CountyScore

San Francisco County

California · CA

#55 in California
53.3
County Score

County Report Card

About San Francisco County, California

San Francisco Approaches National Median

San Francisco County scores 48.0, falling just short of the national median of 50.0 and placing it in the 46th percentile nationally. Despite its global prestige, the county's composite livability measure reveals significant trade-offs.

Well Below California Average

San Francisco scores 48.0 versus California's average of 61.3—the lowest score among these eight counties and indicating substantial livability challenges relative to the state. The gap reflects the county's extreme housing and cost pressures.

Exceptional Incomes, Lowest Taxes

San Francisco's standout strength is its median household income of $141,446 with an Income Score of 75.7—far exceeding all peers. Combined with the lowest effective tax rate at 0.682%, the county attracts high-earning professionals and tech workers.

Housing Costs Create Severe Strain

San Francisco's Cost Score of 14.8 is catastrophically low, reflecting median home values of $1,380,500 and monthly rent at $2,419—by far the highest costs in this group. Safety, health, schools, and environmental data remain unavailable but cannot offset the affordability crisis.

Only for Well-Compensated Urban Professionals

San Francisco suits exclusively high-earning professionals in tech, finance, or specialized fields willing to spend 50%+ of income on housing. For most families, the county's livability score reflects an unaffordable premium over quality-of-life fundamentals.

Score breakdown

5 dimensions have live data. 3 more coming as vertical sites launch.

Tax83.1Cost14.8SafetyComing SoonHealth84.9SchoolsComing SoonIncome75.7Risk0.5WaterComing Soon
🏛83.1
Property Tax
Effective property tax rate vs national benchmarks
TaxByCounty →
🏠14.8
Cost of Living
Median rent, home values, and housing affordability
CostByCounty →
💼75.7
Income & Jobs
Median household income and per capita earnings
IncomeByCounty →
🛡Coming Soon
Safety
Violent and property crime rates per 100K residents
❤84.9
Health
Life expectancy, uninsured rates, and health access
HealthByCounty →
🎓Coming Soon
Schools
Graduation rates, per-pupil spending, and attainment
⚡0.5
Disaster Risk
FEMA National Risk Index — flood, fire, tornado, and more
RiskByCounty →
💧Coming Soon
Water Quality
EPA drinking water health violations and safety grades

Explore this county

Property Taxtaxbycounty.comCost of Livingcostbycounty.comIncomeincomebycounty.com
Compare San Francisco County with another county →

Counties with similar scores

Alameda County
California
53.3
Median income: $126,240
Williamson County
Texas
53.3
Median income: $108,309
Menominee County
Wisconsin
53.3
Median income: $59,528
Ocean County
New Jersey
53.4
Median income: $86,411
Brazoria County
Texas
53.1
Median income: $95,155

Deep Dives

San Francisco County across the ByCounty Network

Detailed analysis from 5 data dimensions — each powered by a dedicated ByCounty site.

Property Tax in San Francisco County

via TaxByCounty

San Francisco's rate is the lowest regional

San Francisco's effective tax rate of 0.682% sits below the national median of 0.714%, making it one of the nation's lower-tax jurisdictions by rate. Yet the median property tax of $9,412 towers above the national median of $2,690—a 250% difference—because of San Francisco's $1,380,500 median home value.

San Francisco has California's lowest rate

San Francisco County's 0.682% effective tax rate is the lowest among all California counties, well below the state average of 0.714%. Despite this advantage, the median tax of $9,412 is the highest in the state, driven by the Bay Area's exceptional home values.

San Francisco leads in rate advantage

San Francisco's 0.682% rate is significantly lower than nearby California counties, including San Jose and the broader Bay Area. This rate advantage, however, is wholly eclipsed by San Francisco's median home value of $1,380,500, the highest in the sample.

Median SF home costs $9,412 yearly

With San Francisco's median home value of $1,380,500, homeowners pay approximately $9,412 in annual property taxes despite the county's low rate. With mortgage-related assessments, the total reaches approximately $10,001.

Assessments matter even at high values

San Francisco homeowners with multimillion-dollar properties should regularly verify assessments, as even small rate adjustments yield large dollar savings. A professional assessment appeal is free and can yield significant benefits in a high-value market.

Full property tax analysis on TaxByCounty

Cost of Living in San Francisco County

via CostByCounty

San Francisco incomes outpace its steep rents

San Francisco County's 20.5% rent-to-income ratio remains the lowest among examined counties and beats the national average of 22.4%, a remarkable achievement given its extreme housing costs. Median household income of $141,446—nearly double the national average of $74,755—creates this apparent paradox.

San Francisco: high income shields affordability math

San Francisco's 20.5% rent-to-income ratio ranks best among California counties examined, though this reflects exceptional incomes rather than affordable housing. The $2,419 median rent is California's highest, offset only by San Francisco's unmatched earning power.

San Francisco rents outpace all examined counties

San Francisco's $2,419 median rent is $265 higher than San Diego ($2,154) and $500 above Riverside ($1,814), the largest gap among any county pair examined. Yet San Francisco's median home value of $1,380,500 dwarfs all peers, reflecting unique Bay Area pricing.

