Housing Value★★★★★★★★★★2.0 / 5Home values compared with local household income.
Living in San Francisco, CA
Explore San Francisco and see how it fits the life you want to build.
Overall Match7.0 / 10
Baseline match from currently available location scores. Choose priorities to personalize it.
San Francisco at a Glance
Key facts and current data
Population830,235
Median Household Income$140,970
Median Home Value$1,394,500
Median Gross Rent$2,476
Median Age40.0
Average Household Size2.2
Unemployment6.1%
Work From Home31.0%
Homeownership38.2%
Housing Vacancy12.2%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year.
San Francisco is a major population center where neighborhood choice can substantially change the day-to-day relocation experience. Housing costs are high relative to local household income, making affordability one of the more important factors to examine before relocating here.
Experience the Area
Experience Life in San Francisco Before You Move
Explore Short-Term Stays in San Francisco →Stay options powered by Stay22 · affiliate
NarrowTheList highly recommends you spend a week or two in San Francisco and experience everyday life before deciding whether it is the right place to call home. Use that time to explore neighborhoods, drive your normal routes, shop where residents shop, and get a feel for the area at different times of day.
NarrowTheList Ratings
Data-driven starter ratings. More categories appear automatically as new datasets are added.
Housing & Cost of Living in San Francisco
Current housing indicators from the U.S. Census Bureau
Median Home Value$1,394,500
Median Gross Rent$2,476
Homeownership38.2%
Housing Vacancy12.2%
Home values are relatively high compared with local household income, so purchase affordability deserves close attention. Renters make up a substantial share of the local housing market.
Jobs, Income & Remote Work
Employment and household-income context for San Francisco, CA
Median Household Income$140,970
Unemployment6.1%
Work From Home31.0%
The reported unemployment rate is elevated enough to warrant a closer look at current local employment conditions. Working from home is relatively common among employed residents.
Population & Household Profile
Who lives in San Francisco and how households are structured
Population830,235
Median Age40.0
Average Household Size2.2
San Francisco is a large population center with enough scale for conditions to differ substantially across neighborhoods.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year. NarrowTheList presents these values as relocation context; conditions can vary within a community.
Climate & Weather in San Francisco
Long-term NOAA climate normals and practical seasonal context
NOAA climate normals for San Francisco point to mild summers, mild winters, a wetter annual rainfall pattern and little to no annual snowfall.
Average Summer High61.8°F
Average Winter Low45.7°F
Annual Rainfall30.0 in.
Annual Snowfall0.0 in.
Seasonal Life in San Francisco
What the long-term climate pattern may mean for everyday living.
Spring
Spring is a useful time to evaluate how quickly outdoor conditions become comfortable and how seasonal rain affects everyday routines.
Summer
Summer highs are comparatively mild, which may reduce cooling demands and can make daytime outdoor activity more comfortable than in hotter inland locations.
Fall
Fall can be one of the best seasons for comparing neighborhoods because daily routines are active while temperatures transition away from summer conditions.
Winter
Winter lows are relatively mild and measurable snowfall is minimal, so winter living is more likely to revolve around cool or wet conditions than snow removal and prolonged freezes.
Source: NOAA/NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020. Seasonal descriptions are relocation context derived from the available long-term normals, not a forecast.
San Francisco is located in San Francisco County, but city-level housing, income and neighborhood conditions can differ meaningfully from countywide averages. San Francisco County. Current county foreclosure activity is classified as medium, adding another housing-market signal for buyers comparing conventional and distressed-property opportunities.
County Intelligence
San Francisco & San Francisco County
Medium
Foreclosure Activity
San Francisco is located in San Francisco County, California.
NarrowTheList uses county-level information alongside local community data because many factors that matter when choosing a place to live are measured beyond city boundaries. Housing, property taxes, employment, healthcare access and other regional characteristics can add useful context to the picture of life in San Francisco.
Current NarrowTheList data for San Francisco shows a population of about 830,235. These local figures become more useful when read together with county-level tax, housing, foreclosure and demographic conditions rather than treated as isolated city statistics.
Foreclosure Activity: Medium. Current signal uses NarrowTheList foreclosure-opportunity data until direct county delinquency and foreclosure datasets are connected.
For someone comparing homes, county boundaries can matter because taxes, public services, court and recording systems, assessment practices and housing-market conditions are often administered or reported at the county level. NarrowTheList keeps that county relationship attached to the community so future tax, foreclosure, housing and demographic data can be interpreted in the correct geographic context.
County relationship
San Francisco County
How NarrowTheList uses it
County information is used as a supporting geographic layer, not as a substitute for local data. As more county datasets are added, NarrowTheList can use them to improve comparisons, ratings and relocation insights for San Francisco.
For someone considering a move to San Francisco, the available data currently points to housing affordability that deserves careful budgeting. These signals are most useful when considered alongside the specific neighborhood, commute and housing type that fit the household making the move.
Nearby Cities & Communities
Nearby incorporated cities, towns, villages and other municipalities shown by straight-line distance.