U.S. News & World Report’s list of the Most Expensive Places to Live in the U.S. in 2023–2024 named San Diego the most expensive city in the country. The list was based on factors such as quality of life, property affordability, and desirability.
Cities like San Francisco (ranked sixth) and New York City (ranked eleventh), which are known for having expensive homes, were ranked much lower by U.S. News.
Out of the 25 places on the list, 12 were in California. Three of the top five were there. Second place went to Los Angeles, and fifth place went to Santa Barbara.
The scores, which are used for U.S. News’ Best Places to Live list, looked at the average temperature, the crime rate, the quality of education, the unemployment rate, and the median yearly family income.
As of today, the average home value in San Diego is $961,629. This is a lot more than the average home value in the U.S., which is $288,539. With an average value of $1.3 million, homes in San Francisco are worth more than those in San Diego. This is since San Francisco is further down the list.
Based on Zillow, the average monthly rent in San Diego is $3,200. This is less than the average monthly rent in New York, which is almost $3,600, and in San Francisco, which is almost $3,500. People think that these places cost less.