There are all types when it comes to being a snob in California. You’ve got your Wine Snobs, Book Snobs, and, of course, Clothes Snobs. Then there are the Technology Snobs, Car Snobs, and yes, even City Snobsas in, I’m better than you because I live in (insert snooty city here).
How can we tell which California cities are the snobbiest? By measuring snobby things, that’s how.
We used Saturday Night Science to look at things like expensive homes, high incomes, and overly educated populations by city in California. These are the criteria you’d argue with a friend over a foodie dinner about who’s snobbier.
After analyzing 411 of the state’s most populous areas over 5,000 people, we came up with this ranking of the ten snobbiest places in the state of California.
The Californian in these places aren’t snobby, they just know they’re better than you.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Snobbiest Places In California
Don’t freak out.
What’s the snobbiest place in California? The snobbiest place in California is Los Altos Hills based on the data. If we had their wealth and lifestyle, we’d probably be a little snobby, too.
The most laid back? That would be Calipatria.
We’re not so full of ourselves as to make this ranking up from nowhere. So here’s a look at the top ten and more on how we did it. And if you’re curious, California is the 8th snobbiest in the United States.
For more California reading, check out:
The 10 Snobbiest Places In California For 2024
/10
% Highly Educated: 87.0%
Median Income: $250,001
Median Home Price: $5,525,121
More on Los Altos Hills: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
% Highly Educated: 86.0%
Median Income: $250,001
Median Home Price: $7,732,900
More on Atherton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
% Highly Educated: 87.0%
Median Income: $250,001
Median Home Price: $4,060,663
More on Los Altos: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
% Highly Educated: 83.0%
Median Income: $250,001
Median Home Price: $5,101,758
More on Hillsborough: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
% Highly Educated: 80.0%
Median Income: $237,730
Median Home Price: $3,602,379
More on Saratoga: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
% Highly Educated: 85.0%
Median Income: $250,001
Median Home Price: $2,521,288
More on Piedmont: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
% Highly Educated: 76.0%
Median Income: $250,001
Median Home Price: $3,633,237
More on Woodside: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
% Highly Educated: 83.0%
Median Income: $214,118
Median Home Price: $3,220,174
More on Palo Alto: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
% Highly Educated: 83.0%
Median Income: $223,667
Median Home Price: $2,701,204
More on Cupertino: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
% Highly Educated: 79.0%
Median Income: $224,766
Median Home Price: $2,717,769
More on Palos Verdes Estates: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Methodology: How we determined the snobbiest cities in the Golden State
Do you think wed just come up with this list willy-nilly? Not a chance – we only use Saturday Night Science around here.
We gathered up all of the places in California with populations of 5,000 people or more. This left us with a total of 411 places. Then, we looked at each place in terms of these snoot-er-iffic criteria (And no, its not a word. English snob.):
- Median home price (Higher is snobbier)
- Median household income (Higher is snobbier)
- Percent of population with a college degree (Higher is snobbier)
Incomes and college education levels come from the American Community Survey. Home prices come from Zillow.
Turned out this simple criteria was much better at sniffing out the snobby places then more snobby criteria like:
- Libaries per capita (Higher is snobbier)
- Museums per capita (Higher is snobbier)
- Private schools per capita (Higher is snobbier)
From there, we ranked each of our 411 places in each category with scores from one to 411. We then averaged each places ranking into one overall score, where the lowest score went to the snobbiest place in California. So lets all flip a table in honor of Los Altos Hills (with our pinkies up, of course.)
Before you get upset and ruin your blowout or something drastic here, lets remember that this is all in good fun. Would we live in one of these 10 places if we had the chance? Of course, we would.
And it’s not like your real estate agent would ever point out how snobby the town you’re moving to is. We’re here to keep you grounded, even if you’re wearing a monocle.
