This SW RivCo Town Named Among Best Cities To Move To In 2025

MURRIETA, CA — As home prices continue to soar across much of California, a new ConsumerAffairs report spotlighted 10 cities that stand out as top destinations for first-time homebuyers, offering affordability, economic opportunity and quality of life.

The report ranked cities based on metrics like housing costs, population trends, crime rates and employment opportunities. While many of California’s coastal towns have become increasingly out of reach, these inland and suburban areas are gaining attention from prospective movers.

Of the 10 best cities, a whopping five are in the Riverside metro area, including Southwest Riverside County's Murrieta, which ranked at No. 5 for having "the best economy" and being dubbed the safest city, according to Consumer Affairs.

The community has had the second-highest job growth from 2019 to 2023. Its population has also boomed from a modest 2,200 in 1980 to 112,000 in 2023.

What's more, Murrieta reportedly has the fourth-lowest violent crime rate (1.72 crimes per 1,000 people) and the fifth-lowest property crime rate (12.59 crimes per 1,000 people). It was dubbed the safest city in the report.

As far as affordability, the city was identified as having the seventh-best affordability ratio. According to the report, the city's median home sale price ($556,334) is just over five times the city’s median income of $109,780.

Here are the top 10 best cities to move to in California, according to Consumer Affairs:

1. Roseville

2. Visalia

3. Clovis

4. Elk Grove

5. Murrieta

6. Modesto

7. Corona

8. Temecula

9. Rancho Cucamonga

10. Moreno Valley

Meanwhile, Oakland ranked as the worst place to move in California since it has the highest crime rates and major challenges in affordability, economy and climate risk, according to the report. What's more, no cities in the Los Angeles metro area made the top 25.

To identify the best cities to move to in California, the Consumer Affairs Research Team said it evaluated the state’s 75 most populous cities across five weighted categories: affordability, safety, economy, quality of life and climate risk.

Check out the full report here.