By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-12-15 23:56:19 | Updated at 2024-12-16 02:37:03
2 hours ago
Celebrity hotspot Santa Barbara has been ranked the best place to live in the US for 'near-perfect' weather.
Often nicknamed the 'American Riviera', the coastal city in California is renowned for its climate, U.S. News reported.
Average temperatures ranging from 55 to 65 degrees and as many as 329 rain-free days a year mean it is ideal location for outdoors enthusiasts.
However, experts warn that the idyllic setting is increasingly vulnerable to climate change-related threats, including rising sea levels, coastal erosion, landslides, shifting rainfall patterns, and wildfires.
ClimateCheck, which tracks the threat, estimated that approximately 85 percent of Santa Barbara's buildings are at very high risk of wildfire.
Despite these challenges, the city's Mediterranean climate continues to attract celebrities and affluent residents with its stunning scenery and grand homes.
As a result, the median property price in the area is an eye-watering $1,789,765.
Santa Barbara boasts as many as 329 rain-free days annually, with average temperatures ranging from 55 degrees to 65 degrees
Nicknamed 'The American Riviera,' the town is plagued by rising sea levels, coastal erosion, landslides, shifting rainfall patterns, and wildfires
In second place behind Santa Barbara is Los Angeles, with California dominating the list in general, snapping up seven of the top ten spots. Vallejo came in third, San Francisco fourth, San Diego fifth, San Jose sixth and Salinas seventh.
This findings come just months after California was battered by a catastrophic storm.
In February the state was hit by half a year's worth of rain that left a trail of destruction.
At least nine lives were lost and entire neighborhoods wiped out.
Heart-wrenching photos showed homes dangling precariously over a Santa Barbara County cliffside after a massive erosion event displaced 45 people.
The region was also battered by hundreds of landslides, especially in the southern areas, which endured the wettest storm in history, with over a foot of rain pummeling certain locations, including the Hollywood Hills.
Outside California, Charleston, South Carolina came in eighth; Mobile, Alabama ninth; and New Orleans, Louisiana tenth make the list.
At the opposite end of the scale is Seattle, Washington, which sees an average of 156 rainy days per year.
Despite its exceptional weather, Santa Barbara ranked only 71st in overall best places to live list, primarily due to its high cost of living and expensive real estate.
Pictured: A person walks through flood waters in Santa Barbara as a powerful long-duration atmospheric river storm, the second in less than a week, in February 2024
While California is often celebrated for its idyllic climate, the state surprisingly ranked lower than Utah in a recent study by ConsumerAffairs about the best places to live.
Utah, known for its stunning landscapes and outdoor activities, claimed the top spot due to its strong economy, affordable housing, and high quality of life.
Its residents enjoy access to world-class national parks, including Arches, Bryce Canyon, and Zion.
Following Utah, New Hampshire, Idaho, Minnesota, and Massachusetts rounded out the top five.
California, on the other hand, ranked near the bottom due to its high cost of living, traffic congestion and other challenges.
