UPDATE: Check out our new 2023 Best Cities to Live in the U.S. list.
#34. Emeryville
Situated between the cities of Berkeley and Oakland and extending to the San Francisco Bay, Emeryville has experienced recent economic growth thanks in large part to biotech and software companies settling in. Schools in Emeryville rank well among the nation’s top educational systems. Local students attend the well-regarded Emery Unified School District along with Ex’pression College for Digital Arts, a private university whose graduates are often hired by Pixar, the city’s largest employer. Emeryville has several shopping destinations and six beautiful parks.