Vacaville, Richmond, other Bay Area cities make new list of best California cities for retirement

Vacaville, Calif. - Several Bay Area cities made a new list of the Golden State’s best cities for retirees, and some mentions may be unexpected.  

What we know:

The analysis, by senior living resources site "Retirement Living," ranked the state’s largest cities based on five factors: the percentage of seniors, the median home sale price, the median rent, the senior poverty rate, and the local sales tax.

Vacaville

The North Bay city of Vacaville was near the top, coming in at number four on the top 20 list.

Researchers highlighted Vacaville’s open spaces and quiet streets, while also noting its proximity to assisted living facilities in Sacramento.

"You’re never far from essential care or city comforts," Retirement Living noted. 

The review also said that housing costs are "relatively reasonable" as far as California standards go.

The analysis showed that the median price for a home at $637,500. The median rent price was $2,155 a month. 

SEE ALSO: Retirees need a savings exceeding $1 million in these states to cover minimum living costs

Vacaville's sales tax was also reasonable, researchers noted, saying, "The 8.13% sales tax won’t kill your wallet either." 

They also found the city offers a mixed-generation demographic, with almost 18% of residents 65 years and older. 

"If you want space to breathe and costs that won’t keep you up at night, Vacaville’s worth a serious look," the site said.

Richmond

Coming in fifth place was Richmond, with its residents aged 65 and older making up 18% of the city’s population.

The East Bay city did not make Retirement Living's list last year.

One of Richmond's best aspects as a city for retirees is the cost of housing, according to the analysis.

"This is where Richmond really shines, with a median home price of $569,500 and rent at $1,814, making it one of the most affordable spots on this list," researchers said.

One drawback, according to the analysis, was the city’s senior poverty rate of almost 11%, which researchers said was among the highest in its analysis.

"It may indicate that local services aren’t as consistent as you’d hope," researchers said. 

They also called attention to the city’s sales tax of 9.75%, also among highest for the cities on its list.

"Richmond is a solid choice, but it comes with some trade-offs you should think about.

Santa Rosa

To the north, Santa Rosa also received recognition, taking seventh place. 

The location is ideal for many retirees, Retirement Living said.

"Santa Rosa’s natural beauty and creative local culture give it a lived-in charm that many retirees find themselves drawn to," researchers noted.

They also highlighted some areas of concern for retirees, like the city’s high sales tax of 10%.

Housing was also relatively more expensive than other cities on the list. Figures showed Santa Rosa's median home sale price was around $745,000, with the median rent at $2,072.

Vallejo 

Vallejo rounded out the top 10. The Solano County city offers "waterfront living without the San Francisco price tag," Retirement Living said.

And researchers noted that the cost of housing was relatively affordable by regional standards.

The median home price was $537,500, and the median rent was $1,981.

Vallejo’s senior population stands at more than 18%, the analysis found, saying the city offers "a welcoming community of people in similar life stages."

The city, however, has the highest poverty rate on its list at more than 12%, which could be an indication of poor public services and infrastructure challenges.

Other mentions:

Concord was the other Bay Area city on the list, taking the 15th spot. The Contra Costa County city had a median home price of $770,000 and a median rent of $2194.

The number one California city to retire in was also in Northern California: the Sacramento suburb of Roseville.

Researchers highlighted the city's "reasonable" housing costs and low poverty rate, as well as its solid community of retirees.

Also high on the list was number six Modesto. The Central Valley city was noted for having affordable housing costs, with the median home price at $457,500, and median rent at $1,645, making the city "the most budget-friendly option on the entire list," researchers said. 

Here’s the complete top 20 list:

1. Roseville
2. Oceanside
3. Torrance
4. Vacaville
5. Richmond
6. Modesto
7. Santa Rosa
8. Thousand Oaks
9. Simi Valley
10. Vallejo 
11. San Buenaventura (Ventura)
12. Huntington Beach
13. Inglewood
14. Garden Grove
15. Concord
16. Visalia
17. Elk Grove
18. Clovis
19. Glendale
20. Sacramento

(Source: Retirement Living) 

While California is historically known for its high cost of living, which could make it challenging for folks on a fixed income, researchers noted that an appealing aspect is that retirees won't get hit with taxes on their Social Security benefits. 

Retirement Living also said that retirees can count on the state's healthcare system to be "generally pretty solid." 

Dig deeper:

The analysis looked at cities with populations surpassing 100,000 and focused on key factors affecting retirees.  

Researchers said they created the list using data from sites including real estate company Redfin and the 2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates.

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