The 10 Best Places To Retire In California For 2024


The best places to retire in California are Auburn and Palm Springs for 2024 based on Saturday Night Science.

When people think of glamorized retirement states, many first think of Florida. But when you stop and think about it, California has it all. It has mountains and trails, beaches and surfing, and cities with a seal or two. It is one of America’s most idealized states because of the perfect weather, activities, and people.

So if you’re thinking of Californiaas a top destination for your retirement, we put together a list of the best places to rest on your laurels. Large cities like Los Angeles or San Francisco are hard to afford on your pension. You need to find the best places to retire on an average budget.

To do that, we considered places in California with things to do, like museums and libraries, but that wouldn’t make you go broke. We used Saturday Night Science to account for factors like cost of living, weather, and the distance to the nearest airport.

We have figured out which California cities are the best for retirement.


Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table


What is the best place to retire in California? Auburn is the best place to retire in California, according to our most recent data.

Interested to see how we crunched the numbers? Keep reading for a detailed look at our top ten best cities for retirement in California and to learn more about methodology.

Why did Auburn take the top spot? And where are Los Angeles and San Diego?

For more California state reading:

The 10 Best Places To Retire In California For 2024

Auburn, CA

Source: Wikipedia User Bobak Ha’Eri | CC BY 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 13,773
Median Income: $73,074
Median Home Price: $604,011
Median Rent: $1,364
Distance to Closest Airport: 30 miles
More on Auburn: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Palm Springs, CA

Source: Wikipedia User Patrick Pelster | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 44,935
Median Income: $67,451
Median Home Price: $648,185
Median Rent: $1,397
Distance to Closest Airport: 2 miles
More on Palm Springs: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Sierra Madre, CA

Source: Wikipedia User Telecineguy | GFDL
Overall SnackAbility

9.5
/10

Population: 11,151
Median Income: $128,056
Median Home Price: $1,347,845
Median Rent: $1,994
Distance to Closest Airport: 25 miles
More on Sierra Madre: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Imperial, CA

Source: Flickr User el cajon yacht club | CC BY 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

8.5
/10

Population: 20,430
Median Income: $83,029
Median Home Price: $371,900
Median Rent: $1,300
Distance to Closest Airport: 12 miles
More on Imperial: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Saratoga, CA

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

10
/10

Population: 30,771
Median Income: $237,730
Median Home Price: $3,602,379
Median Rent: $3,501
Distance to Closest Airport: 8 miles
More on Saratoga: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Calexico, CA

Source: Wikipedia User Omar Bárcena | CC BY 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 38,599
Median Income: $51,667
Median Home Price: $337,495
Median Rent: $1,087
Distance to Closest Airport: 1 miles
More on Calexico: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Claremont, CA

Source: Wikipedia User Cliff Hutson | CC BY 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

9
/10

Population: 36,891
Median Income: $115,091
Median Home Price: $926,202
Median Rent: $1,970
Distance to Closest Airport: 8 miles
More on Claremont: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Lincoln, CA

Source: Wikipedia User ThaGreenlander | GFDL
Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 50,131
Median Income: $99,434
Median Home Price: $631,747
Median Rent: $2,067
Distance to Closest Airport: 20 miles
More on Lincoln: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Overall SnackAbility

8
/10

Population: 17,257
Median Income: $105,557
Median Home Price: $883,199
Median Rent: $1,642
Distance to Closest Airport: 6 miles
More on Rancho Mirage: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Monterey Park, CA

Source: Wikipedia User King of Hearts | GFDL
Overall SnackAbility

8
/10

Population: 60,386
Median Income: $76,892
Median Home Price: $879,700
Median Rent: $1,791
Distance to Closest Airport: 17 miles
More on Monterey Park: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Methodology: How We Determined The Best Places To Retire In the Golden State for 2024

To create our ranking of the best places in California to retire, we used Saturday Night Science. We analyzed Census data to find all places in the Golden State — 1481 cities and towns.

We then narrowed it down to places with at least 10,000 people that weren’t townships. This left us with 350 places from across the state.

For these 350, we looked at the following criteria taken from the Census, the FBI’s Crime Report, National Weather Service, and OpenFlights:

  • Low cost of living as measured by rent
  • Low crime
  • Things to do (Museums, Colleges, and Libraries in town)
  • Nice weather
  • Distance to the closest international airport
  • Other retirees (High median age)

We then ranked each of these places for each criterion from one to 350, with the lowest number being the best.

Finally, we took the average rank across these criteria. The place, in this case Auburn, with the lowest average rank, was crowned the best of the best, a place for you to start your second career.

The report has been updated for 2024. This list reflects our tenth time ranking the best places to retire in California.

Summary: Maybe You’re Not Ready To Retire In California Yet…

So there you have it, the best place to retire in California goes to Auburn.

The best places to retire in California are Auburn, Palm Springs, Sierra Madre, Imperial, Saratoga, Calexico, Claremont, Lincoln, Rancho Mirage, and Monterey Park.

If you’re not ready to hang up your office apparel yet, then these places might be up your alley:

  1. Los Banos
  2. Shafter
  3. Arvin

For more California reading, check out:

Best Places To Retire In California

Rank City Population Median Income Average Home Prices Median Rent
1 Auburn 13,773 $73,074 $604,011 $1,364
2 Palm Springs 44,935 $67,451 $648,185 $1,397
3 Sierra Madre 11,151 $128,056 $1,347,845 $1,994
4 Imperial 20,430 $83,029 $371,900 $1,300
5 Saratoga 30,771 $237,730 $3,602,379 $3,501
6 Calexico 38,599 $51,667 $337,495 $1,087
7 Claremont 36,891 $115,091 $926,202 $1,970
8 Lincoln 50,131 $99,434 $631,747 $2,067
9 Rancho Mirage 17,257 $105,557 $883,199 $1,642
10 Monterey Park 60,386 $76,892 $879,700 $1,791
About Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website.