Davis

Though it began as—and still is—a rich agricultural area, Davis doesn't feel like a cow town. It's home to the University of California at Davis, whose students hang at the cafés and bookstores in the central business district, making the city feel a little more cosmopolitan. Downtown is compact and walkable; bicyclists are everywhere (and are treated with respect by drivers) throughout town. The city has long enjoyed a progressive, liberal reputation (it's been called "the People's Republic of Davis"), but a rash of 1990s-built yuppie-stocked subdivisions reflect how Davis is becoming more of a mainstream commuter community, whether residents admit it or not.