There You Have It – Now That You’re On Your High Horse
When it comes to snobbery, these places in California are heading ever upward. Residents in these communities are well educated, well paid, and appear to have all the sophisticated culture and entertainment of an Ernst Lubitsch film right at their fingertips.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
The snobbiest cities in California are Los Altos Hills, Atherton, Los Altos, Hillsborough, Saratoga, Piedmont, Woodside, Palo Alto, Cupertino, and Palos Verdes Estates.
If you’re also curious enough, here are the most laid back places in California, according to science:
- Calipatria
- Huron
- Mcfarland
For more California reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In California
- Cheapest Places To Live In California
- Most Dangerous Cities In California
- Richest Cities In California
- Safest Places In California
- Worst Places To Live In California
- Most Expensive Places To Live In California
Table: The Snobbiest Cities In California For 2024
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Prices | Adult Highly Educated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Altos Hills, CA | 8,441 | $250,001 | $5,525,121 | 87.0% |
| 2 | Atherton, CA | 7,124 | $250,001 | $7,732,900 | 86.0% |
| 3 | Los Altos, CA | 31,133 | $250,001 | $4,060,663 | 87.0% |
| 4 | Hillsborough, CA | 11,258 | $250,001 | $5,101,758 | 83.0% |
| 5 | Saratoga, CA | 30,771 | $237,730 | $3,602,379 | 80.0% |
| 6 | Piedmont, CA | 11,161 | $250,001 | $2,521,288 | 85.0% |
| 7 | Woodside, CA | 5,256 | $250,001 | $3,633,237 | 76.0% |
| 8 | Palo Alto, CA | 67,901 | $214,118 | $3,220,174 | 83.0% |
| 9 | Cupertino, CA | 59,763 | $223,667 | $2,701,204 | 83.0% |
| 10 | Palos Verdes Estates, CA | 13,219 | $224,766 | $2,717,769 | 79.0% |
| 11 | Orinda, CA | 19,477 | $250,001 | $2,000,722 | 86.0% |
| 12 | Tiburon, CA | 9,115 | $200,886 | $2,963,608 | 77.0% |
| 13 | Manhattan Beach, CA | 35,123 | $187,217 | $2,990,671 | 78.0% |
| 14 | San Marino, CA | 12,442 | $174,253 | $2,524,471 | 81.0% |
| 15 | Los Gatos, CA | 33,093 | $198,117 | $2,554,492 | 75.0% |
| 16 | Menlo Park, CA | 33,324 | $198,273 | $2,574,718 | 73.0% |
| 17 | Mill Valley, CA | 14,199 | $202,986 | $2,043,408 | 76.0% |
| 18 | Lafayette, CA | 25,310 | $219,250 | $1,924,093 | 76.0% |
| 19 | Malibu, CA | 10,698 | $186,905 | $3,392,502 | 71.0% |
| 20 | Moraga, CA | 16,859 | $193,707 | $1,737,291 | 80.0% |
| 21 | Corte Madera, CA | 10,155 | $210,560 | $1,760,932 | 76.0% |
| 22 | Danville, CA | 43,449 | $209,518 | $1,861,576 | 73.0% |
| 23 | San Carlos, CA | 30,490 | $219,413 | $2,206,123 | 66.0% |
| 24 | Rolling Hills Estates, CA | 8,214 | $179,917 | $1,986,586 | 74.0% |
| 25 | Hermosa Beach, CA | 19,551 | $149,500 | $2,169,343 | 78.0% |
