11 Best Places to Retire in California

Moving to California seems to be a dream everyone has and why wouldn’t they considering the amazing mix of nature, the wonderful views, the great climate and the endless coastline, so we’re going to take a look at the 11 best places to retire in California.

When you think about great places to live once you hit retirement age, a great climate is at the top of your list. That’s mainly because, depending on where you’ve lived your whole life, you’re probably sick of shoveling snow, and dealing with snow in any capacity, alongside the icy roads, the cold weather and just about anything that will make your bones hurt.

Therefore, California seems like the place to go, or any other mild climate place, to be honest. But California has a fame of its own, so it’s only natural that it’s going to hit the top of your list pretty fast. Of course, California isn’t just Los Angeles or San Francisco, and it’s not just deserts and flat lands. In fact, considering the size of the state and the variation in geography, you’ll be more or less surprised to find quite a bit of difference in climate as well. For instance, San Diego gets a little rain, but the north area of the coast is pretty rainy from about November until March. The central coast will get mild weather all year round while the High Sierras will see heavy snow in the winter.

It’s all about where you’re going to choose to move. While some areas are pretty crowded, there are plenty of counties with just a few thousand residents, meaning there’s a lot of elbow room for everyone.

To create our list today, we took a look at all California’s counties and took into consideration several aspects that will impact retirees looking to move. On one hand, we wanted to know just how many doctors are in the area to take care of people, while on another we checked out just how high the commuting time is since we’re pretty sure you’re sick of spending forever in your car. Then, we took into consideration the crime rates in the area, as well as the median home price and the cost of living index since those are important too.

For reference’s sake, California, home to nearly 38 million people has an average commute time of 27 minutes, while the median home price in the state is just north of $400,000. The cost of living index is 150.6, with 100 being the national average, while the crime rate is calculated at 46 with 1 indicating low crime numbers. When it comes to healthcare, California has 248 physicians per 100,000 residents. Or, if you’re still not convinced, you could check the 10 best places to retire in Denver, too.

We gathered the data from Sperling’s BestPlaces which garners info from a wealth of sources, including the Census Bureau, the FBI, Department of Health and Human Services, and more, putting it all in a nice format that everyone can read. We awarded every county points, added them up and came up with the 11 best places to retire in California.

11. Modoc

Score: 11

Median home price: $157,900

Cost of living index: 105

Crime index: 47

Doctors per 100k: 52

Average commute time: 17.5

Situated in the northern area of California, Modoc County borders Oregon and Nevada on two of its sides. The land is home to under 10,000 people, and it’s one of the most sparsely populated counties in the entire state. There’s a high geographical diversity here. This means you’ll find Medicine Lake Highlands in the north, a huge shield volcano, as well as plenty other volcanic mountains. There’s also plenty of forests, rivers, and lakes, hot springs, and lava caves and more. One thing’s for sure, if you move here there’s plenty of outdoorsy things to do.

The median home price in the area is close to $158,000, while the cost of living index is an acceptable 105. If you want to complain about that extra 5 above the national average, then you should consider the index is 242 for San Francisco. The average commute time is 17.5 minutes, which is nothing to complain about.

10. Kern

Score: 12

Median home price: $153,900

Cost of living index: 98.6

Crime index: 62

Doctors per 100k: 130

Average commute time: 23.59

In the Central Valley, you’ll find Kern County, which is home to close to 840,000 people. Ranging from the Coast Range to the Sierra Nevada in the Mojave Desert, the county covers some 8,161 square miles. This is mostly a place that’s specialized in agriculture and petroleum extraction so you shouldn’t be surprised to see special equipment close by. You’ll also find the Mojave Air and Space Port in the area, as well as the Edwards Air Force Base and the China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station, making it an important hub for the military, aviation and space personnel.

The area’s median home price is close to $154,000, which isn’t that terrible, while the cost of living index is below the national average, sitting at 98.6. The average commute time is 23 minutes, so it’s not that terrible.

9. Santa Barbara

Score: 12

Median home price: $490,900

Cost of living index: 167.7

Crime index: 46

Doctors per 100k: 242

Average commute time: 19.43

This is the first county on our list to have a coastline, and it’s wonderful. Home to over 420,000 people, Santa Barbara County is a great place to call home. On top of the beautiful coastal plains peppering the western and southern borders of the county, Santa Barabara is also home to a beautiful mountainous range – the Santa Ynez Mountains, the San Rafael Mountains and the Sierra Madre mountains. Most of the population, however, is concentrated in the southern coastal plains, as you would expect.

The median home price in the area is awfully close to $500,000, so you should consider that when looking for a new place to live. Of course, that’s not to say you won’t find cheaper options since it’s just an average driven up by the beautiful mansions found across the county. The average commute time is calculated at 19 minutes, which is obviously great.

8. Lake

Score: 13

Median home price: $142,900

Cost of living index: 101

Crime index: 57

Doctors per 100k: 121

Average commute time: 23.38

In California’s north central area, you’ll find Lake County, which is home to over 64,000 people. The name it bears is borrowed from Clear Lake, which is the main geographic feature in the entire county. It is also the largest natural lake that’s completely on California’s territory and it is believed to the oldest in the entirety of North America.

