San Francisco is known for an array of attractions like the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz, Chinatown and cable cars, the Painted Ladies and Fisherman’s Wharf, and so much more. This bayside city offers something for everyone. From its hilly streets to the sparkling water of the San Francisco Bay, this city is truly iconic. But it’s not just a tourist destination – San Francisco is a major metropolis with a powerhouse economy, featuring businesses like Dropbox, Reddit, Levi Strauss & Co, Wikimedia Foundation, Yelp, Twitter, and Weather Underground.
San Francisco is full of famous neighborhoods, from Haight-Ashbury and Pacific Heights to the Mission District and the Castro. Each district features its own distinctive personality. The art, culture, and entertainment scene in San Francisco is alive and well. Check out the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Golden Gate Park, Lands End Lookout, Union Square, Oracle Park, and the city’s sandy beaches like Ocean Beach and Baker Beach.
Several universities and colleges call San Francisco home, including the University of San Francisco, San Francisco State University, and the University of California, San Francisco. While you’ll find great mass transit options in this walkable city, the most popular mode of transportation for locals is cycling. San Francisco is the second most walkable city in the country, and earned “Gold” status from the League of American Bicyclists.
San Francisco's famous "Painted Ladies"
Boats along the bay
View of San Francisco from Alamo Square Park
Evening view of the city
The iconic Golden Gate Bridge
Aerial view of the city
As of November 2025, the average apartment rent in San Francisco, CA is $2,395 for a studio, $3,102 for one bedroom, $4,227 for two bedrooms, and $5,788 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in San Francisco has increased by 5.5% in the past year.
The cost of living in San Francisco, CA is 63.1% higher than the national average. Generally, housing in San Francisco is 154.6% more expensive than the national average, with rent falling between $2,395 - $5,788. You can expect to pay 19.1% more for groceries, 55.4% more for utilities, and 41.1% more for transportation.
Looking to move to San Fran on a budget? Explore the most affordable neighborhoods in the city with this detailed guide.
Make a connection with the perfect apartment in San Francisco! Find one with these great amenities.
Big fan of St. Patrick's Day? Live somewhere that shares your passion! Here's a list of 10 cities that turn into Ireland every March 17.
Walker's Paradise
out of 100 WalkScore® Rating
Lace up your walking shoes because this area is considered a walker’s paradise.
Excellent Transit
out of 100 TransitScore® Rating
You’ll have excellent transit living in this area, with several nearby transit stops.
Very Bikeable
out of 100 BikeScore® Rating
This area is very bikeable. You’ll find a variety of bike paths and lanes.
Public
Grades K-5
402 Students
Chinese Immersion School At Deavila
Public
Grades K-5
376 Students
Daniel Webster Elementary School
Public
Grades K-5
346 Students
Public
Grades K-5
256 Students
Lilienthal (Claire) Elementary
Public
Grades K-8
669 Students
Public
Grades 6-8
1,192 Students
Lilienthal (Claire) Elementary
Public
Grades K-8
669 Students
Public
Grades 6-8
666 Students
Public
Grades K-8
586 Students
Public
Grades 6-8
978 Students
Public
Grades 9-12
2,632 Students
Asawa (Ruth) San Francisco School Of The Arts, A Public School.
Public
Grades 9-12
679 Students
Public
Grades 9-12
2,036 Students
Public
Grades 9-12
1,997 Students
Public
Grades 9-12
1,826 Students
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Data provided by
GreatSchools.org
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3,438
Communities
949,373
Units
871
Cities
226
Communities
78,082
Units
150
Cities
169
Communities
58,237
Units
85
Cities
171
Communities
55,563
Units
76
Cities
57
Communities
14,146
Units
34
Cities
135
Communities
42,895
Units
61
Cities
† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.
Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.
Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in November 2025.
