Relocation profile · Federal data
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
BEA RPP 115.6 ranks #387 of 387 scored metros for higher prices (dearer third).
- 115.6
- Cost index (US=100)
- $2,912
- 2BR rent / mo
- $95,708
- Median salary
- 22.9
- LiveAbility Score
The verdict
As of June 2026, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont ranks #387 of 387 US metros on the LiveAbility Score (22.9/100), with its strongest marks in job market and climate.
- #387
- of 387 US metros · Well below median
- 39,431,263
- metro-area population
- 477
- violent crimes per 100K (state-level)
- 10,006
- schools in the state (NCES)
Weakest dimension: cost of living (0/100). Weigh every dimension against your own priorities, use the City Finder to re-rank by what matters to you.
According to PlainRelocate's LiveAbility composite (BEA, BLS, HUD, FBI, NCES, EPA, NOAA, and FEMA inputs), San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont ranks #387 of 387 scored US metros by LiveAbility Score (highest score = #1). Cost-of-living index 115.6 (100 = national average), median 2-bedroom rent $2,912/mo, median salary $95,708; LiveAbility Score 22.9/100, strongest in job market and climate.
Signature: BEA RPP 115.6 ranks #387 of 387 scored metros for higher prices (dearer third).
Purchasing power tightens: BEA RPP 115.6 lands in the dearer third of scored metros (cuts at 91.5 / 97.0). Median 2BR rent $2,912/mo.
LiveAbility 22.9/100 puts San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont in the bottom third (#387 of 387).
BLS OEWS total employment in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont area is 2,339,300.
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont vs all US metros by LiveAbility Score
Where this metro's LiveAbility Score falls among every scored US metro (composite placement, not a desirability verdict)
23 Top 100% in the bottom 1% of 387 US metros
Metros banded by LiveAbility Score (0–100)
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US metros. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source PlainRelocate LiveAbility Score · June 2026
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont housing and rent
HUD Fair Market Rents for the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont MSA; housing RPP 194.7 (100 = national average); 2BR $2,912/mo.
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont wages and employment
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont posts 2,339,300 total employment with median salary $95,708 against a dearer-than-average RPP.
Top Occupations by Employment
| Occupation | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $35,950 |
| Software Developers | $186,640 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $43,870 |
| General and Operations Managers | $149,990 |
| Registered Nurses | $186,610 |
Schools & Education
State-level education data for the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont area from NCES.
Childcare Costs
State-average childcare costs for the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont area (DOL data).
Life Score Breakdown
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont's composite Life Score is 39.3/100 (F), computed across 7 of 7 dimensions.
LiveAbility Score
View full rankings →San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont ranks #387 out of 387 metros with a LiveAbility Score of 22.9/100 - a composite of 8 of 8 quality-of-life dimensions from federal data. Customize the weights to match your priorities →
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont - dimension scores
Percentile vs all US metros (100 = best in the nation for that dimension)
- Job market
Job market
100 /100
- Climate
Climate
51 /100
- Air quality 11
Air quality
11 /100
- Safety 10
Safety
10 /100
- Low hazard 9
Low hazard
9 /100
- Schools 4
Schools
4 /100
- Housing 1
Housing
1 /100
- Cost of living 0
Cost of living
0 /100
What this shows San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont's strongest dimensions are job market and climate; its weakest among scored dims is cost of living at 0/100. Default weights: cost 18%, jobs & housing 15% each, safety & schools 12%, air & hazard 10%, climate 8%.
Compare San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont to
Metros near San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont on cost, LiveAbility, or wages
Nearest out-of-state neighbors to San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont on BEA RPP, LiveAbility, or BLS median salary, a different lens than the size-ranked list.
Similar cost of living (BEA RPP)
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont cost figures follow BEA Regional Price Parities and HUD Fair Market Rents; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont wages and LiveAbility inputs follow BLS OEWS plus the federal sources listed in methodology. This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Scores are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation. How this data is sourced.
Verify with BEA → · Verify with BLS → · Verify with HUD → · Verify with NOAA → · Verify with FEMA → · Verify with Census →
Thinking about San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont runs a $95,708 median salary at a 115.6 cost index, ranking #387 of 387 nationally on LiveAbility.
- See exactly what San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont's pay and cost figures mean for your own budget. Salary calculator
- Put San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont head-to-head against another city on the same dimensions. Compare San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont
- Abilene is the closest related metro in this corpus -- see how it stacks up. Abilene profile
- A cheaper cost index and a higher LiveAbility score don't always point the same direction -- here's how to weigh the trade-off. Cost vs quality guide
Cost, salary and score figures are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation.