Residential comparison · 13 facts
San Carlos, CA vs San Francisco, CA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in San Carlos needs about $99,000 in San Francisco to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from San Francisco, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $71,000 in San Carlos.
A few differences
- San Francisco is lower on sales tax (8.63% vs 8.8%).
- San Carlos is lower on groceries index (112 vs 118).
- San Carlos is higher on median household income ($237,470 vs $127,000).
San Carlos vs San Francisco · facet by facet
| Facet | San Carlos, CA | San Francisco, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $2,000,001 | $1,300,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $3,286/mo | $4,300/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.75% | 0.75% |
| State & local income tax | 2.09% | 2.09% |
| Sales tax | 8.8% | 8.63% |
| Cost of living index | 225 | 178 |
| Groceries index | 112 | 118 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $240/mo |
| Median household income | $237,470 | $127,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 4% |
| Crime index | 52/100 | 46/100 |
| School rating | 5.5/10 | 7.0/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 260 days | 259 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: San Carlos, CA · San Francisco, CA
Questions & answers
- Is San Carlos cheaper than San Francisco?
- San Francisco has the lower day-to-day cost index (178 vs 225 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in San Francisco equals $85,000 in San Carlos?
- A household earning $85,000 in San Carlos needs about $99,000 in San Francisco to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of San Francisco lifestyle costs about $71,000 in San Carlos.