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In today’s fast-paced work environment, the perception of “laziness” can often lead to tensions in the workplace. The individual who seems to offload their responsibilities can become a source of frustration for colleagues striving to stay productive.
If you find yourself residing in one of these California towns, you might want to reflect on your own work habits. This article explores how the ethos of a location can influence workplace dynamics and why many prefer to avoid working alongside those perceived as inactive.
To identify the cities in California where residents may be taking it easy, we analyzed the latest data from the American Community Survey. Our criteria for defining “relaxed” included factors like work hours, unemployment rates, and education levels among adults.
After analyzing the data, here are the ten “Most Relaxed Places in California” according to our findings:
Continue reading to find out where the laid-back residents call home or skip to the end to see how your town ranks.
And just for context, Walnut is noted as the most industrious place in California!
How We Determined the Most Relaxed Places in California
At Zippia, our analysis process starts with data. For this study, we leveraged the latest American Community Survey data to uncover interesting insights into community work habits.
We focused on several key criteria to assess relaxation levels in California cities:
- Lowest average hours worked
- Shortest average commute time
- Fewest workers per household (labor force divided by the number of households)
- Highest unemployment rates
- Lowest percentage of adults with a college degree
The underlying logic is straightforward: if a location has low educational attainment, minimal work hours, and fewer individuals contributing economically, it’s likely to be seen as more relaxed.
After examining data from 428 places in California with populations over 5,000, we ranked each city from 1 to 428 based on our criteria, with 1 being the “most relaxed.” The city with the lowest score earned the title of the “Most Relaxed Place in California,” and Clearlake topped the list.
For a deeper understanding of each location’s ranking, consult the detailed chart below.
1. Clearlake
Population: 15,121 College Educated: 7.8%
Unemployment Rate: 23.2%
2. Yreka
Population: 7,675 College Educated: 17.6%
Unemployment Rate: 19.9%
3. Crescent City
Population: 7,295 College Educated: 12.0%
Unemployment Rate: 15.1%
4. Susanville
Population: 16,537 College Educated: 10.5%
Unemployment Rate: 16.4%
5. Corcoran
Population: 23,634 College Educated: 2.7%
Unemployment Rate: 16.0%
6. Red Bluff
Population: 14,069 College Educated: 12.8%
Unemployment Rate: 17.5%
7. Anderson
Population: 10,066 College Educated: 6.7%
Unemployment Rate: 12.8%
8. Calipatria
Population: 7,599 College Educated: 3.9%
Unemployment Rate: 16.7%
9. Corning
Population: 7,617 College Educated: 11.6%
Unemployment Rate: 21.5%
10. Blythe
Population: 20,101 College Educated: 9.2%
Unemployment Rate: 15.2%
Relaxing Your Way Off to the Bottom
While the concept of relaxation varies by individual, analyzing cities with lower work engagement, fewer educational achievements, and lesser workforce participation offers a glimpse into the more relaxed areas of California.
Detailed List of the Most Relaxed Places in California
| City | Rank |
|---|---|
| Clearlake | 1 |
| Yreka | 2 |
| Crescent City | 3 |
| Susanville | 4 |
| Corcoran | 5 |
| Red Bluff | 6 |
| Anderson | 7 |
| Calipatria | 8 |
| Corning | 9 |
| Blythe | 10 |
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