| 26 | Mountain View, CA | 82,132 | $174,156 | $1,845,861 | 73.0% |
| 27 | Belmont, CA | 27,820 | $185,944 | $2,118,293 | 68.0% |
| 28 | Newport Beach, CA | 85,159 | $149,471 | $3,132,424 | 68.0% |
| 29 | Sunnyvale, CA | 154,573 | $174,506 | $1,875,596 | 68.0% |
| 30 | San Ramon, CA | 86,119 | $190,829 | $1,550,726 | 70.0% |
| 31 | Burlingame, CA | 30,995 | $165,940 | $2,516,360 | 65.0% |
| 32 | Larkspur, CA | 12,969 | $147,772 | $2,123,779 | 71.0% |
| 33 | Rancho Palos Verdes, CA | 41,805 | $166,747 | $1,836,118 | 69.0% |
| 34 | Sausalito, CA | 7,233 | $163,170 | $1,538,563 | 76.0% |
| 35 | San Anselmo, CA | 12,761 | $165,366 | $1,659,899 | 70.0% |
| 36 | Pleasanton, CA | 78,691 | $181,639 | $1,582,884 | 68.0% |
| 37 | Calabasas, CA | 23,106 | $154,079 | $1,667,987 | 70.0% |
| 38 | Solana Beach, CA | 12,946 | $137,647 | $2,030,109 | 70.0% |
| 39 | Laguna Beach, CA | 22,943 | $141,875 | $2,817,490 | 64.0% |
| 40 | Dublin, CA | 71,068 | $191,039 | $1,293,624 | 69.0% |
| 41 | Villa Park, CA | 5,814 | $189,306 | $2,030,498 | 52.0% |
| 42 | Encinitas, CA | 61,942 | $142,506 | $1,808,679 | 65.0% |
| 43 | Santa Clara, CA | 128,058 | $165,352 | $1,524,900 | 64.0% |
| 44 | Fremont, CA | 228,795 | $169,023 | $1,413,076 | 62.0% |
| 45 | South Pasadena, CA | 26,583 | $127,882 | $1,650,214 | 72.0% |
| 46 | Beverly Hills, CA | 32,406 | $116,771 | $3,641,358 | 65.0% |
| 47 | El Segundo, CA | 17,081 | $142,596 | $1,606,335 | 62.0% |
| 48 | Coronado, CA | 18,871 | $125,558 | $2,474,258 | 64.0% |
| 49 | Campbell, CA | 43,464 | $141,794 | $1,652,630 | 59.0% |
| 50 | San Mateo, CA | 104,165 | $149,152 | $1,510,087 | 58.0% |
| 51 | Milpitas, CA | 79,092 | $166,769 | $1,346,828 | 56.0% |
| 52 | La Habra Heights, CA | 5,599 | $179,990 | $1,294,550 | 56.0% |
| 53 | St. Helena, CA | 5,426 | $135,781 | $1,750,362 | 58.0% |
| 54 | Agoura Hills, CA | 20,088 | $157,930 | $1,186,593 | 67.0% |
| 55 | Millbrae, CA | 22,825 | $146,649 | $1,927,421 | 50.0% |
| 56 | Redondo Beach, CA | 70,620 | $134,033 | $1,379,761 | 65.0% |
| 57 | Half Moon Bay, CA | 11,633 | $148,702 | $1,510,034 | 55.0% |
| 58 | Carlsbad, CA | 114,745 | $134,139 | $1,449,918 | 60.0% |
| 59 | Albany, CA | 20,027 | $124,469 | $1,208,704 | 76.0% |
| 60 | Sierra Madre, CA | 11,151 | $128,056 | $1,347,845 | 65.0% |
| 61 | Irvine, CA | 304,527 | $122,948 | $1,331,528 | 70.0% |
| 62 | San Francisco, CA | 851,036 | $136,689 | $1,254,436 | 59.0% |
| 63 | Yorba Linda, CA | 68,035 | $148,325 | $1,245,181 | 56.0% |
| 64 | Laguna Niguel, CA | 64,259 | $135,822 | $1,312,612 | 56.0% |
| 65 | Fairfax, CA | 7,567 | $126,034 | $1,234,232 | 68.0% |
| 66 | Walnut Creek, CA | 69,809 | $129,971 | $1,086,764 | 70.0% |
| 67 | Clayton, CA | 11,070 | $164,899 | $1,066,247 | 57.0% |
| 68 | San Clemente, CA | 64,232 | $134,730 | $1,564,490 | 50.0% |
