San Francisco vs San Jose
San Francisco, California versus San Jose, California: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
San Jose edges out San Francisco on overall objective livability (48 vs 44 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | San Francisco | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $137k | $136k |
| Cost of Living | $74k | $91k |
| Home Value | $1.3M | $1.1M |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $3k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $139k | $181k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.66% | 0.75% |
| Income Tax | 13.30% | 13.30% |
| Sales Tax | 8.85% | 8.85% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 22.68% | 22.58% |
| Unemployment | 5.4% | 4.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 51°F | 51°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 62°F | 68°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 30.0 in | 18.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 231 days | 261 days |
| Summer Humidity | 53°F | 55°F |
| Comfortable Days | 230 days | 225 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 96.2 | 68.7 |
| Air Quality | 35 AQI | 40 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 81.6 |
| Violent Crime | 1317/100k | 1248/100k |
| Property Crime | 6246/100k | 2651/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 851,036 | 1,001,176 |
| Median Age | 39.3 | 37.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.69 | 0.72 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.06 | 1.04 |
| Political Leaning | D+74 | D+48 |
| White (%) | 38.3% | 23.9% |
| Black (%) | 4.9% | 2.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 15.5% | 30.8% |
| Asian (%) | 34.5% | 37.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.8% | 4.6% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 32 min | 29 min |
| Walkability | 16.6/20 | 14.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 11 mi | 8 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.6% | 94.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 42.56 | 9.06 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is San Francisco or San Jose more affordable?
- San Francisco has the lower cost of living: its index is $74k, compared with San Francisco's $74k and San Jose's $91k. Median rent is $2k in San Francisco versus $3k in San Jose.
- Is San Francisco or San Jose safer?
- San Jose has the lower violent crime rate. San Francisco reports 1317/100k and San Jose reports 1248/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in San Francisco or San Jose?
- The median home value is $1.3M in San Francisco and $1.1M in San Jose, so homes are more affordable in San Jose.