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Best for Air Quality in California

15 cities ranked · Cleanest air per EPA AQS — lowest median AQI and fewest unhealthy days.

Top Cities in California

  1. #1
    C

    San Francisco

    Best for Air Quality score 80 · MoveScore 64

  2. #2
    C

    Napa

    Best for Air Quality score 80 · MoveScore 67

  3. #3
    B

    Santa Barbara

    Best for Air Quality score 80 · MoveScore 78

  4. #4
    B

    Santa Cruz

    Best for Air Quality score 80 · MoveScore 78

  5. #5
    C

    Sacramento

    Best for Air Quality score 65 · MoveScore 61

  6. #6
    C

    Alameda

    Best for Air Quality score 65 · MoveScore 61

  7. #7
    F

    Merced

    Best for Air Quality score 65 · MoveScore 49

  8. #8
    C

    Monterey

    Best for Air Quality score 65 · MoveScore 65

  9. #9
    D

    Orange

    Best for Air Quality score 65 · MoveScore 58

  10. #10
    D

    Santa Clara

    Best for Air Quality score 65 · MoveScore 58

  11. #11
    C

    Fresno

    Best for Air Quality score 50 · MoveScore 61

  12. #12
    D

    Los Angeles

    Best for Air Quality score 50 · MoveScore 57

  13. #13
    C

    San Diego

    Best for Air Quality score 50 · MoveScore 61

  14. #14
    C

    Riverside

    Best for Air Quality score 50 · MoveScore 61

  15. #15
    F

    San Bernardino

    Best for Air Quality score 30 · MoveScore 48

Other California Rankings

Best Overall Cities in California

Highest MoveScore composite — safest overall balance of all six livability dimensions.

Best for Safety in California

Lowest crime rates per FBI UCR — best for families sensitive to violent and property crime.

Best for Water Quality in California

Cleanest drinking water per EPA SDWIS — fewest violations, highest safety scores.

Best for Public Schools in California

Strongest public school performance per NCES/EDFacts — highest average proficiency.

Best Fiscal Health in California

Strongest municipal fiscal health per Census ASPEP — sustainable per-capita spending.

Best for Hospital Care in California

Highest-rated hospitals per CMS HCAHPS — best patient experience scores.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which city in California ranks highest for best for air quality?

San Francisco, CA ranks #1 in California for best for air quality with a sub-score of 80/100 (MoveScore 64, grade C).

How many cities in California are compared?

15 California cities have enough federal data for this ranking. Cities need at least three of six sub-scores for inclusion.

How is this ranking calculated?

Cleanest air per EPA AQS — lowest median AQI and fewest unhealthy days. Sub-scores are normalized to 0-100 and the highest scores rank first.

Sources: FBI UCR, EPA, NCES, Census ASPEP, CMS HCAHPS
Last updated:

California-specific ranking using the air sub-score, normalized to 0-100. Cities need at least three federal sub-scores to be included.