| 69 | Scotts Valley, CA | 12,239 | $136,867 | $1,261,441 | 54.0% |
| 70 | Santa Monica, CA | 92,168 | $106,797 | $1,685,607 | 67.0% |
| 71 | Alameda, CA | 77,565 | $129,917 | $1,192,032 | 60.0% |
| 72 | Berkeley, CA | 121,385 | $104,716 | $1,400,497 | 73.0% |
| 73 | Dana Point, CA | 33,025 | $119,632 | $1,541,691 | 55.0% |
| 74 | Morgan Hill, CA | 45,291 | $152,199 | $1,310,579 | 46.0% |
| 75 | Pacifica, CA | 38,048 | $151,849 | $1,246,502 | 48.0% |
| 76 | El Cerrito, CA | 25,869 | $120,414 | $1,162,177 | 66.0% |
| 77 | Poway, CA | 48,737 | $135,605 | $1,140,886 | 54.0% |
| 78 | Walnut, CA | 28,212 | $130,444 | $1,093,688 | 56.0% |
| 79 | San Jose, CA | 1,001,176 | $136,010 | $1,330,692 | 46.0% |
| 80 | Pleasant Hill, CA | 34,504 | $137,685 | $996,672 | 56.0% |
| 81 | Mission Viejo, CA | 93,233 | $136,570 | $1,077,063 | 52.0% |
| 82 | Livermore, CA | 87,154 | $152,590 | $1,087,248 | 48.0% |
| 83 | Newark, CA | 47,470 | $159,465 | $1,189,585 | 44.0% |
| 84 | Rancho Santa Margarita, CA | 47,702 | $150,146 | $938,523 | 50.0% |
| 85 | San Rafael, CA | 60,891 | $113,839 | $1,346,362 | 50.0% |
| 86 | Arcadia, CA | 56,181 | $108,214 | $1,326,864 | 55.0% |
| 87 | Pacific Grove, CA | 15,098 | $102,553 | $1,365,557 | 58.0% |
| 88 | Santa Cruz, CA | 61,367 | $105,491 | $1,318,776 | 57.0% |
| 89 | Cerritos, CA | 49,016 | $124,460 | $1,003,485 | 56.0% |
| 90 | San Bruno, CA | 43,218 | $131,669 | $1,253,713 | 44.0% |
| 91 | Aliso Viejo, CA | 51,896 | $131,708 | $915,734 | 56.0% |
| 92 | Goleta, CA | 32,640 | $113,889 | $1,308,615 | 49.0% |
| 93 | Laguna Hills, CA | 31,170 | $122,902 | $1,076,942 | 52.0% |
| 94 | Lake Forest, CA | 85,583 | $128,358 | $1,056,345 | 49.0% |
| 95 | Santa Barbara, CA | 88,640 | $98,346 | $1,766,791 | 51.0% |
| 96 | Torrance, CA | 145,454 | $109,554 | $1,140,607 | 52.0% |
| 97 | Claremont, CA | 36,891 | $115,091 | $926,202 | 58.0% |
| 98 | Pismo Beach, CA | 8,050 | $109,196 | $1,237,660 | 49.0% |
| 99 | Thousand Oaks, CA | 126,532 | $125,399 | $1,001,691 | 49.0% |
| 100 | Huntington Beach, CA | 197,481 | $114,747 | $1,206,669 | 47.0% |
Jeez, Orinda is waaay snobbier than Lafayette. I should know, I’m from there. Orinda is home of the leaf blower ban and the “Stop the Housing Element Team”. We may have even invented the acronym NIMBY. Our roads are the worst in the Bay Area, just to keep casual drivers out. We’re too cheap to have many private schools or theaters – we just use Lafayette’s, Berkeley’s, Oakland’s and San Francisco’s.
Of course Orinda is snobbier than Lafayette. They totally screwed the pooch by limiting their survey to cities with populations of 10,000 and up. They missed ALL the truly snobby places.
How ignorant. Lmao. So keep on living in your slum, with your crappy schools, and lack of culture. Awesome.
