Just a bit of news for all of my fellow MV residents about why this is such a great place to live. A website that rates towns across the country as best of various categories lists the best beach towns in the US. The site, WalletHub, has its latest list of best beach towns in the US and guess who’s on the list–at Number 4, no less (first in California): Mill Valley! Now, we do have a Bay shoreline, at Richardson Bay, but, when you think of sandy beaches and folks running around in swimsuits, Mill Valley rarely is the first place that pops into your mind. But here we are! For more details, read on.
Wait a minute, we hear you protest. Mill Valley a beach town? Stinson Beach, sure, and Moss Beach, but — Mill Valley? It’s a wonderful place to live, but …
Well, Mill Valley does have shoreline on Richardson Bay, so technically it is a beach town, and Richardson Bay does connect to the Pacific Ocean via San Francisco Bay, and there’s no question that it is a fabulous place to call home. And anyway, it is one of nine Bay Area communities on WalletHub’s new list of Best Beach Towns to Live In.
WalletHub counts 205 communities across the United States on its 2018 list of most livable beach towns. It compared them on 58 indicators of livability grouped in six categories: affordability, weather, safety, economy, education and health, and quality of life.
Mill Valley places high in all categories, scoring second in economy, fifth in safety, 31st in quality of life, 35th in affordability, 41st in education and health, and 49th in weather. The only beachfront towns that ranked higher on the list were Lahaina, Hawaii, and Naples and Sarasota, Florida.
Other Bay Area communities on the 2018 list of most livable beach towns:
- Benicia, 22nd
- San Mateo, 23rd
- Alameda, 37th
- Daly City, 52nd
- Half Moon Bay, 61st
- Pacifica, 76th
- Sonoma, 116th
- Richmond, 136th.
Additional facts gleaned from the WalletHub data:
- Daly City has the second-lowest foreclosure rate among the 205 communities on the list.
- Mill Valley has the third-highest percentage of insured residents.
- Richmond has the lowest percentage of for-sale waterfront homes.
- Alameda has the third-lowest water temperature, while Richmond has the fourth-lowest.
See you at the beach. Maybe a clambake?
If you’re interested in acquiring beachfront property, or have needs of any kind in real estate, call us. We are MV residents for over 40 years, and would be pleased to help. The numbers: Peter: (415) 279-6466; Jane: (415) 531-4091.