San Diego vs San Francisco
A side-by-side comparison of San Diego, California and San Francisco, California — population, climate, cost of living, demographics, and more.
| Place |  San DiegoCalifornia, United States |  San FranciscoCalifornia, United States |
|---|---|---|
| Location | ||
| State / region | California | California |
| Country | 🇺🇸 United States | 🇺🇸 United States |
| Coordinates | 32.815, -117.136 | 37.727, -123.032 |
| Elevation | 128 m | 0 m |
| Size | ||
| Population | 1,404,461 | 827,526 |
| Land area | 326.1 mi² | 46.7 mi² |
| Water area | 46.3 mi² | 185.2 mi² |
| Density (per mi²) | 4,307 | 17,720 |
| Housing units | 588,866 | 420,054 |
| Demographics | ||
| Median age | 36.6 | 40.5 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 44.7% | 38.3% |
| Black or African American | 5.4% | 5.0% |
| Asian | 17.7% | 35.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 30.5% | 16.8% |
| Economy & education | ||
| Median household income | $111,032 | $139,801 |
| Median home value | $980,700 | $1,314,700 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 53.6% | 60.9% |
| Poverty rate | 10.4% | 11.3% |
| Unemployment | 5.6% | 5.8% |
| Climate | ||
| Avg high temp | 70°F | 56°F |
| Avg low temp | 56°F | 53°F |
| Annual precipitation | 13.5 in | 21.0 in |
| Sunshine % of year | 70.0% | 62.0% |
| Annual solar (kWh/m²) | 1,793 | 1,595 |
| Air & environment | ||
| US AQI | 30 | 48 |
| Air quality category | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 7.3 | 10.4 |
| PM10 (µg/m³) | 11.6 | 18.5 |
| Ozone (µg/m³) | 65.0 | 64.0 |
| NO₂ (µg/m³) | 2.7 | 0.2 |
| Wildlife species observed | 10 | 10 |
| Wildlife observations | 3,162,085 | 235,077 |
| Risk & hazards | ||
| Earthquakes (last 10y) | 1,236 | 771 |
| Largest earthquake (mag) | 5.4 | 6.0 |
| Active weather alerts | 3 | 1 |
| Health | ||
| Obesity | 24.6% | 17.5% |
| Diabetes | 9.4% | 9.6% |
| Smoking | 9.6% | 9.1% |
| Schools | ||
| Schools total | 275 | — |
| Elementary schools | 173 | — |
| Middle schools | 35 | — |
| High schools | 49 | — |
| Civic & interest | ||
| Notable people (Wikidata) | 8 | 0 |
| Books about this place | 8 | 8 |
| Wikipedia views (last 30d) | 3,870 | 5,561 |
| Overview | ||
| Summary | San Diego is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, next to the Mexican border. It is the eighth-most populous city in the U.S. and second-most populous city in California with a population of over 1.4 million, while the San Diego area with over 3.3 million residents is the 18th-largest metropolitan area in the country. San Diego is the county seat of San Diego County. It is known for its mild Mediterranean climate, extensive beaches and parks, long association with the United States Navy, and recent emergence as a Wireless, electronics, healthcare, and biotechnology development center. Wikipedia | San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the 17th-largest city and second-densest major city in the United States, with a 2025 population of 826,079. It is the fourth-most populous city in California and the second most-populous in the Bay Area. Some 4.6 million residents live in the city's metropolitan statistical area. Around 9.2 million live in the San Jose–San Francisco–Oakland combined statistical area, the fifth-largest in the United States. San Francisco is a global center for technology and finance, and is well-known for its affluence, eclectic architecture, and mild climate. Wikipedia |
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