(FOX40.COM) — Sacramento is the third “most livable” metropolitan area in California, a new report finds.
The report from RentCafe, a nationwide apartment search website, defined livability as “how well a metro area supports residents’ overall well-being, comfort and social engagement in day-to-day life.”
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RentCafe analysts ranked 149 metro areas across the country on a total of 17 metrics divided into three main categories: socioeconomics, quality of life and location/community.
San Francisco is the most livable metro in California, according to RentCafe, followed by Santa Rosa and Sacramento.
Analysts compiled the rankings by looking at metros within the contiguous U.S. with a population of at least 300,000.
California metropolitan areas performed relatively poorly overall, with the highest-rated metro in the Golden State — San Francisco — sitting at No. 33. Santa Rosa is No. 43 overall, followed by Sacramento at No. 47. California metro rankings were hampered by their performances in the socioeconomic and location/community categories.
On the other hand, California metros performed well in the quality-of-life category. Quality of life was based on metrics such as health care providers, food index and access to exercise options, among others.
San Francisco is the No. 3 overall metro based strictly on quality of life. Washington D.C., and Seattle are Nos. 1 and 2, respectively.
Sacramento is No. 13 based on quality of life.
CA rank
U.S. rank
Metro area
Socioeconomics rank
Quality of life rank
Location/Community rank
1
33
San Francisco
132
3
98
2
43
Santa Rosa
108
16
94
3
47
Sacramento
122
13
96
4
55
San Diego
119
12
112
5
60
Oxnard
114
32
101
6
77
Los Angeles
143
46
72
7
93
Santa Maria
148
35
114
8
100
Vallejo
141
20
137
9
119
Riverside
102
58
144
10
121
San Jose
129
62
143
11
128
Stockton
138
60
148
12
132
Modesto
147
68
142
13
136
Fresno
144
81
141
14
141
Salinas
149
69
149
15
144
Bakersfield
145
104
145
16
146
Visalia
146
108
146
Table courtesy of KTLA. Source: RentCafe analysis of data from Yardi Matrix, Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau, Census Business Dynamics, County Health Rankings
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