Vallejo and Fairfield

Likewise, with Salinas, other towns around the San Francisco Bay Area are Vallejo and Fairfield, which also have a similar population, with about 444,000 people living here. It is known to be more affordable than the big city, despite the fact that it only takes a quick ferry ride to get from one place to the other, but it is still one of the more pricey cities on the list, despite all the relaxation perks you can enjoy here.

The percentage of the population that is over the age of 60 comes to 22%, with a lot of retirees choosing to retire here rather than stay in San Francisco due to how high the prices are. If your budget is not that limited in retirement and you would like to move here, the median rent here is about $1,684 and the mortgage goes up to $2,235.

Some of the unique features that would make you choose Vallejo and Fairfield over Salinas would be the fact that Six Flags Discovery Kingdom is actually located in Vallejo, which would be a hit with the grandkids, and that you can easily visit the jelly bean factory in Fairfield!