Palo Alto, CA vs South 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.
Palo Alto
67.4
#1429 nationally
South San Francisco
63.9
#1734 nationally
Palo Alto leads in median household income ($214,118 vs $127,062). Palo Alto leads in crime level (5.8 vs 8.2). Palo Alto leads in average commute (23.9 min vs 27.9 min).
Metric-by-Metric Breakdown
| Metric | Palo Alto, CA | South San Francisco, CA |
|---|---|---|
| WhereAtHome Score | 67.4 (#1429) | 63.9 (#1734) |
| Population | 65,882 | 63,123 |
| Typical Home Value (ZHVI) | $3,599,324 | $1,235,804 |
| Median Household Income | $214,118 | $127,062 |
| Average Commute | 23.9 min | 27.9 min |
| Walk Score | 61 | 63 |
| Crime Level | 5.8 | 8.2 |
| School Rating | N/A | N/A |
| Cost of Living Index | N/A | 207 |
| Political lean County 2024 presidential margin — context only, not scored | D+40.0 | D+50.3 |
D+
67.4 Score
Palo Alto, CA
California community balancing growth and livability
Median Home
$3,599,324
Population
65,882
Crime
Moderate-Low
Walk Score
61
Pacific
View Palo Alto, CA →
D
63.9 Score
South San Francisco, CA
California community balancing growth and livability
Median Home
$1,235,804
Population
63,123
Crime
Moderate
Walk Score
63
Pacific
View South San Francisco, CA →
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