93	41	64
61	Pleasant Hill, CA	64.57	136	102	54	37
62	Santee, CA	64.56	207	69	36	70
63	Claremont, CA	64.37	193	125	13	75
64	Orangevale, CA	64.34	143	162	15	121
65	Napa, CA	64.01	12	86	146	90
66	Walnut, CA	63.94	251	26	96	10
67	Beaumont, CA	63.92	92	108	32	108
68	Fountain Valley, CA	63.72	194	36	128	54
69	Placentia, CA	63.71	187	25	132	50
70	Pacifica, CA	63.59	219	31	89	48
71	Clovis, CA	63.55	86	111	17	156
72	Diamond Bar, CA	63.28	228	70	95	30
73	Menlo Park, CA	63.19	88	14	185	80
74	Novato, CA	63.09	184	29	140	83
75	San Dimas, CA	62.47	216	96	66	67
76	San Jose, CA	62.16	25	89	160	85
77	Santa Clarita, CA	62.13	212	82	30	123
78	Campbell, CA	62.05	159	92	102	56
79	Torrance, CA	61.85	199	65	116	62
80	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	61.55	155	128	38	106
81	Union City, CA	61.46	213	100	118	16
82	Corona, CA	61.32	154	121	52	103
83	Hollister, CA	61.31	112	54	106	146
84	Fairfield, CA	61.19	165	105	61	114
85	Redwood City, CA	61.11	70	48	204	65
86	El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles), CA	60.90	29	141	151	74
87	Woodland, CA	60.74	73	129	81	119
88	Rohnert Park, CA	60.61	93	57	137	149
89	San Mateo, CA	60.54	133	50	194	58
90	Huntington Beach, CA	60.48	215	71	115	81
91	Burlingame, CA	60.39	79	46	200	71
92	Manteca, CA	60.35	150	136	49	115
93	San Marcos, CA	60.32	100	68	152	107
94	Orange, CA	60.21	162	76	143	84
95	San Juan Capistrano, CA	60.10	140	75	148	93
96	La Mirada, CA	59.91	248	106	57	66
97	San Diego, CA	59.87	22	124	147	131
98	Chula Vista, CA	59.84	97	83	131	129
99	Alameda, CA	59.81	221	63	130	86
100	Rancho Cordova, CA	59.78	39	119	77	190
101	Dana Point, CA	59.67	242	94	98	57
102	Newark, CA	59.66	238	97	133	19
103	Newport Beach, CA	59.60	205	41	168	95
104	West Sacramento, CA	59.48	53	144	74	162
105	Cerritos, CA	59.20	208	194	85	17
106	South San Francisco, CA	58.88	172	66	205	33
107	Glendora, CA	58.71	233	112	86	88
108	Lakewood, CA	58.70	218	163	60	91
109	Yucaipa, CA	58.60	117	153	46	168
110	San Bruno, CA	58.58	152	98	189	26
111	Redlands, CA	58.54	108	218	28	135
112	San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA	58.48	132	132	119	105
113	La Verne, CA	58.44	245	185	47	89
114	Santa Rosa, CA	58.42	61	78	182	148
115	Castro Valley, CA	58.40	237	67	113	82
116	Lodi, CA	58.20	38	164	114	154
117	Temple City, CA	58.00	146	88	210	42
118	Turlock, CA	57.99	20	200	72	173
119	La Quinta, CA	57.96	222	157	48	128
120	Wildomar, CA	57.77	225	101	73	151
121	Tustin, CA	57.74	75	84	197	116
122	Ceres, CA	57.43	7	137	117	217
123	Arcadia, CA	57.36	196	81	196	68
124	Menifee, CA	57.27	223	131	67	142
125	Jurupa Valley, CA	56.82	62	198	104	163
126	Sacramento, CA	56.72	3	209	103	230
127	Carmichael, CA	56.61	188	139	37	218
128	Berkeley, CA	56.53	181	140	82	164
129	Burbank, CA	56.52	128	123	165	117
130	San Rafael, CA	56.48	177	85	181	127
131	Fontana, CA	56.47	58	213	78	165
132	Chino, CA	56.44	183	188	70	126
133	Chico, CA	56.44	98	154	87	188
134	West Covina, CA	56.29	229	133	126	96
135	Covina, CA	55.91	103	146	139	161
136	Gilroy, CA	55.83	182	118	150	144
137	Buena Park, CA	55.61	186	134	166	101
138	Seaside, CA	55.58	116	91	211	102
139	Daly City, CA	55.56	249	43	221	52
140	Fullerton, CA	55.49	166	130	184	104
141	Whittier, CA	55.45	123	167	142	133
142	Citrus Heights, CA	55.40	124	189	75	175
143	Lake Elsinore, CA	55.32	130	186	76	179
144	Yuba City, CA	55.26	200	138	71	201
145	Concord, CA	55.17	210	147	145	112
146	San Luis Obispo, CA	55.05	31	151	162	189
147	Visalia, CA	55.03	47	179	69	231
148	Hanford, CA	54.97	99	171	58	228
149	Bakersfield, CA	54.95	15	242	51	221
150	La Habra, CA	54.94	179	104	180	147
151	Culver City, CA	54.83	180	225	99	97
152	Palm Desert, CA	54.81	211	169	110	134
153	Anaheim, CA	54.63	19	152	212	152
154	Indio, CA	54.55	40	205	136	181
155	La Mesa, CA	54.52	161	127	173	155
156	Monrovia, CA	54.35	227	107	176	122
157	Santa Paula, CA	54.34	156	72	202	170
