WYLT Neighborhood Rankings · 2026

Best Neighborhoods
in California

Ranked by safety, schools, walkability, and value. Every verdict is based on real data — no sponsored rankings, no fluff.

25 neighborhoods reviewed
6 "Settle here" picks
19 "Good for now" picks

#1 Pick in California

San Francisco, San Francisco is the top-rated neighborhood in California — our highest verdict.

Top 25 Neighborhoods in California

#1

San Francisco

Settle here

San Francisco, CA

Price

$1.1M

Walk

90/100

Schools

5/10

View report →
#2

Hermosa Beach

Settle here

Hermosa Beach, CA

Price

$1.9M

Walk

62/100

Schools

5/10

View report →
#3

San Diego

Settle here

San Diego, CA

Price

$913K

Walk

82/100

Schools

5/10

View report →
#4

Red Bluff

Settle here

Red Bluff, CA

Price

$320K

Walk

24/100

Schools

5/10

View report →
#5

Pasadena

Settle here

Pasadena, CA

Price

$1.1M

Walk

10/100

Schools

5/10

View report →
#6

Pleasant Hill

Settle here

Pleasant Hill, CA

Price

$920K

Walk

30/100

Schools

5/10

View report →
#7

San Mateo

Good for now

San Mateo, CA

Price

$1.1M

Walk

53/100

Schools

5/10

View report →
#8

San Diego

Good for now

San Diego, CA

Price

$776K

Walk

78/100

Schools

5/10

View report →
#9

San Diego

Good for now

San Diego, CA

Price

$1.1M

Walk

75/100

Schools

5/10

View report →
#10

Los Feliz

Good for now

Los Feliz, CA

Price

$1.6M

Walk

77/100

Schools

5/10

View report →
#11

Bonita

Good for now

Bonita, CA

Price

$550K

Walk

25/100

Schools

5/10

View report →
#12

Culver City

Good for now

Culver City, CA

Price

$1.4M

Walk

77/100

Schools

5/10

View report →
#13

Pleasanton

Good for now

Pleasanton, CA

Price

$1.5M

Walk

63/100

Schools

5/10

View report →
#14

Los Angeles

Good for now

Los Angeles, CA

Price

$1.3M

Walk

36/100

Schools

5/10

View report →
#15

Carlsbad

Good for now

Carlsbad, CA

Price

$1.1M

Walk

4/100

Schools

5/10

View report →
#16

Folsom

Good for now

Folsom, CA

Price

$673K

Walk

31/100

Schools

5/10

View report →
#17

Los Angeles

Good for now

Los Angeles, CA

Price

$851K

Walk

57/100

Schools

5/10

View report →
#18

Los Angeles

Good for now

Los Angeles, CA

Price

$1.9M

Walk

51/100

Schools

5/10

View report →
#19

Encinitas

Good for now

Encinitas, CA

Price

$1.3M

Walk

25/100

Schools

5/10

View report →
#20

Eagle Rock

Good for now

Eagle Rock, CA

Price

$1.0M

Walk

47/100

Schools

5/10

View report →
#21

Studio City

Good for now

Studio City, CA

Price

$1.5M

Walk

46/100

Schools

5/10

View report →
#22

Torrance

Good for now

Torrance, CA

Price

$825K

Walk

39/100

Schools

5/10

View report →
#23

Sherman Oaks

Good for now

Sherman Oaks, CA

Price

$1.3M

Walk

35/100

Schools

5/10

View report →
#24

Burbank

Good for now

Burbank, CA

Price

$927K

Walk

35/100

Schools

5/10

View report →
#25

Riverside

Good for now

Riverside, CA

Price

$440K

Walk

29/100

Schools

5/10

View report →

Best places to live in California — 2026 rankings

WYLT has reviewed 25 neighborhoods across California, covering cities including San Francisco, Hermosa Beach, San Diego, Red Bluff, Pasadena and more. The top-rated neighborhood this year is San Francisco, rated "Settle here" based on safety, schools, walkability, and home prices. 6 neighborhoods earn our highest "Settle here" verdict — meaning strong scores across all four dimensions with no major red flags.

Median home prices across reviewed California neighborhoods average $1086K. Average Walk Score is 47/100. Every verdict is based on real data — crime statistics, school ratings, walkability scores, and price trend data — not sponsored rankings. Click any neighborhood to read its full report including commute times, flood risk, and a plain-English verdict.

← Browse all states