2. San Francisco Bay Area (Oakland, CA)
If you’re looking for a bustling area to settle down in, look no further than Oakland. With an affordable cost of living and close proximity to San Francisco’s city center, many people are choosing to move out of their expensive apartments downtown and start afresh in Oakland. Plus, real estate prices are still affordable here: A quick search on Zillow will show you that homes can be purchased for less than $500,000.