Best West Coast Small Towns To Live In

[{"selector":"#anim-5aabcaa4-5387-4e52-aa4e-b9da9121aaf2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-32722a6d-3e23-4553-bfcf-5eddbec48cae","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":5000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-892dde0b-0f49-46f3-8468-fca2cfdef4df","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

To compile this list, Stacker referenced Niche’s 2021 Best Places to Live study, narrowed the results to the West Coast, and narrowed them further to places under 5,000 residents.

[{"selector":"#anim-26167a8a-a8a3-4bc2-ad8a-98ffb75216c6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5aba146c-016b-4944-b194-d57e3f663a50","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

Niche calculated the best places to live based on cost, safety, weather quality, access to healthy living, and other factors.

[{"selector":"#anim-53615f26-7d4b-4bdb-9f0c-5604808f434a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6bb695c4-8729-441b-8e22-94ae999dc632","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9feb601f-5643-415d-b5af-dc0422408645","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

Located just a few miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge, this community is well-positioned for workers who need to commute to Bay Area offices.

[{"selector":"#anim-7fafd7fd-8fa9-45c9-8fbc-dd27e84c4299","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-335784c8-7cd1-4845-aee9-228a5bf27f7a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b2df8cc2-80be-41a5-9975-db5e2edaaeb6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

This Contra Costa County town was a bustling commercial hub in the 1850s, receiving shipments of grain on cargo ships that would sail six miles up Walnut Creek to Pacheco’s warehouses.

[{"selector":"#anim-47f40c85-7c8c-4ce8-aa5e-73b510e49f45","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5777fe1e-c016-43f4-8b6e-328e76b9cc3a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f9211dd7-036d-4737-94e7-1962d34f74bb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6441ca93-75e4-4620-9a36-e269354cdd8e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

One Oakland Tribune advertisement from 1913 called East Richmond Heights “the garden of the gods.” Though that slogan might have been exaggerated to sell tracts of land, this quiet, small town still ranks highly for its diversity and family-friendly lifestyle.

[{"selector":"#anim-470618dc-2616-4cda-b68d-441edf91fd14","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-15d99f3e-1ac4-49a4-ac72-3dd63ed37cb7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c49c1a59-46bb-4801-90b4-8996d4b08152","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

Cambrian Park, California

[{"selector":"#anim-101d6361-29d8-411c-af73-5de74dea14e0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-94de9d3b-062f-45b2-8afa-2efaa0bdbfef","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3aca4b13-75c2-4591-b1ed-bea80b923d15","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-52861e3e-0c2a-4f03-a01e-6905b6f53b28","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

What is now known as Portola Valley began as a logging town community called Searsville. Once all of the redwoods had been cleared, the logging companies deserted Searsville and a collection of small farmers and a few wealthy estate owners moved in.

[{"selector":"#anim-7dd54c9b-5015-45f5-a66a-a4617dbe941c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1152a5b5-8742-46a2-9a0b-a507acd99764","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-02a2dda6-cb4b-4a8d-b8d9-ed6604a6430a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

Swipe Up

[{"selector":"#anim-bd0738bb-0927-4eb4-bec4-3054fc507694","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8350614b-a9f7-456b-a15b-b52f54517abb","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -289.76616%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7d496146-c318-4a7b-af68-730178fcd81b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-15a0fa39-a00e-46b9-b66a-35dcac925359","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 181.56378%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

Best West Coast Small Towns To Live In

To compile this list, Stacker referenced Niche’s 2021 Best Places to Live study, narrowed the results to the West Coast, and narrowed them further to places under 5,000 residents.

Niche calculated the best places to live based on cost, safety, weather quality, access to healthy living, and other factors.

Located just a few miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge, this community is well-positioned for workers who need to commute to Bay Area offices.

Marin City, California

This Contra Costa County town was a bustling commercial hub in the 1850s, receiving shipments of grain on cargo ships that would sail six miles up Walnut Creek to Pacheco’s warehouses.

Pacheco, California

One Oakland Tribune advertisement from 1913 called East Richmond Heights “the garden of the gods.” Though that slogan might have been exaggerated to sell tracts of land, this quiet, small town still ranks highly for its diversity and family-friendly lifestyle.

East Richmond Heights, California

Cambrian Park, California

Easy access to city and county parks, good schools, and shopping malls make Cambrian Park a desirable place to live.

What is now known as Portola Valley began as a logging town community called Searsville. Once all of the redwoods had been cleared, the logging companies deserted Searsville and a collection of small farmers and a few wealthy estate owners moved in.

Portola Valley, California

Swipe Up

for more finance, business, and real estate advice

Read More