Best counties to raise a family in California

- Niche grades: good for families (B-), public schools (A-), cost of living (C-), weather (A+), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 181,554
- Median household income: $71,931
- Median home value: $347,200
- Top places to live: Shasta (B+), Cottonwood (B-), Redding (C+)

- Niche grades: good for families (B), public schools (B+), cost of living (D), weather (A), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 552,250
- Median household income: $79,661
- Median home value: $426,600
- Top places to live: Del Rio (B), Oakdale (B-), Turlock (B-)

- Niche grades: good for families (B), public schools (A-), cost of living (D), weather (A-), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 209,470
- Median household income: $68,574
- Median home value: $408,700
- Top places to live: Durham (B), Chico (B), Gridley (C+)

- Niche grades: good for families (B), public schools (B), cost of living (D+), weather (A+), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 1,012,152
- Median household income: $71,434
- Median home value: $362,600
- Top places to live: Clovis (A-), Sunnyside (B), Kingsburg (B)

- Niche grades: good for families (B), public schools (A-), cost of living (D+), weather (A+), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 98,971
- Median household income: $75,450
- Median home value: $399,400
- Top places to live: Live Oak (B-), Yuba City (C+), Meridian (B)

- Niche grades: good for families (B), public schools (B), cost of living (D-), weather (A), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 450,824
- Median household income: $99,994
- Median home value: $589,600
- Top places to live: Benicia (B+), Vacaville (B), Green Valley (B-)

- Niche grades: good for families (B), public schools (B+), cost of living (D), weather (A+), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 787,416
- Median household income: $88,531
- Median home value: $494,500
- Top places to live: Mountain House (A-), Lincoln Village (B), Ripon (B)

- Niche grades: good for families (B+), public schools (B), cost of living (D-), weather (A+), outdoor activities (A+)
- Population: 838,259
- Median household income: $107,327
- Median home value: $768,400
- Top places to live: Oak Park (A), Thousand Oaks (A), Casa Conejo (A-)

- Niche grades: good for families (B+), public schools (B), cost of living (D-), weather (A+), outdoor activities (A+)
- Population: 9,848,406
- Median household income: $87,760
- Median home value: $783,300
- Top places to live: City Center (A+), Mid-City (A+), Ocean Park (A+)

- Niche grades: good for families (B+), public schools (A-), cost of living (D), weather (B+), outdoor activities (A+)
- Population: 192,299
- Median household income: $106,190
- Median home value: $640,500
- Top places to live: El Dorado Hills (A), South Lake Tahoe (B), Cameron Park (B-)

- Niche grades: good for families (B+), public schools (A), cost of living (D-), weather (A+), outdoor activities (A+)
- Population: 281,486
- Median household income: $93,398
- Median home value: $777,200
- Top places to live: Pismo Beach (A), San Luis Obispo (A), Avila Beach (A-)

- Niche grades: good for families (B+), public schools (A-), cost of living (D-), weather (A), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 485,642
- Median household income: $102,840
- Median home value: $779,000
- Top places to live: Sebastopol (B+), Petaluma (B+), Glen Ellen (B+)

- Niche grades: good for families (B+), public schools (A-), cost of living (D-), weather (A), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 136,070
- Median household income: $108,970
- Median home value: $838,800
- Top places to live: St. Helena (A-), American Canyon (B), Napa (B)

- Niche grades: good for families (B+), public schools (B+), cost of living (D-), weather (A+), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 217,782
- Median household income: $88,818
- Median home value: $593,800
- Top places to live: Davis (A+), West Sacramento (B), Winters (B)

- Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (A-), cost of living (D-), weather (A+), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 443,975
- Median household income: $95,977
- Median home value: $735,700
- Top places to live: Montecito (A), Goleta (A), Mission Canyon (A)

- Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (A), cost of living (D), weather (A+), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 1,584,047
- Median household income: $88,724
- Median home value: $498,900
- Top places to live: Los Cerros (A+), Marshall School (A+), Med Center (A+)

- Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (B+), cost of living (D-), weather (A+), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 3,282,782
- Median household income: $102,285
- Median home value: $791,600
- Top places to live: Solana Beach (A+), University City (A+), Carmel Valley (A+)

- Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (A), cost of living (D-), weather (A+), outdoor activities (A+)
- Population: 266,021
- Median household income: $109,266
- Median home value: $1,015,200
- Top places to live: Mount Hermon (A-), Santa Cruz (A-), Pasatiempo (A-)

- Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (A), cost of living (D), weather (B+), outdoor activities (A+)
- Population: 412,435
- Median household income: $114,678
- Median home value: $658,800
- Top places to live: Olympus Pointe (A+), Harding (A), Granite Bay (A)

- Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (A), cost of living (D-), weather (A+), outdoor activities (A+)
- Population: 1,161,458
- Median household income: $125,727
- Median home value: $830,800
- Top places to live: Moraga (A+), San Ramon (A+), Walnut Creek (A+)

- Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (A), cost of living (D), weather (A+), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 745,100
- Median household income: $156,000
- Median home value: $1,494,500
- Top places to live: Belmont (A+), Foster City (A+), Menlo Park (A+)

- Niche grades: good for families (A+), public schools (A+), cost of living (D-), weather (A+), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 258,765
- Median household income: $142,785
- Median home value: $1,390,000
- Top places to live: Corte Madera (A+), San Anselmo (A+), Larkspur (A)

- Niche grades: good for families (A+), public schools (A), cost of living (D), weather (A+), outdoor activities (A+)
- Population: 1,903,297
- Median household income: $159,674
- Median home value: $1,382,800
- Top places to live: Evergreen Park (A+), College Terrace (A+), University South (A+)

- Niche grades: good for families (A+), public schools (A+), cost of living (D-), weather (A+), outdoor activities (A+)
- Population: 1,651,949
- Median household income: $126,240
- Median home value: $1,057,400
- Top places to live: Downtown Berkeley (A+), Southside (A+), Central Berkeley (A+)

- Niche grades: good for families (A+), public schools (A+), cost of living (D-), weather (A+), outdoor activities (A+)
- Population: 3,164,063
- Median household income: $113,702
- Median home value: $915,500
- Top places to live: Irvine (A+), Woodbridge (A+), Westpark II (A+)