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.
The San Francisco skyline
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
As of March 2025, the average apartment rent in San Francisco, CA is $2,289 for a studio, $2,973 for one bedroom, $4,071 for two bedrooms, and $5,070 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in San Francisco has increased by 2.7% in the past year.
The cost of living in San Francisco, CA is 70.3% higher than the national average. Generally, housing in San Francisco is 182.1% more expensive than the national average, with rent falling between $2,293 - $5,068. You can expect to pay 22.5% more for groceries, 47.5% more for utilities, and 40.2% 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-8
586 Students
Public
Grades K-5
521 Students
Public
Grades K-5
502 Students
Public
Grades K-5
402 Students
Chinese Immersion School At Deavila
Public
Grades K-5
376 Students
Public
Grades K-8
586 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 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
1,826 Students
Public
Grades 9-12
1,278 Students
3,222
Communities
894,075
Units
828
Cities
168
Communities
57,759
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85
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182
Communities
58,090
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81
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59
Communities
15,063
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33
Cities
648
Communities
127,069
Units
257
Cities
615
Communities
105,593
Units
216
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 February 2025.
