Santa Ana is one of the coziest cities in the U.S., according to a study

The temperature has dropped in California, including a passing storm giving the Golden State a hefty amount of rain yesterday, so it can only mean that fall is finally here.

So why not walk down to your closest coffee shop for some light reading and quiet contemplation of the changing weather? 

According to a PrivacyJournal study, these three California cities ranked in the top 25. San Francisco is at #10 due to excellent scores in Comfort Spots (#8) and Nature & Walkability (#7). Santa Ana landed at #14 primarily because of its dense concentration of coffee shops, bookstores, and other "third places" that foster community connections. Oakland positioned itself at #24 largely thanks to its plentiful "comfort spots." 

If you’re wondering where L.A. landed, it’s in the 27th spot.

The research team at PrivacyJournal examined more than 100 U.S. cities to identify which ones rank as the coziest in America.

Their approach assessed cities using four primary criteria: nature and walking spots, comfort spots (quantifying coffee shops, tea houses, bakeries, libraries, and independent bookstores), home and hearth (accessibility of cozy Airbnbs and search interest in cozy interior decor), and cozy creative activities (pottery studios and cooking classes).

Jersey City, NJ, earned recognition as America's #1 coziest city, notable for its abundance of community "comfort spots" such as coffee shops and bookstores.

San Francisco landing in the 10th spot is not surprising, given that the city’s famous fog creates natural "cozy weather" year-round. The city's famously steep neighborhoods each offer their own microclimate of coziness, whether it be Mission's warm valleys or the fog-wrapped hills of Richmond. San Francisco's café culture rivals Portland's, with neighborhood coffee shops serving as community centers where locals gather for warmth both literal and social.

But Santa Ana? We had no idea the city had so many coffee shops. We might have to head down and do some scouting. For research purposes, of course.

Other California cities in the total list of 100 include Anaheim (29), Long Beach (31), Sacramento (33), Irvine (34), San Diego (40), San Jose (54), Chula Vista (63), San Bernardino (70), Riverside (78), Fresno (81), Stockton (87) and Bakersfield (88).

You can read the complete study to find out if your city is considered cozy.