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Ferrari says 80% of its models will be electric or hybrid by 2030

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Italy's Ferrari says it will unveil its first SUV in September
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Ferrari unveiled Thursday plans to turn 80 percent of its production into all-electric or hybrid cars by 2030 in a major shift for an iconic brand renowned for its powerful combustion engines.

“Electrification is a way to improve performance,” new chief executive Benedetto Vigna said as he unveiled a four-year strategic plan at the brand’s historic Maranello site in northern Italy.

The 2022-2026 plan will be driven by the launch of new products — including Ferrari’s first 100 percent electric car, set to be presented in 2025.

“Ferrari’s first all-electric car will be 100 percent a sports car,” commercial director Enrico Galliera told AFP.

“We will develop an electric car that will deliver the same emotions as when you drive a (traditional) Ferrari,” he pledged, without revealing any technical details.

The Italian luxury carmaker plans to expand the Maranello plant and create a third production line for hybrid and electric vehicles.

Under the plan, some 60 percent of its production would be all-electric or hybrid models by 2026, rising to 80 percent by 2030.

Other upcoming new products include Ferrari’s first SUV, “Purosangue” (Thoroughbred), which will be unveiled in September, with deliveries from 2023.

Including the all-electric offer, another 15 new launches are expected between 2023 and 2026, Vigna said.

Ferrari, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, broke results records in 2021, delivering 11,155 cars — up 22.3 percent  — and generating revenue of 4.3 billion euros (up 23.4 percent).

It said Thursday it was setting an ambitious target for revenues. The 6.7-billion-euro ($7-billion) goal for 2026 is well above this year’s estimated revenue of around 4.8 billion euros.  

Vigna did not give many details of the new Purosangue, other than that it will be a sports car and will have a V12 engine, a trademark of the mythical brand.

But he said: “I am confident it will exceed all expectations.”

He emphasised its exclusivity, saying it would make up on average fewer than 20 percent of total deliveries.

Under the previous strategic plan unveiled in 2018, Ferrari had also promised the launch of 15 cars — a target Vigna said had been reached.

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23 of 2023’s most gas-guzzling cars

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Some cars cost more to fuel up. Stacker used data from the Department of Energy's fuel economy database to rank the 23 most gas-guzzling cars of 2023.
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Fluctuating gas prices have many feeling pain at the pump—but owners of gas-guzzling cars feel it more acutely.

Stacker used data from the Department of Energy’s fuel economy database to rank the 23 most gas-guzzling cars of 2023. Duplicate models of the same car line were excluded from this analysis: For example, the data includes information on the Rolls-Royce Ghost, Ghost Black Badge, and Ghost Extended, but this analysis only includes information for the base model, Ghost. Only 2023 model cars were considered, and those included here were released between May 2022 and February 2023.

Gas prices rise due to higher demand and higher costs for crude oil and they typically vary by season. In June 2022, the average price for a gallon of gas was over $5 in many states but fell as demand and crude oil prices sank.

New fuel efficiency standards may help your wallet when gas prices rise. In 2022, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released new standards that require manufacturers to have a fuel efficiency rating of 49 miles per gallon averaged across all of their models by 2026 and for every model by 2029.

Owning a gas guzzler won’t just cost you more at the pump—cars that get less than 22.5 miles per gallon also incur a “gas-guzzler tax,” which starts at $1,000 but climbs to $7,700 for cars that get less than 12.5 mpg. The tax is usually paid by the manufacturer or importer but is no doubt passed on to the customer in the purchase price.

Read on to see which new cars are the least fuel-efficient for 2023.

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The Aston Martin V12 Vantage at Goodwood Festival of Speed 2022 on June 23, 2022, in Chichester, England.

