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, Los Altos has the largest share of adults with a bachelor's degree (88.1%), followed by Los Altos Hills and Atherton. Click any column to sort; click a city for its guide.
Across the 145 places in California that we cover, the median is 37.2% and the average 40.1%; the figure runs from 88.1% (Los Altos) to 10.6% (Compton). That is a spread of 8.3 times between the two ends. The state figure is 37.1%; 73 of the 145 places are above it and 72 at or below.
The first five are Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Atherton, Palo Alto, Cupertino. 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 ⇅ | Bachelor's degree or higher ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Altos | Santa Clara County | 88.1% | 30,698 | $250,001 | $3,501 |
| 2 | Los Altos Hills | Santa Clara County | 84.9% | 8,377 | $250,001 | $3,501 |
| 3 | Atherton | San Mateo County | 83.1% | 6,993 | $250,001 | $3,501 |
| 4 | Palo Alto | Santa Clara County | 82.3% | 67,237 | $231,101 | $3,484 |
| 5 | Cupertino | Santa Clara County | 82.2% | 58,566 | $234,707 | $3,501 |
| 6 | Saratoga | Santa Clara County | 81.1% | 30,319 | $250,001 | $3,501 |
| 7 | Los Gatos | Santa Clara County | 75.0% | 32,786 | $217,554 | $3,247 |
| 8 | Mountain View | Santa Clara County | 75.0% | 83,732 | $189,917 | $3,062 |
| 9 | Berkeley | Alameda County | 74.9% | 120,257 | $108,092 | $2,133 |
| 10 | Foster City | San Mateo County | 73.8% | 32,792 | $199,143 | $3,501 |
| 11 | Menlo Park | San Mateo County | 72.5% | 32,727 | $210,025 | $3,239 |
| 12 | San Ramon | Contra Costa County | 71.6% | 85,993 | $196,161 | $2,968 |
| 13 | Santa Monica | Los Angeles County | 70.7% | 91,169 | $114,885 | $2,402 |
| 14 | Irvine | Orange County | 70.6% | 311,690 | $136,719 | $2,997 |
| 15 | San Carlos | San Mateo County | 70.2% | 29,614 | $237,470 | $2,854 |
| 16 | Pleasanton | Alameda County | 69.8% | 76,960 | $190,124 | $3,060 |
| 17 | Belmont | San Mateo County | 69.7% | 27,337 | $205,297 | $2,875 |
| 18 | Newport Beach | Orange County | 69.6% | 83,845 | $156,867 | $3,316 |
| 19 | Sunnyvale | Santa Clara County | 69.3% | 154,236 | $186,170 | $3,039 |
| 20 | Santa Clara | Santa Clara County | 65.9% | 130,256 | $178,958 | $3,016 |
| 21 | Burlingame | San Mateo County | 64.2% | 30,525 | $174,000 | $2,785 |
| 22 | Fremont | Alameda County | 63.9% | 228,295 | $181,506 | $2,933 |
| 23 | Carlsbad | San Diego County | 62.1% | 114,373 | $142,748 | $2,808 |
| 24 | Alameda | Alameda County | 61.5% | 77,238 | $137,697 | $2,474 |
| 25 | San Francisco | San Francisco County | 60.3% | 830,235 | $140,970 | $2,476 |
| 26 | Campbell | Santa Clara County | 60.2% | 42,781 | $145,268 | $2,737 |
| 27 | Milpitas | Santa Clara County | 58.2% | 78,578 | $178,798 | $3,120 |
| 28 | San Mateo | San Mateo County | 57.8% | 103,105 | $153,504 | $3,077 |
| 29 | Pasadena | Los Angeles County | 56.1% | 136,969 | $105,192 | $2,265 |
| 30 | Folsom | Sacramento County | 54.9% | 83,916 | $139,804 | $2,352 |
| 31 | Redwood City | San Mateo County | 54.4% | 82,447 | $157,814 | $2,968 |
