San Francisco vs Philadelphia
A side-by-side comparison of San Francisco, California and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — population, climate, cost of living, demographics, and more.
| Place |  San FranciscoCalifornia, United States |  PhiladelphiaPennsylvania, United States |
|---|---|---|
| Location | ||
| State / region | California | Pennsylvania |
| Country | 🇺🇸 United States | 🇺🇸 United States |
| Coordinates | 37.727, -123.032 | 40.009, -75.133 |
| Elevation | 0 m | 32 m |
| Size | ||
| Population | 827,526 | 1,573,916 |
| Land area | 46.7 mi² | 134.4 mi² |
| Water area | 185.2 mi² | 8.3 mi² |
| Density (per mi²) | 17,720 | 11,714 |
| Housing units | 420,054 | 763,527 |
| Demographics | ||
| Median age | 40.5 | 35.7 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 38.3% | 35.5% |
| Black or African American | 5.0% | 38.7% |
| Asian | 35.4% | 8.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 16.8% | 16.4% |
| Economy & education | ||
| Median household income | $139,801 | $60,521 |
| Median home value | $1,314,700 | $253,600 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 60.9% | 36.4% |
| Poverty rate | 11.3% | 19.7% |
| Unemployment | 5.8% | 5.9% |
| Climate | ||
| Avg high temp | 56°F | 65°F |
| Avg low temp | 53°F | 48°F |
| Annual precipitation | 21.0 in | 48.6 in |
| Sunshine % of year | 62.0% | 55.0% |
| Annual solar (kWh/m²) | 1,595 | 1,408 |
| Air & environment | ||
| US AQI | 48 | 77 |
| Air quality category | Good | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 10.4 | 28.2 |
| PM10 (µg/m³) | 18.5 | 28.3 |
| Ozone (µg/m³) | 64.0 | 20.0 |
| NO₂ (µg/m³) | 0.2 | 45.0 |
| Wildlife species observed | 10 | 10 |
| Wildlife observations | 234,909 | 3,166,297 |
| Risk & hazards | ||
| Earthquakes (last 10y) | 769 | 13 |
| Largest earthquake (mag) | 6.0 | 4.8 |
| Active weather alerts | 1 | 3 |
| Health | ||
| Obesity | 17.5% | — |
| Diabetes | 9.6% | — |
| Smoking | 9.1% | — |
| Schools | ||
| Schools total | — | 298 |
| Elementary schools | — | 190 |
| Middle schools | — | 17 |
| High schools | — | 69 |
| Civic & interest | ||
| Notable people (Wikidata) | 0 | 16 |
| Books about this place | 8 | 8 |
| Wikipedia views (last 30d) | 6,148 | 6,719 |
| Overview | ||
| Summary | San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the fourth-most populous city in California and the 17th-most populous in the United States, with a population of 826,079 in 2025. Among U.S. cities with a population of 200,000 or more, San Francisco is ranked first by per capita income, third by population density, and sixth by aggregate income as of 2024. Some 4.6 million residents live in the city's metropolitan statistical area, which is the 13th-largest in the United States. Around 9.2 million live in the San Jose–San Francisco–Oakland combined statistical area, the fifth-largest in the United States. Wikipedia | Philadelphia, colloquially referred to as Philly, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the sixth-most populous city in the United States. Its population was 1.60 million at the 2020 census and estimated at 1.57 million in 2025. The Philadelphia metropolitan area, also known as the Delaware Valley, has 6.33 million residents and is the nation's ninth-largest metropolitan area. Philadelphia is known for its culture, cuisine, and history, maintaining contemporary influence in business and technology, sports, and music. Wikipedia |
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