158	Oceanside, CA	54.12	191	142	171	125
159	Santa Monica, CA	53.97	74	173	174	160
160	Pasadena, CA	53.95	167	135	155	171
161	Tulare, CA	53.63	54	168	97	235
162	Beverly Hills, CA	53.41	111	117	224	132
163	Norwalk, CA	53.30	118	165	175	158
164	Vista, CA	53.22	121	113	218	138
165	Riverside, CA	53.17	105	240	84	174
166	Redding, CA	53.10	66	234	93	197
167	Upland, CA	52.94	226	177	123	143
168	Santa Barbara, CA	52.90	27	143	235	118
169	Ontario, CA	52.80	50	212	159	180
170	Colton, CA	52.77	13	221	158	212
171	Azusa, CA	52.66	81	166	188	183
172	Garden Grove, CA	52.60	158	120	219	136
173	La Puente, CA	52.54	24	116	208	210
174	Hayward, CA	52.40	192	149	193	140
175	Highland, CA	52.34	110	204	125	198
176	Los Banos, CA	52.33	44	158	120	241
177	Escondido, CA	52.31	95	155	207	157
178	Salinas, CA	52.26	64	181	198	167
179	Santa Cruz, CA	52.11	43	184	192	187
180	Rialto, CA	51.99	34	206	153	220
181	Lompoc, CA	51.99	76	99	201	227
182	Carson, CA	51.89	234	207	80	178
183	Oxnard, CA	51.76	80	190	199	159
184	Santa Maria, CA	51.44	57	159	220	184
185	Downey, CA	50.90	160	187	190	166
186	Hacienda Heights, CA	50.90	254	223	129	98
187	Glendale, CA	50.66	209	87	234	130
188	Costa Mesa, CA	50.61	125	208	216	113
189	Apple Valley, CA	50.46	141	191	124	229
190	Stanton, CA	50.36	55	90	240	194
191	San Gabriel, CA	50.33	185	109	249	78
192	Cathedral City, CA	50.24	71	201	191	207
193	Antioch, CA	50.12	239	193	127	182
194	Baldwin Park, CA	50.11	197	160	217	145
195	Spring Valley (San Diego County), CA	50.05	115	172	195	206
196	San Leandro, CA	50.01	247	197	183	100
197	San Jacinto, CA	49.95	198	224	108	208
198	Pico Rivera, CA	49.79	195	182	177	191
199	Porterville, CA	49.78	4	174	170	251
200	Palmdale, CA	49.72	68	180	156	236
201	Moreno Valley, CA	49.62	171	229	122	202
202	Coachella, CA	49.33	2	227	203	233
203	Montclair, CA	49.20	69	249	167	177
204	Modesto, CA	49.07	139	250	83	214
205	Watsonville, CA	48.71	10	145	244	199
206	Perris, CA	48.67	89	215	161	234
207	Fallbrook, CA	48.64	164	178	227	153
208	Lawndale, CA	48.60	91	175	238	150
209	Pittsburg, CA	48.42	235	161	164	213
210	Banning, CA	48.30	203	211	178	203
211	Delano, CA	48.30	1	214	206	243
212	San Francisco, CA	48.25	114	236	215	139
213	Alhambra, CA	48.23	243	115	232	124
214	Westminster, CA	48.17	189	148	237	141
215	Palm Springs, CA	47.96	135	247	141	205
216	Gardena, CA	47.86	145	210	214	176
217	Santa Ana, CA	47.53	85	170	243	169
218	Merced, CA	47.48	48	176	169	250
219	Hesperia, CA	47.46	157	203	144	239
220	Bellflower, CA	47.43	127	195	225	195
221	Monterey Park, CA	47.42	250	122	233	120
222	Vallejo, CA	46.88	241	244	111	196
223	Long Beach, CA	46.82	72	216	222	215
224	El Centro, CA	46.57	82	235	109	245
225	Stockton, CA	46.33	96	248	121	242
226	Victorville, CA	46.29	37	241	134	248
227	El Cajon, CA	46.19	94	150	231	232
228	Madera, CA	46.07	84	220	186	238
229	Fresno, CA	46.04	46	232	154	249
230	Calexico, CA	45.83	131	202	163	244
231	Paramount, CA	45.58	56	231	228	222
232	Rosemead, CA	45.50	232	114	251	109
233	Rowland Heights, CA	45.30	253	217	223	111
234	West Hollywood, CA	45.17	252	245	135	192
235	Pomona, CA	44.78	153	226	226	209
236	Los Angeles, CA	44.60	30	228	239	225
237	Bell, CA	44.04	28	196	252	185
238	Lynwood, CA	43.76	14	238	246	211
239	Lancaster, CA	43.75	129	233	172	246
240	National City, CA	43.53	67	183	248	219
241	Montebello, CA	43.45	244	192	230	193
242	North Highlands, CA	43.32	32	219	187	253
243	Richmond, CA	42.65	240	237	213	200
244	El Monte, CA	42.28	214	156	250	186
245	South Gate, CA	42.22	60	246	241	204
246	Hawthorne, CA	41.73	87	230	247	216
247	Hemet, CA	41.12	202	253	179	237
248	Bell Gardens, CA	40.30	49	199	254	224
249	Inglewood, CA	38.64	163	239	242	240
250	Oakland, CA	38.56	175	252	236	223
251	Compton, CA	37.95	134	251	229	247
252	Huntington Park, CA	36.28	106	243	253	226
253	San Bernardino, CA	35.75	83	254	209	252
254	Adelanto, CA	35.08	35	222	245	254