| 32 | Torrance | Los Angeles County | 54.0% | 142,130 | $116,217 | $2,280 |
| 33 | Millbrae | San Mateo County | 52.7% | 22,689 | $163,476 | $3,272 |
| 34 | Half Moon Bay | San Mateo County | 52.4% | 11,391 | $157,884 | $2,433 |
| 35 | Livermore | Alameda County | 52.3% | 85,522 | $160,775 | $2,677 |
| 36 | Mission Viejo | Orange County | 52.1% | 92,151 | $136,123 | $2,839 |
| 37 | Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara County | 51.9% | 87,779 | $106,182 | $2,413 |
| 38 | Thousand Oaks | Ventura County | 51.4% | 125,205 | $135,603 | $2,664 |
| 39 | San Diego | San Diego County | 51.0% | 1,389,526 | $108,077 | $2,313 |
| 40 | Lake Forest | Orange County | 50.8% | 86,281 | $135,175 | $2,672 |
| 41 | Brisbane | San Mateo County | 50.6% | 4,692 | $156,169 | $2,574 |
| 42 | Huntington Beach | Orange County | 49.0% | 195,240 | $120,919 | $2,510 |
| 43 | Pacifica | San Mateo County | 48.9% | 37,261 | $160,523 | $3,098 |
| 44 | Oakland | Alameda County | 48.8% | 439,418 | $101,600 | $1,979 |
| 45 | Chino Hills | San Bernardino County | 48.1% | 77,927 | $126,334 | $2,894 |
| 46 | Newark | Alameda County | 48.1% | 46,903 | $169,064 | $2,776 |
| 47 | Tustin | Orange County | 47.4% | 78,981 | $112,503 | $2,449 |
| 48 | San Jose | Santa Clara County | 47.3% | 990,138 | $146,427 | $2,669 |
| 49 | Glendale | Los Angeles County | 47.2% | 190,748 | $88,393 | $2,182 |
| 50 | Burbank | Los Angeles County | 47.1% | 104,546 | $97,082 | $2,192 |
| 51 | Morgan Hill | Santa Clara County | 46.8% | 45,425 | $163,920 | $2,474 |
| 52 | San Bruno | San Mateo County | 45.2% | 42,307 | $141,272 | $2,773 |
| 53 | Union City | Alameda County | 45.1% | 67,464 | $133,715 | $2,713 |
| 54 | Costa Mesa | Orange County | 45.0% | 110,330 | $111,505 | $2,446 |
| 55 | Roseville | Placer County | 44.3% | 155,955 | $119,288 | $2,142 |
| 56 | San Marcos | San Diego County | 43.8% | 94,882 | $109,377 | $2,348 |
| 57 | Fullerton | Orange County | 43.5% | 140,968 | $104,286 | $2,194 |
| 58 | Chico | Butte County | 42.2% | 102,188 | $66,977 | $1,488 |
| 59 | San Buenaventura (Ventura) | Ventura County | 41.5% | 109,857 | $103,069 | $2,198 |
| 60 | Alhambra | Los Angeles County | 40.8% | 81,022 | $88,024 | $1,939 |
| 61 | South San Francisco | San Mateo County | 40.8% | 64,305 | $136,578 | $2,802 |
| 62 | Santa Clarita | Los Angeles County | 39.8% | 230,221 | $123,062 | $2,544 |
| 63 | Orange | Orange County | 39.7% | 138,266 | $117,113 | $2,327 |
| 64 | Simi Valley | Ventura County | 39.1% | 125,634 | $122,081 | $2,579 |
| 65 | Daly City | San Mateo County | 38.9% | 101,964 | $123,547 | $2,551 |
| 66 | Elk Grove | Sacramento County | 38.9% | 179,155 | $125,924 | $2,262 |
| 67 | Temecula | Riverside County | 38.8% | 111,167 | $121,063 | $2,347 |
| 68 | Arden-Arcade (unincorporated) | Sacramento County | 38.5% | 94,994 | $77,321 | $1,588 |
| 69 | Los Angeles | Los Angeles County | 38.5% | 3,857,263 | $81,939 | $1,933 |
| 70 | Napa | Napa County | 38.2% | 78,239 | $105,963 | $2,282 |
| 71 | Rancho Cucamonga | San Bernardino County | 37.5% | 175,411 | $111,895 | $2,357 |
