The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In California For 2024


The most expensive cities in California are Atherton and Los Altos for 2024 based on Saturday Night Science.

Beverly Hills, Santa Barbara, and Glendale all moved up HomeSnacks list of the top ten most expensive places to live in California for 2024; and surprisingly, none of these places hold the number one spot. So, the million dollar question, what California place earned this title? HomeSnacks knows and we’ve listed it below.

But, before you click that down arrow, you should probably know how we calculated this list. Yes, in order to determine the top ten most expensive places in California, we looked at the American Community Survey for data on cost of living in The Golden State: specifically, home to income ratio and rent to income ratio. And, folks, if you want to live in California’s most expensive places, you’re going to have to make at least $116,771/year. And if you want to live in the number one most expensive place, you might want to think about renting before you buy because its median home price is off the charts.

But, it’s worth it. Many of the most expensive places on this list are some of Califonia’s best places and that’s because these places have the funds to keep its residents happy, safe, and living their best life.

To see a list of the California places where the boulevards are paved in gold and you have to make Mark Zuckerberg’s salary to survive, keep reading.


Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table


The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In California For 2024

  1. Atherton
  2. Los Altos
  3. Hillsborough
  4. Los Altos Hills
  5. Woodside
  6. Tiburon
  7. Beverly Hills
  8. Malibu
  9. Saratoga
  10. Palo Alto

What’s the most expensive place to live in California? Well, HomeSnacks crunched the numbers and discovered that Atherton is the most expensive place to live in California.

Calipatria (the cheapest place to live in California) can show these guys how to live on a budget in the coming years. Read on for how these places had costs rise faster than inflation.

And if you already knew these places were expensive, check out some more reading about California and the most expensive cities in the country:

The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In California For 2024

Atherton, CA

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

9
/10

Population: 7,124
Cost Of Living Index: 344
Median Income: $250,001
Average Home Price: $7,732,900
Home Price To Income Ratio: 30.9x
More on Atherton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

The overall cost of living in Atherton is 344. The median income in Atherton comes in at $250,001 and the average home value is $7,732,900 for 2024.

Los Altos, CA

Source: Wikipedia User User:Kelly | GFDL
Overall SnackAbility

10
/10

Population: 31,133
Cost Of Living Index: 342
Median Income: $250,001
Average Home Price: $4,060,663
Home Price To Income Ratio: 16.2x
More on Los Altos: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

The overall cost of living in Los Altos is 342. The median income in Los Altos comes in at $250,001 and the average home value is $4,060,663 for 2024.

Hillsborough, CA

Source: Wikipedia User Sanfranman59 | GFDL
Overall SnackAbility

10
/10

Population: 11,258
Cost Of Living Index: 342
Median Income: $250,001
Average Home Price: $5,101,758
Home Price To Income Ratio: 20.4x
More on Hillsborough: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

The overall cost of living in Hillsborough is 342. The median income in Hillsborough comes in at $250,001 and the average home value is $5,101,758 for 2024.

Los Altos Hills, CA

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

10
/10

Population: 8,441
Cost Of Living Index: 335
Median Income: $250,001
Average Home Price: $5,525,121
Home Price To Income Ratio: 22.1x
More on Los Altos Hills: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

The overall cost of living in Los Altos Hills is 335. The median income in Los Altos Hills comes in at $250,001 and the average home value is $5,525,121 for 2024.

Woodside, CA

Source: Wikipedia User Users Jawed, Jawed on en.wikipedia | GFDL
Overall SnackAbility

7.5
/10

Population: 5,256
Cost Of Living Index: 334
Median Income: $250,001
Average Home Price: $3,633,237
Home Price To Income Ratio: 14.5x
More on Woodside: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

The overall cost of living in Woodside is 334. The median income in Woodside comes in at $250,001 and the average home value is $3,633,237 for 2024.

