Retirees looking for a blend of “safe” and “well-to-do” have plenty of locales to choose from on the West Coast, with California leading the way.
The Golden State gobbles up 19 of 20 slots in GOBankingRates’ (GBR) new list of the region’s 20 safest and wealthiest retirement towns. Oregon cracked the list just once, with fashionable Lake Oswego ranked sixth-best.
Spend Less: 5 Affordable Small Cities To Live In on the West Coast
Check Out: 5 Clever Ways Retirees Are Earning Up To $1K Per Month From Home
GBR compiled its list based on data from the U.S. Census, Sperling’s Best Places, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, AreaVibes, Zillow, the Federal Reserve and the FBI. Most of the top 20 locations have violent crime rates of less than two per 1,000 residents. Average retirement incomes for people age 65 and up come in between $40,000 and $80,000.
Average single-family home values pop off the page compared to many other regions of the country. Fourteen of the cities listed come in over $1 million, with the highest at $3.8 million.
Here’s a rundown from No. 1 to No. 20.
1. Rancho Palos Verdes, California
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 0.92
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 8.83
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $82,079
- Single-family average home value: $1,840,
- Livability score: 58
Coastal Living: 21 Affordable Small Cities To Retire on the East Coast
Read Next: These Are America’s 50 Wealthiest Suburbs in 2025
2. Lincoln, California
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 0.96
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 5.61
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $47,952
- Single-family average home value: $642,054
- Livability score: 67
Save Money: The Cheapest Place To Buy a Home in Every State
3. Laguna Woods, California
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 0.60
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 8.93
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $43,934
- Single-family average home value: $536,108
- Livability score: 73
4. Saratoga, California
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 0.89
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 6.0
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $63,164
- Single-family average home value: $3,847,821
- Livability score: 81
5. Fountain Valley, California
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 1.78
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 17.84
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $53,671
- Single-family average home value: $1,328,616
- Livability score: 65
For You: I’m Retired and Regret Moving To Hawaii — Here’s Why
6. Lake Oswego, Oregon
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 0.66
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 11.00
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $49,560
- Single-family average home value: $949,710
- Livability score: 83
7. Rancho Mirage, California
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 1.88
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 23.93
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $60,263
- Single-family average home value: $1,046,637
- Livability score: 49
8. Pacifica, California
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 1.45
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 13.06
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $49,270
- Single-family average home value: $1,233,686
- Livability score: 68
9. Seal Beach, California
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 4.82
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 27.49
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $46,227
- Single-family average home value: $1,543,207
- Livability score: 61
10. La Quinta, California
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 1.77
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 19.45
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $54,427
- Single-family average home value: $763,696
- Livability score: 57
Learn More: 10 Best Places To Buy a Short-Term Rental Property To Earn Passive Income in 2025
11. Camarillo, California
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 1.29
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 11.91
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $46,141
- Single-family average home value: $939,183
- Livability score: 78
12. Mission Viejo, California
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 0.99
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 11.86
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $47,784
- Single-family average home value: $1,258,231
- Livability score: 72
13. Encinitas, California
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 2.15
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 9.41
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $56,274
- Single-family average home value: $1,933,940
- Livability score: 79
14. Thousand Oaks, California
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 1.02
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 10.21
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $46,955
- Single-family average home value: $1,068,059
- Livability score: 71
Be Aware: I’m a Real Estate Agent: 7 Places To Avoid Buying a House in 2026
15. San Juan Capistrano, California
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 1.65
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 10.77
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $48,504
- Single-family average home value: $1,568,977
- Livability score: 77
16. Laguna Niguel, California
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 1.27
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 9.04
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $48,448
- Single-family average home value: $1,639,322
- Livability score: 74
17. San Clemente, California
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 1.83
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 12.68
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $57,823
- Single-family average home value: $1,765,897
- Livability score: 63
Money, Money: 20 Most Expensive Places To Live in New York
18. Dana Point, California
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 1.85
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 8.73
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $52,880
- Single-family average home value: $1,832,748
- Livability score: 65
19. Novato, California
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 2.54
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 13.54
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $49,005
- Single-family average home value: $1,144,682
- Livability score: 71
20. Petaluma, California
- Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 2.72
- Property crime rate per 1,000 residents: 11.73
- Ages 65+ average retirement income: $41,245
- Single-family average home value: $906,129
- Livability score: 81
Photo disclaimer: Photos are representational and may not always reflect the exact location listed.
Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed retirement towns to identify the safest and wealthiest places to live, defining retirement towns through the 2023 U.S. Census 5-Year American Community Survey (ACS) as communities with at least 5,000 residents and a population aged 65 or older of at least 20%. Data from the ACS included total households, median household income, the share of households receiving retirement income, average retirement income among those households and the percentage of households spending above or below 30% of income on monthly owner costs. Cost-of-living indexes were sourced from Sperling’s BestPlaces, while average household expenditures were calculated using national data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey. Housing affordability was assessed using the Zillow Home Value Index, assuming a 10% down payment and the national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate from Federal Reserve Economic Data, with these figures combined to estimate the total cost of living for basic necessities. Crime statistics from the Federal Bureau of Investigation were used to calculate property and violent crime rates per 1,000 residents, and supplemental quality-of-life measures were drawn from the Areavibes Livability Index. Scoring was based on five equally weighted factors: the percentage of households spending under 30% of income on owner costs, the percentage of households with retirement income, the average retirement income among those households, the property crime rate and the violent crime rate. Scores were summed and ranked to highlight the safest and wealthiest retirement towns, with all data current as of Oct. 2, 2025.
More From GOBankingRates
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 20 Safest and Wealthiest West Coast Retirement Towns
