Ranked from official statistics; every city opens its own guide.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Among the 145 places in California, San Jose has the highest average pay in its county ($197,043), followed by Sunnyvale and Santa Clara. Click any column to sort; click a city for its guide.
Across the 145 places in California that we cover, the median is $82,854 and the average $102,159; the figure runs from $197,043 (San Jose) to $53,038 (Visalia). That is a spread of 3.7 times between the two ends.
The first five are San Jose, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Mountain View, Milpitas. A high or low position is not good or bad on its own: read it together with the other measures on the city pages. Use the Compare tab on each city page to see how two places differ across income, rent, commute and education, and check the county page for the local job market.
| # ⇅ | City ⇅ | County ⇅ | County average annual pay ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose | Santa Clara County | $197,043 | 990,138 | $146,427 | $2,669 |
| 2 | Sunnyvale | Santa Clara County | $197,043 | 154,236 | $186,170 | $3,039 |
| 3 | Santa Clara | Santa Clara County | $197,043 | 130,256 | $178,958 | $3,016 |
| 4 | Mountain View | Santa Clara County | $197,043 | 83,732 | $189,917 | $3,062 |
| 5 | Milpitas | Santa Clara County | $197,043 | 78,578 | $178,798 | $3,120 |
| 6 | Palo Alto | Santa Clara County | $197,043 | 67,237 | $231,101 | $3,484 |
| 7 | Gilroy | Santa Clara County | $197,043 | 59,004 | $133,107 | $2,301 |
| 8 | Cupertino | Santa Clara County | $197,043 | 58,566 | $234,707 | $3,501 |
| 9 | Morgan Hill | Santa Clara County | $197,043 | 45,425 | $163,920 | $2,474 |
| 10 | Campbell | Santa Clara County | $197,043 | 42,781 | $145,268 | $2,737 |
| 11 | Los Gatos | Santa Clara County | $197,043 | 32,786 | $217,554 | $3,247 |
| 12 | Los Altos | Santa Clara County | $197,043 | 30,698 | $250,001 | $3,501 |
| 13 | Saratoga | Santa Clara County | $197,043 | 30,319 | $250,001 | $3,501 |
| 14 | Los Altos Hills | Santa Clara County | $197,043 | 8,377 | $250,001 | $3,501 |
| 15 | San Mateo | San Mateo County | $196,441 | 103,105 | $153,504 | $3,077 |
| 16 | Daly City | San Mateo County | $196,441 | 101,964 | $123,547 | $2,551 |
| 17 | Redwood City | San Mateo County | $196,441 | 82,447 | $157,814 | $2,968 |
| 18 | South San Francisco | San Mateo County | $196,441 | 64,305 | $136,578 | $2,802 |
| 19 | San Bruno | San Mateo County | $196,441 | 42,307 | $141,272 | $2,773 |
| 20 | Pacifica | San Mateo County | $196,441 | 37,261 | $160,523 | $3,098 |
| 21 | Foster City | San Mateo County | $196,441 | 32,792 | $199,143 | $3,501 |
| 22 | Menlo Park | San Mateo County | $196,441 | 32,727 | $210,025 | $3,239 |
| 23 | Burlingame | San Mateo County | $196,441 | 30,525 | $174,000 | $2,785 |
| 24 | San Carlos | San Mateo County | $196,441 | 29,614 | $237,470 | $2,854 |
| 25 | East Palo Alto | San Mateo County | $196,441 | 29,069 | $113,493 | $2,244 |
| 26 | Belmont | San Mateo County | $196,441 | 27,337 | $205,297 | $2,875 |
| 27 | Millbrae | San Mateo County | $196,441 | 22,689 | $163,476 | $3,272 |