Martyn Lucy // Getty Images

Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd V12 Vantage

– Combined fuel economy: 16 miles per gallon
– Highway fuel economy: 22 mpg
– City fuel economy: 14 mpg
– Manufacturer: Aston Martin
– Engine size: 5.2 liters
– Cylinders: 12
– Transmission: Automatic (A8)

Mercedes-AMG SL 63 4MATIC+ Roadster V8 Biturbo at Brussels Expo on January 13, 2023, in Brussels, Belgium.

Sjoerd van der Wal // Getty Images

Mercedes-Benz AMG SL 63 4MATIC+

– Combined fuel economy: 16 miles per gallon
– Highway fuel economy: 22 mpg
– City fuel economy: 14 mpg
– Manufacturer: Mercedes-Benz
– Engine size: 4 liters
– Cylinders: 8
– Transmission: Automatic (A9)

The Audi R8 at the Sharnbrook Hotel in Bedfordshire.

Martyn Lucy // Getty Images

Audi R8 Coupe quattro

– Combined fuel economy: 15 miles per gallon
– Highway fuel economy: 18 mpg
– City fuel economy: 13 mpg
– Manufacturer: Volkswagen
– Engine size: 5.2 liters
– Cylinders: 10
– Transmission: Automated Manual – Selectable (e.g., Automated Manual with paddles) (AM-S7)

An Audi R8 Spyder V10 quattro supercar in Milton Keynes, Bucks, United Kingdom.

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Audi R8 Spyder quattro

– Combined fuel economy: 15 miles per gallon
– Highway fuel economy: 18 mpg
– City fuel economy: 13 mpg
– Manufacturer: Volkswagen
– Engine size: 5.2 liters
– Cylinders: 10
– Transmission: Automated Manual – Selectable (e.g., Automated Manual with paddles) (AM-S7)

A 2017 Lamborghini Huracan Coupe at the 109th Annual Chicago Auto Show at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois, USA, on February 12, 2017.

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Lamborghini Huracan Coupe

– Combined fuel economy: 15 miles per gallon
– Highway fuel economy: 18 mpg
– City fuel economy: 13 mpg
– Manufacturer: Volkswagen
– Engine size: 5.2 liters
– Cylinders: 10
– Transmission: Automated Manual – Selectable (e.g., Automated Manual with paddles) (AM-S7)

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The Lamborghini Huracan Evo Spyder in Knightsbridge, London.

Martyn Lucy // Getty Images

Lamborghini Huracan Spyder

– Combined fuel economy: 15 miles per gallon
– Highway fuel economy: 18 mpg
– City fuel economy: 13 mpg
– Manufacturer: Volkswagen
– Engine size: 5.2 liters
– Cylinders: 10
– Transmission: Automated Manual – Selectable (e.g., Automated Manual with paddles) (AM-S7)

A Bentley Flying Spur driving on a road in Romania.

GabrielPreda.ro // Shutterstock

Bentley Flying Spur

– Combined fuel economy: 15 miles per gallon
– Highway fuel economy: 19 mpg
– City fuel economy: 12 mpg
– Manufacturer: Volkswagen
– Engine size: 6 liters
– Cylinders: 12
– Transmission: Automated Manual – Selectable (e.g., Automated Manual with paddles) (AM-S8)

Chairman and Chief Executive of Bentley Motors Wolfgang Duerheimer presenting the Bentley Continental GT Speed model car during a preview of German carmaker Volkwagen Group on March 2, 2015.

FABRICE COFFRINI // Getty Images

Bentley Continental GT Speed

– Combined fuel economy: 15 miles per gallon
– Highway fuel economy: 20 mpg
– City fuel economy: 12 mpg
– Manufacturer: Volkswagen
– Engine size: 6 liters
– Cylinders: 12
– Transmission: Automated Manual – Selectable (e.g., Automated Manual with paddles) (AM-S8)

A blue Chevrolet Corvette Z06 SUPER CHARGE P sports car parked in a garage.

