San Jose vs San Francisco

Side-by-side comparison of San Jose, CA and San Francisco, CA — population, economics, education, health, hospitals, climate, and cost of living from official U.S. government data.

San Jose
California
Pop: 997K
Income: $164,281
Home: $1,490,600
San Francisco
California
Pop: 828K
Income: $140,970
Home: $1,394,500

Population

Population
997K
Population
828K
Median Age
38.1 yrs
Median Age
40 yrs
10-Year Pop Growth
N/A
10-Year Pop Growth
N/A

Economics

Median Household Income
$164,281
Median Household Income
$140,970
Median Home Value
$1,490,600
Median Home Value
$1,394,500
Median Rent
$2,857
Median Rent
$2,476
Poverty Rate
7.1%
Poverty Rate
11.2%
Unemployment Rate
4.9%
Unemployment Rate
6.1%
10-Year Income Growth
N/A
10-Year Income Growth
N/A

Education & Work

Bachelor's Degree or Higher
56.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
60.3%
Work From Home
23.9%
Work From Home
31%
Public Transit
2.3%
Public Transit
18.7%

Health (CDC PLACES)

Frequent Mental Distress
13.7%
Frequent Mental Distress
13.8%
Obesity
21.9%
Obesity
17.2%
Physical Inactivity
22.2%
Physical Inactivity
19.2%
Smoking
8.1%
Smoking
8.8%
Lack of Health Insurance
6.8%
Lack of Health Insurance
6.3%

Healthcare

Hospitals
12
Hospitals
13
Avg Hospital Rating
3.6/5
Avg Hospital Rating
3.3/5

Demographics

San Jose Population
White 29.9%
African American 2.3%
Asian 40.5%
Two or More Races 2.3%
San Francisco Population
White 39.1%
African American 5%
Asian 35.2%
Two or More Races 4.5%

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Data Sources

Population and economic data from the Census Bureau American Community Survey (2022 5-year estimates). Health data from the CDC PLACES (2023). Hospital data from CMS Hospital Compare (2024). Climate data from NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020). Cost of living from BEA Regional Price Parities via FRED.