Eureka, Humboldt County
Major city on California’s north coast, population about 30,000
climate: Expected 0 annual days above 100 degrees, 2035–2064 (first percentile of 367 cities)
Health and Wellness: Nearly average in health index (top 50% of all cities)
Entertainment: Above average in number of parks per capita (top 20%)
potency:Typical home value: $419,000 (8th percentile); Typical rent for a single-family residence: $1,516 (3rd percentile)
Arcata, Humboldt County
A small college town just a few miles from Eureka, home of Cal Poly Humboldt
climate: 0 expected annual days above 100 degrees
Health and Wellness: Above average in health index (top 40% of all cities)
Entertainment: Excellent in parks per capita (top 10%)
Strength: Typical home price: $510,000; General fare: $1,700
professional: Coastal location, cool temperatures, relatively affordable accommodation, breathtaking nature and close to beaches.
Shortcoming: Far from any big city. The drive from Los Angeles will take about 11 hours, and that’s without any traffic (good luck with that!).
EUREKA, CA – SEPTEMBER 02: The Samoa Peninsula in Eureka is sweltering with drizzle and fog while the rest of the state is sweltering. Photographed in Eureka, CA on Friday, September 2, 2022. (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
(Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
Benicia, Solano County –
A suburb located in the outer bay area along the Carquinez Strait
climate: Expected 11 annual days above 100 degrees
Health and Wellness: Excellent in Health Index (top 10% of all cities)
Entertainment: Excellent in parks per capita (top 10%)
Strength: Typical home price: $820,000; Typical fare: $2,406
professional: Moderate climate, access to wilderness and the San Joaquin River, and relatively close to Bay Area population centers.
Shortcoming: Transportation, housing and cost of living close to the Wild Bay Area.
Big Bear Lake, San Bernardino County
A mountain resort town relatively short distance from Los Angeles
climate: 0 expected annual days above 100 degrees
Health and Wellness: Above average in health index (top 40% of all cities)
Entertainment: Average per capita across parks (top 50%)
Strength: Typical home price: $587,000; General fare: $2,000
professional: Magnificent mountain location, perfect for hiking, water sports and skiing. Alpine experience but less than an hour from suburbia and less than two hours from Los Angeles.
Shortcoming: Can be a bit isolating, especially for those who move to homes outside the city of Big Bear. Snow storms, landslides and forest fires remain a constant threat.
Signal Hill, Los Angeles County –
A hilltop, 2.2 square mile city of 11,000 residents, surrounded by downtown Long Beach
climate: 4 annual days expected above 100 degrees
Health and Wellness: Above average in health index (top 40% of all cities)
Entertainment: Excellent in parks per capita (top 10%)
Strength: Typical home price: $792,000; General fare: $2,082
Pros:Central location, spectacular views of the harbor and downtown, and close to Southern California’s urban attractions.
Shortcoming: small, compact space amidst urban and industrial traffic.
Fair Oaks, Sacramento County –
A tony Sacramento suburb overlooking the American River and parkland
climate: 56 annual days above 100 degrees are expected
Health and Wellness: Very good in health index (top 15% of all cities)
Entertainment: Good in parks per capita (top 40%)
Strength: Typical home price: $616,000; General fare: $1,992
Pros: Access to nature with the nearby Sacramento River, lots of open space and parks.
Shortcoming: Risk of extreme heat with changing climate, relatively costly for the region.
Crescent City, Del Norte County
California’s last major coastal city before Oregon
climate: 0 expected annual days above 100 degrees
Health and Wellness: Poor health index (bottom 20% of all cities)
Entertainment: Good in parks per capita (top 40%)
Strength: Typical home value: $361,000; General fare: $1,500
Pros: Very low cost of living compared to most California cities, easy access to redwood forests and the Pacific Ocean.
Shortcoming: Extremely remote by California standards, with few attractions compared to most urban and suburban areas. Have to face the danger of earthquake and tsunami.
Grass Valley, Nevada County –
A Sierra mountain town with a Gold Rush history that has long been a popular retirement destination
climate: Expected 19 annual days above 100 degrees
Health and Wellness: Below average in health index (bottom 40% of all cities)
Entertainment: Around average (top 50%) across parks per capita
Strength: Typical home price: $516,000; General fare: $1,737
Pros:Great location for hiking, skiing, camping, history, and close proximity to Lake Tahoe.
Shortcoming: cold, snowy winters (although some retirees prefer such conditions), and long distances from major cities. fire danger
Emeryville, Alameda County
The city between the Bay Bridge and Oakland has a suburban feel
climate: 1 annual day expected above 100 degrees
Health and Wellness: Excellent in Health Index (top 10% of all cities)
Entertainment: Excellent in parks per capita (top 10%)
Strength: Typical home price: $524,000; General fare: $2,935
Pros: Proximity to population centers and practical public transportation and access to San Francisco Bay.
Shortcoming: Cost of living due to frequent exposure to fog, wind and cold, bay area.
Belmont, San Mateo County
A small Silicon Valley/Peninsula suburb with great ratings on health and quality of life factors
climate: Expected 2 annual days above 100 degrees
Health and Wellness: Stellar in Health Index (top 5% of all cities)
Entertainment: Very good in terms of parks per capita (top 15%)
Strength: Typical home value: $2,145,000; General fare: $2,731
Pros: Bay Area cities have excellent quality of life metrics like accessibility, schools and health care. Close to San Francisco Airport.
Shortcoming:High costs, and risk of Silicon Valley traffic.
Deciding on the best retirement destinations in California is a subjective and possibly foolhardy task. This analysis assumes that practical factors such as affordability are most salient, and less tangible factors such as culture or entertainment are less important. Still, this ranking takes all those factors into account.
The bottom five cities were mostly in Southern California, where housing costs were high, making them too expensive for a typical California retiree.
