2025 Compare Cities Rankings:
Pismo Beach, CA vs Petaluma, CA

#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

#1 America’s Best Cities for Foodies

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

#137 Best Green Cities

#166 2005 Best Places to Live

It's a nice town to visit - although very touristy. Clean air - and nice sand dunes nearby. A variety of housing - but expensive. Good for seafood. I would say  More

It's still challenging to find a good job: Diablo Canyon Nuclear plant has announced it will be closing in 9 years, so many 6-figure incomes will be going along with the  More

Because of fires allowed in campsites each and everyday it is very smokey and hard to  More

I agree with the low star reviews. Been here for 25 years, raised a family and seen everything turn to the left and worse. Weather is glorious, love the old Victorians  More

We’ve lived here for 3 years and we love it. It has taken some time to grow on us. We moved from SF where we had lived over 15 years, we were not used to one year leases  More

I’ve lived here a couple of years (after living in others parts of the Bay Area for 15+ years) and I love it! Great neighborhoods, friendly folks, good schools with  More