Sacramento is one of best places to live in California, US News says. Here’s why

Sacramento is, apparently, the sixth best city in California, U.S. News & World Report says.

And it’s not just because it’s close to Tahoe and San Francisco, the digital media company stated.

“Though it’s constantly overshadowed by cosmopolitan places in its own state, technological and cultural developments breathe life into the California capital,” the ranking reads.

The City of Trees outranked Los Angeles in U.S. News’ 2023-24 “Best Places to Live” analysis for both the country and the state. But it falls behind San Francisco, San Jose, San Diego, Santa Barbara and Santa Rosa.

Here’s what U.S. News says are Sacramento’s notable attributes:

• Sunshine
• Ethnic diversity
• The foodie scene
• Its proximity to Tahoe and San Francisco

U.S. News — a “digital media company dedicated to helping consumers, business leaders and policy officials make important decisions in their lives” — ranked metropolitan areas in the country based on a weighted assessment looking at data from the U.S. Census, FBI, U.S. Department of Labor and internal resources.

It considered factors such as quality of life, which includes crime rates, education quality and commuter index. The organization also assessed the affordability, desirability and job market of each city.

Here are the top 10 California cities, according to U.S. News:

1. San Jose
2. San Francisco
3. San Diego
4. Santa Barbara
5. Santa Rosa
6. Sacramento
7. Los Angeles
8. Vallejo/Fairfield
9. Salinas
10. Modesto

Fourteen California cities made the overall U.S. ranking. Sacramento sat at No. 127.