| 28 | Half Moon Bay | San Mateo County | $196,441 | 11,391 | $157,884 | $2,433 |
| 29 | Atherton | San Mateo County | $196,441 | 6,993 | $250,001 | $3,501 |
| 30 | Brisbane | San Mateo County | $196,441 | 4,692 | $156,169 | $2,574 |
| 31 | San Francisco | San Francisco County | $174,103 | 830,235 | $140,970 | $2,476 |
| 32 | Oakland | Alameda County | $98,026 | 439,418 | $101,600 | $1,979 |
| 33 | Fremont | Alameda County | $98,026 | 228,295 | $181,506 | $2,933 |
| 34 | Hayward | Alameda County | $98,026 | 158,801 | $113,318 | $2,391 |
| 35 | Berkeley | Alameda County | $98,026 | 120,257 | $108,092 | $2,133 |
| 36 | San Leandro | Alameda County | $98,026 | 87,826 | $101,420 | $2,186 |
| 37 | Livermore | Alameda County | $98,026 | 85,522 | $160,775 | $2,677 |
| 38 | Alameda | Alameda County | $98,026 | 77,238 | $137,697 | $2,474 |
| 39 | Pleasanton | Alameda County | $98,026 | 76,960 | $190,124 | $3,060 |
| 40 | Union City | Alameda County | $98,026 | 67,464 | $133,715 | $2,713 |
| 41 | Newark | Alameda County | $98,026 | 46,903 | $169,064 | $2,776 |
| 42 | Concord | Contra Costa County | $86,234 | 124,035 | $108,709 | $2,274 |
| 43 | Antioch | Contra Costa County | $86,234 | 116,477 | $97,465 | $2,278 |
| 44 | Richmond | Contra Costa County | $86,234 | 115,505 | $95,391 | $1,960 |
| 45 | San Ramon | Contra Costa County | $86,234 | 85,993 | $196,161 | $2,968 |
| 46 | Pittsburg | Contra Costa County | $86,234 | 76,257 | $99,861 | $2,264 |
| 47 | Mountain View (unincorporated) | Contra Costa County | $86,234 | 2,418 | $94,046 | $2,018 |
| 48 | Los Angeles | Los Angeles County | $83,554 | 3,857,263 | $81,939 | $1,933 |
| 49 | Long Beach | Los Angeles County | $83,554 | 455,548 | $87,430 | $1,871 |
| 50 | Santa Clarita | Los Angeles County | $83,554 | 230,221 | $123,062 | $2,544 |
| 51 | Glendale | Los Angeles County | $83,554 | 190,748 | $88,393 | $2,182 |
| 52 | Lancaster | Los Angeles County | $83,554 | 169,169 | $81,511 | $1,764 |
| 53 | Palmdale | Los Angeles County | $83,554 | 164,634 | $81,770 | $1,802 |
| 54 | Pomona | Los Angeles County | $83,554 | 147,943 | $79,479 | $1,810 |
| 55 | Torrance | Los Angeles County | $83,554 | 142,130 | $116,217 | $2,280 |
| 56 | Pasadena | Los Angeles County | $83,554 | 136,969 | $105,192 | $2,265 |
| 57 | East Los Angeles (unincorporated) | Los Angeles County | $83,554 | 111,647 | $68,741 | $1,494 |
| 58 | Downey | Los Angeles County | $83,554 | 110,939 | $90,699 | $1,937 |
| 59 | West Covina | Los Angeles County | $83,554 | 107,037 | $101,065 | $2,245 |
| 60 | El Monte | Los Angeles County | $83,554 | 106,109 | $68,030 | $1,736 |
| 61 | Inglewood | Los Angeles County | $83,554 | 104,569 | $72,750 | $1,787 |
| 62 | Burbank | Los Angeles County | $83,554 | 104,546 | $97,082 | $2,192 |
| 63 | Norwalk | Los Angeles County | $83,554 | 99,789 | $100,085 | $2,090 |
| 64 | Carson | Los Angeles County | $83,554 | 92,871 | $108,703 | $1,956 |
| 65 | Compton | Los Angeles County | $83,554 | 92,698 | $78,465 | $1,664 |
| 66 | South Gate | Los Angeles County | $83,554 | 91,483 | $74,571 | $1,531 |
| 67 | Santa Monica | Los Angeles County | $83,554 | 91,169 | $114,885 | $2,402 |
| 68 | Whittier | Los Angeles County | $83,554 | 86,165 | $97,201 | $1,906 |
