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These Are The 10 Best Cities In California For Jobs In 2026

By Chris Kolmar
Jul. 11, 2017
Last Modified and Fact Checked on: Feb. 8, 2026

Find a Job You Really Want In

Top Cities in California for Jobs in 2026

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Are you searching for job opportunities in California? You’re in the right place! In 2026, the job market remains dynamic, and certain cities stand out as the best for career seekers.

While Sacramento might be a popular thought for job hunting, data reveals it isn’t the top city for employment in the state.

At Zippia, we utilize comprehensive data analysis to determine the most promising locations for job seekers. After evaluating over 800 cities across California, we identified the top contenders for employment opportunities in the Golden State:

  1. Palos Verdes Estates
  2. Orinda
  3. Mill Valley
  4. Woodside
  5. Los Altos
  6. La Canada Flintridge
  7. Hillsborough
  8. Manhattan Beach
  9. Rolling Hills Estates
  10. Saratoga

If you’re a resident of one of these cities, you likely already appreciate the abundant job opportunities available. For those unfamiliar, read on to discover how we compiled this ranking and what factors contributed to these cities’ high ratings.

For more insights on job opportunities in California, check out:

How We Determined the Best Cities in California for Jobs

To ensure a fair comparison, we set a minimum population threshold of 5,000 residents. After analyzing data from approximately 854 locations in California, we narrowed our list to 427 cities that met this criterion.

We then ranked these cities based on several key indicators, assigning a rank from one to 427, with one being the best. The city with the lowest overall score earned the title of “Best Place for Jobs in California.”

The criteria considered included:

  • Unemployment rate
  • Median household income
  • Poverty level

The data sources for these criteria were obtained from the latest Census American Community Survey.

If your city isn’t on the top 10 list, scroll down for a detailed chart of rankings.

Now, let’s explore how these cities achieved their esteemed status.

1. Palos Verdes Estates

Palos Verdes Estates, California

Population: 13,568 Unemployment Rank: 1
Median Income Rank: 6
Poverty Level Rank: 11

2. Orinda

Population: 18,390 Unemployment Rank: 12
Median Income Rank: 8
Poverty Level Rank: 1

3. Mill Valley

Population: 14,178 Unemployment Rank: 6
Median Income Rank: 18
Poverty Level Rank: 5

4. Woodside

Population: 5,427 Unemployment Rank: 3
Median Income Rank: 5
Poverty Level Rank: 24

5. Los Altos

Population: 29,762 Unemployment Rank: 21
Median Income Rank: 9
Poverty Level Rank: 8

6. La Canada Flintridge

Population: 20,477 Unemployment Rank: 26
Median Income Rank: 10
Poverty Level Rank: 4

7. Hillsborough

Population: 11,148 Unemployment Rank: 30
Median Income Rank: 1
Poverty Level Rank: 12

8. Manhattan Beach

Source: Wikipedia

Population: 35,534 Unemployment Rank: 16
Median Income Rank: 12
Poverty Level Rank: 17

9. Rolling Hills Estates

Rolling Hills Estates, California

Population: 8,184 Unemployment Rank: 5
Median Income Rank: 15
Poverty Level Rank: 25

10. Saratoga

Source: Wikipedia

Population: 30,627 Unemployment Rank: 38
Median Income Rank: 7
Poverty Level Rank: 10

Finding the Right Job Location

The leading job-friendly cities in California share a significant advantage: their proximity to major job hubs. This geographical advantage facilitates access to numerous employment opportunities.

The American dream of suburban living remains alive, especially for those seeking ideal job locations.

Curious about the least favorable areas for job hunting in California? Here are the bottom three:

