South San Francisco receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Hayward
South San Francisco
Opportunity: South San Francisco is the more favorable of the two.
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 42%
vs67 · Top 29%
Growth: South San Francisco is the more favorable of the two.
Growth
14 · Bottom 4%
vs15 · Bottom 4%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience: South San Francisco is the more favorable of the two.
Physical resilience
36 · Bottom 29%
vs37 · Bottom 30%
Housing affordability: Hayward is the more favorable of the two.
Housing affordability
46 · Bottom 8%
vs41 · Bottom 5%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability: South San Francisco is the more favorable of the two.
Economic stability
65 · Top 40%
vs68 · Top 33%
Measured values
| Metric | Hayward | South San Francisco | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 158,801 | 64,305 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $113,318 | $136,578 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,923 | $62,611 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,466/sq mi | 6,987/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $854,400 | $1,188,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,391 | $2,802 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.0% | 59.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 3.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.0% | 40.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.6% | 6.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 48 | 37 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.3 | 0.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -61.0% | -93.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 75°F | 73°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 43°F | 45°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 16.0" | 19.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 3 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.1 min | 28.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.6 | 43.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 36 | 14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 21.95 | 18.61 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 73.4% | 41.5% | 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
Hayward
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
South San Francisco
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Hayward
57
Your Score
51
Area Score
South San Francisco
59
Your Score
55
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Hayward, CA · South San Francisco, CA · How this is calculated: methodology