Best Places to Retire in California for Housing
Quick answer
The most affordable housing places to retire in California in 2026 are Banning, Calimesa, and Laguna Woods. Banning ranks first, with median home price of $297,300. Rankings below cover 15 California cities and measure the median home price, using Census Bureau and Zillow home-value data.
Explore the most affordable housing markets for retirees, featuring cities with high-value real estate options. When choosing a retirement destination in California, housing is often a top priority. The cities below are ranked by the median home price, drawn from Census Bureau and Zillow home-value data and refreshed for 2026.
Source: Census Bureau and Zillow home-value data. See our full methodology and data lineage →
Ranked #1 of 15 California cities for housing, with median home price of $297,300. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
Median Home Price
$297,300
Ranked #2 of 15 California cities for housing, with median home price of $343,200. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
Median Home Price
$343,200
Ranked #3 of 15 California cities for housing, with median home price of $358,300. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
Median Home Price
$358,300
Ranked #4 of 15 California cities for housing, with median home price of $385,700.
Median Home Price
$385,700
Ranked #5 of 15 California cities for housing, with median home price of $434,100. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
Median Home Price
$434,100
Ranked #6 of 15 California cities for housing, with median home price of $452,000.
Median Home Price
$452,000
Ranked #7 of 15 California cities for housing, with median home price of $456,000. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
Median Home Price
$456,000
Ranked #8 of 15 California cities for housing, with median home price of $465,800.
Median Home Price
$465,800
Ranked #9 of 15 California cities for housing, with median home price of $483,100. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
Median Home Price
$483,100
Ranked #10 of 15 California cities for housing, with median home price of $504,700.
Median Home Price
$504,700
Ranked #11 of 15 California cities for housing, with median home price of $520,200.
Median Home Price
$520,200
Ranked #12 of 15 California cities for housing, with median home price of $560,500.
Median Home Price
$560,500
Ranked #13 of 15 California cities for housing, with median home price of $580,500. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
Median Home Price
$580,500
Ranked #14 of 15 California cities for housing, with median home price of $594,500. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
Median Home Price
$594,500
Ranked #15 of 15 California cities for housing, with median home price of $603,700. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
Median Home Price
$603,700
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What is the best place to retire in California for housing?
Banning ranks first among California retirement cities for housing, with median home price of $297,300. Calimesa and Laguna Woods follow closely behind. Rankings use Census Bureau and Zillow home-value data.
How does RetireCityIQ rank California cities for housing?
Each city is scored on the median home price, sourced from Census Bureau and Zillow home-value data. Cities are then ordered from lowest to highest on that metric. See our methodology page for the full scoring model and data lineage.
Which California cities are covered in these housing rankings?
These rankings cover 15 California retirement cities, including Banning, Calimesa, Laguna Woods, Diamond Springs, Grass Valley, and more. Each links to a full retirement guide with cost of living, taxes, healthcare, and climate data.