3 California cities are among ‘safest and most affordable’ in US, study says. Where are they?
California is home to some of the safest and most affordable cities in the nation, according to a new GoBankingRates study.
The personal finance website recently ranked the largest cities in the United States based on the cost of living, average crime rates and other factors — and three California spots made the list.
“Choosing a family-friendly place to live is a significant decision that involves a balancing act between safety and affordability in any big city,” GoBankingRates writer Caitlyn Moorhead wrote in an Aug. 3 article titled “50 Safest and Most Affordable U.S. Cities to Live In.”
“Several cities in America stand out for offering a combination of low crime rates and reasonable cost of living, even when compared to small towns,” she wrote.
Elgin, Illinois, was No. 1 on the list of safe, inexpensive cities, while Cary, North Carolina, came in second place and Gilbert, Arizona, was third.
Why are California cities among safest, most affordable in US?
A total of three California cities made GoBankingRates’ list of the 50 top spots in the nation for safety and affordability.
Clovis in Fresno County landed at No. 36 on the list.
The city had a median household income of $98,554, according to GoBankingRates.
The average household mortgage cost was $3,086, the site said, while the total monthly cost of living was $5,122.
Clovis residents experience 2,173 property crimes and 236 violent crimes per 100,000 people, GoBankingRates said.
Elk Grove in Sacramento County was No. 46 with a median annual household income of $115,864, according to GoBankingRates.
On average, household mortgage costs in Elk Grove total $3,899 and the total monthly cost of living is $6,123, the site said.
The city has 2,366 property crimes per 1,000 people and 364 violent crimes per 100,000 people, GoBankingRates said.
In Placer County, Roseville landed at No. 48.
The city had a median household income of $112,265 per year with average mortgage costs of $3,905, according to GoBankingRates.
The total monthly cost of living was $6,050 on average, the site said.
Roseville residents experience 2,930 property crimes and 254 violent crimes per 100,000 people, GoBankingRates said.
What are the top 10 US cities for safety, affordability?
These were the top 10 safest and most affordable cities in the United States, according to GoBankingRates:
- Elgin, Illinois
- Cary, North Carolina
- Gilbert, Arizona
- League City, Texas
- Rochester, Minnesota
- Sugar Land, Texas,
- Pearl Land, Texas
- Meridian, Idaho
- Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
- Olathe, Kansas
How did GoBankingRates come up with its rankings?
To come up with its rankings, GoBankingRates analyzed the largest cities in the United States by population, as sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey, based on the costs of living and crime rate averages.
Researchers looked at a number of factors including:
- Total population
- Total households
- Household median income
- Cost of living index
- Violent and property crime counts
- Average single-family home value
In addition to the American Community Survey, information sources included Sperlings BestPlaces, Livability Index, the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer, Zillow Home Value Index and Federal Reserve economic data to find the average mortgage cost.
All data was collected on May 3.
This story was originally published August 9, 2024 at 6:00 AM with the headline "3 California cities are among ‘safest and most affordable’ in US, study says. Where are they?."
