Where on the West Coast should you live?
For many people living in the U.S., the West Coast is the best coast. But when it comes to places along the Western Seaboard, there’s a wide variety of metro areas that offer a different climate, culture and cost of living. While some think of the West Coast as containing cities solely in California, we decided to look at all metro areas — out of the 150 most populous in the U.S. — that are within 100 miles of the Pacific Ocean, of which there are 16. Ranked based on where they fall on the U.S. News Best Places to Live list, the following metro areas make up the Best Places to Live on the West Coast.
16. Stockton, California
Best Places 2022-2023 Rank: 149
Metro Population: 751,615
Median Home Price: $547,954
Average Annual Salary: $53,000
Located 65 miles east of San Pablo Bay, which is just north of San Francisco, Stockton is an inland metro area with fairly easy access to the Pacific Ocean. Stockton ranks No. 149 out of 150 metro areas on the overall Best Places to Live list, ahead of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The biggest contributing factor to Stockton’s low rank is the high cost of living. Stockton residents spend 28.09% of the area’s median household income on housing costs, making it the 11th-most expensive place to live out of the 150 most populous metro areas in the U.S.
Learn more about Stockton.
15. Modesto, California
Best Places 2022-2023 Rank: 146
Metro Population: 819,896
Median Home Price: $311,360
Average Annual Salary: $51,962
Modesto itself isn’t located on the coast, but you can still reach San Francisco Bay with ease, as it’s just 75 miles away. Ranking No. 146 on the overall Best Places to Live list, Modesto is a pricey place, with 27.47% of the median household income required for the cost of living. While Modesto has a standard downtown for business and entertainment, and plenty of residential streets reminiscent of suburban towns across the U.S., much of the metro area is agricultural land, and many residents are connected to the agricultural industry.
Learn more about Modesto.
14. Salinas, California
Best Places 2022-2023 Rank: 144
Metro Population: 432,977
Median Home Price: $628,350
Average Annual Salary: $54,670
The Salinas metro area is home to ample farmland, but it also has desirable coastal areas, including Monterey, home to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Salinas is the third-most expensive place to live out of the 150 most populous metro areas in the U.S., requiring 30.9% of the median household income. While it may cost more, there are upsides to living in the Salinas area — Salinas ranks 11th out of the 150 most populous metro areas in the U.S. for air quality, based on the monthly average air quality index from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Learn more about Salinas.
13. Vallejo and Fairfield, California
Best Places 2022-2023 Rank: 142
Metro Population: 444,538
Median Home Price: $440,550
Average Annual Salary: $63,340
Located north of the San Francisco Bay Area, off San Pablo Bay, Vallejo and Fairfield is a smaller metro area that is considered a less expensive option for people looking to escape the high home prices of San Francisco and San Jose. That doesn’t mean Vallejo and Fairfield is cheap compared to the rest of the U.S., however. Area residents need 29.04% of the median household income to cover housing costs.
Learn more about Vallejo and Fairfield.
12. Santa Rosa, California
Best Places 2022-2023 Rank: 132
Metro Population: 496,801
Median Home Price: $617,550
Average Annual Salary: $61,670
The Santa Rosa metro area has a strong job market, with an average annual salary of $61,670. However, people moving to the Santa Rosa area should expect to spend more of their income on housing. The cost of living requires 29.68% of the median annual household income, making Santa Rosa the seventh-most expensive place to live out of the 150 most populous metro areas in the U.S. Santa Rosa ranks fourth out of the 150 metro areas on the Best Places to Live list for air quality, and 14th for overall well-being, based on the Sharecare Community Well-Being Index.
Learn more about Santa Rosa.
11. Los Angeles
Best Places 2022-2023 Rank: 128
Metro Population: 18,657,022
Median Home Price: $527,276
Average Annual Salary: $61,013
Los Angeles and the beach cities within this Southern California metro area are often what people envision when they consider moving to the West Coast — and for good reason. The LA metro area is home to more than 18.5 million people and ranks No. 3 for desirability out of the 150 most populous metro areas in the U.S., behind Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Honolulu, based on a SurveyMonkey survey asking people where in the U.S. they would prefer to live. Requiring 31.6% of the median household income to cover the cost of living, Los Angeles is the most expensive metro area on the Best Places to Live list.
Learn more about Los Angeles.
10. Santa Barbara, California
Best Places 2022-2023 Rank: 126
Metro Population: 444,895
Median Home Price: $464,954
Average Annual Salary: $59,500
With a population of less than 500,000 people, Santa Barbara is nestled between the Pacific coast and the Los Padres National Forest. Santa Barbara ranks 13th out of the 150 most populous metro areas in the U.S. for quality of life, which combines multiple data points, including property crime and murder rates, average commute time, college readiness among high school students based on U.S. News Best High Schools data, overall well-being and proximity to quality health care, based on U.S. News Best Hospitals data. Additionally, Santa Barbara ranks 33rd for desirability out of the 150 metro areas on the Best Places to Live list.
Learn more about Santa Barbara.
9. Salem, Oregon
Best Places 2022-2023 Rank: 123
Metro Population: 428,472
Median Home Price: $304,333
Average Annual Salary: $52,760
Oregon’s capital is also located on the West Coast, offering a cooler, rainier climate than many of the California spots on the list. Salem is one of the smaller metro areas on the Best Places to Live list — home to just 422,678 people — but it’s seeing steady growth. Salem’s population increased by 3.43% between 2016 and 2021 due to net migration alone, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Salem residents spend 25.65% of the median household income on housing costs.