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Chevrolet Corvette Z06

– Combined fuel economy: 15 miles per gallon
– Highway fuel economy: 21 mpg
– City fuel economy: 12 mpg
– Manufacturer: General Motors
– Engine size: 5.5 liters
– Cylinders: 8
– Transmission: Semi-Automatic (S8)

A Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody on display at the 112th Annual Chicago Auto Show at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois, on February 6, 2020.

Raymond Boyd // Getty Images

Dodge Charger SRT Widebody

– Combined fuel economy: 15 miles per gallon
– Highway fuel economy: 21 mpg
– City fuel economy: 12 mpg
– Manufacturer: FCA US LLC (Chrysler)
– Engine size: 6.2 liters
– Cylinders: 8
– Transmission: Automatic (A8)

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The 2020 Cadillac CT5-V on display at the Houston Auto Show.

Floopin Photography // Shutterstock

Cadillac CT5 V

– Combined fuel economy: 15 miles per gallon
– Highway fuel economy: 21 mpg
– City fuel economy: 13 mpg
– Manufacturer: General Motors
– Engine size: 6.2 liters
– Cylinders: 8
– Transmission: Manual (M6)

A red Dodge Challenger SRT Widebody standing on a secluded road by a field and forest.

JDzacovsky // Shutterstock

Dodge Challenger SRT Widebody

– Combined fuel economy: 15 miles per gallon
– Highway fuel economy: 21 mpg
– City fuel economy: 13 mpg
– Manufacturer: FCA US LLC (Chrysler)
– Engine size: 6.2 liters
– Cylinders: 8
– Transmission: Automatic (A8)

The Ferrari 812 Compitizione seen at Goodwood Festival of Speed 2022 on June 23, 2022, in Chichester, England.

Martyn Lucy // Getty Images

Ferrari North America Inc. 812 Competizione

– Combined fuel economy: 14 miles per gallon
– Highway fuel economy: 16 mpg
– City fuel economy: 12 mpg
– Manufacturer: Ferrari
– Engine size: 6.5 liters
– Cylinders: 12
– Transmission: Automated Manual (AM7)

A 2016 Bentley Continental GT Speed Convertible at the 108th Annual Chicago Auto Show at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois, on February 12, 2016.

Raymond Boyd // Getty Images

Bentley Continental GT Convertible Speed

– Combined fuel economy: 14 miles per gallon
– Highway fuel economy: 18 mpg
– City fuel economy: 12 mpg
– Manufacturer: Volkswagen
– Engine size: 6 liters
– Cylinders: 12
– Transmission: Automated Manual – Selectable (e.g., Automated Manual with paddles) (AM-S8)

The Rolls-Royce Phantom unveiled at the company's manufacturing plant and head office at Goodwood in West Sussex, UK.

Tim Ockenden – PA Images // Getty Images

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited Phantom

– Combined fuel economy: 14 miles per gallon
– Highway fuel economy: 18 mpg
– City fuel economy: 12 mpg
– Manufacturer: Rolls-Royce
– Engine size: 6.7 liters
– Cylinders: 12
– Transmission: Semi-Automatic (S8)

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A white Chevrolet Corvette C06 Z06 Carbon 65 at AutoZürich car show.

Kaukola Photography // Shutterstock

Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Carbon Aero

– Combined fuel economy: 14 miles per gallon
– Highway fuel economy: 19 mpg
– City fuel economy: 12 mpg
– Manufacturer: General Motors
– Engine size: 5.5 liters
– Cylinders: 8
– Transmission: Semi-Automatic (S8)

A Rolls-Royce Ghost in a hotel parking lot.

Tricky_Shark // Shutterstock

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited Ghost

– Combined fuel economy: 14 miles per gallon
– Highway fuel economy: 19 mpg
– City fuel economy: 12 mpg
– Manufacturer: Rolls-Royce
– Engine size: 6.7 liters
– Cylinders: 12
– Transmission: Semi-Automatic (S8)

A Rolls-Royce Cullinan in a desert in Dubai.