Haha Mark, I hope you realize how ironic your comment is. If you read the article, you’d see that the author wasn’t trying to insult anybody (and if they did, it was in good humor).
I thought this was an interesting piece. Obviously the title and the wording of the article was tailored as clickbait but really it was just a study on affluence, education, and culture. It’s nothing scientific and it probably took the author an hour or two of research, but it was an amusing and informative read nonetheless.
Clearly you haven’t actually spent any time in the cities you are reviewing. One of my very first experiences as a new mother in Mill Valley involved a total stranger offering to run into the grocery store for me to pick up milk & eggs so I wouldn’t have to struggle with taking in my newborn and toddler. I was overwhelmed by the kindness of another mother who didn’t even know me. I have had other similar experiences over the years and our local public schools are fantastic (no need for private). You can’t judge the kindness of someone’s heart by the cost of their house. Shame on you.
This is the dumbest article I have ever scene. Must not have schools where the author is from.
Stanford University is in the town of Stanford, not Palo Alto. Yes, it is right next door and it has a lot of influence on Palo Alto, but it has never been a part of that city.
I live in Palo Alto, and I never doubted that we ranked high on snobbery. After all, not only do we have a community theater company and a community orchestra, but we have a community opera company as well.
I don’t know where Palo Alto stands with this metric or how much it is weighted, but I take objection to your inclusion of private school density as a criterion. Firstly, the number of private schools in a city relative to that city’s population is not necessarily the best measure of how many eligible students in a city attend private school, as private schools may vary in size and often do not restrict enrollment to the residents of their host city. Secondly, while private school enrollment (if that were the metric used, which it isn’t) is an understandable measure to be associated with snobbery, given that in most parts of the country elites seek out private schools for the usually superior quality of education they provide, Palo Alto may be an exception that proves the rule. In Palo Alto, the quality of our public schools rivals that of many nearby private schools. Therefore, many Palo Alto parents proudly send their children to public school, deeming private school unnecessarily expensive for its relative value. Does this fact make us more or less snobby?
FWIW, the Stanford University campus is not actually located in Palo Alto. It is located in unincorporated Santa Clara County, adjacent to Palo Alto.
The Stanford Industrial Park, Stanford Shopping Center, and the Stanford Medical Center are within the Palo Alto city limits, but the academic campus, including the medical school, and student and faculty housing are not.
You forgot Atherton and Menlo Park. Neighbors to Palo Alto which did make the list.
Lived in Los Gatos for 15 years, and yes it’s a desired community but because of the exceptional school system level, the photo is the high school which is the most beautiful one I’ve ever seen and I’ve lived all over the states, with the best teaching staff in the country, and its facilities are like a university…I grew up in Ann Arbor, Mi. Which is a university town and gorgeous. I now live and have for 28 years on Catalina island, in Avalon which is the most mellow in the state, and beautiful… Location, location.
You missed Hillsborough. So snobby they don’t have sidewalks or businesses.
How “snobby” can little San Carlos actually be?
We don’t even have a high school anymore…they tore it down!!
Lmao these people have obviously never heard of yorba linda
I’ve worked in Palo Alto and San Carlos & live near Los Gatos. I like shopping there, the good stores are closer together than in San Jose and I’ve found it friendly. More so than San Carlos. Palo Alto isn’t a place I’d ever want to live. I watched pregnant women freaking out about getting their kid into the right daycare so they’d get into the right private school in order to get into the right college…their lives didn’t seem pleasant at all.
But I’m weird. I’ve always preferred happiness to bragging rights.
Piedmont?
Where’s walnut creek?
I’m a little late to the party, but shouldn’t snobbery show in human behavior rather than how financially privileged the people are? Seems like actual incidents should tell the tale. I was expecting LA to rank on here becuse of all the times I’ve come across people from LA sneering at the towns and counties around them or referring to everything in the area as LA despite how many different cities there are. Also I’m kinda sick of them being LA and the rest of us being “the Southland.”