Escondido, CA, United States

Living in Escondido means accepting a hefty dose of reality. With a population of 151,038 as of the 2020 census, this inland city is considerably hotter than the coast during the summer and has a crime rate 72% higher than the national average. The bureaucracy can also be a persistent headache, as evidenced by the city's contentious policies around illegal immigration. On the plus side, the mild climate supports avocado and orange cultivation. Overall, Escondido seems best suited for those who can stomach the trade-offs of living in a more affordable, inland enclave of San Diego County.