Camerasandcoffee // Shutterstock

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited Cullinan

– Combined fuel economy: 14 miles per gallon
– Highway fuel economy: 19 mpg
– City fuel economy: 12 mpg
– Manufacturer: Rolls-Royce
– Engine size: 6.7 liters
– Cylinders: 12
– Transmission: Semi-Automatic (S8)

A Mercedes-Maybach S680 luxury sedan on display at Brussels Expo on January 13, 2023, in Brussels, Belgium.

Sjoerd van der Wal // Getty Images

Mercedes-Benz Maybach S 680 4Matic

– Combined fuel economy: 14 miles per gallon
– Highway fuel economy: 20 mpg
– City fuel economy: 12 mpg
– Manufacturer: Mercedes-Benz
– Engine size: 6 liters
– Cylinders: 12
– Transmission: Automatic (A9)

A Ferrari 812 GTS driving down a road in Italy during a parade.

Mau47 // Shutterstock

Ferrari North America Inc. 812 GTS

– Combined fuel economy: 13 miles per gallon
– Highway fuel economy: 15 mpg
– City fuel economy: 12 mpg
– Manufacturer: Ferrari
– Engine size: 6.5 liters
– Cylinders: 12
– Transmission: Automated Manual (AM7)

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A 2022 Ferrari Monza SP1 during the Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace on September 2, 2022, in London, England.

John Keeble // Getty Images

Ferrari North America Inc. Ferrari Monza SP1

– Combined fuel economy: 13 miles per gallon
– Highway fuel economy: 15 mpg
– City fuel economy: 12 mpg
– Manufacturer: Ferrari
– Engine size: 6.5 liters
– Cylinders: 12
– Transmission: Automated Manual (AM7)

The Ferrari Daytona SP3 at Goodwood Festival of Speed 2022 on June 23, 2022, in Chichester, England.

Martyn Lucy // Getty Images

Ferrari North America Inc. Ferrari Daytona SP3

– Combined fuel economy: 13 miles per gallon
– Highway fuel economy: 16 mpg
– City fuel economy: 12 mpg
– Manufacturer: Ferrari
– Engine size: 6.5 liters
– Cylinders: 12
– Transmission: Automated Manual (AM7)

A Bugatti Chiron Sport at Brussels Motor Show in 2020.

Grzegorz Czapski // Shutterstock

Bugatti Chiron

– Combined fuel economy: 11 miles per gallon
– Highway fuel economy: 14 mpg
– City fuel economy: 9 mpg
– Manufacturer: Volkswagen
– Engine size: 8 liters
– Cylinders: 16
– Transmission: Automated Manual – Selectable (e.g., Automated Manual with paddles) (AM-S7)

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What questions should companies ask before going all-in on AI?

Problem-solving, data sets, and the consequences of getting it wrong.

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From chatbots that answer our questions to emails that write themselves, AI is increasingly present in our lives — and the advent of startlingly sophisticated and headline-making tools like ChatGPT suggest that presence is likely to grow.

As it stands, the technologies are advancing at a seemingly breakneck pace, impacting sectors as diverse as public health and transportation. Given the spread, it’s easy to assume AI could be used by just about any company — and there are plenty of adoptees. 

The 2022 McKinsey Global Survey on AI reported in December that although it has stabilized in recent years, the proportion of organizations adopting AI in at least one business area has more than doubled since 2017.

Furthermore, “the average number of AI capabilities that organizations use has also doubled — from 1.9 in 2018 to 3.8 in 2022,” the report found.

But what are companies actually using AI for? And, what are some critical questions experts say companies should ask themselves before going all-in?

Let’s take a closer look.

Why AI is becoming increasingly useful

One reason AI is becoming especially useful is because by definition, it is the ability of machines to learn and make decisions based on data and analytics. And it should come as no surprise that companies now have access to more data than ever before. 

How much more? Well, Gil Press — a senior contributor with Forbes — reported toward the end of 2020 that in the 10 years that came before, “the amount of data created, captured, copied, and consumed in the world increased from 1.2 trillion gigabytes to 59 trillion gigabytes.”

