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San Francisco, CA

Golden Gate Bridge
Golden Gate Bridge
Joseph Barrientos on Unsplash
Cable car
Cable car
Amogh Manjunath on Unsplash
San Francisco is strongly liberal and has a Democratic representative in Congress
870,044
San Francisco Population7
$
80,420
Median Income6
4.7
%
Unemployment Rate17
 

City Score

  • Travel Connectivity

    95
    • Airports
      5
    • Train stations
      13

  • Outdoor Activities

    94
    • Beaches9
      52
    • Parks15
      327
    • Ski resorts
      0

  • Local Transportation

    86
    • Walkability score11
      87
    • Bikeability score11
      72
    • Transit score11
      80
    • Commute via public transit17
      34.2 %
    • Commute via walking17
      11.4 %
    • Commutes via driving solo17
      32.9 %
    • Commute time (avg)17
      33.3 minutes

  • Healthcare

    81
    • Hospitals (<50 miles)2
      60
    • Hospital rating (avg)2
      3.45 / 5
    • 5-star hospitals2
      9
    • 5-star hospitals (%)2
      21.4 %
    • 5-star hospital (nearest)
      8.9 miles from city center

  • Internet Connectivity

    81
    • Access to 25+ mbps wired broadband24
      96.5 %
    • Access to 100+ mbps broadband24
      95.6 %
    • Average download speed24
      82 mpbs
    • Households with broadband25
      86.0 %

  • Economy

    80
    • Income6
      $57,987
    • Income (full-time)6
      $80,420
    • Income ($100,000 or more)6
      39.6 %
    • Income ($25,000 and less)6
      8.0 %
    • Income growth (1-year)6
      7.5 %
    • Income growth (10-year)6
      37.1 %
    • Employment rate17
      95.3 %
    • Employment rate (full-time)6
      48.0 %
    • Employment rate growth (1-year)17
      2.1 %
    • Employment rate growth (10-year)17
      15.9 %
    • Population growth (1-year)7
      0.7 %
    • Population growth (10-year)7
      10.2 %

  • Climate

    78
    • Sunny days3
      67 days
    • Rainy days12
      67 days
    • Hot days12
      2 days
    • Cold days12
      0 days
    • Average humidity12
      78 %
    • Average wind speed12
      11 mph
    • Annual snowfall12
      0 inches
    • Temperature in January12
      51 °F
    • Temperature in July12
      60 °F
    • Wildfire risk23
      Low
    • Hurricane risk23
      None
    • Tornado risk23
      None
    • Earthquake risk23
      High
    • Flood risk23
      Low

  • Attractions

    72
    • Restaurants8
      115.1 per 100,000 residents
    • Bars8
      91.8 per 100,000 households
    • Performing arts centers8
      115.9 per 100,000 households
    • Museums8
      1.9 per 100,000 households
    • Music venues18
      143
    • Historical sites
      6
    • Golf courses20
      40
    • Wineries
      21
    • Casinos22
      9

  • Education

    71
    • Public schools rated 8+4
      32
    • Public schools rated 8+ (%)4
      24.1 %
    • High schools in top 25%14
      9
    • High schools in top 25% (%)14
      32.1 %
    • Top rated public high school14
      Lowell High School
    • Top rated public high school (national rank)14
      68

  • Taxes

    67
    • City income tax
      0.0 % (for median earners)
    • City income tax
      0.0 % (for high earners)
    • State income tax16
      2.3 % (for median earners)
    • State income tax16
      5.8 % (for high earners)
    • City sales tax19
      1.3 %
    • State sales tax19
      7.2 %
    • Property tax21
      0.8 %
    • Vehicle tax21
      0.7 %

  • Diversity

    54
    • White or Middle Eastern7
      40.6 %
    • Black7
      5.0 %
    • Asian7
      34.2 %
    • Hispanic7
      15.2 %

  • Home Pricing

    23
    • Median home value5
      $1,447,570
    • Median home value (sq ft)13
      $1,758
    • Median rent price13
      $4,500

  • Safety

    20
    • Property crimes1
      5,656.5 per 100,000 residents
    • Violent crimes1
      706.2 per 100,000 residents

  • Air Quality

    20
    • Unhealthy air quality10
      1 days per year
    • Unhealthy air quality for sensitive groups10
      7 days per year
    • High PM2.5 pollution10
      80 days per year
    • High ozone10
      146 days per year
 

Population

Since 2010, the population of San Francisco has grown 64% faster than the national average, partially driven by the segment of the population that is 65- to 74-year olds which grew by 34%

Age

38.2
Median Age7
10.2
%
Population Growth Since 20107

Proportion of Population by Age Group vs. United States average7

 

Race and Ethnicity

San Francisco residents are predominantly white; however, the city is becoming more diverse as the white community has shrunk by 13.1% since 2010, while the Asian community, 2nd largest in the city, has grown by 12.5%

Race

37.5
%
California Population, White7
61.1
%
United States population, White7

Population Distribution by Race/Ethnicity7

 

Climate

San Francisco can be very humid, but rarely hot or cold. The average humidity is 78%, but the temperature almost never drops below 32°F and rarely tops 90°F

Weather

18
%
Chance of Rain12
67
%
Chance of Sunshine3

Average Temperature45

 

Housing

The average home value in San Francisco increased by 89% since 2010 which is 46% higher than the national average and 16% higher than the state average

Rent

$
4,500
Monthly Average13
62
%
Renters46

Average Home Value5

 

Taxes

San Francisco is a somewhat low tax location with income tax 36% lower than the national average and property tax 32% lower than the national average, but sales tax 24% higher than the national average.