 

Ask the Experts

Families share a number of common priorities when choosing a new place to call home. With that in mind, we asked a panel of experts in fields such as family studies and public health to share their insight regarding the process of evaluating prospective California cities on a family’s shortlist. Click on the experts’ profiles below to read their bios and their thoughts on the following key questions:

1. What are some tips for young families looking for quality public schools and affordable housing in California?
2. How can local officials in California make their cities more attractive to young families?
3. Looking just within California, to what degree is child development and a family’s quality of life influenced by the city in which they live?

< >

• Caren Holtzman Faculty, UCSD Department of Education Studies and Director, Partners At Learning (PAL) Program
• Daniel Heimpel Director of Fostering Media Connections and Lecturer in the Richard & Rhoda Goldman School of Public Policy at University of California, Berkeley

Methodology

To help families find the best Golden State cities in which to put down roots, WalletHub compared 254 cities in the state across four key dimensions: 1) Family Life & Fun, 2) Education, Health & Safety, 3) Affordability and 4) Socioeconomic Environment.

We evaluated these categories using 21 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with 100 indicating the most suitable conditions for family life.

We then determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.

In determining our sample, we considered only the “city proper” in each case and excluded surrounding cities in the metro area. Other cities were not included in the sample due to limited data access.

Family Life & Fun – Total Points: 25

• Playgrounds per Capita: Full Weight (~4.17 Points)
• Number of Attractions: Full Weight (~4.17 Points)Note: “Attractions” includes, for instance, museums, theaters and zoos.
• Share of Families with Children Aged 0 to 17: Double Weight (~8.33 Points)
• WalletHub “Weather” Ranking: Full Weight (~4.17 Points)
• Average Commute Time: Full Weight (~4.17 Points)

Education, Health & Safety – Total Points: 25

• Quality of School System: Full Weight (~2.94 Points)
• High School Graduation Rate: Half Weight (~1.47 Points)
• Air Quality: Full Weight (~2.94 Points)
• Pediatricians per Capita: Full Weight (~2.94 Points)
• Share of Uninsured Children Aged 0 to 17: Full Weight (~2.94 Points)
• Violent-Crime Rate per Capita: Double Weight (~5.88 Points)
• Property-Crime Rate per Capita: Double Weight (~5.88 Points)

Affordability – Total Points: 25

• Housing Affordability: Full Weight (~12.50 Points)Note: This metric was calculated by dividing the median annual family income by housing costs, which account for both rental and sale prices.
• General Affordability: Full Weight (~12.50 Points)Note: This metric was calculated by dividing the median family income by the cost-of-living index.

Socioeconomic Environment – Total Points: 25

• Separation & Divorce Rate: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
• Share of Two-Parent Families: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
• Share of Families Living Below Poverty Level: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
• Share of Households Receiving Food Stamps: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
• Unemployment Rate: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
• Wealth Gap: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
• Foreclosure Rate: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)

 

Sources: Data used to create these rankings were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Renwood RealtyTrac, SchoolDigger.com, Yelp, TripAdvisor, Areavibes, County Health Rankings and WalletHub research.

Image: Spotmatik Ltd / Shutterstock.com

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