That’s almost 5,000 per cent growth, Press said.

And with the help of emerging technologies like AI, the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton Online explained, companies are now able to capture user data that can help them make informed business decisions.

“AI is no longer an experimental technology only used by select brands,” it said. “For many companies around the world, it has become a core part of their operations.”

AI: What is it used for?

So, how is AI being used by companies and organizations?

Common applications cited by Business News Daily include the detection of cyberattacks and threats, digital personal assistants that manage calendars, and customer service chatbots.

The latter is also where some companies are using ChatGPT. Bloomberg reported on March 1 that the technology has already found a home on apps for Instacart, where customers will be able to ask it questions about recipes; Shopify, where it will offer suggestions; and Quizlet Inc., where it will provide users with a “tutoring experience.”

In more specialized fields like healthcare, AI’s uses include helping to make potentially life-saving cancer diagnoses. The New York Times reported on March 5 that AI known as “computer-assisted detection” is helping to detect breast cancer missed by mammograms.

More generally, some popular uses for AI include service operations optimization, contact centre automation, customer service analytics, sales and demand forecasting, and risk modeling and analytics, according to the 2022 McKinsey Global Survey on AI.

And when it comes to deciding how to apply AI, Wharton Online reported that companies often focus on driving growth. 

That growth, according to Entrepreneur’s Auria Moore, is focused on three central areas: 

  • AI-powered analytics, which can allow businesses to gather information about users for better product creation.
  • Customer service satisfaction, where AI chatbots can provide answers to users faster.
  • Targeted digital marketing campaigns, which has AI granting marketers the ability to “enhance personalization at an individual level.”

Meanwhile, supply-chain management is where the highest-reported cost benefits from AI were identified in the McKinsey survey — while “the biggest reported revenue effects are found in marketing and sales, product and service development, and strategy and corporate finance.”

“The bottom-line value realized from AI remains strong and largely consistent,” the report said.

“About a quarter of respondents report this year that at least 5 percent of their organizations’ [earnings before interest and taxes] was attributable to AI in 2021, in line with findings from the previous two years.”

What to consider before going all-in

Given its vast possibilities for application and seemingly limitless potential, investing in AI could seem like a no-brainer for businesses. But some experts warn that it shouldn’t be.

“The first question to ask yourself when considering AI is what problems might be solved with the technology,” Inc.’s Ben Sherry reported last May.

While some companies would find AI genuinely useful — for example, Sherry said, an e-commerce company could use it to market specific products to customers based on data — others could wind up with an unnecessary expense.

“Ask yourself if automating part of your business has an easily identifiable benefit, or whether you have routine tasks that could easily be automated,” he suggested.

AI’s algorithms also need a lot of high-quality data to deliver valuable insights, Open Data Science (ODSC) explained in November 2021, and machine learning needs varied data to build its intelligence.

So before investing in AI, ODSC said, it’s critical to make sure your company has access to a sufficient amount of high-quality data sets.

“Without data and specifically, high-quality data, your AI investment is useless,” ODSC said. 

“It’s essentially like purchasing an expensive car with an incredibly powerful motor without any access to a fuel source.”

Finally, some experts say a critically important question for companies considering AI to ask themselves is: what are the consequences if it fails?

“AI models work through very sophisticated algorithms and statistical correlations, but there is always a margin of error. Does the company want to implement AI in a process with high variability and a low accuracy rate, or the opposite? What risks and how much investment would be lost if it didn’t work out?” industrial IoT company Nexus Integra asked in a blog post.

“Depending on which systems and data are available, the company must evaluate whether the accuracy of these models is expected to be high enough to proceed.”

And Ricardo Baeza-Yates, director of research at the Institute for Experiential AI at Northeastern University, wrote in an August 2021 piece for Forbes that “as the usage of AI grows exponentially, so have the number of AI incidents.

