The 25 Best Quiet, Affordable Small Towns to Retire in California

Ranked on The Town Files lifestyle rankings among 358 towns of 2,500–10,000 people in California, scoring every town on all of these at once. #1 is Bear Valley Springs, CA.

1. 25Nice, California

   Retirement: 80th percentile · Quiet: 61st percentile · Home value ÷ income: 96th percentile

   2,929 people · Lake County · median home $172,800 · income $52,014 · Jan low 37°F · 1 in snow

2. 24Palo Cedro, California

   Retirement: 78th percentile · Quiet: 75th percentile · Home value ÷ income: 84th percentile

   2,931 people · Shasta County · median home $551,600 · income $120,152 · Jan low 38°F · 1 in snow

3. 23Sage, California

   Retirement: 74th percentile · Quiet: 82nd percentile · Home value ÷ income: 82nd percentile

   3,370 people · Riverside County · median home $569,300 · income $119,938 · Jan low 44°F · 5 in snow

4. 22Shingle Springs, California

   Retirement: 88th percentile · Quiet: 84th percentile · Home value ÷ income: 67th percentile

   4,660 people · El Dorado County · median home $744,900 · income $135,530 · Jan low 38°F · 8 in snow

5. 21Desert Edge, California

   Retirement: 57th percentile · Quiet: 82nd percentile · Home value ÷ income: 100th percentile

   4,180 people · Riverside County · median home $76,300 · income $37,429 · Jan low 48°F · 0 in snow

6. 20Gold River, California

   Retirement: 88th percentile · Quiet: 62nd percentile · Home value ÷ income: 90th percentile

   7,844 people · Sacramento County · median home $724,400 · income $175,120 · Jan low 41°F · 0 in snow

7. 19Wilton, California

   Retirement: 83rd percentile · Quiet: 80th percentile · Home value ÷ income: 78th percentile

   5,958 people · Sacramento County · median home $926,200 · income $189,537 · Jan low 41°F · 0 in snow

8. 18Coarsegold, California

   Retirement: 67th percentile · Quiet: 88th percentile · Home value ÷ income: 87th percentile

   4,144 people · Madera County · median home $350,000 · income $80,861 · Jan low 32°F · 3 in snow

9. 17Cottonwood, California

   Retirement: 64th percentile · Quiet: 85th percentile · Home value ÷ income: 93rd percentile

   6,268 people · Shasta County · median home $363,000 · income $95,577 · Jan low 38°F · 3 in snow

10. 16Buckhorn, California

    Retirement: 59th percentile · Quiet: 94th percentile · Home value ÷ income: 91st percentile

    2,597 people · Amador County · median home $360,800 · income $90,045 · Jan low 39°F · 4 in snow

11. 15Weaverville, California

    Retirement: 79th percentile · Quiet: 92nd percentile · Home value ÷ income: 73rd percentile

    3,667 people · Trinity County · median home $339,300 · income $65,787 · Jan low 31°F · 9 in snow

12. 14Dixon Lane-MeadowCreek, California

    Retirement: 64th percentile · Quiet: 83rd percentile · Home value ÷ income: 99th percentile

    2,780 people · Inyo County · median home $196,600 · income $75,745 · Jan low 24°F

13. 13North Fork, California

    Retirement: 84th percentile · Quiet: 93rd percentile · Home value ÷ income: 71st percentile

    3,250 people · Madera County · median home $382,600 · income $71,619 · Jan low 32°F · 2 in snow

14. 12Alturas, California

    Retirement: 83rd percentile · Quiet: 68th percentile · Home value ÷ income: 98th percentile

    2,715 people · Modoc County · median home $170,100 · income $59,896 · Jan low 21°F · 51 in snow

15. 11Arnold, California

    Retirement: 82nd percentile · Quiet: 99th percentile · Home value ÷ income: 71st percentile

    3,288 people · Calaveras County · median home $485,700 · income $92,467 · Jan low 30°F · 105 in snow

16. 10Pine Mountain Lake, California

    Retirement: 90th percentile · Quiet: 94th percentile · Home value ÷ income: 69th percentile

    2,636 people · Tuolumne County · median home $426,500 · income $79,387 · Jan low 31°F · 4 in snow

17. 9Auberry, California

    Retirement: 89th percentile · Quiet: 87th percentile · Home value ÷ income: 80th percentile

    3,238 people · Fresno County · median home $375,300 · income $78,512 · Jan low 37°F · 2 in snow

18. 8Anza, California

    Retirement: 82nd percentile · Quiet: 85th percentile · Home value ÷ income: 90th percentile

    3,075 people · Riverside County · median home $346,600 · income $83,558 · Jan low 31°F · 0 in snow

19. 7Rancho Murieta, California

    Retirement: 96th percentile · Quiet: 87th percentile · Home value ÷ income: 74th percentile

    5,903 people · Sacramento County · median home $715,700 · income $140,061 · Jan low 39°F · 0 in snow

20. 6Stallion Springs, California

    Retirement: 85th percentile · Quiet: 98th percentile · Home value ÷ income: 76th percentile

    3,139 people · Kern County · median home $432,500 · income $87,321 · Jan low 32°F · 0 in snow

21. 5Happy Valley, California

    Retirement: 72nd percentile · Quiet: 96th percentile · Home value ÷ income: 94th percentile

    4,949 people · Shasta County · median home $334,100 · income $92,222 · Jan low 38°F · 3 in snow

22. 4Brooktrails, California

    Retirement: 87th percentile · Quiet: 81st percentile · Home value ÷ income: 97th percentile

    3,632 people · Mendocino County · median home $371,700 · income $116,056 · Jan low 33°F · 0 in snow

23. 3Auburn Lake Trails, California

    Retirement: 86th percentile · Quiet: 95th percentile · Home value ÷ income: 89th percentile

    3,388 people · El Dorado County · median home $560,300 · income $134,007 · Jan low 38°F · 4 in snow

24. 2Borrego Springs, California

    Retirement: 96th percentile · Quiet: 98th percentile · Home value ÷ income: 82nd percentile

    3,073 people · San Diego County · median home $402,700 · income $86,078 · Jan low 46°F · 0 in snow

25. 1Bear Valley Springs, California

    Retirement: 94th percentile · Quiet: 99th percentile · Home value ÷ income: 90th percentile

    5,592 people · Kern County · median home $496,200 · income $120,481 · Jan low 32°F · 0 in snow

Price vs ranking

More California rankings

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Same ranking, other places

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• The 25 Best Quiet, Affordable Small Towns to Retire in New York
• The 24 Best Quiet, Affordable Small Towns to Retire in Michigan
• The 25 Best Quiet, Affordable Small Towns to Retire in Texas
• The 25 Best Quiet, Affordable Small Towns to Retire in New Jersey
• The 25 Best Quiet, Affordable Small Towns to Retire in Florida
• The 15 Best Quiet, Affordable Small Towns to Retire in Ohio
• The 16 Best Quiet, Affordable Small Towns to Retire in Illinois
• The 13 Best Quiet, Affordable Small Towns to Retire in North Carolina