Clovis was named the top-ranked California city on Livability’s 2026 list of the 100 Best Places to Live in the U.S. while also placing No. 52 nationally.
Livability said its annual rankings focused on small- and mid-sized cities where residents can find affordable housing, shorter commutes, and a higher quality of life. The publication evaluated more than 2,000 U.S. cities and ranked the top 100 based on more than 100 data points across eight categories.
Among the factors considered were economy and housing, amenities and environment, safety, health, education, and transportation. Livability said it gave extra weight this year to housing and cost of living because of rising prices nationwide.
Clovis received a LivScore of 697. The city has a population of 126,598 and a median home value of $465,261, according to the rankings.
Only Two Other California Cities Make the Top 100
Only two other California cities made the list. Rancho Cordova ranked No. 64 with a LivScore of 685 and a median home value of $495,335. Redding ranked No. 90 with a LivScore of 652 and a median home value of $366,551.
Livability said its list differs from other “best places to live” rankings because it excludes cities with median home values above $500,000 and only includes cities with populations between 75,000 and 500,000.
That threshold kept many larger and more expensive California communities off the list, while allowing cities such as Clovis to rank highest in the state.
Nationally, Huntsville, Alabama, topped the list with a LivScore of 873, followed by Carmel, Indiana; Sugar Land, Texas; Naperville, Illinois; and Plano, Texas.
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