24/7 Wall St., an online financial news and opinion source, has released its list of the best and worst run cities in the nation. Three California cities were listed in the top 20, while seven were in the bottom 20.
The list takes into account poverty level, financial management, the strength of the economy, quality of life, and other factors. The three cities from California that broke into the top 20 were San Francisco, Fremont, and Irvine.
Irvine, which ranked number three overall, has the most educated population of the 100 largest cities in the country. 97 percent of residents over the age 25 have high school diplomas and 63 percent have bachelor degrees. With a very low crime rate and nearly 19 percent making $200,000 per year, quality of life ranks high.
But in San Bernardino, which ranked dead last, violent crime, unemployment, and home values ranked near the bottom among ranked cities. The average home value declined by 57 percent since the peak of the market. The city’s bankruptcy also factored into the ranking.
Read the full story at 24/7 Wall St.