  1. Mendota
  2. Clearlake
  3. Orange Cove

Detailed List of the Best Places for Jobs in California

Rank City Population Unemployment Rank Income Rank Poverty Rank
1 Palos Verdes Estates 13,568 1 6 11
2 Orinda 18,390 12 8 1
3 Mill Valley 14,178 6 18 5
4 Woodside 5,427 3 5 24
5 Los Altos 29,762 21 9 8
6 La Canada Flintridge 20,477 26 10 4
7 Hillsborough 11,148 30 1 12
8 Manhattan Beach 35,534 16 12 17
9 Rolling Hills Estates 8,184 5 15 25
10 Saratoga 30,627 38 7 10
11 Corte Madera 9,478 7 35 19
12 Los Altos Hills 8,244 10 3 49
13 La Habra Heights 5,398 4 37 21
14 Rancho Santa Margarita 48,758 13 43 7
15 Dublin 49,694 18 33 13
16 Rancho Palos Verdes 42,282 9 27 30
17 Danville 42,891 40 13 16
18 San Ramon 73,826 33 22 18
19 Los Gatos 30,163 23 26 33
20 Atherton 7,034 47 1 37
21 Foster City 31,809 42 34 14
22 Palo Alto 65,998 25 23 48
23 Hermosa Beach 19,725 11 42 47
24 Piedmont 10,957 8 4 92
25 Pleasanton 73,164 59 25 20
26 Lafayette 24,685 31 14 65
27 Tiburon 9,100 69 20 22
28 San Carlos 29,166 81 24 28
29 Hercules 24,596 24 52 63
30 Redondo Beach 67,511 56 47 46
31 Yorba Linda 66,335 115 30 6
32 Menlo Park 32,792 32 31 89
33 Half Moon Bay 11,803 103 46 3
34 Cupertino 59,787 111 16 26
35 Aliso Viejo 49,437 73 49 34
36 Pacifica 38,283 44 63 50
37 Belmont 26,503 65 41 52
38 Livermore 83,901 48 55 56
39 Scotts Valley 11,711 71 48 41
40 Millbrae 22,177 52 71 38
41 San Marino 13,294 22 28 113
42 Loomis 6,589 61 100 9
43 Moraga 16,549 117 17 36
44 Poway 49,040 49 64 58
45 Villa Park 5,911 159 11 2
46 Burlingame 29,618 14 77 83
47 Cerritos 49,599 84 73 23
48 Coronado 24,333 27 78 77
49 Lake Forest 78,940 39 68 81
50 Campbell 40,327 35 75 84
51 Calabasas 23,956 57 29 110
52 Fremont 221,654 92 44 60
53 Sierra Madre 11,060 15 79 103
54 Cypress 48,748 28 97 73
55 Folsom 73,334 118 53 29
56 Mission Viejo 95,246 101 60 45
57 Walnut 29,822 85 50 72
58 Clayton 11,328 176 19 15
59 Westlake Village 8,393 141 32 42
60 Mountain View 76,741 66 54 97
61 Agoura Hills 20,630 133 40 44
62 El Segundo 16,839 36 96 90
63 Moorpark 35,033 97 56 70
64 Laguna Beach 23,114 64 61 99
65 Newport Beach 86,594 70 39 123
66 Camarillo 65,985 102 89 43
67 Fairfax 7,546 17 67 154
68 Newark 43,635 75 90 76
69 Redwood City 79,736 43 106 93
70 Walnut Creek 65,923 62 116 71
71 San Mateo 100,114 77 81 91
72 Laguna Niguel 64,299 119 59 75
73 Sausalito 7,043 165 36 55
74 Diamond Bar 56,259 116 76 64
75 Sunnyvale 145,921 106 45 109
76 Benicia 27,450 120 84 57
77 Laguna Hills 30,768 138 74 51
78 Simi Valley 125,699 124 83 61
79 San Anselmo 12,527 113 51 105
80 San Bruno 42,090 109 111 54
81 San Clemente 64,673 82 72 124
82 Santa Clara 119,525 88 66 129
83 Windsor 27,113 147 110 27
84 Arcadia 57,251 37 117 132
85 Milpitas 69,346 149 58 80
86 Martinez 36,876 137 91 62
87 Brentwood 54,062 154 85 59
88 South Pasadena 25,914 72 115 112
89 Larkspur 12,131 171 101 31
90 South San Francisco 65,537 110 130 66
91 Goleta 30,333 34 137 138
92 La Mirada 49,038 134 112 68
93 La Palma 15,791 67 95 156
94 Encinitas 61,008 100 69 149
95 Malibu 12,830 94 21 204
96 Torrance 147,181 122 129 69
97 Fountain Valley 56,440 131 104 88
98 Sonoma 10,818 104 170 53
99 Los Alamitos 11,598 127 105 96
100 Novato 53,451 74 135 121
Never miss an opportunity that’s right for you.

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

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