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Senior Resources » Best Retirement Cities Near San Francisco

Best Retirement Cities Near San Francisco

As one of the most populous cities in the state of California, San Francisco is perhaps best known for its diversity, outrageous food trends, and booming nightlife. The Bay Area draws its fair share of tourists, and around 900,000 call it home. But, if you’re a senior or retiree looking to downsize and get out of the big city, consider these suburbs that are close by.

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Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California

Byron, CA

The city of Byron is very small! With a population of just 1,277 and a total area of 6.5 square miles, this small town is made up of mostly family homes. Byron was previously home to a popular hot springs retreat in the early 1900s that attracted movie stars and the wealthy before it closed.

Knightsen, CA

Knightsen is a town of 1,568 that’s near Oakley, California. Knightsen is rare in that 100% of its residents live in houses. Knightsen is an excellent small town for retirees and families who want to live a self-sustainable lifestyle. The town of Knightsen is huge on farming and is a large producer of walnuts, almonds, and similar nut products. Knightsen is also home to many horse ranches. Farming, ranches, and a median income of around $58,900 make this an appealing town for those who want to live simpler.

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Clyde, CA

The town of Clyde, CA definitely qualifies as a small town with a town size of .1 square miles! 678 is the total population for Clyde and though it’s small, it is quite diverse. The town of Clyde was planned as a town for the Pacific Coast Shipbuilding Company and was created directly from plans. The town of Clyde has excellent greenery and many trees and plants lining the streets of this pretty small town.

Port Costa, CA

Originally founded as a ferry landing, Port Costa is a small town in California that boasts a population of 190 persons. Much of the town is made up of Czech Americans and all residents are English speaking. This small town is made of beautiful rolling hills. The interesting thing about Port Costa is the antique shops that have attracted people from all over with their beautiful findings.

Muir Beach, CA

Muir Beach, CA is an area of astounding beauty. This coastline town, rich with a beautiful sea and high, gorgeous mountains is a small town of 310 people. For such a small town, Muir Beach, CA has a high median income of over $152,000. This small town is what it looks like in pictures of beautiful resorts. None of the residents in Muir Beach live at or below the poverty line and all residents live a beautiful lifestyle near a 1000-foot beach. Muir Beach is one of the best neighborhoods for upper-middle-class citizens around the Bay area.

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Stinson Beach, CA

Stinson Beach, CA is a beautiful beach town near San Francisco Bay. Stinson Beach is one of the best tourist spots for those wishing to take a day trip from San Francisco. The current population of Stinson Beach, CA is 632 people. Stinson Beach has buses that run from San Francisco for tourist trips to the beautiful beach. The town has a per capita median income of around $62,000. For those who want to live a nice, breezy life after retirement near the beach, Stinson, CA is the perfect small town for this lifestyle.

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Originally published September 20, 2022

Robert Fowler

Robert Fowler is a retired blogger, previously the President of Retirement Media Inc. He has visited numerous 55+ Active Adult Communities over the years, sharing his experiences along the way with readers.

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Best Retirement Cities Near San Francisco

Byron, CA

Knightsen, CA

Clyde, CA

Port Costa, CA

Muir Beach, CA

Stinson Beach, CA

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