What it's like to live in South San Francisco
South San Francisco is a smaller city in California with household incomes running above the national average and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. South San Francisco deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, and larger class sizes than the national average.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Highly educated workforce
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- High student-teacher ratio
How South San Francisco compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to South San Francisco
Based on South San Francisco's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$5,604
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $112,080 a year
- 50% of South San Francisco renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$237,760
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $118,880
- Homes cost 8.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 98% above US
$2,802/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $2,802 a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move. Home prices are steep, with a median around $1,188,800. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $1,188,800 · 50% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 12% below US
3.8% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.8%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
SafetyNear US average
309 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 1237/100k · South San Francisco Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
26 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 25.6 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 6% take public transit; 17% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 73°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 45°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 13% above US
41% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 41% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
13 public schools inside the boundary
There are 13 public schools inside the boundary and 5 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Presidio of San Francisco (12 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
South San Francisco's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and a highly educated workforce; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($2,802/mo) equals 25% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit remote workers (17% of workers here already work from home) and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget.
See all the data for South San Francisco →·All California cities →
Other places near South San Francisco
All California guides →Moving to Burlingame →
5 mi away · pop. 30,525
Rent $2,785/mo · Income $174,000
Compare with South San Francisco →Moving to Millbrae →
5 mi away · pop. 22,689
Rent $3,272/mo · Income $163,476
Compare with South San Francisco →Moving to San Bruno →
5 mi away · pop. 42,307
Rent $2,773/mo · Income $141,272
Compare with South San Francisco →Moving to San Mateo →
7 mi away · pop. 103,105
Rent $3,077/mo · Income $153,504
Compare with South San Francisco →Not sure South San Francisco is the one?
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