Roseville, California

Most people don’t associate California with affordability, but that’s exactly what this Sacramento suburb offers. The median-priced home in Roseville costs $461,000 — that’s about 10% less than the state as a whole and less than half what it costs to live near San Francisco. With city-run electric, water and waste management keeping ownership costs low, it’s no wonder 63% of residents own their homes (compared to a 55% statewide homeownership rate) or that Roseville’s population has grown three-times faster than the state’s in the last decade.

It helps that the city has had a wellspring of high-paying jobs, thanks to major employers like Hewlett Packard Enterprise and healthcare giant Kaiser Permanente. The median household income in the city is over $91,000. There are also plenty of retail jobs, in part due to several open-air shopping centers that have made Roseville a regional retail destination. In addition to nearly 50 stores and restaurants, the Fountains at Roseville, for example, advertises a water show choreographed to chart topping hits and $3 rides on a red, blue and green train (infants and their parents ride free). — Samantha Sharf

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