Other

0.76
%
Property Tax21
8.5
%
Sales Tax19
0.65
%
Vehicle Tax21

Effective Income Tax Rate at Various Income Levels (Married, Filing Jointly)47

 

Employment

San Francisco has a high employment rate of 95% which is 2% higher than the national average. The largest employers are Wells Fargo and BNP Paribas

Income

8.0
%
<$25,0006
39.6
%
$100,000+6

Distribution by Industry17

 

Politics

San Francisco is strongly liberal and has a Democratic representative in Congress

2016 Presidential Election Results48

Representatives

Mayor28 London Breed
Democratic
House of Representative28 Nancy Pelosi
Democratic
 

Healthcare

The nearest 5-star hospital, Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, is 8.9 miles from the center of San Francisco, the nearest Veterans Affairs medical center, San Francisco VA Medical Center, is 4.1 miles away, and the nearest top-rated hospital for cancer care, California Pacific Medical Center, is 1.4 miles away

Medicare-Rated Hospitals (<50 Miles)2

Is Marijuana Legal?

Medical29 Yes
Decriminalized29 Yes
 

Safety

In California, 16.3% of adults live in a household with at least one gun, which is a significant decrease from 2000 when 27.4% of adults lived in households with guns

Gun Laws

Yes
Universal Background Checks30
Yes
Permit to Purchase Law30

Property Crimes and Violent Crimes per 100,000 Residents

 

Fun Facts

  • The first animal in the zoo was Monarch, a 1,100-pound grizzly bear whose subspecies is now extinct. He was so popular that he became the symbol of the California state flag
  • The cable cars are the only National Historical Monument that can move. Built in 1873, they transport 9.7 million people per year
  • On the northern waterfront, Fisherman's Wharf is one of the city's busiest tourist areas and as part of the San Francisco Bay, which is 60 miles long and up to 12 miles wide, it makes up one of the world’s largest landlocked harbors
 

Top Destinations

  • Bayfront, Marina district, financial district, and SoMa [South of Market] are all built on landfills.38
  • In 1906, three quarters of the city was destroyed by a 7.9-magnitude earthquake and subsequent fire39
  • Murphy beds were invented because of San Francisco housing scarcity in 191840
  • Dogs outnumber children in San Francisco. This is fitting since San Francisco was named after St. Francis, the patron saint of animals, but it is also a result of the relatively low number of children in the city, where only 16% of the population is 19 or under, as compared to the U.S. where it is over 27%41
 

Recognition

#14 2020 Best Cities to Live by Niche31
#94 2020 Best Cities to Retire by U.S. News & World Report32
#15 2020 Best Cities to Retire by Niche33
#26 2020 Best Cities for Families by Niche34
#7 2019 Best Cities to Live by U.S. News & World Report35
#20 2019 Best Cities to Retire by WalletHub36
#17 2019 Best Cities for Healthcare by healthgrades37
 

Sources

1 2018 Offenses Known to Law Enforcement | FBI
2 Medicare-certified hospitals | Medicare.gov
3 Sunshine - Average Percent of Possible
4 School Rankings & Reviews for Public and Private Schools | Great Schools
5 Zillow Housing Data
6 2018 Earnings in the Past 12 Months | ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles | United States Census
7 2018 Demographic And Housing Estimates | ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles | United States Census
8 2017 County Business Patterns | United States Census
9 Beaches | Yelp
10 AirData | United States Environmental Protection Agency
11 2020 City & Neighborhood Scores | Walk Score
12 Comparative Climatic Data | National Centers for Environmental Information
13 United States Home Prices & Home Values
14 Best High Schools in the US | U.S. News & World Report's
15 Parks | Yelp
16 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets for 2020 | Tax Foundation
17 2018 Economic Characteristics | ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles | United States Census
18 Music Venues | Yelp
19 2020 State and Local Sales Tax Rates | Tax Foundation
20 Golf Courses | Yelp
21 2020 Property and Vehicle Taxes by State | WalletHub
22 Casinos | Yelp
23 Natural Center for Disaster Preparedness | Columbia University
24 Internet Service Providers: Availability & Coverage | Broadband Now
25 2018 Social Characteristics | ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles | United States Census
26 Largest Cities of U.S. States | Wikipedia
27 Zippia, The Career Expert
28 Who represents me | Ballotpedia
29 State Policy | Marijuana Policy Project
30 State-Level Estimates of Household Firearm Ownership | The RAND Corporation
31 2020 Best Cities to Live | Niche
32 2020 Best Cities to Retire | U.S. News & World Report
33 2020 Best Cities to Retire | Niche
34 2020 Best Cities for Families | Niche
35 2019 Best Cities to Live | U.S. News & World Report
36 2019 Best Cities to Retire | WalletHub
37 National Health Index
38 What Parts of San Francisco are Built on Land Fill? | Priceonomics
39 The Great 1906 San Francisco Earthquake | U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
40 Fun Facts From San Francisco History That You've Probably Never Heard Before | SFist
41 Are There Really More Dogs Than Children in S.F.? | KQED
42 2010 Demographic And Housing Estimates | ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles | United States Census
43 Elevations and Distances | U.S. Geological Survey Publications Repository
44 Normal Precipitation, Inches
45 Normal Daily Minimum Temperature, °F
46 2018 Selected Housing Characteristics | ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles | United States Census
47 Federal Income Tax Calculator | smartasset
48 2016 Presidential Election Results | Politico
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