| 72 | Concord | Contra Costa County | 37.5% | 124,035 | $108,709 | $2,274 |
| 73 | Upland | San Bernardino County | 37.2% | 79,257 | $105,830 | $2,029 |
| 74 | Sacramento | Sacramento County | 37.1% | 528,706 | $87,321 | $1,779 |
| 75 | Carmichael (unincorporated) | Sacramento County | 36.7% | 76,948 | $85,914 | $1,702 |
| 76 | Clovis | Fresno County | 36.6% | 124,725 | $99,241 | $1,792 |
| 77 | Oceanside | San Diego County | 36.1% | 172,242 | $97,737 | $2,303 |
| 78 | Long Beach | Los Angeles County | 35.6% | 455,548 | $87,430 | $1,871 |
| 79 | Santa Rosa | Sonoma County | 35.1% | 177,090 | $99,060 | $2,152 |
| 80 | Hayward | Alameda County | 34.0% | 158,801 | $113,318 | $2,391 |
| 81 | San Leandro | Alameda County | 33.3% | 87,826 | $101,420 | $2,186 |
| 82 | Chula Vista | San Diego County | 33.2% | 276,375 | $108,032 | $2,229 |
| 83 | Buena Park | Orange County | 33.0% | 82,871 | $110,550 | $2,206 |
| 84 | Richmond | Contra Costa County | 33.0% | 115,505 | $95,391 | $1,960 |
| 85 | Lakewood | Los Angeles County | 32.6% | 79,850 | $119,177 | $2,347 |
| 86 | Murrieta | Riverside County | 32.6% | 112,064 | $114,081 | $2,388 |
| 87 | Corona | Riverside County | 32.4% | 159,670 | $109,242 | $2,228 |
| 88 | Rancho Cordova | Sacramento County | 32.1% | 81,849 | $89,585 | $1,787 |
| 89 | Mountain View (unincorporated) | Contra Costa County | 31.7% | 2,418 | $94,046 | $2,018 |
| 90 | West Covina | Los Angeles County | 30.1% | 107,037 | $101,065 | $2,245 |
| 91 | Anaheim | Orange County | 29.7% | 344,521 | $95,227 | $2,175 |
| 92 | Whittier | Los Angeles County | 29.5% | 86,165 | $97,201 | $1,906 |
| 93 | Carson | Los Angeles County | 29.3% | 92,871 | $108,703 | $1,956 |
| 94 | Gilroy | Santa Clara County | 29.3% | 59,004 | $133,107 | $2,301 |
| 95 | Vista | San Diego County | 29.3% | 99,114 | $94,975 | $2,249 |
| 96 | Escondido | San Diego County | 28.9% | 149,668 | $91,967 | $2,046 |
| 97 | Vallejo | Solano County | 28.8% | 124,268 | $90,171 | $2,073 |
| 98 | Tracy | San Joaquin County | 28.5% | 96,966 | $121,119 | $2,478 |
| 99 | Vacaville | Solano County | 28.0% | 102,596 | $111,126 | $2,299 |
| 100 | Chino | San Bernardino County | 27.2% | 92,652 | $104,682 | $2,336 |
| 101 | Redding | Shasta County | 26.9% | 93,409 | $70,466 | $1,379 |
| 102 | East Palo Alto | San Mateo County | 26.9% | 29,069 | $113,493 | $2,244 |
| 103 | Fairfield | Solano County | 26.6% | 120,785 | $101,895 | $2,266 |
| 104 | Downey | Los Angeles County | 26.1% | 110,939 | $90,699 | $1,937 |
| 105 | Hawthorne | Los Angeles County | 26.0% | 85,191 | $75,848 | $1,782 |
| 106 | Westminster | Orange County | 25.9% | 89,860 | $85,541 | $2,168 |
| 107 | Riverside | Riverside County | 25.7% | 319,069 | $91,045 | $1,914 |
| 108 | Fresno | Fresno County | 25.5% | 545,970 | $70,991 | $1,421 |
| 109 | Garden Grove | Orange County | 25.3% | 170,964 | $92,174 | $2,012 |
| 110 | Inglewood | Los Angeles County | 25.2% | 104,569 | $72,750 | $1,787 |
| 111 | Visalia | Tulare County | 24.1% | 143,939 | $81,989 | $1,490 |
| 112 | Citrus Heights | Sacramento County | 23.9% | 86,995 | $82,314 | $1,827 |
