Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Daly City, CA
VS
San Bernardino, CA
🏆 Daly City leads 13 of 22 categories
Daly City
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$114,910 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
78 ✓ Safer
Population
103,648
San Bernardino
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$61,323
Violent Crime Index
236⚠ High
Population
221,041 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Daly City, CA
Pros
Households earn $53,587 more per year on average
67% less violent crime than San Bernardino
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.2 pts lower (5.4%)
More college-educated — 38.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 62°F vs 95°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,073,100
Higher rents — median is $2,554/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 118.2)
Cost of living runs 10% higher than San Bernardino
San Bernardino, CA
Pros
Homes cost $726k less ($347,100 vs $1,073,100)
Rent averages $1235/mo less ($1,319 vs $2,554)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Daly City
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 59°F
Cons
Median income trails Daly City by $53,587/yr
Violent crime (897.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2897.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (7.6% vs 5.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Daly City
Median Income
$53,587
$114,910 vs $61,323/yr
Daly City
Violent Crime
67% lower
296.3 vs 897.1 per 100k
Daly City
Unemployment
2.2 pp lower
5.4% vs 7.6% unemployment
San Bernardino
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 107.9 vs 118.2 (100 = US avg)
San Bernardino
Median Home Value
$726k less
$347,100 vs $1,073,100
San Bernardino
Summer Heat
33.6°F warmer
July avg high 95.4°F vs 61.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Daly City, CA | San Bernardino, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 118.2⚠ High | 107.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,073,100⚠ High | $347,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,554⚠ High | $1,319 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $114,910 ✓ Higher | $61,323 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.8 min⚠ High | 28.5 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 10.1% ✓ Higher | 5.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 81 ✓ Safer | 197⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 78 ✓ Safer | 236⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 86 ✓ Safer | 138⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (91) ✓ Better | C (81) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.3:1 | 20.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.5% ✓ Higher | 12.8% |
| High School or Higher | 87.8% ✓ Higher | 72.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Jefferson Elementary | San Bernardino City Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.0°F | 66.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 61.8°F | 95.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 20.6" ✓ Drier | 21.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 103,648 | 221,041 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.4 ✓ Older | 31.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 60.2% ✓ Higher | 48.9% |
| Under 18 | 14.8% | 27.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.5% ✓ More | 9.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Daly City's cost of living index is 118.2 vs San Bernardino's 107.9 (US average = 100).
San Bernardino is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Daly City leads 13 of 22 categories. Daly City wins 13 and San Bernardino wins 9. 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 Daly City to San Bernardino or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,073,100 vs $347,100 median home), income ($114,910 vs $61,323), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Daly City, CA and San Bernardino, CA are about 379 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.