U.S. News & World Report released its 2026–2027 Best Places to Live in the U.S. rankings, and a laid‑back surf town in coastal North County has emerged as one of California’s standout communities: Encinitas.
About 25 miles north of downtown San Diego, Encinitas ranked at #6 in California for blending a strong regional job market with a beachy, small‑city vibe and access to major Southern California employers.
Here’s a closer look.
Encinitas: The top pick in SoCal
Encinitas earns its spot in the rankings thanks to its blend of coastal, small‑city living and access to the broader San Diego–North County job market, all while feeling more relaxed than Santa Monica or downtown LA. With about 63,700 residents and a median age of 42.9, the community skews slightly older, with a mix of families, long‑time locals, and retirees.
The median household income of $158,376 and an unemployment rate of about 4% both outperform national averages, reflecting a relatively healthy local job market despite the city’s laid‑back reputation. However, Encinitas’ median home value is around $1,531,696, and typical rents hover near $2,503 per month, which contributes to a low Value Index score of 1.2 out of 10.
With an average commute time of just over 21 minutes and a majority of residents driving to work, Encinitas is especially appealing to people who want Southern California career access.
How the study ranked U.S. cities
For the 2026–2027 list, U.S. News analyzed 250 large U.S. cities using national datasets from agencies such as the Census Bureau, the FBI and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Each place was rated in four main areas: quality of life, affordability (including housing costs and general expenses), strength of the local job market, and overall desirability, based partly on migration patterns and survey feedback.
Cities that rose to the top tended to pair strong economic conditions with more manageable living costs, with Carmel, Indiana taking the No. 1 overall spot. Other top performers were clustered in states like Texas, Iowa, Georgia, Alabama and Missouri.
While Encinitas ranked among the top cities in California, it came in at No. 235 nationally out of the 250 cities on the list.
🌐 Learn more: U.S. News & World Report: 250 Best Places to Live in the U.S. in 2026-2027
