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Best for Water Quality in California

5 cities ranked · Cleanest drinking water per EPA SDWIS — fewest violations, highest safety scores.

Top Cities in California

  1. #1
    B

    San Jose

    Best for Water Quality score 100 · MoveScore 78

  2. #2
    C

    Concord

    Best for Water Quality score 100 · MoveScore 69

  3. #3
    B

    Fremont

    Best for Water Quality score 100 · MoveScore 77

  4. #4
    B

    Oakland

    Best for Water Quality score 100 · MoveScore 71

  5. #5
    C

    Fresno

    Best for Water Quality score 94 · MoveScore 61

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 Air Quality in California

Cleanest air per EPA AQS — lowest median AQI and fewest unhealthy days.

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 water quality?

San Jose, CA ranks #1 in California for best for water quality with a sub-score of 100/100 (MoveScore 78, grade B).

How many cities in California are compared?

5 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 drinking water per EPA SDWIS — fewest violations, highest safety scores. 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 water sub-score, normalized to 0-100. Cities need at least three federal sub-scores to be included.