Fremont receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Fremont
San Francisco
Opportunity
62 · Top 37%
vs70 · Top 20%
Growth
43 · Bottom 31%
vs33 · Bottom 22%
Climate
89 · Top 11%
vs89 · Top 11%
Physical resilience
37 · Bottom 28%
vs45 · Bottom 32%
Housing affordability
59 · Bottom 33%
vs48 · Bottom 11%
Access
99 · Top 10%
vs81 · Bottom 10%
Economic stability
75 · Top 3%
vs59 · Top 36%
Measured values
| Metric | Fremont | San Francisco | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 228,295 | 830,235 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $181,506 | $140,970 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $77,049 | $92,289 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,923/sq mi | 17,784/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,403,800 | $1,394,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,933 | $2,476 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.8% | 38.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 63.9% | 60.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.2% | 11.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 708 | 1,622 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.1 | 2.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 713.8% | 27.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 66°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 42°F | 47°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 13.4" | 22.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 37 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.2 min | 33.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.1 | 40.0 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Fremont
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
San Francisco
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Fremont
66
Your Score
62
Area Score
San Francisco
61
Your Score
60
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Fremont, CA · San Francisco, CA · How this is calculated: methodology