The Best Small Towns in California to Live In, Ranked

What counts as a small town, and how we ranked them

We define a small town as a city or unincorporated community with between 4,000 and 25,000 residents, as listed in the sales data, outside the core counties of California's six largest metro areas: Los Angeles and Orange; San Diego; Riverside and San Bernardino; the San Francisco Bay core of San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Marin; Santa Clara and San Benito; and Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado and Yolo. That keeps out places like Alamo or Atherton that are small in population but sit inside a big metro. We kept towns with at least 20 home sales in the three months to September 2026, which left 60 towns in 27 counties.

Each town was ranked on four signals of a healthy housing market and given a 0 to 100 position on each: how many days the median home took to sell, how many months of supply were listed, how close sale prices came to list prices, and what share of homes are owner-occupied. The final score is the average. A high score means homes sell quickly to people who intend to live in them. It says nothing about scenery, climate or nightlife, which the descriptions below cover in plain facts.

Sales figures are Redfin's rolling three-month figures to September 2026, all home types. Owner-occupied shares are our totals of Census Bureau American Community Survey 2020-2024 estimates for each town's ZIP codes, so they include some surrounding rural land. Redfin's statewide median sale price for California was $752,837 in September 2026.

The 12 best small towns in California

Small markets swing more than big ones, so check the number of sales in the last column before reading too much into a single figure.

The list spans the whole state: two towns in the Santa Cruz Mountains, three in the Central Valley, one each in the Imperial Valley, Napa County, Humboldt County, the Tehachapi Mountains, the Sierra foothills, the Central Coast and the far north. Nine of the twelve had a median price below the statewide median, and Anderson's median was well under half of it.

The top small towns in detail

1. Boulder Creek, Santa Cruz County: redwood town in the Santa Cruz Mountains

Boulder Creek is an unincorporated town of about 5,400 people at the north end of the San Lorenzo Valley, where Boulder Creek meets the San Lorenzo River. It is the gateway to Big Basin Redwoods State Park, about 15 miles from Santa Cruz and 30 miles from San Jose. The town grew from logging and lime works and now relies on visitors and commuters. San Lorenzo Valley Unified runs Boulder Creek Elementary, with middle and high school students going to Felton. Its 34.4% price gain rests on only 20 sales, so treat it as a sign of a thin market rather than a trend.

In the three months to September 2026, 20 homes sold in Boulder Creek at a Redfin median of $847,097 (+34.4% over the year). Half sold within 38 days, buyers paid 101.0% of list on average, and supply ran 2.4 months. Roughly 77% of occupied homes are lived in by their owners. ZIP data: 95006.

2. Anderson, Shasta County: Sacramento River town south of Redding

Anderson is a city of about 11,300 people roughly 10 miles south of Redding, founded as a railroad stop at the northern tip of the Central Valley. Anderson River Park sits on the Sacramento River with sports fields, fishing access, a disc golf course and the River Splash water play area added in 2020. Sierra Pacific Industries is headquartered in town. It had the lowest median price in the top twelve, and prices fell 7.0% over the year. Read our Anderson guide for more.

In the three months to September 2026, 40 homes sold in Anderson at a Redfin median of $314,850 (-7.0% over the year). Half sold within 33 days, buyers paid 99.8% of list on average, and supply ran 2.1 months. Roughly 70% of occupied homes are lived in by their owners. ZIP data: 96007.

3. Ripon, San Joaquin County: Central Valley town with its own school district

Ripon is a San Joaquin County city of about 16,000 people, renamed in 1876 after Ripon, Wisconsin. Ripon Unified runs five K-8 schools and Ripon High School, and several of its elementary schools have been named California Distinguished Schools. An Altamont Corridor Express commuter rail station is planned for Ripon, with service targeted for 2027, which would link the town to the Bay Area rail network. Prices rose 7.9%, the strongest gain in the top twelve after Boulder Creek.

In the three months to September 2026, 41 homes sold in Ripon at a Redfin median of $714,660 (+7.9% over the year). Half sold within 23 days, buyers paid 99.2% of list on average, and supply ran 2.1 months. Roughly 66% of occupied homes are lived in by their owners. ZIP data: 95366.

4. Imperial, Imperial County: Imperial Valley city near El Centro

Imperial lies 4 miles north of El Centro in the Imperial Valley, about 60 feet below sea level in the Colorado Desert. Its population was about 20,000 in 2020, and it has been one of the faster-growing cities in the state. Farming depends on canal water from the Colorado River. The California Mid-Winter Fair, held each February or March at the fairgrounds in town, draws more than 100,000 visitors. Summer heat here is extreme, so check cooling costs as part of the budget.

In the three months to September 2026, 44 homes sold in Imperial at a Redfin median of $450,286 (+2.3% over the year). Half sold within 28 days, buyers paid 99.5% of list on average, and supply ran 2.7 months. Roughly 70% of occupied homes are lived in by their owners. ZIP data: 92251.

5. Scotts Valley, Santa Cruz County: Highway 17 town above Santa Cruz

Scotts Valley is a city of about 12,000 people in the Santa Cruz Mountains, 6 miles north of Santa Cruz and about 30 miles south of downtown San Jose, with State Route 17 as its link to both. Scotts Valley Unified runs the city's high school, middle school and two elementary schools. Water comes only from local groundwater wells, supplied by two water districts. It is the most expensive town in the top twelve, with a median above $1.2 million.

In the three months to September 2026, 35 homes sold in Scotts Valley at a Redfin median of $1,209,424 (+0.8% over the year). Half sold within 42 days, buyers paid 98.7% of list on average, and supply ran 2 months. Roughly 76% of occupied homes are lived in by their owners. ZIP data: 95066.

6. Oakdale, Stanislaus County: "Cowboy Capital of the World" on the Stanislaus River

Oakdale is a Stanislaus County city of about 23,000 people on the Stanislaus River at the foot of the Sierra foothills, where Highways 108 and 120 meet on the way to Yosemite's Tioga Pass. Its slogan is "Cowboy Capital of the World," and the Oakdale Cowboy Museum covers the area's ranching and rodeo history. Food processing and agriculture are the main employers. Oakdale was the busiest market in the top twelve, with 73 sales, and buyers paid full list price on average. July highs average above 100 degrees.

In the three months to September 2026, 73 homes sold in Oakdale at a Redfin median of $510,584 (+2.1% over the year). Half sold within 35 days, buyers paid 100.0% of list on average, and supply ran 2.9 months. Roughly 68% of occupied homes are lived in by their owners. ZIP data: 95361.

7. American Canyon, Napa County: Napa County city on the Napa River

American Canyon, incorporated in 1992, is a city in southern Napa County, about 35 miles northeast of San Francisco, bounded by the Napa River on the west and hills on the east, with Vallejo to the south. Nearly half of homes, 46%, sold above list price. The 2014 South Napa earthquake was centered a few miles northwest of town, so ask about foundation work and look into earthquake cover; our earthquake insurance guide explains it.

In the three months to September 2026, 26 homes sold in American Canyon at a Redfin median of $694,669 (-5.5% over the year). Half sold within 36 days, buyers paid 99.6% of list on average, and supply ran 3.1 months. Roughly 74% of occupied homes are lived in by their owners. ZIP data: 94503.

8. Tehachapi, Kern County: mountain town between the valley and the desert

Tehachapi is a Kern County city of about 13,000 people at nearly 4,000 feet in the Tehachapi Mountains, 35 miles east-southeast of Bakersfield. Known for the Tehachapi Loop railroad landmark, the Pacific Crest Trail and gliding, the area also has a wine district: the Tehachapi Mountains American Viticultural Area was approved in 2020. It has the highest owner-occupied share in the top twelve, 80%, but also the deepest supply, 4.9 months, which gives buyers more choice.

In the three months to September 2026, 23 homes sold in Tehachapi at a Redfin median of $418,801 (+3.1% over the year). Half sold within 30 days, buyers paid 99.7% of list on average, and supply ran 4.9 months. Roughly 80% of occupied homes are lived in by their owners. ZIP data: 93561.

9. Grass Valley, Nevada County: Gold Country city in the Sierra foothills

Grass Valley is a Nevada County city of about 14,000 people at roughly 2,500 feet in the western Sierra foothills, 57 miles by car from Sacramento and 88 miles from Reno. Tourism tied to its Gold Rush history and services make up much of the local economy, and many working residents commute to Roseville, Yuba City or Sacramento. Sierra College has a Nevada County campus here. Grass Valley had the fastest median sale of the twelve, 17 days. Foothill fire risk is a real factor in insurance pricing; see our wildfire zones guide.

