Best Cities for Remote Workers in California

Strong broadband, affordable rent, low traffic and existing remote-work culture.

Retirees Remote Workers Families Young Professionals Affordability All Rankings →
All United States  ·  California

How We Score

Each metric is normalized 0-100 across U.S. cities, then weighted and summed. Cities missing any metric are excluded.

Broadband · 25% WFH Culture · 15% Affordability · 20% Rent · 15% Local Income · 10% Low Traffic · 10% Educated Peers · 5%

Top 12 Remote Workers Cities in California

Ranked by composite score across 7 weighted metrics.

#1
Score 62.8
Avila Beach, CA
1,365 residents
Broadband 95.6%
WFH Culture 50.8%
Affordability 111
#2
Score 61.3
Indian Wells, CA
4,830 residents
Broadband 96.5%
WFH Culture 28.7%
Affordability 111
#3
Score 59.1
Glen Ellen, CA
1,084 residents
Broadband 100.0%
WFH Culture 5.7%
Affordability 111
#4
Score 59
Occidental, CA
1,162 residents
Broadband 93.0%
WFH Culture 59.9%
Affordability 111
#5
Score 57
Mount Hermon, CA
1,203 residents
Broadband 100.0%
WFH Culture 22.6%
Affordability 111
#6
Score 56.3
Portola Valley, CA
4,329 residents
Broadband 95.8%
WFH Culture 51.1%
Affordability 111
#7
Score 55.9
Borrego Springs, CA
2,781 residents
Broadband 100.0%
WFH Culture 28.8%
Affordability 111
#8
Score 55.5
Sea Ranch, CA
1,200 residents
Broadband 94.5%
WFH Culture 50.0%
Affordability 111
#9
Score 55.5
Monte Sereno, CA
3,459 residents
Broadband 100.0%
WFH Culture 28.0%
Affordability 111
#10
Score 55.3
Atherton, CA
7,021 residents
Broadband 96.7%
WFH Culture 39.6%
Affordability 111
#11
Score 55.2
Penryn, CA
1,059 residents
Broadband 96.8%
WFH Culture 31.7%
Affordability 111
#12
Score 55
Kentfield, CA
7,128 residents
Broadband 93.9%
WFH Culture 41.0%
Affordability 111

Full Ranking, California

Top 50 cities. Click any city to see its full profile.

1 Avila Beach CA 62.8
2 Indian Wells CA 61.3
3 Glen Ellen CA 59.1
4 Occidental CA 59
5 Mount Hermon CA 57
6 Portola Valley CA 56.3
7 Borrego Springs CA 55.9
8 Sea Ranch CA 55.5
9 Monte Sereno CA 55.5
10 Atherton CA 55.3
11 Penryn CA 55.2
12 Kentfield CA 55
13 Orinda CA 54.9
14 Belvedere CA 54.5
15 Los Altos Hills CA 54.3
16 West Menlo Park CA 54.3
17 Inverness CA 54.1
18 Lafayette CA 53.8
19 Carmel Valley Village CA 53.4
20 Bodega Bay CA 53.3
21 Camino Tassajara CA 53.1
22 Emerald Lake Hills CA 53.1
23 Tamalpais-Homestead Valley CA 52.9
24 San Carlos CA 52.5
25 Arnold CA 52.5
26 Del Mar CA 52.5
27 San Pasqual CA 52.4
28 Hydesville CA 52.3
29 Gold River CA 52.2
30 Truckee CA 52.1
31 Rancho Mirage CA 52
32 Los Altos CA 52
33 Hillsborough CA 51.9
34 Sutter Creek CA 51.7
35 Mission Canyon CA 51.6
36 Pioneer CA 51.5
37 Tiburon CA 51.4
38 Ross CA 51.3
39 Meyers CA 51.3
40 El Granada CA 51.2
41 San Miguel CDP (Contra Costa County) CA 51.2
42 Hermosa Beach CA 51.1
43 Marina del Rey CA 51
44 Laguna Beach CA 51
45 St. Helena CA 51
46 Saranap CA 51
47 Hidden Hills CA 50.9
48 Highlands CA 50.9
49 Woodlands CA 50.9
50 Berkeley CA 50.9

Avila Beach, CA tops the list with a composite score of 62.8 out of 100, followed by Indian Wells and Glen Ellen. CA dominates the top 12 with 12 cities, reflecting strong performance across the weighted metrics for remote workers.

Rankings combine 7 independent metrics: Broadband, WFH Culture, Affordability, Rent, Local Income, Low Traffic, Educated Peers. Cities are weighted to reflect what matters most to remote workers, and any city missing one or more metrics is excluded to avoid artificially inflated rankings.

Explore Other Best Cities Rankings

Best Cities for Retirees
Low crime, warm climate, affordable cost of living and strong healthcare access.
Best Cities for Families
Strong schools, low crime, affordable homes and family-friendly commutes.
Best Cities for Young Professionals
High incomes, educated peers, transit access and an under-35 demographic.
Most Affordable Cities
The lowest cost of living across home prices, rent, services and rent burden.

Related Single-Metric Rankings

Most Affordable → Lowest Rent → Most Educated →