As such, Baeza-Yates said companies looking to use AI should first ask themselves if they have deeply considered the direct, and indirect, impact of their product or service.

“Here, the accuracy of your model is irrelevant. What matters is the impact of the mistakes you make, even if they are few,” he wrote.“In cases where people were falsely accused by facial recognition systems, killed by driverless cars or unethically targeted for fraud, the damage was severe and lasting.”

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Best West Coast small towns to live in

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Looking for a small town on the West Coast? Stacker reviewed Niche's 2022 Best Places to Live and narrowed the results down for you.
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The American dream of buying a home in a quaint small town is still alive and well. A growing number of people consider rural living ideal: In 2021, small towns and rural areas gained population, while cities lost people, according to a New York Times analysis of Census Bureau data.

A Pew survey in October 2021 found that about 1 in 5 Americans (19%) would most like to live in a city, but 35% wanted to live in rural areas, and 46% preferred suburbs. Inflation may mean some of those people can’t afford to leave cities or must go back, but their preferences remain.

Of course, a small town in a great location will always be more popular than one that’s truly remote. That’s where this list of the best small towns on the West Coast comes in handy. Stacker referenced Niche’s 2022 Best Places to Live and filtered the results to the West Coast and then narrowed them further to places under 5,000 residents. Niche calculated the best places to live based on cost, safety, weather quality, access to healthy living, and other factors.

Whether you’re considering a move or just want a peek into what small-town life could be like, this list will certainly inspire some home searches.

You may also like: Best place to live in every state

View toward Richmond from Wildcat Canyon Regional Park.

Sundry Photography // Shutterstock

#25. East Richmond Heights, California

– Population: 3,355

One Oakland Tribune advertisement from 1913 called East Richmond Heights “the garden of the gods.” Though that slogan might have been exaggerated to sell tracts of land, this quiet, small town still ranks highly for its diversity and family-friendly lifestyle.

Entry to residential home.

Justin_Krug // Shutterstock

#24. Mirrormont, Washington

– Population: 4,196

Mirrormont, just west of Tiger Mountain State Forest in the southeastern suburbs of Seattle, was founded in 1962, with large lots featuring plenty of trees—and signature A-frame style homes. With great schools and outdoor activities nearby—including golf, tennis, and swimming at the local country club—it’s known for its privacy and strict rules to protect the neighborhood’s rustic character.

Park playground in Tigard.

ARTYOORAN // Shutterstock

#23. Durham, Oregon

– Population: 2,073

Southwest of Portland, this small community’s area is about one-fifth of parks and open space. It’s named for a man who ran mills on the creek that runs through town. He was followed by a family who ran a tree and shrub nursery and planted trees in the area, many surviving. In 1966, residents formed a city to stave off development. Local laws fiercely guard the trees, which can only be removed with a permit.

Flowers in park on sunny day.

Sundry Photography // Shutterstock

#22. Cambrian Park, California

– Population: 3,674

Although Cambrian Park sits inside the San Jose city limits, it is technically an unincorporated census-designated place—a confusing designation that stems from shifting school district boundaries, press coverage, and ZIP codes in the 1950s. Easy access to city and county parks, good schools, and shopping malls make Cambrian Park a desirable place to live.

Exterior residential porch with chairs.

Artazum // Shutterstock

#21. Stafford, Oregon

– Population: 1,999

This self-described “hamlet” was created in 2006 on previously unorganized territory in Clackamas County, southeast of Portland. Its residents have set aside areas that will never be developed and set guiding principles and specific rules for any subdivisions or developments that may be proposed in the community.

Suburban neighborhood.

pbk-pg // Shutterstock

#20. Ladera, California

– Population: 1,449

First founded as a housing cooperative in 1946, Ladera has a colorful history. The Peninsula Housing Association—the group of 262 members behind the purchase and development of the land—ran out of money before it could build its dream community. Then, the four non-white families were forced to withdraw from the investment. Only white people were allowed to buy homes in the resulting development—a requirement that remained in the housing rules until 2021.

