Mount Vernon NY vs San Francisco CA — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Mount Vernon, NY

New York · Population: 72,528

  • Median HH Income$77,171
  • Median Home Price$579,771
  • Unemployment6.9%
  • Bachelor's+35.0%

San Francisco, CA

California · Population: 836,321

  • Median HH Income$141,446
  • Median Home Price$1,369,171
  • Unemployment5.6%
  • Bachelor's+60.1%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Mount Vernon
72,528
San Francisco
836,321
San Francisco +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Mount Vernon
N/A
San Francisco
N/A
Median Age
Mount Vernon
41.9
San Francisco
39.7
San Francisco +
Foreign Born
Mount Vernon
31.9%
San Francisco
34.2%
San Francisco +
White
Mount Vernon
16.2%
San Francisco
40.5%
San Francisco +
Black
Mount Vernon
60.4%
Mount Vernon +
San Francisco
5.1%
Asian
Mount Vernon
2.2%
San Francisco
35.0%
San Francisco +
Hispanic
Mount Vernon
18.3%
Mount Vernon +
San Francisco
15.9%
Spanish at Home
Mount Vernon
N/A
San Francisco
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Mount Vernon
$77,171
San Francisco
$141,446
San Francisco +
Per Capita Income
Mount Vernon
$42,158
San Francisco
$90,285
San Francisco +
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Mount Vernon
$77,425
Mount Vernon +
San Francisco
$77,230
Unemployment Rate
Mount Vernon
6.9%
San Francisco
5.6%
San Francisco +
Poverty Rate
Mount Vernon
13.6%
San Francisco
10.6%
San Francisco +
Bachelor's Degree+
Mount Vernon
35.0%
San Francisco
60.1%
San Francisco +

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Mount Vernon
$579,771
Mount Vernon +
San Francisco
$1,369,171
Homeownership Rate
Mount Vernon
42.1%
Mount Vernon +
San Francisco
38.5%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Mount Vernon
434
Mount Vernon +
San Francisco
503
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Mount Vernon
1736
Mount Vernon +
San Francisco
2388

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Mount Vernon
33.2%
San Francisco
17.5%
San Francisco +
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Mount Vernon
13.6%
San Francisco
9.7%
San Francisco +
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Mount Vernon
16.3%
San Francisco
14.5%
San Francisco +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Mount Vernon
9.3%
San Francisco
6.6%
San Francisco +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Mount Vernon
12.8%
Mount Vernon +
San Francisco
19.6%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Mount Vernon
12.8%
San Francisco
9.1%
San Francisco +

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Mount Vernon
N/A
San Francisco
55.3°F
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Mount Vernon
N/A
San Francisco
20.7 in

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Mount Vernon
8.1 µg/m³
San Francisco
7.9 µg/m³
San Francisco +
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Mount Vernon
75.0%
San Francisco
75.0%
Tie

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Mount Vernon
38.6 min
San Francisco
33.9 min
San Francisco +

Which City is Right for You?

San Francisco leads in median household income at $141,446, while mount Vernon offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $579,771. On public safety, Mount Vernon is safer with a violent crime rate of 434 per 100,000 residents, compared to 503 in San Francisco. San Francisco has a lower unemployment rate at 5.6%, and San Francisco has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.9 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, San Francisco scores better with a lower obesity rate of 17.5%.

Compare More Cities

About Mount Vernon & San Francisco