Places › California › South San Francisco

Living in South San Francisco, CA

Suburb in California

South San Francisco is a suburb in California, home to about 64,000 people, with 3.6 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, you can walk or take transit almost everywhere. Life moves at a very fast pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.

Is South San Francisco a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Strong healthcare: 20 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Mild summers: highs around 73°F
  • Easy flying: SFO is 4 mi away
  • Great outdoors: coast or a lake close by

👎 Cons

  • Pricey housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $1.22M, and rent is $4,600 a month

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how South San Francisco ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
64,000
3.6 million within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
59°F / 73°F
Average daily highs
3-bedroom home
$1.22M
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$4,600/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
116
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$3,279
State income tax per resident · 0.61% property tax
Safety
0.6× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
7 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly earthquakes, flooding
Top-rated hospitals
20
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
40%
4 research universities within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
SFO
4 mi away

Living in South San Francisco: common questions

What is the cost of living in South San Francisco?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $1.22M, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $4,600 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 116, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in South San Francisco?

California collects about $3,279 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.61% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is South San Francisco safe?

Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.6× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in South San Francisco?

South San Francisco has mild winters: winter days average around 59°F and summer days around 73°F.

Does South San Francisco get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is high, mainly from earthquakes and flooding: 7 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 2.45 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to South San Francisco?

The nearest major airport is SFO, about 4 mi away.

How South San Francisco scores

Each bar compares South San Francisco with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Big city Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Urban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Walk & transit Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Nature nearby Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Mild winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Very expensive Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Very fast-paced Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Friendly community AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Apartments & houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Poor
💸Low taxes Average
💼Job market Good
🏥Healthcare Excellent
🎓Education Excellent
🧸Kids & family Excellent
🐕Dog-friendly Excellent
⛰️Outdoors Excellent
🎭Culture Excellent
🛡️Safety Very safe
🌪️Few natural disasters Average
☀️Sunny Good
🌤️Mild summers Excellent
✈️Airport Excellent

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Is South San Francisco right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.