| 69 | Hawthorne | Los Angeles County | $83,554 | 85,191 | $75,848 | $1,782 |
| 70 | Alhambra | Los Angeles County | $83,554 | 81,022 | $88,024 | $1,939 |
| 71 | Lakewood | Los Angeles County | $83,554 | 79,850 | $119,177 | $2,347 |
| 72 | Bellflower | Los Angeles County | $83,554 | 76,819 | $78,722 | $1,830 |
| 73 | San Diego | San Diego County | $82,854 | 1,389,526 | $108,077 | $2,313 |
| 74 | Chula Vista | San Diego County | $82,854 | 276,375 | $108,032 | $2,229 |
| 75 | Oceanside | San Diego County | $82,854 | 172,242 | $97,737 | $2,303 |
| 76 | Escondido | San Diego County | $82,854 | 149,668 | $91,967 | $2,046 |
| 77 | Carlsbad | San Diego County | $82,854 | 114,373 | $142,748 | $2,808 |
| 78 | El Cajon | San Diego County | $82,854 | 104,449 | $67,511 | $1,856 |
| 79 | Vista | San Diego County | $82,854 | 99,114 | $94,975 | $2,249 |
| 80 | San Marcos | San Diego County | $82,854 | 94,882 | $109,377 | $2,348 |
| 81 | Anaheim | Orange County | $81,403 | 344,521 | $95,227 | $2,175 |
| 82 | Santa Ana | Orange County | $81,403 | 312,534 | $93,999 | $2,082 |
| 83 | Irvine | Orange County | $81,403 | 311,690 | $136,719 | $2,997 |
| 84 | Huntington Beach | Orange County | $81,403 | 195,240 | $120,919 | $2,510 |
| 85 | Garden Grove | Orange County | $81,403 | 170,964 | $92,174 | $2,012 |
| 86 | Fullerton | Orange County | $81,403 | 140,968 | $104,286 | $2,194 |
| 87 | Orange | Orange County | $81,403 | 138,266 | $117,113 | $2,327 |
| 88 | Costa Mesa | Orange County | $81,403 | 110,330 | $111,505 | $2,446 |
| 89 | Mission Viejo | Orange County | $81,403 | 92,151 | $136,123 | $2,839 |
| 90 | Westminster | Orange County | $81,403 | 89,860 | $85,541 | $2,168 |
| 91 | Lake Forest | Orange County | $81,403 | 86,281 | $135,175 | $2,672 |
| 92 | Newport Beach | Orange County | $81,403 | 83,845 | $156,867 | $3,316 |
| 93 | Buena Park | Orange County | $81,403 | 82,871 | $110,550 | $2,206 |
| 94 | Tustin | Orange County | $81,403 | 78,981 | $112,503 | $2,449 |
| 95 | Sacramento | Sacramento County | $80,125 | 528,706 | $87,321 | $1,779 |
| 96 | Elk Grove | Sacramento County | $80,125 | 179,155 | $125,924 | $2,262 |
| 97 | Arden-Arcade (unincorporated) | Sacramento County | $80,125 | 94,994 | $77,321 | $1,588 |
| 98 | Citrus Heights | Sacramento County | $80,125 | 86,995 | $82,314 | $1,827 |
| 99 | Folsom | Sacramento County | $80,125 | 83,916 | $139,804 | $2,352 |
| 100 | Rancho Cordova | Sacramento County | $80,125 | 81,849 | $89,585 | $1,787 |
| 101 | Carmichael (unincorporated) | Sacramento County | $80,125 | 76,948 | $85,914 | $1,702 |
| 102 | Roseville | Placer County | $72,804 | 155,955 | $119,288 | $2,142 |
| 103 | Santa Rosa | Sonoma County | $71,422 | 177,090 | $99,060 | $2,152 |
| 104 | Vallejo | Solano County | $71,403 | 124,268 | $90,171 | $2,073 |
| 105 | Fairfield | Solano County | $71,403 | 120,785 | $101,895 | $2,266 |
| 106 | Vacaville | Solano County | $71,403 | 102,596 | $111,126 | $2,299 |
| 107 | Napa | Napa County | $70,866 | 78,239 | $105,963 | $2,282 |
| 108 | Oxnard | Ventura County | $70,487 | 200,928 | $96,212 | $2,032 |
| 109 | Simi Valley | Ventura County | $70,487 | 125,634 | $122,081 | $2,579 |
