San Francisco County, California Income Statistics
San Francisco County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
-
A
San Francisco County Above averageAmong the top 3 wealthiest counties in California
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | San Francisco County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $140,554 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $111,879 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 6.0% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 34.4% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 36.4% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in San Francisco County is about 42% higher than in California. Income has been growing faster in San Francisco County (6.0%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 34% of adults in San Francisco County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the California average of 18%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in San Francisco County, California grew by 100.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $140,554 in 2024. That's an average of about 6.0% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in San Francisco County
| Metric | San Francisco County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.505 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $120,187 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $107,912 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 10.2% | 12.1% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In San Francisco County, it is 0.505, lower than California's 0.572, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 11% more than women's income in San Francisco County, California. Over a 35-year career, a 11% wage gap accumulates to roughly $429,625 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in San Francisco County, California has narrowed from about 11% to 10% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 18% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,471 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | San Francisco County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 6.1% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 31.0% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 28 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 30,888 people are unemployed in San Francisco County, California.
The average commute time in San Francisco County is 28 minutes, longer than the 23 minutes in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in San Francisco County, California has fallen from 7.5% to 6.1% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 8.3% in 2013 and fell as low as 4.2% in 2019.
San Francisco County, CA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
San Francisco County, CA is typical in size for this group, 829,818 residents against a local median of 733,246, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Nothing separates San Francisco County, CA sharply from the counties around it. Each measure below lands within 15% of the local median, close enough that the differences are within what survey sampling alone would produce.
The largest of those small differences is median household income, 8% above the local median at $140,554 against $129,593. San Francisco County, CA has the 3rd highest median household income of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco County, CA | 829,818 | $140,554 #3/6 | 6.0%/yr #3/6 | 6.1% #4/6 | 0.505 #1/6 |
| Marin County, CA | 257,932 | $149,382 | 5.2%/yr | 6.1% | 0.520 |
| San Mateo County, CA | 733,246 | $159,405 | 6.2%/yr | 4.8% | 0.520 |
| Contra Costa County, CA | 1,163,035 | $127,405 | 5.4%/yr | 6.5% | 0.546 |
| Alameda County, CA | 1,648,382 | $129,593 | 6.2%/yr | 5.4% | 0.542 |
| Sonoma County, CA | 485,012 | $105,553 | 5.7%/yr | 5.7% | 0.529 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, San Francisco County, California has an overall wealth index grade of A, making it notably better than California, and notably better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in San Francisco County, California.
How Rich Is San Francisco County, California?
San Francisco County has a wealth index grade of A. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; an A grade means residents are much better off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $140,554, about 42% higher than the California average of $99,161.
Are incomes growing in San Francisco County, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in San Francisco County, California rose 101%, from $70,058 to $140,554. Over the same years, income here outpaced California as a whole: +101% against +64%.
What was the median household income in San Francisco County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in San Francisco County, California was $140,713, up 3% from $136,358 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in San Francisco County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in San Francisco County, California was $119,187. By 2024 it had risen 18% to $140,554.
Is San Francisco County, California a high-income area?
Yes. 34% of adults in San Francisco County, California earn $100,000 or more a year (about 1 in 3), against 18% (about 1 in 6) in California. 36% of households have a combined income of $200,000 or more, compared with 20% in California.
What is the Gini coefficient in San Francisco County, California?
The Gini coefficient in San Francisco County is 0.505. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in San Francisco County, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in San Francisco County, California has narrowed from about 11% to 10% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 18% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,471 since 2009.
Analyze any area in the US
Get local demographics for any address, aggregated by drive time or radius, on the interactive map.
Explore the map →