Most Affordable Cities in California

Cost of living rankings for 644 cities in California with uncapped home, rent, and income estimates. On average, California is expensive with a statewide average Cost Index of 183.

1 source baseline is past its update cadence — newer official vintage not reflected

Cheapest City

Salton City

Index: 86

Most Expensive

Montecito

Index: 901

State Average

183

National: 100

Cities Ranked

644

eligible statewide total

California Affordability Ranking

Showing 101–150 of 644 eligible cities — 50 on this page. Page 3 of 13.

#	City	Index	Home Value	Rent	Income
101	El Centro	119	$394,564	$1,536	$53,082
102	East Hemet	119	$419,700	$2,103	$82,096
103	Big Bear City	119	$383,276	$1,794	$71,511
104	Mira Monte	119	$307,141	$2,424	$72,879
105	Jackson	119	$434,822	$1,950	$70,239
106	Redding	120	$387,376	$1,704	$70,466
107	Madera	120	$425,530	$2,120	$63,933
108	Foothill Farms	120	$414,000	$2,201	$68,260
109	Live Oak	120	$390,333	$1,600	$73,571
110	Bonadelle Ranchos	120	$486,800	$1,460	$132,723
111	Desert Hot Springs	121	$376,731	$1,985	$52,761
112	Reedley	121	$388,960	$1,685	$63,307
113	Selma	121	$362,156	$2,000	$60,241
114	Arcata	121	$486,080	$1,584	$46,713
115	Garden Acres	121	$365,156	$2,015	$66,474
116	Ione	121	$465,970	$1,765	$91,495
117	Bakersfield	122	$388,250	$1,858	$80,540
118	Lemoore	122	$386,383	$1,913	$83,724
119	Mead Valley	122	$446,200	$2,103	$86,795
120	Delhi	122	$414,899	$1,517	$67,500
121	Gustine	122	$421,624	$1,517	$59,532
122	Visalia	123	$397,626	$1,871	$81,989
123	Hanford	123	$383,336	$2,003	$76,461
124	Banning	123	$411,095	$1,829	$61,764
125	Sanger	123	$413,410	$1,685	$77,500
126	Livingston	123	$424,923	$1,517	$74,494
127	Thousand Palms	123	$381,473	$2,103	$77,000
128	Bear Valley Springs	123	$496,200	$1,656	$120,481
129	Wrightwood	123	$426,687	$2,103	$74,332
130	Fresno	124	$388,924	$1,941	$70,991
131	Shafter	124	$386,543	$2,008	$71,215
132	McKinleyville	124	$487,519	$1,769	$73,327
133	Newman	124	$433,715	$1,600	$78,906
134	Merced	125	$395,807	$2,028	$63,122
135	Apple Valley	125	$433,365	$1,783	$69,882
136	Adelanto	125	$397,567	$2,102	$68,685
137	Ukiah	125	$481,447	$1,940	$66,160
138	Marysville	125	$393,640	$2,035	$56,430
139	Lakeland Village	125	$463,500	$2,103	$85,748
140	Sun Village	125	$384,700	$2,964	$72,173
141	Spring Valley Lake	125	$463,000	$2,103	$82,625
142	Florin	126	$418,742	$1,988	$71,111
143	Waterford	126	$427,944	$1,803	$74,343
144	Pollock Pines	126	$395,612	$2,201	$74,924
145	Keyes	126	$430,543	$1,803	$64,524
146	Old Fig Garden	126	$512,700	$1,685	$105,781
147	Chico	127	$460,839	$1,544	$66,977
148	Hemet	127	$443,910	$1,859	$57,719
149	Atwater	127	$422,178	$1,941	$64,472
150	Ceres	128	$450,454	$1,803	$79,025

2026 edition — based on ACS 2024, Zillow 2026-08, HUD FY2027, and BEA 2024 dated sources. The edition year is not the observation year.

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