9 California Towns Perfect For A Fresh Start

Starting over in California sounds expensive, and in most of the state it is. The typical home statewide is worth more than $730,000, according to the Census Bureau. That price puts a fresh start out of reach for many people, but a different California waits beyond the big coastal metros. In these small towns, homes cost less than half the state median, and hospitals and grocery stores are close at hand. The neighbors still turn out for parades and Friday night concerts. Each town also pairs affordable housing with real jobs or solid work-from-home options, plus at least one big reason to stay.

Red Bluff

Every April, Red Bluff throws one of the biggest parties in Northern California. The Red Bluff Round-Up, a rodeo tradition dating back more than a century, fills the town with visitors, parades, and western wear. The rest of the year, this Sacramento River town settles into a friendly, unhurried pace, with Victorian homes, a walkable downtown, and riverside trails at the Sacramento River Discovery Center.

Homes here have a median value of about $300,000, well under half the state figure. St. Elizabeth Community Hospital provides full hospital care in town, and a large Walmart distribution center ranks among the area's biggest employers. Lassen Volcanic National Park is about an hour's drive east, putting hiking, lakes, and volcanic landscapes within easy reach for a weekend escape.

Oroville

Oroville sits at the foot of the tallest dam in the United States, and the reservoir behind it, Lake Oroville, is the town's giant backyard for boating, fishing, and hiking. In town, the Feather River Fish Hatchery lets visitors watch salmon climb a fish ladder each fall, and the historic Chinese Temple, built in 1863, tells the story of the thousands of Chinese immigrants who came here during the Gold Rush.

Oroville's median home value of about $312,000 is far below the state level, and Oroville Hospital anchors local healthcare as one of the area's largest employers. Butte College is a short drive away for anyone looking to retrain or pick up new skills, and the bigger city of Chico is about 25 minutes north for shopping and jobs.

Yreka

Yreka was born in the Gold Rush, and the Siskiyou County Courthouse still displays a glittering collection of gold nuggets found in the surrounding hills. Its historic Miner Street district is lined with 19th-century brick buildings, cafes, and shops, and snowcapped Mount Shasta rises on the horizon to the south.

With a median home value of about $263,000, Yreka is one of the most affordable county seats in the state. Fairchild Medical Center provides hospital care and is one of the town's major employers, along with county government offices. Newcomers can plug in quickly through community events like the Siskiyou Golden Fair each summer, and the Klamath River and the mountains around Mount Shasta offer endless room for fishing, rafting, and hiking.

Susanville

Susanville's Main Street climbs gently through the historic Uptown district, where old brick storefronts look out toward the forested mountains of Lassen County. The town's star attraction for outdoor lovers is the Bizz Johnson National Recreation Trail, a former railroad line turned trail that follows the Susan River through a scenic canyon, with old trestles and tunnels along the way.

Susanville has the lowest median home value on this list, at about $236,000, roughly a third of the state figure. Banner Lassen Medical Center provides hospital care, Lassen Community College offers classes and job training, and state and federal prisons nearby are steady employers. Small-town events, including summer concerts and the Lassen County Fair, make it easy to meet the neighbors.

Ridgecrest

Ridgecrest may be the best town on this list for landing a job. The city grew up beside Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, the Navy's huge weapons research and testing center, which employs thousands of civilian engineers, scientists, and support staff. That steady work comes with a median home value of about $254,000, roughly a third of the state figure.

Ridgecrest Regional Hospital provides full hospital care, and Cerro Coso Community College offers degrees and job training. The Maturango Museum is the community's cultural hub, and it leads guided tours to some of the finest ancient rock art in North America in the nearby Coso Range. The surrounding desert opens up adventures that include the otherworldly Trona Pinnacles and the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada.

Crescent City

Few towns have a backyard like Crescent City's. California's northernmost coastal city sits beside Redwood National and State Parks, and Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, home to some of the tallest trees on Earth, is only a short drive inland. At low tide, visitors can walk across the sand to the Battery Point Lighthouse, which has guarded the harbor since the 1850s.

Homes here have a median value of about $307,000, a rare bargain on the California coast. Sutter Coast Hospital provides hospital care, and Pelican Bay State Prison, the harbor, and tourism are major sources of jobs. The town has a resilient spirit, too. Its harbor was rebuilt after a destructive tsunami in 2011, and community events like the Del Norte County Fair keep neighbors connected.

Lakeport

Lakeport sits on the shore of Clear Lake, the largest natural freshwater lake entirely within California. The town's small downtown runs right down to the water, where summer concerts in Library Park, a lakefront promenade, and some of the best bass fishing in the West draw locals outdoors. The old Lake County Courthouse, now a museum, anchors Main Street.

Lakeport's median home value of about $334,000 is less than half the state level, and Sutter Lakeside Hospital provides hospital care in town. As the county seat, Lakeport offers steady government and healthcare jobs, while the region's growing wine industry adds more. Clear Lake State Park, just down the shore, has campgrounds, swimming beaches, and nature trails.

Marysville

Marysville is one of California's oldest cities, founded during the Gold Rush where the Yuba and Feather rivers meet. Its historic downtown is packed with 19th-century buildings, and every spring, the Bok Kai Parade, considered the oldest continuously held parade in California, fills the streets with lion dancers and firecrackers to honor the town's historic Chinese temple.

The median home value of about $292,000 makes Marysville one of the most affordable towns in the Sacramento Valley. Adventist Health Rideout provides hospital care, and nearby Beale Air Force Base is a major employer. Yuba College offers classes and training, and Sacramento is within commuting distance for those willing to make the drive.

Tehachapi

Tehachapi is famous among rail fans for the Tehachapi Loop, where long freight trains spiral around a hillside and pass over themselves. The mountain town sits high enough to enjoy four real seasons, a welcome change from the heat of nearby Bakersfield, and its walkable downtown is decorated with colorful murals and anchored by the historic Train Depot Museum.

Tehachapi's median home value of about $356,000 is still less than half the state figure. Adventist Health Tehachapi Valley provides hospital care, and the giant wind farms in the surrounding hills, along with nearby prisons and aerospace work in the Mojave area, provide jobs. Community events like the Tehachapi Mountain Festival each August make it easy for newcomers to settle in.

Finding Your Fresh Start In California

These nine towns prove that a new chapter in California doesn't require a coastal-city budget. Each offers homes at well under half the state median, a hospital close to home, and a community that welcomes newcomers, whether that means cheering at the Red Bluff Round-Up, lining up for the Bok Kai Parade, or fishing on Clear Lake. Before you move, visit in more than one season, check job openings and internet options, and price out homeowners and wildfire insurance, which can vary widely across rural California.