Urban Honolulu receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Urban Honolulu
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont
Opportunity
83 · Top 5%
vs57 · Top 47%
Growth
35 · Bottom 25%
vs31 · Bottom 21%
Climate
89 · Top 1%
vs85 · Top 3%
Physical resilience
21 · Bottom 11%
vs35 · Bottom 25%
Housing affordability
45 · Bottom 2%
vs50 · Bottom 3%
Access
92 · Top 32%
vs99 · Top 3%
Economic stability
80 · Top 19%
vs88 · Top 7%
Measured values
| Metric | Urban Honolulu | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,001,146 | 4,645,029 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $106,195 | $136,027 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $47,516 | $74,352 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,666/sq mi | 1,881/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $897,500 | $1,140,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,083 | $2,474 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.8% | 55.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.2% | -1.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.5% | 52.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.2% | 8.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,615 | 8,350 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.6 | 1.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 7.2% | 29.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 72°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 65°F | 42°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 13.9" | 18.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.1 min | 33.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.8 | 40.3 | 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
Urban Honolulu
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, wildfire, tsunami.
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont
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.
Urban Honolulu
64
Your Score
61
Area Score
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont
63
Your Score
58
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Urban Honolulu, HI Metro Area · San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology