Best Counties in California — 2026 Rankings
58 of 58 counties scored across 12 dimensions
58
58 scored
41/100
composite score
52.4/100
27.8—52.4
lowest to highest
State Overview
Understanding County Scores in California
California Trailing Behind the National Livability Median
California earns a composite score of 40.9, placing it nearly ten points below the national median of 50.0. Despite its economic size, the state struggles to compete with national averages due to extreme internal disparities in affordability and safety.
Strong Incomes and Health Metrics Anchor the Coast
The Golden State shines in the income category with a high score of 76.3 and maintains a solid health score of 66.7. A tax score of 61.9 also indicates that, despite its reputation, the tax burden for many residents is more competitive than other high-cost states.
Cost and Environmental Risks Present Significant Hurdles
California faces a dual crisis with a cost score of 10.2 and a risk score of 11.3, reflecting both extreme housing prices and high susceptibility to natural disasters. These two dimensions represent the state's primary obstacles to a higher overall livability ranking.
Sierra, Shasta, and Alpine Counties Lead the State
Sierra County takes the top spot with a composite score of 52.4, followed closely by Shasta at 52.3 and Alpine at 51.2. These regions find success by balancing manageable costs with exceptional income scores, such as Alpine's nearly perfect income rating of 97.7.
A High-Income Destination with High Entry Barriers
California suits high-earning professionals and families who prioritize career growth and health outcomes over geographic stability or low living costs. While the 40.9 composite score highlights major affordability gaps, the state remains a powerhouse for those who can leverage its top-tier income opportunities.
All County Rankings in California
Search, sort, and filter all 58 ranked counties
Showing 1–25 of 58 counties
| Rank | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sierra County | 52.4 | 55.3 | 14.1 | 39 | 49.8 | 80.7 | 83.3 | 68.5 | 26.1 | 42 | 64.9 | ||
| 2 | Shasta County | 52.3 | 63 | 12.1 | 71.3 | 83.7 | 60.6 | 52.7 | 6.6 | 48.5 | 47.5 | 72.5 | ||
| 3 | Alpine County | 51.2 | 64.8 | 5.2 | 97.7 | 15.2 | 82.4 | 100 | 89.5 | 13.8 | 37.5 | 61.7 | ||
| 4 | El Dorado County | 49.8 | 62.8 | 3.2 | 96.6 | 40.1 | 94 | 62.5 | 8.6 | 57.1 | 45.6 | 75.9 | ||
| 5 | Modoc County | 49.7 | 65.2 | 67 | 29.2 | 33.4 | 52.8 | 39.1 | 60.3 | 31.1 | 40.3 | 48.7 | ||
| 6 | Trinity County | 48.3 | 82 | 55.1 | 21.7 | 18.9 | 67 | 49.6 | 20.6 | 18.5 | 42.7 | 70 | ||
| 7 | San Mateo County | 47.6 | 72.9 | 0.1 | 99.9 | 15 | 96.6 | 64.8 | 0.8 | 67.1 | 79 | 70.1 | ||
| 8 | Marin County | 47.4 | 60.9 | 0.1 | 99.7 | 23.2 | 97.6 | 63 | 3.6 | 66.8 | 78.3 | 46.1 | 81.9 | |
| 9 | Placer County | 46.5 | 48.9 | 1.3 | 98.2 | 33 | 96 | 59.9 | 6.9 | 69.8 | 54.5 | 72.7 | ||
| 10 | Nevada County | 45.2 | 58.6 | 3.5 | 88.5 | 35.4 | 80.6 | 56.6 | 10.1 | 58.7 | 49.6 | 75 | ||
| 11 | Sonoma County | 44.8 | 61.4 | 1.1 | 96.2 | 34.5 | 86.9 | 48 | 0.9 | 45.1 | 68.2 | 52.4 | 75.8 | |
| 12 | Orange County | 44.3 | 66.8 | 0.4 | 98 | 16.4 | 79.9 | 67.3 | 0.2 | 71.5 | 58.8 | 24.2 | ||
| 13 | Ventura County | 44.3 | 64 | 0.7 | 96.8 | 33 | 71.2 | 53.8 | 0.6 | 63 | 81.2 | 40.3 | ||
| 14 | Mendocino County | 44.1 | 63.8 | 12.6 | 53 | 61.4 | 52 | 43 | 5.7 | 35.2 | 52.6 | 72.7 | ||
