Best Places to Retire in California for Taxes
Quick answer
The most tax friendly places to retire in California in 2026 are Sonoma, Lincoln, and Rio Vista. Sonoma ranks first, with tax friendliness of 30. Rankings below cover 15 California cities and measure state and local tax burden on retirement income, including income, property, and sales tax, using the Tax Foundation and state Departments of Revenue.
Find the most tax-friendly cities in this state for retirees, including locations with favorable local tax treatments. When choosing a retirement destination in California, taxes is often a top priority. The cities below are ranked by state and local tax burden on retirement income, including income, property, and sales tax, drawn from the Tax Foundation and state Departments of Revenue and refreshed for 2026.
Source: the Tax Foundation and state Departments of Revenue. See our full methodology and data lineage →
Ranked #1 of 15 California cities for taxes, with tax friendliness of 30. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
Tax Friendliness
30
Ranked #2 of 15 California cities for taxes, with tax friendliness of 30. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
Tax Friendliness
30
Ranked #3 of 15 California cities for taxes, with tax friendliness of 30. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
Tax Friendliness
30
Ranked #4 of 15 California cities for taxes, with tax friendliness of 30. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
Tax Friendliness
30
Ranked #5 of 15 California cities for taxes, with tax friendliness of 30. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
Tax Friendliness
30
Ranked #6 of 15 California cities for taxes, with tax friendliness of 30.
Tax Friendliness
30
Ranked #7 of 15 California cities for taxes, with tax friendliness of 30. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
Tax Friendliness
30
Ranked #8 of 15 California cities for taxes, with tax friendliness of 30. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
Tax Friendliness
30
Ranked #9 of 15 California cities for taxes, with tax friendliness of 30. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
Tax Friendliness
30
Ranked #10 of 15 California cities for taxes, with tax friendliness of 30. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
Tax Friendliness
30
Ranked #11 of 15 California cities for taxes, with tax friendliness of 30. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
Tax Friendliness
30
Ranked #12 of 15 California cities for taxes, with tax friendliness of 30. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
Tax Friendliness
30
Ranked #13 of 15 California cities for taxes, with tax friendliness of 30. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
Tax Friendliness
30
Ranked #14 of 15 California cities for taxes, with tax friendliness of 30. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
Tax Friendliness
30
Ranked #15 of 15 California cities for taxes, with tax friendliness of 30. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
Tax Friendliness
30
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What is the best place to retire in California for taxes?
Sonoma ranks first among California retirement cities for taxes, with tax friendliness of 30. Lincoln and Rio Vista follow closely behind. Rankings use the Tax Foundation and state Departments of Revenue.
How does RetireCityIQ rank California cities for taxes?
Each city is scored on state and local tax burden on retirement income, including income, property, and sales tax, sourced from the Tax Foundation and state Departments of Revenue. Cities are then ordered from highest to lowest on that metric. See our methodology page for the full scoring model and data lineage.
Which California cities are covered in these taxes rankings?
These rankings cover 15 California retirement cities, including Sonoma, Lincoln, Rio Vista, Seal Beach, Laguna Woods, and more. Each links to a full retirement guide with cost of living, taxes, healthcare, and climate data.