Residential home.

David Papazian // Shutterstock

#19. Portola Valley, California

– Population: 4,458

Though Portola Valley sits on top of the San Andreas Fault, the potential for seismic activity has not hampered the town. What is now known as Portola Valley began as a logging town community called Searsville. Once all the redwoods had been cleared, the logging companies deserted Searsville, and a collection of small farmers and a few wealthy estate owners moved in.

Entry to residential home.

David Papazian // Shutterstock

#18. Mount Hermon, California

– Population: 1,254

This small town in Santa Cruz County was originally known as Tuxedo Junction, a stop on the South Pacific Coast Railroad with a well-known resort. Today, in addition to residential homes, Mount Hermon hosts a Christian youth camp of the same name.

Aerial view of Rancho Santa Fe.

bonandbon // Shutterstock

#17. Rancho Santa Fe, California

– Population: 2,914

Rancho Santa Fe’s history dates back to a time before California’s statehood, when Mexico’s Gov. Pio Pico awarded the area in a land grant to San Diego’s first mayor Juan Osuna in 1840. In the early 1900s, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway company bought the land and planted eucalyptus trees for later use as railroad ties. After that experiment failed, the company decided to turn the land into a residential development, and Rancho Santa Fe, as we know it, was born.

Mission style architecture in Santa Barbara.

Tania Chatterjee // Shutterstock

#16. Mission Canyon, California

– Population: 2,353

This suburb of Santa Barbara is named for nearby Old Mission Santa Barbara, founded by Spanish Franciscan friars in 1786, and the dramatic canyon landscape. Visitors flock to this neighborhood for the lush Santa Barbara Botanic Garden and several popular hiking trails.

Building with clocktower.

Lux Blue // Shutterstock

#15. Hidden Hills, California

– Population: 2,182

Known for celebrity residents like Kardashian family members, music stars, and actors, Hidden Hills offers a rarefied version of a small-town lifestyle. This gated residential community developed in the mid-1950s boasts an extensive network of equestrian trails—some residents even pick up their kids on horseback. With so many A-list celebrities in the community, Hidden Hills also takes privacy extremely seriously. The community has even banned Google’s photography vehicles from recording the area for Google Street View.

Entry to residential home.

David Papazian // Shutterstock

#14. Sleepy Hollow, California

– Population: 2,511

With just 750 homes, Sleepy Hollow is a quiet, peaceful Bay Area town beloved by equestrians and hikers alike for its proximity to two nature preserves. During World War II, the Army used a Sleepy Hollow golf course for the secret storage of munitions.

Entry to residential home.

Artazum // Shutterstock

#13. Medina, Washington

– Population: 2,928

Halfway between the Seattle suburbs of Bellevue and Kirkland, this community on the shore of Lake Washington is an attractive choice for families—as well as a few well-known wealthy residents like Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates. It’s also an expensive place to buy a home: According to Zillow, the median home price in Medina is more than $4 million. It’s no surprise that Medina was ranked the eighth-richest ZIP code by Bloomberg.

Edmonds Fishing Pier in Woodway.

Nadia Yong // Shutterstock

#12. Woodway, Washington

– Population: 1,119

Half an hour north of Seattle, you’ll find Woodway: a self-described “quiet place” where residents love to walk and bike around the evergreen-lined lanes and local parks. The town’s history dates back to 1912 when David Whitcomb Sr. developed 400 acres into modest, country-style homes.

Rocky beach in Del Monte Forest.

Abbie Warnock-Matthews // Shutterstock

#11. Del Monte Forest, California

– Population: 3,604

This unincorporated community in Monterey County is known for its picturesque views. Visitors might want to spend a leisurely afternoon checking out all the sights on 17-Mile Drive, including the Lone Cypress—a rugged, salt air-pruned tree clinging to a craggy rock in the bay—and the iconic Pebble Beach Golf Links course. Though Pebble Beach is technically a separate community, it sits within Del Monte Forest.