Tiburon, CA

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

10
/10

Population: 9,115
Cost Of Living Index: 321
Median Income: $200,886
Average Home Price: $2,963,608
Home Price To Income Ratio: 14.8x
More on Tiburon: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

The overall cost of living in Tiburon is 321. The median income in Tiburon comes in at $200,886 and the average home value is $2,963,608 for 2024.

Beverly Hills, CA

Source: Wikipedia User jjron | GFDL 1.2
Overall SnackAbility

8.5
/10

Population: 32,406
Cost Of Living Index: 314
Median Income: $116,771
Average Home Price: $3,641,358
Home Price To Income Ratio: 31.2x
More on Beverly Hills: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

The overall cost of living in Beverly Hills is 314. The median income in Beverly Hills comes in at $116,771 and the average home value is $3,641,358 for 2024.

Malibu, CA

Source: Wikipedia User The original uploader was Tillman at English Wikipedia | CC BY-SA 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

8.5
/10

Population: 10,698
Cost Of Living Index: 313
Median Income: $186,905
Average Home Price: $3,392,502
Home Price To Income Ratio: 18.2x
More on Malibu: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

The overall cost of living in Malibu is 313. The median income in Malibu comes in at $186,905 and the average home value is $3,392,502 for 2024.

Saratoga, CA

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

10
/10

Population: 30,771
Cost Of Living Index: 311
Median Income: $237,730
Average Home Price: $3,602,379
Home Price To Income Ratio: 15.2x
More on Saratoga: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

The overall cost of living in Saratoga is 311. The median income in Saratoga comes in at $237,730 and the average home value is $3,602,379 for 2024.

Palo Alto, CA

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

9.5
/10

Population: 67,901
Cost Of Living Index: 302
Median Income: $214,118
Average Home Price: $3,220,174
Home Price To Income Ratio: 15.0x
More on Palo Alto: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

The overall cost of living in Palo Alto is 302. The median income in Palo Alto comes in at $214,118 and the average home value is $3,220,174 for 2024.

Methodology: How We Determined The Most Expensive Places To Live In The Golden State For 2024

Map Of The Cheapest Places To Live In California
The two most important things to think about when it comes to being able to afford a city in California are:

  1. How much money do I make?
  2. How much do I have to spend to live there?

You need to understand your costs in the context of how much money you make.

For example, if the median household earns $100,000 and spends $40,000 on housing, it’s actually cheaper to live there than a place with a median income of $50,000 and housing costs of $21,000. You might spend more on housing, but you have more money overall to play with.

With that example in mind, we derived several statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2018-2022 around incomes and costs. They are:

  • Overall Cost Of Living Index
  • Median Home Price / Median Income (lower is better)
  • Median Income / Median Rent (Higher is better)
  • Median Home Price

You can then compare these metrics in each of the places in California to figure out which is the most expensive.

You are left with a “Cost of Living Index” by taking the average rank of each of these metrics for each city.

So we used that cost of living index to rank all of the 426 places in California that have more than 5,000 people.

The place with the highest cost of living in California according to the data is Atherton. We updated this article for 2024. This article is our tenth time ranking the most expensive places to live in California.

Summary: Taking A Chunk Out Of Your Paycheck In California For 2024

Well, there you have it, the places in California that have the highest cost of living, with Atherton ranking as the most expensive city in the Golden State.

The most expensive cities in California are Atherton, Los Altos, Hillsborough, Los Altos Hills, Woodside, Tiburon, Beverly Hills, Malibu, Saratoga, and Palo Alto.