| 15 | Mariposa County | 43.9 | 65.3 | 13.1 | 55.7 | 26.8 | 67.1 | 69.3 | 13.6 | 25 | 54 | 70.5 | ||
| 16 | Napa County | 43.6 | 63.7 | 1 | 97.3 | 25.8 | 73.3 | 64.8 | 4.7 | 33.4 | 65.5 | 56.9 | 69.8 | |
| 17 | San Francisco County | 43.6 | 65.1 | 0.2 | 99.7 | 1.1 | 97.5 | 58.4 | 0.5 | 86 | 87.4 | 68.8 | ||
| 18 | San Benito County | 43.3 | 52.5 | 0.9 | 97.1 | 50.2 | 74.5 | 37.9 | 14.8 | 38.6 | 59.4 | 56.6 | 63.6 | |
| 19 | Calaveras County | 43 | 61.7 | 6 | 83.7 | 19.9 | 74.3 | 65.3 | 13.4 | 40.6 | 56.4 | 82.9 | ||
| 20 | Santa Barbara County | 43 | 67.2 | 1.6 | 94.2 | 15.5 | 71.7 | 67.5 | 1 | 58.9 | 71.6 | 39.9 | ||
| 21 | San Luis Obispo County | 42.9 | 62.7 | 2 | 93.1 | 16.3 | 83.1 | 64.2 | 4.1 | 21.3 | 74.5 | 45.6 | ||
| 22 | San Diego County | 42.3 | 63.3 | 0.8 | 95.9 | 20.1 | 78.7 | 56.8 | 0.3 | 54.6 | 60.7 | 25.5 | ||
| 23 | Santa Clara County | 42.2 | 62.5 | 0.1 | 100 | 8.6 | 94.1 | 49.9 | 0.3 | 67.5 | 80.7 | 69.8 | ||
| 24 | Amador County | 41.8 | 63.7 | 8.9 | 85.4 | 19.1 | 81.2 | 44.5 | 20.8 | 34.8 | 56.2 | 61.4 | ||
| 25 | Colusa County | 41.8 | 67.3 | 16.7 | 77.6 | 22.8 | 51.3 | 62.9 | 18.9 | 13.1 | 55.4 | 45.2 | 54 |
Sierra County
Shasta County
Alpine County
El Dorado County
Modoc County
Trinity County
San Mateo County
Marin County
Placer County
Nevada County
Sonoma County
Orange County
Ventura County
Mendocino County
Mariposa County
Napa County
San Francisco County
San Benito County
Calaveras County
Santa Barbara County
San Luis Obispo County
San Diego County
Santa Clara County
Amador County
Colusa County
Frequently Asked Questions about Counties in California
Common questions about county rankings and scores in California.
What is the best county in California?
Sierra County is the top-ranked county in California with a CountyScore of 52.4/100. It leads the state across the available scoring dimensions, which include Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate, Soil Quality, Lawn Care, Farmers Markets.
How many counties are ranked in California?
California has 58 counties in total. Of those, 58 have been ranked with a composite score based on available data dimensions. The remaining 0 counties do not yet have enough data for a full score.
What factors determine a county's score?
Each county is scored 0–100 across up to eight data dimensions: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, and Water Quality. The composite score is a weighted average of whichever dimensions have data. Currently available dimensions are: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate, Soil Quality, Lawn Care, Farmers Markets. Higher scores are always better — a score of 100 represents the best possible performance for that dimension.
What is the average county score in California?
The average composite CountyScore across all ranked counties in California is 41/100. The national average is 50/100, so California counties score 9 points below the national average.
How does California compare to other states?
California's average county score of 41/100 is 9 points below the national average of 50/100. You can compare California counties to counties in any other state using the county detail pages or the CountyScore compare tool.
Explore County Data by Category
Dive deeper into specific dimensions for counties in California.
Best counties in other states
Data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS, 2019–2023 ACS — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.