| 113 | Antioch | Contra Costa County | 23.9% | 116,477 | $97,465 | $2,278 |
| 114 | Pittsburg | Contra Costa County | 23.6% | 76,257 | $99,861 | $2,264 |
| 115 | Bakersfield | Kern County | 23.6% | 411,986 | $80,540 | $1,472 |
| 116 | El Cajon | San Diego County | 23.0% | 104,449 | $67,511 | $1,856 |
| 117 | Menifee | Riverside County | 22.6% | 110,305 | $93,454 | $2,110 |
| 118 | Ontario | San Bernardino County | 22.5% | 180,547 | $88,941 | $2,030 |
| 119 | Manteca | San Joaquin County | 21.7% | 89,043 | $97,055 | $2,065 |
| 120 | Bellflower | Los Angeles County | 21.6% | 76,819 | $78,722 | $1,830 |
| 121 | Fontana | San Bernardino County | 21.4% | 214,169 | $102,821 | $1,839 |
| 122 | Norwalk | Los Angeles County | 21.3% | 99,789 | $100,085 | $2,090 |
| 123 | Modesto | Stanislaus County | 21.2% | 219,215 | $79,891 | $1,690 |
| 124 | Indio | Riverside County | 20.5% | 91,950 | $77,167 | $1,437 |
| 125 | Pomona | Los Angeles County | 20.3% | 147,943 | $79,479 | $1,810 |
| 126 | Merced | Merced County | 20.2% | 91,953 | $63,122 | $1,393 |
| 127 | Stockton | San Joaquin County | 20.0% | 322,326 | $79,907 | $1,577 |
| 128 | Lancaster | Los Angeles County | 20.0% | 169,169 | $81,511 | $1,764 |
| 129 | Oxnard | Ventura County | 19.5% | 200,928 | $96,212 | $2,032 |
| 130 | Santa Ana | Orange County | 18.3% | 312,534 | $93,999 | $2,082 |
| 131 | Moreno Valley | Riverside County | 17.8% | 211,666 | $93,222 | $2,135 |
| 132 | Palmdale | Los Angeles County | 17.1% | 164,634 | $81,770 | $1,802 |
| 133 | Salinas | Monterey County | 16.5% | 161,761 | $91,908 | $1,991 |
| 134 | Santa Maria | Santa Barbara County | 15.7% | 110,462 | $84,746 | $1,925 |
| 135 | Hemet | Riverside County | 15.5% | 91,326 | $57,719 | $1,575 |
| 136 | El Monte | Los Angeles County | 15.2% | 106,109 | $68,030 | $1,736 |
| 137 | Jurupa Valley | Riverside County | 14.9% | 107,011 | $97,550 | $1,741 |
| 138 | San Bernardino | San Bernardino County | 13.1% | 222,724 | $67,415 | $1,508 |
| 139 | Victorville | San Bernardino County | 12.8% | 137,627 | $74,410 | $1,618 |
| 140 | Rialto | San Bernardino County | 12.6% | 104,143 | $88,857 | $1,759 |
| 141 | Perris | Riverside County | 12.3% | 80,511 | $88,911 | $1,876 |
| 142 | Hesperia | San Bernardino County | 11.9% | 100,775 | $72,160 | $1,590 |
| 143 | East Los Angeles (unincorporated) | Los Angeles County | 11.4% | 111,647 | $68,741 | $1,494 |
| 144 | South Gate | Los Angeles County | 11.3% | 91,483 | $74,571 | $1,531 |
| 145 | Compton | Los Angeles County | 10.6% | 92,698 | $78,465 | $1,664 |
Largest Cities · Cities With the Cheapest Rent · Cities With the Highest Household Income · Cities Where Rent Takes the Smallest Share of Income · Cities With the Lowest Unemployment · Cities in the Highest-Paying Counties · Cities With the Most Homeowners · Cities With the Most Remote Work · Cities With the Shortest Commutes
Unincorporated places are census-designated places: they have no city government but are counted as communities. Figures describe the city itself.
Los Altos, with 88.1% (among the 145 places; ACS 2020–2024).
The 145 places in California by population.