Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Orange, CA
VS
San Francisco, CA
🏆 Orange leads 13 of 22 categories
Orange
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$109,335
Violent Crime Index
60 ✓ Safer
Population
138,728
San Francisco
California
9
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.
Orange, CA
Pros
Homes cost $501k less ($848,200 vs $1,348,700)
62% less violent crime than San Francisco
Violent crime is well below the national average (226.1 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (4.7%)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 59°F
Cons
Median income trails San Francisco by $27,354/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
San Francisco, CA
Pros
Households earn $27,354 more per year on average
More college-educated — 59.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 62°F vs 83°F
Smaller class sizes — 21.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,348,700
Violent crime (596.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 117.1)
Property crime (3929.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Orange
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 115.5 vs 117.1 (100 = US avg)
Orange
Violent Crime
62% lower
226.1 vs 596.5 per 100k
Orange
Median Home Value
$501k less
$848,200 vs $1,348,700
Orange
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
4.7% vs 5.4% unemployment
Orange
Summer Heat
20.7°F warmer
July avg high 82.5°F vs 61.8°F
San Francisco
Median Income
$27,354
$136,689 vs $109,335/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Orange, CA | San Francisco, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 117.1⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $848,200⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,348,700⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,148⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,316⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $109,335 | $136,689 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.5 min ✓ Shorter | 31.8 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 14.1% | 23.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 169⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 60 ✓ Safer | 157⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 61 ✓ Safer | 187⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (98) | B+ (108) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.1:1 | 21.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.3% | 59.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 88.2% | 88.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Orange Unified | San Francisco Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 59.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F ✓ Warmer | 61.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 30.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 138,728 | 851,036 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.5 | 39.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.9% ✓ Higher | 38.6% |
| Under 18 | 20.5% ✓ More | 13.6% |
| Over 65 | 14.5% | 16.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Orange's cost of living index is 115.5 vs San Francisco's 117.1 (US average = 100).
Orange is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Orange leads 13 of 22 categories. Orange wins 13 and San Francisco 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 Orange to San Francisco or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($848,200 vs $1,348,700 median home), income ($109,335 vs $136,689), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Orange, CA and San Francisco, CA are about 398 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.