94116 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
94401
94116
Opportunity
66 · Top 27%
vs67 · Top 25%
Growth
29 · Bottom 15%
vs35 · Bottom 25%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
37 · Bottom 30%
vs45 · Bottom 35%
Housing affordability
34 · Bottom 3%
vs44 · Bottom 8%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs99 · Top 9%
Economic stability
63 · Top 45%
vs66 · Top 38%
Measured values
| Metric | 94401 | 94116 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 35,295 | 43,791 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $122,227 | $158,921 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $63,426 | $76,447 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 11,345/sq mi | 17,336/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,184,500 | $1,502,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,762 | $2,999 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 43.4% | 73.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 46.3% | 57.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.2% | 7.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 98 | 1,622 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.0 | 2.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -34.7% | 27.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 73°F | 66°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 45°F | 47°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 19.6" | 22.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 11 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.2 min | 36.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.9 | 45.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.96 | 23.32 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 35.5% | 51.6% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
94401
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
94116
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 94401 — San Mateo, CA · 94116 — San Francisco, CA · How this is calculated: methodology