Pleasanton ranked 11th among California cities in U.S. News and World Report’s 2026-27 list, while nearby Dublin took the top position. The ranking compared 161 cities using measures tied to commuting, jobs, housing values and income.
Several Tri-Valley cities appeared near the top of the statewide list. Dublin received a 6.2 overall score, San Ramon ranked seventh with a 5.8 score, Pleasanton followed with a 5.7, and Livermore ranked 26th with a 5.5. Danville was not part of the rankings.
For Pleasanton, U.S. News listed a median home value of $1,466,146, a 28.3-minute average commute, a median household income of $191,470 and a 4.9% unemployment rate. The source reported that Pleasanton’s unemployment figure was above the national rate.
Dublin’s listed figures included a $1,283,390 median home value, compared with a national average of $359,870. U.S. News also reported Dublin’s average commute at 31.2 minutes, its median household income at $211,868 and its unemployment rate at 3.4%, below the 4.5% national figure. San Ramon’s listed numbers were a $1,380,229 median home value, a 29.8-minute average commute, $204,458 in median household income and 4.4% unemployment.
The ranking used information from public and private sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau, the Department of Commerce, the Federal Reserve, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, and state and local data sources. U.S. News grouped the information into four indexes covering value, quality of life, desirability and the job market.
