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Best Cities for Retirees in California

Low crime, warm climate, affordable cost of living and strong healthcare access.

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.

Safety · 20% Affordability · 20% Warm Climate · 15% Sunshine · 10% Doctor Access · 15% Dental Access · 10% Health · 10%

Top 12 Retirees Cities in California

Ranked by composite score across 7 weighted metrics.

#1
Score 70.1
Rowland Heights, CA
46,787 residents
Safety 128/100K
Affordability 111
Warm Climate 68°F
#2
Score 69.7
Walnut, CA
27,857 residents
Safety 126/100K
Affordability 111
Warm Climate 65°F
#3
Score 69.5
Cerritos, CA
48,340 residents
Safety 251/100K
Affordability 111
Warm Climate 65°F
#4
Score 69.4
Yorba Linda, CA
67,407 residents
Safety 62/100K
Affordability 111
Warm Climate 68°F
#5
Score 69.4
Borrego Springs, CA
2,781 residents
Safety 219/100K
Affordability 111
Warm Climate 74°F
#6
Score 69.4
Villa Park, CA
5,776 residents
Safety 68/100K
Affordability 111
Warm Climate 68°F
#7
Score 69.3
Diamond Bar, CA
53,750 residents
Safety 128/100K
Affordability 111
Warm Climate 65°F
#8
Score 69.2
Brea, CA
47,337 residents
Safety 163/100K
Affordability 111
Warm Climate 68°F
#9
Score 68.9
Coto de Caza, CA
15,363 residents
Safety 54/100K
Affordability 111
Warm Climate 67°F
#10
Score 68.9
La Habra Heights, CA
5,546 residents
Safety 75/100K
Affordability 111
Warm Climate 66°F
#11
Score 68.7
La Palma, CA
15,375 residents
Safety 109/100K
Affordability 111
Warm Climate 65°F
#12
Score 68.6
Hacienda Heights, CA
54,956 residents
Safety 335/100K
Affordability 111
Warm Climate 66°F

Full Ranking, California

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

1 Rowland Heights CA 70.1
2 Walnut CA 69.7
3 Cerritos CA 69.5
4 Yorba Linda CA 69.4
5 Borrego Springs CA 69.4
6 Villa Park CA 69.4
7 Diamond Bar CA 69.3
8 Brea CA 69.2
9 Coto de Caza CA 68.9
10 La Habra Heights CA 68.9
11 La Palma CA 68.7
12 Hacienda Heights CA 68.6
13 Rancho Santa Margarita CA 68.5
14 North Tustin CA 68.5
15 Placentia CA 68.5
16 Fountain Valley CA 68.4
17 Cypress CA 68.4
18 Arcadia CA 68.4
19 San Marino CA 68.4
20 Trabuco Canyon CA 68.2
21 Rossmoor CA 68.1
22 Midway City CA 68.1
23 Harmony Grove CA 68
24 Seal Beach CA 67.9
25 Claremont CA 67.9
26 Artesia CA 67.9
27 Temple City CA 67.9
28 San Gabriel CA 67.7
29 East Whittier CA 67.7
30 La Mirada CA 67.7
31 Cupertino CA 67.7
32 Irvine CA 67.6
33 Monterey Park CA 67.5
34 East San Gabriel CA 67.5
35 San Antonio Heights CA 67.5
36 Las Flores CDP (Orange County) CA 67.4
37 Stanton CA 67.4
38 Rancho Santa Fe CA 67.4
39 Oak Park CA 67.4
40 Ladera Ranch CA 67.4
41 South San Gabriel CA 67.4
42 Rancho Mission Viejo CA 67.4
43 Los Alamitos CA 67.3
44 La Habra CA 67.3
45 South Pasadena CA 67.2
46 San Francisco CA 67.2
47 Aliso Viejo CA 67.2
48 East Pasadena CA 67.2
49 Mayflower Village CA 67.2
50 Bell Canyon CA 67.2

Rowland Heights, CA tops the list with a composite score of 70.1 out of 100, followed by Walnut and Cerritos. CA dominates the top 12 with 12 cities, reflecting strong performance across the weighted metrics for retirees.

Rankings combine 7 independent metrics: Safety, Affordability, Warm Climate, Sunshine, Doctor Access, Dental Access, Health. Cities are weighted to reflect what matters most to retirees, and any city missing one or more metrics is excluded to avoid artificially inflated rankings.

Explore Other Best Cities Rankings

Best Cities for Remote Workers
Strong broadband, affordable rent, low traffic and existing remote-work culture.
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

Safest Cities → Warmest Cities → Most Affordable →