Oakland, California
Rank: 31
Population: 401,036

Oakland may be San Francisco’s rougher, smaller next-door neighbor. But it’s a great place to live in its own right, even if you can’t afford a unit in the stunning Cathedral Building. Oakland’s expanding restaurant scene has brought it some buzz. Residents embrace a grittier background than their Bay Area neighbors, as reflected by fans of the Raiders football team, known simply as “Raider Nation.”

Bars: 67
Restaurants: 894
Museums: 14
Libraries: 27
Pro sports teams: 3
Park acres per 1,000 residents: 13
Colleges: 7
Percent with graduate degree: 11.2
Median household income: $59,097
Percent unemployed: 9.5