Santa Rosa is one of the most expensive places to live in the United States. A U.S. News & World Report’s list named the most expensive places to live in the US and placed Santa Rosa 8th overall. Santa Rosa’s median home sale price is significantly higher than the national median by over 500-thousand dollars. The report analyzed public data related to housing and rental costs compared to quality of life metrics gathered from the U.S. Census Bureau. Twelve California cities in all made the list of 25 cities, with San Diego taking the top spot.