countyscore

Best Counties for Retirement in California 2026

58 counties ranked by health care, safety, tax burden, and affordability.

Top 5 Retirement Counties in California

1Shasta County
52.3
2El Dorado County
49.8
3Sierra County
52.4
4Trinity County
48.3
5Placer County
46.5

All 58 Retirement-Ranked Counties in California

RankCountyPersona ScoreOverall Score
1Shasta County, CA6152.3
2El Dorado County, CA5849.8
3Sierra County, CA5652.4
4Trinity County, CA5448.3
5Placer County, CA5346.5
6Marin County, CA5347.4
7Sonoma County, CA5344.8
8San Mateo County, CA5347.6
9San Benito County, CA5243.3
10Modoc County, CA5249.6
11Mendocino County, CA5144.1
12Nevada County, CA5145.2
13Plumas County, CA4940.9
14Amador County, CA4841.9
15Santa Clara County, CA4842.2
16Ventura County, CA4844.3
17Santa Cruz County, CA4841.6
18Tuolumne County, CA4841.7
19San Francisco County, CA4843.6
20Alpine County, CA4751.2
21San Luis Obispo County, CA4742.9
22Mariposa County, CA4743.9
23San Diego County, CA4642.3
24Orange County, CA4644.3
25Napa County, CA4643.7
26Contra Costa County, CA4540.1
27Calaveras County, CA4543
28Alameda County, CA4440.6
29Inyo County, CA4441
30Santa Barbara County, CA4343.1
31Lassen County, CA4240.4
32Yolo County, CA4138
33Solano County, CA4136.4
34Colusa County, CA4141.8
35Sacramento County, CA4038.3
36Mono County, CA4038.5
37Butte County, CA4039.3
38Siskiyou County, CA3937.9
39Humboldt County, CA3940
40Monterey County, CA3939
41Yuba County, CA3937.7
42Glenn County, CA3941.8
43Kings County, CA3838.2
44Los Angeles County, CA3736.9
45Stanislaus County, CA3735.6
46Tehama County, CA3736.7
47Lake County, CA3731.6
48Riverside County, CA3637.1
49Madera County, CA3535.5
50Sutter County, CA3535
51San Joaquin County, CA3533.1
52Del Norte County, CA3539.9
53Imperial County, CA3433.7
54San Bernardino County, CA3333.7
55Merced County, CA3135.3
56Tulare County, CA3135.2
57Fresno County, CA3133
58Kern County, CA2527.8

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best county for retirement in California?

Based on our analysis of health care access, safety, property taxes, and cost of living, Shasta County ranks as the top retirement county in California with a retirement score of 61.

How many counties in California are ranked for retirement?

We rank 58 counties in California for retirement suitability, scoring each on health care access (35%), safety (30%), property tax (20%), and cost of living (15%).

Also Browse California Counties For

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Retirement Rankings by State

AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming

Data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS, 2019-2023 ACS — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.