Belvedere marina and coastal residential homes.

FourthNovemberStudio // Shutterstock

#10. Belvedere, California

– Population: 2,309

In 1896, 33 residents voted to incorporate Belvedere as a city. The San Francisco Bay borders the town on three sides: It’s technically composed of two islands and a lagoon, giving the homes here unbeatable views.

Aerial view of Marin County hills.

Marben // Shutterstock

#9. Ross, California

– Population: 2,405

First incorporated in 1908, this quaint town in Marin County is run by a five-person town council and a town manager. Ross has a real small-town feel, with just two churches, three schools, and a few cultural institutions like the Marin Art and Garden Center as well as a library run by the historical society.

Aerial view hilltop homes.

Sundry Photography // Shutterstock

#8. Loyola, California

– Population: 3,564

Like the neighboring towns of Mountain View and Los Altos, Loyola is an affluent community. In December 2022, the median price buyers paid for Loyola homes was $3.8 million. Top-rated schools, luxury amenities like a country club, and its proximity to the Bay Area make Loyola an appealing—if pricey—place to live.

Entry to residential home.

David Papazian // Shutterstock

#7. Monte Sereno, California

– Population: 3,502

When a community began forming in what is now Monte Sereno in the early 1900s, the area was rural and agricultural. Today, you won’t find any orchards, farms, or livestock, just a peaceful residential community that has been home to author John Steinbeck, painter Thomas Kinkade, and Beat poet Neal Cassady over the years.

Stanford University.

Diego Grandi // Shutterstock

#6. West Menlo Park, California

– Population: 3,492

This small community sits just west of Stanford University, with most of its bars, restaurants, and local businesses lining Alameda de las Pulgas. Excellent school districts make this area particularly sought after by Bay Area families.

Beach and homes at Carmel by the Sea.

David A Litman // Shutterstock

#5. Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

– Population: 3,296

A popular tourist destination in its own right, Carmel-by-the-Sea is renowned for its charming downtown, historic mission, top-notch restaurants, and stunning Carmel Beach. Some of the town’s first residents were artists such as author Jack London and poet Robinson Jeffers, giving the city an intellectual bent and creative spirit.

Lighthouse on Palos Verdes Peninsula.

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#4. Rolling Hills, California

– Population: 1,436

This gated residential community on the Palos Verdes Peninsula covers just three square miles, but each of the 700 properties has at least one acre and is zoned for keeping horses. Nearby attractions include the Palos Verdes Art Center, the hiking and equestrian trails in the Portuguese Bend Reserve, and the architecturally significant Wayfarers Chapel designed by Lloyd Wright, the son of famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

Coastal area near Bellevue.

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#3. Yarrow Point, Washington

– Population: 1,365

Set on a peninsula in Lake Washington, Yarrow Point borders the #1 town on this list. Though the first homesteads date back to the 1880s, Yarrow Point wasn’t incorporated until 1959. Nearly one-fourth of the homes here have waterfront views—but even residents who aren’t so lucky can enjoy public parks like the Wetherill Nature Preserve and Road End Beach.

Little Corona Del Mar Beach.

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#2. Del Mar, California

– Population: 4,008

Another coastal destination, Del Mar’s gorgeous beaches, legendary horse racing, and delightful downtown village are attractive to both visitors and prospective residents. The city hosts about 2 million visitors annually.

Rooftops in Clyde Hill.

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#1. Clyde Hill, Washington

– Population: 3,118

From some of Clyde Hill’s higher elevations, you can spy views of Mount Rainier, the Olympic Mountains, and the Cascade Mountain Range, in addition to Lake Washington and the Seattle skyline. The area was first settled in 1882 by Irish immigrant Patrick Downey, who farmed strawberries on his claim. Clyde Hill made national news in 1975 when its mayoral race ended in an even tie; the contenders flipped a coin to decide the race.

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