23 CA Cities Make Top 50 List For Financially Stable Families

CALIFORNIA — It's getting a little easier to make ends meet in several Golden State communities, a recent study found, largely based on income growth.

Finance website GOBankingRates recently analyzed household incomes, cost of living and other economic factors across the country, charting 50 cities where families struggle less to balance their budgets and avoid going into debt.

Researchers took several factors into account, including income growth over three years, the percentage of households earning at least $200,000 and average expenses for essentials like housing, food and transportation.

"The data suggests that there are still cities where families can secure a comfortable middle-class lifestyle for themselves," GOBankingRates said. "It may require leaving behind the most expensive metro areas, but the cities on this list represent places where families are keeping their financial stability."

Here is the full list of California cities where families are seeing improved family finances:

Los Gatos

• 2019 mean household income: $217,966
• 2022 mean household income: $305,653
• Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,390.07
• Average monthly rent: $3,413.77
• Income needed: $163,292.16

Cupertino

• 2019 mean household income: $206,009
• 2022 mean household income: $283,063
• Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,300.65
• Average monthly rent: $3,683.50
• Income needed: $167,619.55

Los Altos

• 2019 mean household income: $326,456
• 2022 mean household income: $400,817
• Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,306.51
• Average monthly rent: $6,031.25
• Income needed: $224,106.16

Menlo Park

• 2019 mean household income: $241,222
• 2022 mean household income: $316,584
• Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,318.87
• Average monthly rent: $3,596.39
• Income needed: $165,966.37

Palo Alto

• 2019 mean household income: $232,529
• 2022 mean household income: $301,226
• Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,286.90
• Average monthly rent: $3,621.81
• Income needed: $165,809.17

Saratoga

• 2019 mean household income: $257,441
• 2022 mean household income: $329,142
• Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,369.20
• Average monthly rent: $4,930.00
• Income needed: $199,180.69

Santa Clara

• 2019 mean household income: $150,572
• 2022 mean household income: $206,379
• Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,207.38
• Average monthly rent: $3,132.46
• Income needed: $152,156.10

Lafayette

• 2019 mean household income: $250,550
• 2022 mean household income: $312,233
• Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,243.51
• Average monthly rent: $3,416.22
• Income needed: $159,833.60

Dublin

• 2019 mean household income: $181,650
• 2022 mean household income: $228,282
• Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,263.12
• Average monthly rent: $2,995.61
• Income needed: $150,209.61

San Carlos

• 2019 mean household income: $239,376
• 2022 mean household income: $298,397
• Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,389.81
• Average monthly rent: $3,656.77
• Income needed: $169,118.09

Mountain View

• 2019 mean household income: $189,559
• 2022 mean household income: $239,238
• Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,234.03
• Average monthly rent: $3,639.08
• Income needed: $164,954.61

Fremont

• 2019 mean household income: $160,528
• 2022 mean household income: $203,058
• Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,168.55
• Average monthly rent: $2,943.07
• Income needed: $146,678.98

Sunnyvale

• 2019 mean household income: $179,798
• 2022 mean household income: $231,726
• Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,225.62
• Average monthly rent: $3,233.19
• Income needed: $155,011.57

Milpitas

• 2019 mean household income: $154,559
• 2022 mean household income: $195,424
• Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,294.21
• Average monthly rent: $3,055.82
• Income needed: $152,400.79

Belmont

• 2019 mean household income: $201,232
• 2022 mean household income: $238,865
• Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,398.61
• Average monthly rent: $2,772.18
• Income needed: $148,098.84

Redwood City

• 2019 mean household income: $163,498
• 2022 mean household income: $211,981
• Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,333.39
• Average monthly rent: $3,364.48
• Income needed: $160,748.89

Danville

• 2019 mean household income: $214,627
• 2022 mean household income: $264,134
• Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,232.67
• Average monthly rent: $4,202.81
• Income needed: $178,451.53

Pleasanton

• 2019 mean household income: $192,532
• 2022 mean household income: $230,936
• Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,207.32
• Average monthly rent: $2,933.05
• Income needed: $147,368.90

Campbell

• 2019 mean household income: $157,472
• 2022 mean household income: $193,966
• Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,315.52
• Average monthly rent: $3,114.47
• Income needed: $154,319.70

Foster City

• 2019 mean household income: $185,716
• 2022 mean household income: $234,829
• Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,411.55
• Average monthly rent: $3,381.18
• Income needed: $163,025.73

San Ramon

• 2019 mean household income: $186,911
• 2022 mean household income: $224,236
• Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,286.05
• Average monthly rent: $2,943.00
• Income needed: $149,497.16

Burlingame

• 2019 mean household income: $183,137
• 2022 mean household income: $224,228
• Monthly non-rent expenditures: $3,393.53
• Average monthly rent: $2,899.72
• Income needed: $151,037.82

Encinitas

• 2019 mean household income: $163,894
• 2022 mean household income: $198,797
• Monthly non-rent expenditures: $2,993.92
• Average monthly rent: $4,030.81
• Income needed: $168,593.58

>> Check out the full list on the GOBankingRates website.