2025 Compare Cities Rankings:
Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA vs Arroyo Grande, CA

#26 America's Best and Worst Cities for Crime (Mid-Size Metro Areas)

#105 America's Migraine Hot Spots

#132 Best Green Cities

#153 2005 Best Places to Live

#3 2005 Best Places to Live

#10 Most Competitive Public Colleges

#16 America's Best and Worst Cities for Crime (Mid-Size Metro Areas)

#64 Best Green Cities

Climate, cost &  More

carmel has about 60 vacation homes and a dense cottage-y downtown. basically it is a tourist trap cental business district and a bunch of vacation rental homes. the  More

Liberals have run me out of town. The political is so overwhelming I am looking to relocate. However, if you are an aging hippie with a great deal of money you will be  More

Arroyo Grande is a nice place to live. However, it is rather expensive for many people. There is a large retirement community living here, and home and rental prices are  More

I've lived here for nearly thirty years and love it. Great, easy climate year round. I know what I'm talking about--having lived in San Francisco Bay Area, Nevada,  More

People from here absolutely love it and refuse to admit that it is much too expensive. They hate change. To live in a good school area will cost you dearly. There is  More