New York City, NY vs San Francisco, CA
Side-by-side comparison of housing, income, commute, safety, and quality of life.
Score Snapshot
No universal winner
Scores summarize the published model. Use the objective metric differences below and your own priorities to choose.
New York City
62.5
#1851 nationally
San Francisco
62.9
#1817 nationally
San Francisco leads in median household income ($136,689 vs $74,694). San Francisco leads in average commute (33.4 min vs 41.2 min). San Francisco leads in school rating (6.5 vs 6).
Metric-by-Metric Breakdown
| Metric | New York City, NY | San Francisco, CA |
|---|---|---|
| WhereAtHome Score | 62.5 (#1851) | 62.9 (#1817) |
| Population | 8,258,035 | 808,437 |
| Typical Home Value (ZHVI) | $832,934 | $1,416,278 |
| Median Household Income | $74,694 | $136,689 |
| Average Commute | 41.2 min | 33.4 min |
| Walk Score | 89 | 89 |
| Crime Level | Moderate | Moderate-High |
| School Rating | 6 | 6.5 |
| Cost of Living Index | 187 | 195 |
| Political lean County 2024 presidential margin — context only, not scored | D+64.8 | D+64.8 |
D-
62.5 Score
New York City, NY
The city that never sleeps
Median Home
$832,934
Population
8,258,035
Crime
Moderate
Schools
B-
Northeast
View New York City, NY →
D-
62.9 Score
San Francisco, CA
Innovation capital on the bay
Median Home
$1,416,278
Population
808,437
Crime
Moderate-High
Schools
B-
Pacific
View San Francisco, CA →
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