Signals
Lafayette
San Francisco
Opportunity
60 · Top 43%
vs65 · Top 31%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
23 · Bottom 17%
vs45 · Bottom 35%
Housing affordability
56 · Bottom 16%
vs48 · Bottom 9%
Access
97 · Top 21%
vs81 · Bottom 24%
Economic stability
75 · Top 18%
vs59 · Bottom 46%
Measured values
| Metric | Lafayette | San Francisco | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,285 | 830,235 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $228,250 | $140,970 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $123,402 | $92,289 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,683/sq mi | 17,784/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $2,000,001 | $1,394,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,892 | $2,476 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 77.1% | 38.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 79.0% | 60.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 2.9% | 11.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 88°F | 66°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 41°F | 47°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 16.1" | 22.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 13 mi | 37 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.5 min | 33.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.7 | 40.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 128 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 21.05 | 21.46 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 5.4% | 54.3% | 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
Lafayette
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.
Lafayette
67
Your Score
—
Area Score
San Francisco
61
Your Score
59
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Lafayette, CA · San Francisco, CA · How this is calculated: methodology