CityCompare

San Francisco CA vs West Palm Beach FL — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

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

San Francisco, CA

California · Population: 836,321

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

West Palm Beach, FL

Florida · Population: 119,508

  • Median HH Income$69,261
  • Median Home Price$399,650
  • Unemployment5.4%
  • Bachelor's+37.6%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
San Francisco
836,321
San Francisco +
West Palm Beach
119,508
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
San Francisco
N/A
West Palm Beach
N/A
Median Age
San Francisco
39.7
San Francisco +
West Palm Beach
40.2
Foreign Born
San Francisco
34.2%
San Francisco +
West Palm Beach
27.2%
White
San Francisco
40.5%
West Palm Beach
44.0%
West Palm Beach +
Black
San Francisco
5.1%
West Palm Beach
31.5%
West Palm Beach +
Asian
San Francisco
35.0%
San Francisco +
West Palm Beach
2.5%
Hispanic
San Francisco
15.9%
West Palm Beach
24.6%
West Palm Beach +
Spanish at Home
San Francisco
N/A
West Palm Beach
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
San Francisco
$141,446
San Francisco +
West Palm Beach
$69,261
Per Capita Income
San Francisco
$90,285
San Francisco +
West Palm Beach
$44,508
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
San Francisco
$77,230
San Francisco +
West Palm Beach
$65,328
Unemployment Rate
San Francisco
5.6%
West Palm Beach
5.4%
West Palm Beach +
Poverty Rate
San Francisco
10.6%
San Francisco +
West Palm Beach
14.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
San Francisco
60.1%
San Francisco +
West Palm Beach
37.6%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
San Francisco
$1,369,171
West Palm Beach
$399,650
West Palm Beach +
Homeownership Rate
San Francisco
38.5%
West Palm Beach
50.2%
West Palm Beach +

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
San Francisco
503
West Palm Beach
324
West Palm Beach +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
San Francisco
2388
West Palm Beach
1453
West Palm Beach +

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
San Francisco
17.5%
San Francisco +
West Palm Beach
29.1%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
San Francisco
9.7%
San Francisco +
West Palm Beach
13.7%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
San Francisco
14.5%
San Francisco +
West Palm Beach
16.4%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
San Francisco
6.6%
San Francisco +
West Palm Beach
16.9%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
San Francisco
19.6%
West Palm Beach
13.3%
West Palm Beach +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
San Francisco
9.1%
San Francisco +
West Palm Beach
13.0%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
San Francisco
55.3°F
San Francisco +
West Palm Beach
75.4°F
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
San Francisco
20.7 in
San Francisco +
West Palm Beach
62.3 in

Air Quality

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

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
San Francisco
33.9 min
West Palm Beach
25.0 min
West Palm Beach +

Which City is Right for You?

San Francisco leads in median household income at $141,446, while west Palm Beach offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $399,650. On public safety, West Palm Beach is safer with a violent crime rate of 324 per 100,000 residents, compared to 503 in San Francisco. West Palm Beach has a lower unemployment rate at 5.4%, and West Palm Beach has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.2 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, San Francisco scores better with a lower obesity rate of 17.5%.

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About San Francisco & West Palm Beach

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