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Is Pacifica, CA a Good Place to Live?
Pacifica is a small city of 38,048 in California, with a median household income of $151,849 and a 3.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 118 (US average = 100), which is 18% above the national average.
Strengths: Pacifica stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B+), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices. Whether Pacifica is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Pacifica city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 118.2Pacifica's overall cost of living index is 118.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Pacifica costs roughly 18% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Pacifica, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,188,000 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,939 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 68.5% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $151,849 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafePacifica's violent crime rate is 145.4 per 100,000 residents — 62% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Pacifica is served primarily by Pacifica. The student-to-teacher ratio is 21.5:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Pacifica, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Pacifica | — |
| Elementary Schools | 6 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 21.5:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 47.9% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 96.0% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Pacifica sees average highs of 58.1°F in January and 69.4°F in July, with 27.1 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Pacifica, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 58.1°F |
| Average High — July | 69.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 27.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Pacifica, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 38,048 | — |
| Median Age | 43.2 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 29.0 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 57.6% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 2.2% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 10.1% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 21.5% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 19.3% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 19.1% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Pacifica
Pacifica, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code: