San Francisco, California Housing Market Prices
San Francisco Home Prices and Rent at a Glance
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
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Median home price 96% above the California median$1,276,122
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Median rent 22% above the California median$2,475
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | San Francisco | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $1,276,122 | $650,794 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 4.1% | 8.9% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $2,475 | $2,036 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 5.4% | 5.8% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in San Francisco is about 96% higher than in California. Rent is about 22% higher than the California average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2024
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Both home prices and rent are rising in San Francisco, up about 4.1% and 5.4% a year respectively. Rent is changing faster.
Median rent in San Francisco rose about 58.8% between 2015 and 2024, from $1,558 to $2,475. Over the same span, rent in California rose about 62.2%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 9.1 yearly household incomes in San Francisco.
Buying the median-priced home in San Francisco costs roughly 43.0 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in San Francisco. The price-to-rent ratio in California is about 26.6.
| Metric | San Francisco | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $1,276,122 | $650,794 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $140,580 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 9.1 | 6.6 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in San Francisco rose about 41.4%, while median household income rose about 95.2% between 2009 and 2025 — income grew faster than the home price.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | San Francisco | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 33.5% | 51.7% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 54.2% | 40.8% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 12.2% | 7.5% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 13.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2013 | 2011 | 2011 |
San Francisco has a homeownership rate of 33.5%, lower than the California average of 51.7%. Its housing vacancy rate is 12.2%, compared with 7.5% in California.
Housing Stock
| Metric | San Francisco | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.21 people | 2.84 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1954 | 1975 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 4.0 | 5.0 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in San Francisco was built around 1954. On average, 2.2 people live in a home with about 4.0 rooms, staying for about 13.0 years on average.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in San Francisco, California.
What is the median home price in San Francisco, California?
The median home price in San Francisco, California is $1,276,122, higher than the California average of $650,794.
What is the average home price in San Francisco, California?
The typical home price in San Francisco, California, reported as the median sale price, is $1,276,122. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in San Francisco, California?
The median gross rent in San Francisco, California is $2,475 per month, higher than the California average of $2,036.
What was the median gross rent in San Francisco in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in San Francisco, California was $2,011 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in San Francisco, California?
The price-to-rent ratio in San Francisco, California is about 43.0, meaning it would take roughly 43.0 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in San Francisco.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in San Francisco, California?
Both home prices and rent are rising in San Francisco, up about 4.1% and 5.4% a year respectively. Rent is changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in San Francisco, California?
33.5% of households in San Francisco, California own their home, lower than the California average of 51.7%.
What is the vacancy rate in San Francisco, California?
The housing vacancy rate in San Francisco, California is 12.2%, higher than the California average of 7.5%.
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