Here’s a look at the most affordable cities in California according to the data:

  1. Calipatria
  2. Holtville
  3. El Centro

For more California reading, check out:

Most Expensive Cities In California

Rank City Cost Of Living Population Median Income Average Home Price Home/Income Ratio
1 Atherton 344 7,124 $250,001 $7,732,900 30.9x
2 Los Altos 342 31,133 $250,001 $4,060,663 16.2x
3 Hillsborough 342 11,258 $250,001 $5,101,758 20.4x
4 Los Altos Hills 335 8,441 $250,001 $5,525,121 22.1x
5 Woodside 334 5,256 $250,001 $3,633,237 14.5x
6 Tiburon 321 9,115 $200,886 $2,963,608 14.8x
7 Beverly Hills 314 32,406 $116,771 $3,641,358 31.2x
8 Malibu 313 10,698 $186,905 $3,392,502 18.2x
9 Saratoga 311 30,771 $237,730 $3,602,379 15.2x
10 Palo Alto 302 67,901 $214,118 $3,220,174 15.0x
11 Palos Verdes Estates 289 13,219 $224,766 $2,717,769 12.1x
12 Piedmont 289 11,161 $250,001 $2,521,288 10.1x
13 San Marino 288 12,442 $174,253 $2,524,471 14.5x
14 Menlo Park 284 33,324 $198,273 $2,574,718 13.0x
15 Newport Beach 282 85,159 $149,471 $3,132,424 21.0x
16 Manhattan Beach 277 35,123 $187,217 $2,990,671 16.0x
17 Burlingame 273 30,995 $165,940 $2,516,360 15.2x
18 Laguna Beach 261 22,943 $141,875 $2,817,490 19.9x
19 Los Gatos 257 33,093 $198,117 $2,554,492 12.9x
20 Coronado 254 18,871 $125,558 $2,474,258 19.7x
21 Cupertino 249 59,763 $223,667 $2,701,204 12.1x
22 Mill Valley 247 14,199 $202,986 $2,043,408 10.1x
23 Sausalito 240 7,233 $163,170 $1,538,563 9.4x
24 Orinda 239 19,477 $250,001 $2,000,722 8.0x
25 San Carlos 235 30,490 $219,413 $2,206,123 10.1x
26 Hermosa Beach 235 19,551 $149,500 $2,169,343 14.5x
27 Larkspur 235 12,969 $147,772 $2,123,779 14.4x
28 Rolling Hills Estates 234 8,214 $179,917 $1,986,586 11.0x
29 Lafayette 232 25,310 $219,250 $1,924,093 8.8x
30 Corte Madera 232 10,155 $210,560 $1,760,932 8.4x
31 Belmont 229 27,820 $185,944 $2,118,293 11.4x
32 Villa Park 228 5,814 $189,306 $2,030,498 10.7x
33 Millbrae 227 22,825 $146,649 $1,927,421 13.1x
34 Santa Monica 221 92,168 $106,797 $1,685,607 15.8x
35 Foster City 221 33,215 $191,267 $1,799,252 9.4x
36 Rancho Palos Verdes 219 41,805 $166,747 $1,836,118 11.0x
37 Mountain View 217 82,132 $174,156 $1,845,861 10.6x
38 Solana Beach 217 12,946 $137,647 $2,030,109 14.7x
39 Danville 216 43,449 $209,518 $1,861,576 8.9x
40 Moraga 216 16,859 $193,707 $1,737,291 9.0x
41 San Anselmo 211 12,761 $165,366 $1,659,899 10.0x
42 Calabasas 209 23,106 $154,079 $1,667,987 10.8x
43 Redwood City 208 83,077 $145,620 $1,706,486 11.7x
44 Sunnyvale 205 154,573 $174,506 $1,875,596 10.7x
45 San Mateo 204 104,165 $149,152 $1,510,087 10.1x
46 La Habra Heights 204 5,599 $179,990 $1,294,550 7.2x
47 San Francisco 201 851,036 $136,689 $1,254,436 9.2x