Learn more about Salem.
8. Sacramento, California
Best Places 2022-2023 Rank: 122
Metro Population: 2,338,866
Median Home Price: $625,014
Average Annual Salary: $62,820
The capital of California ranks No. 122 on the overall Best Places to Live list. Sacramento is located inland, but a drive of roughly 60 miles — about one hour — will get you to San Pablo Bay. Sacramento residents benefit from an average annual salary of $62,820, above the national average of $56,310. Sacramento’s cost of living is high at 28.06% of the area’s median household income, the 12th-highest on the Best Places to Live list, but it is more affordable than many of the other California metro areas considered.
Learn more about Sacramento.
7. Eugene, Oregon
Best Places 2022-2023 Rank: 119
Metro Population: 377,749
Median Home Price: $323,000
Average Annual Salary: $50,770
Eugene receives its highest scores in the overall Best Places to Live ranking for its desirability as a place to live among U.S. residents and for the number of people moving to the area. Between 2016 and 2021, the Eugene metro population increased by 4.28% due to net migration alone, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. When it comes to desirability, Eugene ranks 22nd out of the 150 metro areas on the list.
Learn more about Eugene.
6. San Diego
Best Places 2022-2023 Rank: 107
Metro Population: 3,323,970
Median Home Price: $889,225
Average Annual Salary: $64,300
At the No. 107 spot on the overall Best Places to Live list, San Diego ranks eighth for desirability out of the 150 most populous metro areas in the U.S. San Diego is a popular tourist destination for its many beaches, the San Diego Zoo and year-round beautiful weather. The Southern California metro area ranks 12th for quality of life, scoring particularly highly for college readiness among high school students (No. 9) and well-being (No. 11) in the larger category.
Learn more about San Diego.
5. Anchorage, Alaska
Best Places 2022-2023 Rank: 101
Metro Population: 399,450
Median Home Price: $265,300
Average Annual Salary: $62,610
The northernmost West Coast metro area on the list, Anchorage ranks No. 101 on the overall Best Places to Live list. Living in Anchorage certainly has its benefits — the cost of living requires just 24.4% of the median household income and is the most affordable place to live on the West Coast. With its abundant share of undeveloped land, Anchorage scores No. 3 for air quality out of the 150 metro areas on the list.
Learn more about Anchorage.
4. Seattle
Best Places 2022-2023 Rank: 36
Metro Population: 3,928,498
Median Home Price: $736,721
Average Annual Salary: $74,330
Ranking No. 36 on the overall Best Places to Live list, Seattle is located on Puget Sound and is an ideal home for outdoorsy residents who love taking advantage of the proximity to Olympic National Park and Mount Rainier National Park. Best known for its frequent rainy days and many tech jobs, Seattle ranks 19th for desirability out of the 150 metro areas on the Best Places to Live list. Seattle continues to grow steadily, having increased in population by 2.1% between 2016 and 2021 due to net migration.
Learn more about Seattle.
3. Portland, Oregon
Best Places 2022-2023 Rank: 22
Metro Population: 2,472,774
Median Home Price: $601,399
Average Annual Salary: $61,860
If a metro area with an emphasis on self-expression — even embracing your inner “weird” — sounds ideal to you, look no further than Portland. The Rose City’s reputation precedes it, as the Oregon metro area ranks No. 7 for desirability. People keep moving to Portland as well, as the metro area’s population increased by 1.52% between 2016 and 2021 due to net migration. Portland’s job market also supports the ever-growing metro area, with an average annual salary of $51,860, well above the national average of $56,310.
Learn more about Portland.
2. San Francisco
Best Places 2022-2023 Rank: 10
Metro Population: 4,709,220
Median Home Price: $1,082,875
Average Annual Salary: $81,840
The second-highest ranking West Coast metro area on the Best Places to Live list is San Francisco. Ranking fifth for desirability out of the 150 most populous metro areas in the U.S., San Francisco also offers a strong job market. The metro area has a high average annual salary of $81,840, compared to the national average of $56,310. The area’s high income offsets the high cost of living, though new residents to the area may get sticker shock looking for homes in the area, as the median home price is over $1 million.
Learn more about San Francisco.
1. San Jose, California
Best Places 2022-2023 Rank: 5
Metro Population: 1,985,926
Median Home Price: $1,455,741
Average Annual Salary: $93,450
It should come as no surprise that San Jose, the capital of Silicon Valley, has a strong job market. San Jose has the No. 1 job market in the Best Places to Live in 2022-2023 ranking, and the average annual salary over $80,000 certainly attracts plenty of professionals. Of course, the area’s popularity and high income comes with a trade-off — the cost of living is also much higher. The median home price in San Jose is over $1.4 million, and residents spend 26.5% of the area’s median household income on housing costs.
Learn more about San Jose.
The Best Places to Live on the West Coast in 2022-2023 are:
— San Jose, California.
— San Francisco.
— Portland, Oregon.
— Seattle.
— Anchorage, Alaska.
— San Diego.
— Eugene, Oregon.
— Sacramento, California.
— Salem, Oregon.
— Santa Barbara, California.
— Los Angeles.
— Santa Rosa, California.
— Vallejo and Fairfield, California.
— Salinas, California.
— Modesto, California.
— Stockton, California.
More from U.S. News
25 Best Places to Live in the U.S. for Quality of Life
The 25 Most Desirable Places to Live in the U.S. in 2022-2023
The 25 Best Places to Live in the U.S. in 2022-2023
The Best Places to Live on the West Coast in 2021-2022 originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 12/01/22: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