| 110 | Thousand Oaks | Ventura County | $70,487 | 125,205 | $135,603 | $2,664 |
| 111 | San Buenaventura (Ventura) | Ventura County | $70,487 | 109,857 | $103,069 | $2,198 |
| 112 | Santa Maria | Santa Barbara County | $69,664 | 110,462 | $84,746 | $1,925 |
| 113 | Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara County | $69,664 | 87,779 | $106,182 | $2,413 |
| 114 | Modesto | Stanislaus County | $63,795 | 219,215 | $79,891 | $1,690 |
| 115 | Stockton | San Joaquin County | $63,300 | 322,326 | $79,907 | $1,577 |
| 116 | Tracy | San Joaquin County | $63,300 | 96,966 | $121,119 | $2,478 |
| 117 | Manteca | San Joaquin County | $63,300 | 89,043 | $97,055 | $2,065 |
| 118 | San Bernardino | San Bernardino County | $62,368 | 222,724 | $67,415 | $1,508 |
| 119 | Fontana | San Bernardino County | $62,368 | 214,169 | $102,821 | $1,839 |
| 120 | Ontario | San Bernardino County | $62,368 | 180,547 | $88,941 | $2,030 |
| 121 | Rancho Cucamonga | San Bernardino County | $62,368 | 175,411 | $111,895 | $2,357 |
| 122 | Victorville | San Bernardino County | $62,368 | 137,627 | $74,410 | $1,618 |
| 123 | Rialto | San Bernardino County | $62,368 | 104,143 | $88,857 | $1,759 |
| 124 | Hesperia | San Bernardino County | $62,368 | 100,775 | $72,160 | $1,590 |
| 125 | Chino | San Bernardino County | $62,368 | 92,652 | $104,682 | $2,336 |
| 126 | Upland | San Bernardino County | $62,368 | 79,257 | $105,830 | $2,029 |
| 127 | Chino Hills | San Bernardino County | $62,368 | 77,927 | $126,334 | $2,894 |
| 128 | Salinas | Monterey County | $61,375 | 161,761 | $91,908 | $1,991 |
| 129 | Bakersfield | Kern County | $60,066 | 411,986 | $80,540 | $1,472 |
| 130 | Riverside | Riverside County | $59,734 | 319,069 | $91,045 | $1,914 |
| 131 | Moreno Valley | Riverside County | $59,734 | 211,666 | $93,222 | $2,135 |
| 132 | Corona | Riverside County | $59,734 | 159,670 | $109,242 | $2,228 |
| 133 | Murrieta | Riverside County | $59,734 | 112,064 | $114,081 | $2,388 |
| 134 | Temecula | Riverside County | $59,734 | 111,167 | $121,063 | $2,347 |
| 135 | Menifee | Riverside County | $59,734 | 110,305 | $93,454 | $2,110 |
| 136 | Jurupa Valley | Riverside County | $59,734 | 107,011 | $97,550 | $1,741 |
| 137 | Indio | Riverside County | $59,734 | 91,950 | $77,167 | $1,437 |
| 138 | Hemet | Riverside County | $59,734 | 91,326 | $57,719 | $1,575 |
| 139 | Perris | Riverside County | $59,734 | 80,511 | $88,911 | $1,876 |
| 140 | Redding | Shasta County | $59,352 | 93,409 | $70,466 | $1,379 |
| 141 | Fresno | Fresno County | $57,904 | 545,970 | $70,991 | $1,421 |
| 142 | Clovis | Fresno County | $57,904 | 124,725 | $99,241 | $1,792 |
| 143 | Chico | Butte County | $57,521 | 102,188 | $66,977 | $1,488 |
| 144 | Merced | Merced County | $54,952 | 91,953 | $63,122 | $1,393 |
| 145 | Visalia | Tulare County | $53,038 | 143,939 | $81,989 | $1,490 |
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Unincorporated places are census-designated places: they have no city government but are counted as communities. County figures describe the whole county where the city lies.
San Jose, with $197,043 (among the 145 places; ACS 2020–2024).
The 145 places in California by population.