Highest income masks highest absolute costs

San Francisco renters pay $2,419 monthly while homeowners face $3,200—a $781 gap revealing the county's split rental and ownership markets. The extraordinary median income of $141,446 means housing consumes just 20.5% of earnings, the only county where extreme costs feel proportionate.

San Francisco: for six-figure earners only

San Francisco offers the state's best affordability ratio (20.5%) but requires exceptional incomes ($141K median) to sustain $2,419 rents and $1.38M homes. High-earning tech professionals and finance workers thrive here; mid-income families should explore Sacramento, San Joaquin, or Riverside instead.

Full cost of living analysis on CostByCounty

Income & Jobs in San Francisco County

via IncomeByCounty

San Francisco earns nearly double nation

San Francisco County's median household income of $141,446 crushes the national median of $74,755—nearly double. This extraordinary income premium reflects the county's status as the heart of Silicon Valley and a global financial center.

California's top-earning county by far

At $141,446, San Francisco's median household income demolishes California's state average of $87,001 by 63%. No county in California comes close to San Francisco's income profile, cementing its position as the state's economic powerhouse.

San Francisco's income gap is enormous

San Francisco's $141,446 median income outpaces San Diego County ($102,285) by nearly $40,000 and San Benito County ($108,289) by $33,000. The tech sector's concentration in San Francisco and Bay Area creates an unmatched wage premium.

Even high income struggles with housing

San Francisco's rent-to-income ratio of 20.5% is the most favorable in this survey, yet the median home value of $1,380,500 is stratospheric. Even residents earning $141,446 must dedicate massive wealth to housing, illustrating the cost-of-living crisis in San Francisco.

Extraordinary income demands expert planning

San Francisco residents earning $141,446 have unmatched wealth-building capacity but face unique challenges from concentrated housing costs. High-income households should prioritize tax optimization, diversified investments beyond real estate, and long-term asset allocation with professional guidance.

Full income & jobs analysis on IncomeByCounty

Health in San Francisco County

via HealthByCounty

San Francisco sets national health record

San Francisco residents live 82.4 years on average, exceeding the U.S. average of 80.2 years by more than 2 full years. Only 12.7% report poor or fair health, the best rate in this entire group and far below the national average of 15%. San Francisco's health profile rivals global leaders.

California's healthiest county

At 82.4 years, San Francisco's life expectancy far exceeds California's 78.5-year average by nearly 4 years, the highest in the state. The 4.2% uninsured rate is by far the lowest in this cohort and among the nation's best. San Francisco has achieved near-universal health coverage and exceptional longevity.

Dramatically outpaces all peers

San Francisco's 82.4-year life expectancy is 2+ years ahead of San Diego (80.3) and San Luis Obispo (80.7), and 7 years ahead of San Bernardino (75.4). The 4.2% uninsured rate is less than half of Riverside (8.3%) and San Bernardino (8.7%), showing unmatched coverage breadth. San Francisco stands alone in health achievement.

Unparalleled provider and coverage density

San Francisco boasts 164 primary care providers and an extraordinary 1,113 mental health providers per 100,000 residents—by far the highest in this comparison. The 4.2% uninsured rate is nearly universal coverage, ensuring nearly all residents access preventive care and mental health support. Investment in care infrastructure translates directly to outcomes.

Complete San Francisco's coverage story

San Francisco's health leadership rests on its 4.2% uninsured rate and dense provider network—but the remaining 4.2% still deserve coverage. If you're uninsured, enrolling in Covered California or Medi-Cal at coveredca.com closes the final gap to universal access. Help San Francisco reach 100% coverage.

Full health analysis on HealthByCounty

Disaster Risk in San Francisco County

via RiskByCounty

San Francisco faces extreme earthquake and flood risk

San Francisco County's composite risk score of 99.52 ranks it as "Very High" and among the nation's riskiest counties, substantially above the typical U.S. baseline. Though it exceeds California's 88.72 average, the city's lower wildfire exposure (28.66) partially offsets other hazards.

Fifth-riskiest county in California overall

San Francisco ranks high statewide despite having California's lowest wildfire risk (28.66), because earthquake (99.78) and flood (98.60) risks are among the highest in the state. The city's dense, aging infrastructure magnifies disaster impacts.

Much riskier than rural inland Bay Area counties

San Francisco (99.52) vastly exceeds San Benito County (85.24) and approaches the extreme risk of Riverside and San Bernardino. Its urban concentration and proximity to the San Andreas Fault create concentrated hazard exposure unlike surrounding counties.

Earthquakes and flooding top the hazard list

San Francisco's earthquake risk (99.78) reflects the city's position on the San Andreas and Hayward faults—major seismic sources. Flood risk (98.60) is equally critical due to rising seas, aging levees, and bay flooding hazards affecting the urban core.

Earthquake insurance is critical; consider flood too

San Francisco homeowners must carry earthquake insurance given the city's extreme seismic risk and should evaluate flood coverage based on location—the Embarcadero and waterfront properties face particular inundation threats. Standard policies leave most residents dangerously exposed.

Full disaster risk analysis on RiskByCounty

ByCounty Network

🏛Property Tax🏠Cost of Living💼Income & Jobs🛡Safety❤Health🎓Schools⚡Disaster Risk💧Water Quality

Data from U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS — informational only.