Lake County has a median home price of nearly $143,000 and a cost of living index of 101, which is quite in line with the natural average. The average commute time is a little over 23 minutes so you should keep this in mind if you want to move here. There are also plenty of activities to partake in, including boating, hiking, fishing, biking and bird watching, and perhaps the most pleasurable, wine tasting.

7. San Diego

Score: 14

Median home price: $437,200

Cost of living index: 157.2

Crime index: 48

Doctors per 100k: 288

Average commute time: 24.25

Home to over 3.1 million people, San Diego, is one of the most populated counties in California and one of its most famous at the same time. This is the county that’s at the southwest corner of the state, enjoying a coastline on two of its sides, adding up to over 70 miles. The climate in the area is mild Mediterranean so you should enjoy quite nice weather most of the time.

This is an area that’s particularly popular with the navy and the military as 16 installations can be found here, including the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton and the Naval Base San Diego. The county’s geography is made out of small canyons, mesas, hills, but also mountains in the northeast and the Sonoran Desert in the east.

The median home price in the area is a bit high, namely over $437,200, while the cost of living index is 157.2, which isn’t exactly great. The number of doctors per 100,000 residents is 288, however, and the crime index is 48, meaning it’s relatively safe. The average commute time is also a bit over 24 minutes.

6. Placer

Score: 14

Median home price: $373,200

Cost of living index: 145.6

Crime index: 38

Doctors per 100k: 290

Average commute time: 26.69

Home to over 348,000 people, Placer County, is in the eastern area of California, located both in the Sacramento Valley and the Sierra Nevada regions. Known, in part, for its mining history, Placer County comes with a median home price of $373,200 and a cost of living index that’s quite high – 145.6. The crime index here, however, is 38, and the number of doctors attending to people’s needs is 290 for each 100,000 people.

5. San Mateo

Score: 15

Median home price: $802,400

Cost of living index: 227.8

Crime index: 39

Doctors per 100k: 377

Average commute time: 25.15

Sure, the median home price in San Mateo County is sky high – $802,400, and the cost of living index isn’t too nice either – 227.8, but there are many great things about this place. On one hand, the crime index is 39, which is rather low, while the number of doctors assigned per 100,000 people is calculated at 377. The average commute time is also an acceptable 25 minutes.

Of course, there’s also the fact that San Mateo has a coastline, and you’ll get to live close to the Ocean if you move here. That alone and it’s worth the extra price you’ll pay for property here, not to mention the fact that you’re surely going to find houses that go for a lot cheaper than this since those multi-million mansions are pulling the price up.

.

4. Imperial

Score: 15

Median home price: $132,600

Cost of living index: 100.5

Crime index: 67

Doctors per 100k: 73

Average commute time: 20.93

With a wide coastline, Imperial County comes next on our list of the 11 best places to retire in California. The region, for the most part, is a desert with high temperatures and little to no rain. The main economic activity in Imperial County is agriculture, thanks to the water used for irrigation coming from the Colorado River.

Geographically, there’s not much to see, aside from the Algodones Sand Dunes and the Colorado River spilling into the Gulf of California. If you want, there’s also Fossil Canyon you can visit.

The median home price in the area is considerably lower than in other counties, namely $132,600, while the cost of living index is on par with the national average. The crime index, however, is marked at 67, while the number of doctors per 100,000 residents is a mere 73, so it’s a bit lacking in the healthcare department.

3. Kings

Score: 20

Median home price: $119,700

Cost of living index: 98

Crime index: 61

Doctors per 100k: 88

Average commute time: 21.13

Home to over 150,000 people, Kings County, is situated in the central area of the state, away from the Ocean, spreading over 1,392 square miles, most of which is land. The median home price in the area is quite low, under $120,000 which means you’ll probably going to be able to afford your dream house here. The cost of living index is also below the national average, which is a great thing to hear. The crime index isn’t too terrible either – 61, while the number of doctors per 100,000 people is 88.

2. Siskiyou

Score: 22

Median home price: $123,400

Cost of living index: 98.4

Crime index: 50

Doctors per 100k: 149

Average commute time: 18.55

Up, up, up in the northern area of California you’ll find Siskiyou County, home to nearly 45,000 people. Obviously, the county is named after the Siskiyou mountain range since it sits at its base. Geographically, there are plenty of surprises here. You’ll get to enjoy views of Mount Shasta, as well as lakes, forests you can lose yourself in, but also desert and waterfalls, as well as awesome rivers you can fish on.

The median home price is $123,400, while the cost of living index is below the national average. The crime index is 50, so you should be relatively safe here, while the number of doctors per 100,000 people was calculated at 149. The average commute time is quite ok too, namely under 19 minutes.

1. Lassen

Score: 30

Median home price: $108,300

Cost of living index: 94.1

Crime index: 53

Doctors per 100k: 83

Average commute time: 17.47

Situated in the northwestern area of California, Lassen County is home to over 34,000 people. If you were hoping for a snow-free area to live, then Lassen isn’t exactly for you. While, the climate may not be exactly what you associate with California, it’s still one of the best places to move to from several other points of view.

For instance, the median home price is $108,300, which is more than acceptable. The cost of living index is 6 points below the national average, while the crime index is 53. While the number of doctors per 100,000 people, namely 83, isn’t all that much, it’s something you may be able to overlook. All in all, Lassen tops the list of the 11 best places to retire in California.