48 San Ramon 201 86,119 $190,829 $1,550,726 8.1x
49 Arcadia 201 56,181 $108,214 $1,326,864 12.3x
50 St. Helena 200 5,426 $135,781 $1,750,362 12.9x
51 Half Moon Bay 199 11,633 $148,702 $1,510,034 10.2x
52 Pleasanton 198 78,691 $181,639 $1,582,884 8.7x
53 Westlake Village 198 7,948 $188,681 $1,444,578 7.7x
54 Campbell 197 43,464 $141,794 $1,652,630 11.7x
55 Santa Barbara 196 88,640 $98,346 $1,766,791 18.0x
56 South Pasadena 196 26,583 $127,882 $1,650,214 12.9x
57 Berkeley 194 121,385 $104,716 $1,400,497 13.4x
58 Sierra Madre 192 11,151 $128,056 $1,347,845 10.5x
59 Santa Clara 191 128,058 $165,352 $1,524,900 9.2x
60 San Rafael 191 60,891 $113,839 $1,346,362 11.8x
61 Fairfax 191 7,567 $126,034 $1,234,232 9.8x
62 El Segundo 190 17,081 $142,596 $1,606,335 11.3x
63 Dublin 188 71,068 $191,039 $1,293,624 6.8x
64 Encinitas 188 61,942 $142,506 $1,808,679 12.7x
65 Dana Point 188 33,025 $119,632 $1,541,691 12.9x
66 Pacifica 187 38,048 $151,849 $1,246,502 8.2x
67 Fremont 186 228,795 $169,023 $1,413,076 8.4x
68 San Clemente 186 64,232 $134,730 $1,564,490 11.6x
69 Irvine 184 304,527 $122,948 $1,331,528 10.8x
70 Redondo Beach 184 70,620 $134,033 $1,379,761 10.3x
71 Santa Cruz 184 61,367 $105,491 $1,318,776 12.5x
72 Albany 183 20,027 $124,469 $1,208,704 9.7x
73 San Bruno 182 43,218 $131,669 $1,253,713 9.5x
74 Laguna Niguel 181 64,259 $135,822 $1,312,612 9.7x
75 Scotts Valley 181 12,239 $136,867 $1,261,441 9.2x
76 Clayton 181 11,070 $164,899 $1,066,247 6.5x
77 San Jose 180 1,001,176 $136,010 $1,330,692 9.8x
78 Milpitas 180 79,092 $166,769 $1,346,828 8.1x
79 Alameda 180 77,565 $129,917 $1,192,032 9.2x
80 South San Francisco 180 65,596 $127,062 $1,191,225 9.4x
81 Walnut Creek 179 69,809 $129,971 $1,086,764 8.4x
82 Yorba Linda 179 68,035 $148,325 $1,245,181 8.4x
83 Pacific Grove 179 15,098 $102,553 $1,365,557 13.3x
84 Novato 178 53,055 $110,948 $1,071,686 9.7x
85 Walnut 178 28,212 $130,444 $1,093,688 8.4x
86 Agoura Hills 178 20,088 $157,930 $1,186,593 7.5x
87 Monterey 176 30,007 $98,003 $1,156,507 11.8x
88 El Cerrito 176 25,869 $120,414 $1,162,177 9.7x
89 Daly City 175 103,648 $114,910 $1,122,306 9.8x
90 Culver City 175 40,357 $114,429 $1,318,480 11.5x
91 Sonoma 175 10,702 $96,090 $977,618 10.2x
92 Cerritos 174 49,016 $124,460 $1,003,485 8.1x
93 Huntington Beach 173 197,481 $114,747 $1,206,669 10.5x
94 Carlsbad 173 114,745 $134,139 $1,449,918 10.8x
95 Los Alamitos 173 11,728 $100,987 $1,427,481 14.1x
96 Torrance 172 145,454 $109,554 $1,140,607 10.4x
97 Livermore 172 87,154 $152,590 $1,087,248 7.1x
98 Laguna Hills 172 31,170 $122,902 $1,076,942 8.8x
99 Thousand Oaks 171 126,532 $125,399 $1,001,691 8.0x
100 Costa Mesa 171 111,490 $104,981 $1,211,464 11.5x
About Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website.