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California city profile

What Is It Like to Live in San Francisco?

What it costs to live in San Francisco, and how it compares with other California cities, in plain numbers.

Value score

37

319th best value in California

How much you get for what you pay, versus other California cities.

Overall livability

45

240th overall in California

Cost, safety, schools, jobs and quality of life combined.

San Francisco is home to about 865,933 people. A typical home runs $1,194,500 and a household earns around $126,200, a price-to-income ratio of 9.5. Among California's largest cities, it ranks 319th for value and 240th overall.

San Francisco at a glance

Median home price

$1,194,500

366th in CA of 406

Median rent

$2,130/mo

Median household income

$126,200

Home price to income

9.5x

Unemployment

5.3%

135th in CA of 406

School rating

10/10

114th in CA of 406

Air quality (AQI)

45

0th in CA of 406

Walk score

100/100

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‹ See all top California cities ranked  ยท  California state profile ›

Sources: Home prices and rent from Zillow; income, unemployment and commute from the U.S. Census; school ratings from state education data; crime from the FBI; air quality from the EPA. City rankings are within California only. Updated 2026.