America's Most Expensive Place To Live Is This California Suburb With A Vibrant Culture And Scenic Parks

Along with its picturesque landscapes, from mountains and deserts to the ocean, California is also known for its industries. You'll find tech companies near San Francisco and film studios farther south in Los Angeles. All in all, the Golden State is one of the richest in the country when it comes to per capita income, and alongside Hawaii, it's one of America's least affordable states to live. The median cost of a home here falls just over $770,000, which is several hundred thousand more than the national median, while everyday necessities like groceries also tend to cost more than the national average. Given all this, perhaps it's no surprise that California is also home to the place U.S. News & World Report ranks as the country's most expensive place to live: Westminster in Orange County.

Westminster, which has a population of around 90,000 people, is roughly 45 minutes from Los Angeles and even closer to larger coastal cities like Long Beach and Huntington Beach. It got its start during the 19th century as an agricultural community and continued to grow over the following century. Large numbers of Vietnamese refugees settled in Westminster and nearby Garden Grove throughout the 1970s and '80s, putting down roots in what is known today as Little Saigon. It's remained a culturally vibrant community ever since, home to dozens of restaurants, parks, and, yes, rather pricey housing.

That reputation comes with a hefty price tag. The median sale price for a home is well over $1 million, while the overall cost of living is 65% higher than the national average. For visitors, though, there's plenty to explore beyond the city's expensive real estate, from Vietnamese restaurants and cultural attractions to green spaces.

Westminster is considered the birthplace of Orange County's Little Saigon, which emerged in the mid-1970s following the fall of Saigon. It's only grown in the decades since. If you're visiting for the day, prepare to be overwhelmed when it comes to restaurant options, especially for traditional dishes like bahn mi and pho. For starters, head to Bolsa Avenue to check out Carrot & Daikon Banh Mi, where options include crispy pork belly and grilled pork sandwiches. The restaurant has accumulated hundreds upon hundreds of 5-star reviews, with one Google reviewer noting, "Best banh I'm in the Westminster area in my opinion." If you're looking for a warm, rejuvenating bowl of pho, Phoholic is another popular option. It has thousands of 5-star reviews and is even listed in the Michelin Guide.

Asian Garden Mall, meanwhile, sits at the heart of Little Saigon and hosts multiple cultural events and festivals each year. On weekends during the summer, visitors can attend the Night Market. Vendors sell everything from fried bananas to jewelry, with live music adding to the atmosphere. If you enjoy the various stalls here, you can hop in the car and head to the San Gabriel Valley, home to America's largest night market, which also has plenty of tasty offerings.

Asian Garden also hosts an annual Flower Festival leading up to Lunar New Year. "I loveeee going to this flower market every year. It's a great cultural experience," writes one festival-goer on Yelp. You can expect orchid arrangements, traditional lion dance performances, and plenty of food; just keep in mind that parking can get pretty tough.

Westminster is a city of parks; there are 24 of them, in fact, each with different scenic offerings and amenities. There's a splash pad popular with young families at Sigler Park, a playground and picnic tables in Liberty Park, and a towering Vietnam War Memorial in Sid Goldstein Freedom Park designed by artist Tuan Nguyen. "I have visited the Vietnam War Memorial at Freedom Park in Westminster, a place that embodies healing and reverence," wrote one reviewer on Google, adding that their experience at the site was "deeply moving." The surrounding grounds are lush and green, and the picnic tables are ideal for an outdoor lunch among the trees. 

Smaller parks around the suburb, like Coronet Park, for instance, are a reliable source of shade and community. Within the park, you'll find the Coronet Watersmart Conservation Garden, which spans a little over 5,000 square feet, and includes peaceful winding pathways past native, water-smart plant species. You'll spot labels along the way so you can learn to identify the plants yourself, while rotating art installations feature work by local artists.

If you're hoping for more extensive walking trails with Pacific Ocean views, however, it doesn't take long to drive to destinations like the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve. This 1300-acre protected wildlife area in Huntington Beach has a network of hiking trails and abundant birdlife, with Bolsa Chica State Beach just across Pacific Coast Highway. Long-distance travelers hoping to see the community can fly into Long Beach Airport (LGB) or opt for John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Santa Ana, California's hidden-gem airport with some of the lowest wait times in America.