The 10 Worst Places To Live In California For 2023

The 10 Worst Places To Live In California For 2023

We’re heading to Los Angeles’ worst suburb to reach California’s 2nd worst city overall, Commerce.

For starters, Commerce is one of the most dangerous cities in California, with an overall crime rate 260% above the national average.

The median household income in Commerce is also nearly 40% lower than the statewide average. On the bright side, things are more affordable in Commerce than the rest of the state, and unemployment and poverty rates are basically on par with California as a whole.

And if you’re feeling especially gloomy about living here, at least Disneyland is just 20 minutes down the road.

Avenal ranks as the 3rd worst place to live in California for several reasons.

60.3% percent of the population is male, but here’s the catch: Avenal is home to an all-male state prison, and inmates make up nearly a third of the “residents.” So it makes sense that more than a quarter of residents have less than a 9th-grade education.

The median household income in Avenal went up by over 10% from last year, but it’s still $52,080; far below the statewide average.

Ironically (for a city with a large prison population), Avenal’s crime rate is actually 60% below the national average. Not to mention that the cost of living in Avenal is about 30% cheaper than the rest of California.

Adelanto has the exact same problems that Lucerne Valley has, and it’s located only a half hour away. Except, the crime in Adelanto is far worse than it is in Lucerne Valley. Its residents most likely work in nearby Victorville or make the trek through the Cajon Pass to shlep into San Bernardino or Riverside.

Most people have only been to Adelanto while driving on 395 on their way up north, or because they got talked into attending a baseball game at Maverick Stadium.

Or, they were desperate because Apple Valley’s Del Taco was closed.

Most people have never heard of Clearlake. A Google map search determined it’s on the banks of Clear Lake, in the middle of nowhere north of Sacramento. Apparently, things aren’t too fabulous there, as the incomes here are almost on the poverty level, and 1 in 10 people are unemployed. While it could be considered a bit of a weekend getaway for city slickers (maybe?), almost half of the city’s roads are unpaved. Not a good sign.

And the nearest Del Taco is an hour and a half away.

Mendota is a tiny place wedged between the 5 Freeway and Fresno in Central California. This region of California, to put it nicely, is pretty isolated, hot, and sprinkled with farms and all other sorts of agriculture. It’s an important place, economically speaking, since a lot of the nation relies on California grown crops.

However, when you consider how hard central California has been hit with water-related issues, it isn’t surprising that at least one city in this region topped this list. Crime in the area is way above normal, and residents are underemployed and way underpaid. Simply speaking, there really isn’t anything charming about Mendota.

Situated a half-hour south of Merced, Dos Palos is a city of 5,651 that ranks as the 7th worst place to call home in California.

The poverty is moderately high, unemployment is nearly double the statewide average, and criminal activity (especially violent crime) is all too common.

On a positive note, Dos Palos is one of the most affordable cities in California, with a cost of living below the national average (that’s rare in the Golden State).

Also, it’s easy to get away from it all if you’re a fan of nature; both the San Luis and Merced National Wildlife Reguges are just a short drive away.