Seven California cities were ranked in the top 30 of WalletHub’s “Best & Worst Places to Raise a Family.”
For the third year in a row, Fremont was named the best place to raise a family. Irvine was a respectable third. Other California cities near the top of the list were: San Diego (12), San Jose (15), San Francisco (18), Huntington Beach (20), and Santa Rosa (29).
California cities near the bottom of the list were: San Bernardino (171), Moreno Valley (151), and Ontario (150).
WalletHub ranked 180 cities based on 15 factors, including playgrounds, attractions, median family salary, housing affordability, and violent crime. The information is intended to help families who may be considering moving.
“Families move often — in fact, the average American can expect to move an estimated 12 times in a lifetime,” stated Adam McCann, WalletHub financial writer, noting that 15 million Americans moved in 2025.
“Finding the best place to raise a family is difficult, between balancing an affordable cost of living with good educational opportunities, safety, and enough recreation to keep kids entertained,” said Chip Lupo, WalletHub analyst.
Why Fremont ranks No. 1 best place to raise a family in 2026
“Fremont is the best place to raise a family in 2026, due largely to economic factors,” McCann wrote.
The city’s median income is above $137,000 after cost-of-living adjustments, and it has the second-lowest percentage of families living in poverty. It offers children a good education and summer camp opportunities, and more than 98% of children in the city have health insurance.
Fremont, the fourth-largest city in Silicon Valley, was founded in 1956 when five townships – Centerville, Niles, Irvington, Warm Springs, and Mission San Jose— joined together.
The city was named after John C. Fremont, “The Great Pathfinder,” who mapped a trail through the southeastern San Francisco Bay Area and would later become the first Republican nominee for president.
In 1912, what would become the city’s Niles district was the first home to California’s motion picture industry. Movie pioneer Charlie Chaplin filmed several movies in the Fremont area, including “The Tramp.”
By 1999, an estimated 750 high-tech companies had offices, headquarters, and production facilities in Fremont.
How other California cities ranked in Wallet Hub study
Sacramento tied for first in the playgrounds-per-capita category, while Santa Ana had the fifth fewest.
Los Angeles and San Francisco tied for first in attractions, but Long Beach, Los Angeles, and Glendale were in the bottom five for housing affordability.
Bakersfield was third in the percentage of families with young kids.
In violent crime per capita, Irvine ranked second lowest, while Oakland was tied for the highest.
Fremont has the lowest percentage of families living below the poverty line. It also had the lowest divorce rate, followed closely by Irvine and San Jose.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Fremont tops WalletHub list of best places for families in nation
Reporting by Steve Pastis, USA TODAY NETWORK / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
