Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clarksville, TN
VS
San Francisco, CA
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
Clarksville
Tennessee
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$62,688
Violent Crime Index
108⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
167,882
San Francisco
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
117.1⚠ High
Median Household Income
$136,689 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
157⚠ High
Population
851,036 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Clarksville, TN
Pros
Homes cost $1136k less ($213,200 vs $1,348,700)
Rent averages $1197/mo less ($1,119 vs $2,316)
31% less violent crime than San Francisco
23% cheaper overall cost of living than San Francisco
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.3)
Cons
Median income trails San Francisco by $74,001/yr
Higher unemployment (6.5% vs 5.4%)
San Francisco, CA
Pros
Households earn $74,001 more per year on average
More college-educated — 59.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.1 pts lower (5.4%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 62°F vs 90°F
Milder winters — January highs near 59°F vs 47°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,348,700
Higher rents — median is $2,316/mo
Violent crime (596.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 23% higher than Clarksville
Key Differences at a Glance
Clarksville
Cost of Living
23% cheaper
COL index 94.3 vs 117.1 (100 = US avg)
Clarksville
Violent Crime
31% lower
410.0 vs 596.5 per 100k
Clarksville
Median Home Value
$1136k less
$213,200 vs $1,348,700
Clarksville
Summer Heat
28.1°F warmer
July avg high 89.9°F vs 61.8°F
San Francisco
Median Income
$74,001
$136,689 vs $62,688/yr
San Francisco
Unemployment
1.1 pp lower
5.4% vs 6.5% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clarksville, TN | San Francisco, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 94.3 ✓ Cheaper | 117.1⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $213,200 ✓ Lower | $1,348,700⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,119 ✓ Lower | $2,316⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $62,688 | $136,689 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.5%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.7 min ✓ Shorter | 31.8 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 6.1% | 23.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 96 ✓ Safer | 169⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 108⚠ High ✓ Safer | 157⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 78 ✓ Safer | 187⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) | B+ (108) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | — | 21.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 28.9% | 59.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 94.3% ✓ Higher | 88.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Montgomery County | San Francisco Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 46.8°F | 59.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.9°F ✓ Warmer | 61.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 53.5" | 30.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 167,882 | 851,036 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 30.1 | 39.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 56.0% ✓ Higher | 38.6% |
| Under 18 | 26.9% ✓ More | 13.6% |
| Over 65 | 8.8% | 16.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clarksville's cost of living index is 94.3 vs San Francisco's 117.1 (US average = 100).
Clarksville is 23% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. Clarksville wins 11 and San Francisco wins 11. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Clarksville to San Francisco or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($213,200 vs $1,348,700 median home), income ($62,688 vs $136,689), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clarksville, TN and San Francisco, CA are about 1,955 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.