In the three months to September 2026, 30 homes sold in Grass Valley at a Redfin median of $514,255 (+6.0% over the year). Half sold within 17 days, buyers paid 99.9% of list on average, and supply ran 4.1 months. Roughly 70% of occupied homes are lived in by their owners. ZIP data: 95945, 95949.

10. Los Osos, San Luis Obispo County: Central Coast town on Morro Bay

Los Osos is an unincorporated town of about 14,500 people on the south side of Morro Bay, 10.6 miles west of San Luis Obispo and 2.3 miles from the city of Morro Bay. Los Osos is the entrance to Montaña de Oro State Park, Morro Bay State Park borders the town, and the Sweet Springs Nature Preserve and Elfin Forest protect the bay edge. Growth is capped at a build-out of about 26,000 residents, which limits new supply. San Luis Coastal Unified runs the local schools.

In the three months to September 2026, 28 homes sold in Los Osos at a Redfin median of $862,089 (+0.7% over the year). Half sold within 36 days, buyers paid 99.5% of list on average, and supply ran 2.9 months. Roughly 73% of occupied homes are lived in by their owners. ZIP data: 93402.

11. McKinleyville, Humboldt County: North Coast town by the regional airport

McKinleyville is an unincorporated community of about 16,000 people about 5 miles north of Arcata, the third-largest community on California's far North Coast after Eureka and Arcata. The Arcata-Eureka Airport, the main airport in Humboldt County, is here. The town spans several creek watersheds between the Mad River and the Little River, with the Pacific to the west. Supply was the lowest in the top twelve, 1.9 months, and homes sold in a median of 26 days.

In the three months to September 2026, 55 homes sold in McKinleyville at a Redfin median of $463,279 (-0.4% over the year). Half sold within 26 days, buyers paid 98.3% of list on average, and supply ran 1.9 months. Roughly 64% of occupied homes are lived in by their owners. ZIP data: 95519.

12. Salida, Stanislaus County: almond country next to Modesto

Salida is an unincorporated community of about 13,900 people just north of Modesto, part of the Modesto metropolitan area, with a Blue Diamond almond processing plant nearby. The Salida Union Elementary School District runs the local elementary schools and Salida Middle School, and Joseph A. Gregori High is the usual high school for its students. Salida ties Boulder Creek for the second-highest owner share in the top twelve, about 77%, after Tehachapi, and had 2.1 months of supply.

In the three months to September 2026, 27 homes sold in Salida at a Redfin median of $479,772 (-2.1% over the year). Half sold within 28 days, buyers paid 97.7% of list on average, and supply ran 2.1 months. Roughly 77% of occupied homes are lived in by their owners. ZIP data: 95368.

Where California's best-known small towns placed

Many lists of the best small towns in California lead with resort and wine-country towns. In this data, most of them sit in the middle or lower half, because homes there take longer to sell, supply is deeper or fewer homes are owner-occupied. The table shows where they landed among the 60 towns.

Truckee placed highest of these well-known towns and was by far the busiest small-town market, with 167 sales. Arcata sold the fastest of any town on the list, in a median of 11 days, but fewer than half its homes are owner-occupied because it is a college town. Healdsburg and Solvang had long sale times and more than four and a half months of supply. If one of these towns is your target, see our Healdsburg and Montecito guides, and expect more room to negotiate than in the top twelve.

How to choose a small town in California

Test the drive to everything you need

In a small town, the hospital, airport and big-box stores may be 20 to 60 minutes away. Map your routine trips, and check whether winter snow at higher elevations or summer heat in the valleys and desert changes them.

Price the insurance before the house

Many small towns sit near forest, brush or the coast. Look the address up on the CAL FIRE map and get a quote from more than one insurer. If standard carriers decline, the California FAIR Plan is the fallback, usually with a separate policy for the rest of the coverage. Our homeowners insurance guide covers the steps.

Check water, septic and road access

Rural parcels may run on a well and septic system, and some sit on private roads maintained by the owners. Ask for well test results, the septic inspection and any road maintenance agreement before you remove contingencies. Scotts Valley, for example, depends entirely on groundwater.

Know the local job market or your remote setup

Fewer local employers means a thinner resale market and fewer buyers when you sell. Confirm broadband speeds at the exact address if you work from home.

Watch thin-market numbers

With 20 to 40 sales a quarter, one expensive sale can move the median by tens of thousands of dollars. Look at several quarters on the county data pages, such as the Santa Cruz County or Shasta County market data, before judging a trend.