New Rochelle 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)

New Rochelle, NY

New York · Population: 48,198

  • Median HH Income$48,535
  • Median Home Price$920,484
  • Unemployment9.7%
  • Bachelor's+22.8%

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
New Rochelle
48,198
San Francisco
836,321
San Francisco +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
New Rochelle
N/A
San Francisco
N/A
Median Age
New Rochelle
40.7
San Francisco
39.7
San Francisco +
Foreign Born
New Rochelle
4.6%
San Francisco
34.2%
San Francisco +
White
New Rochelle
66.1%
New Rochelle +
San Francisco
40.5%
Black
New Rochelle
17.8%
New Rochelle +
San Francisco
5.1%
Asian
New Rochelle
2.3%
San Francisco
35.0%
San Francisco +
Hispanic
New Rochelle
8.0%
San Francisco
15.9%
San Francisco +
Spanish at Home
New Rochelle
N/A
San Francisco
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
New Rochelle
$48,535
San Francisco
$141,446
San Francisco +
Per Capita Income
New Rochelle
$30,033
San Francisco
$90,285
San Francisco +
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
New Rochelle
$77,425
New Rochelle +
San Francisco
$77,230
Unemployment Rate
New Rochelle
9.7%
San Francisco
5.6%
San Francisco +
Poverty Rate
New Rochelle
23.7%
San Francisco
10.6%
San Francisco +
Bachelor's Degree+
New Rochelle
22.8%
San Francisco
60.1%
San Francisco +

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
New Rochelle
$920,484
New Rochelle +
San Francisco
$1,369,171
Homeownership Rate
New Rochelle
57.5%
New Rochelle +
San Francisco
38.5%

Safety

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

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
New Rochelle
26.6%
San Francisco
17.5%
San Francisco +
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
New Rochelle
10.6%
San Francisco
9.7%
San Francisco +
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
New Rochelle
13.8%
New Rochelle +
San Francisco
14.5%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
New Rochelle
9.5%
San Francisco
6.6%
San Francisco +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
New Rochelle
14.9%
New Rochelle +
San Francisco
19.6%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
New Rochelle
9.3%
San Francisco
9.1%
San Francisco +

Climate

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

Air Quality

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

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
New Rochelle
20.0 min
New Rochelle +
San Francisco
33.9 min

Which City is Right for You?

San Francisco leads in median household income at $141,446, while new Rochelle offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $920,484. On public safety, New Rochelle 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 New Rochelle & San Francisco