Like all others said above, it totally isn’t necessary to go to a “top” community college whatsoever. I’m sure it’s beneficial, especially the part with those CCs being close to universities (like PCC having teachers from USC, UCLA, CSULB, Cal Poly, Art Center, and Otis - these are some of the teachers I’ve encountered) OR those having counselors who are really well versed in the requirements and curriculum of translating those CC classes/units to a four-year college because of the amount of students they send off into the UC/CSU systems.
I’m currently in a waaaay lower income area in SB county that doesn’t send too many students to UCs (like 100-120 apply in our CC) and a bit more to CSU because CSUSB is in our local county. Don’t be discouraged. I have many friends who have gone off to SDSU, UCLA, UCB, and especially CPP through our community college. It’s just a matter of having those transferable courses available at that CC and maintaining that GPA. For the most part those classes at the top CCs will be relatively the same as the smaller CCs. It’s just the surrounding county/district which dictates the CC.
The issue at the more prominent CCs is going to be enrollment. I remember spending two semesters as PCC and while they offered sooo many classes, it was impossible to get into any of my prereq classes. It was much easier with my local CC and I am paying waaay less ($15 a unit vs. $46 at PCC). I guess it really does depend if that is worth it to you, but to me it doesn’t seem like it.
*I only used PCC as an example because Pasadena is my hometown and it’s the only other CC I had experience with. But I know another closer CC in my area, like Chaffey, is about the same per unit.