Several cities in Santa Clara County rank among the top 10 best places to live in California, highlighting the region’s strong job market and quality of life despite persistent affordability challenges.
U.S. News & World Report has ranked 161 best cities to live in California, with Cupertino coming in third and Sunnyvale eighth. The rankings, published last week, are based on a wide range of factors according to the report’s methodology, including quality of life, value, desirability and the strength of the job market. Folsom ranked first, Palo Alto came in second, San Ramon was fourth, Encinitas was fifth and Mountain View was sixth.
Sunnyvale and Cupertino have long attracted residents for their proximity to major tech employers, strong public schools and access to amenities, including parks, restaurants and regional transit. City leaders said the economic strength of the region drives interest from businesses and residents.
Sunnyvale is home to a mix of large technology firms including Intuitive Surgical and NetApp, while Apple is headquartered in Cupertino. In addition to the large tech companies, the cities host smaller startups — all of which take up millions of square feet of office space with relatively low vacancy rates compared to nearby cities…