Housing Market Overview
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | San Francisco County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $1,369,527 | $642,203 | $242,182 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 5.7% | 10.0% | 8.2% |
| Median Gross Rent | $2,418 | $1,955 | $1,342 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 5.8% | 6.0% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in San Francisco County is about 113% higher than in California. Rent is about 24% higher than the California average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2023
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2023
Both home prices and rent are rising in San Francisco County, up about 5.7% and 5.8% a year respectively. Rent is changing faster.
Median rent in San Francisco County rose about 55.2% between 2015 and 2023, from $1,558 to $2,418. Over the same span, rent in California rose about 55.7%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 9.7 yearly household incomes in San Francisco County.
Buying the median-priced home in San Francisco County costs roughly 47.2 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 County. The price-to-rent ratio in California is about 27.4.
| Metric | San Francisco County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $1,369,527 | $642,203 | $242,182 |
| Median Household Income | $140,716 | $96,718 | $78,145 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 9.7 | 6.6 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2023, the median home price in San Francisco County rose about 51.7%, while median household income rose about 100.9% between 2009 and 2023 — 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 County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 33.9% | 51.6% | 58.2% |
| Rental Rate | 54.2% | 40.9% | 31.3% |
| Vacancy Rate | 11.9% | 7.6% | 10.6% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 15.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2011 | 2011 | 2011 |
San Francisco County has a homeownership rate of 33.9%, lower than the California average of 51.6%. Its housing vacancy rate is 11.9%, compared with 7.6% in California.
Housing Stock
| Metric | San Francisco County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.24 people | 2.85 people | 2.54 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1957 | 1975 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 4.0 | 5.0 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in San Francisco County was built around 1957. On average, 2.2 people live in a home with about 4.0 rooms, staying for about 15.0 years on average.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in San Francisco County, California.
What is the median home price in San Francisco County, California?
The median home price in San Francisco County, California is $1,369,527, higher than the California average of $642,203.
What is the average home price in San Francisco County, California?
The typical home price in %s, reported as the median sale price, is %s. 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 County, California?
The median gross rent in San Francisco County, California is $2,418 per month, higher than the California average of $1,955.
What was the median gross rent in San Francisco County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in San Francisco County, California was $2,010 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in San Francisco County, California?
The price-to-rent ratio in San Francisco County, California is about 47.2, meaning it would take roughly 47.2 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 County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in San Francisco County, California?
Both home prices and rent are rising in San Francisco County, up about 5.7% and 5.8% a year respectively. Rent is changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in San Francisco County, California?
33.9% of households in San Francisco County, California own their home, lower than the California average of 51.6%.
What is the vacancy rate in San Francisco County, California?
The housing vacancy rate in San Francisco County, California is 11.9%, higher than the California average of 7.6%.