Head-to-Head · City Comparison
San Francisco, CA
VS
Santa Rosa, CA
🏆 Santa Rosa leads 14 of 22 categories
San Francisco
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
117.1⚠ High
Median Household Income
$136,689 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
157⚠ High
Population
851,036 ✓ Larger
Santa Rosa
California
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
110.1⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$92,604
Violent Crime Index
90 ✓ Safer
Population
178,221
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
San Francisco, CA
Pros
Households earn $44,085 more per year on average
More college-educated — 59.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 62°F vs 82°F
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)
Higher rents — median is $2,316/mo
Santa Rosa, CA
Pros
Homes cost $687k less ($661,700 vs $1,348,700)
43% less violent crime than San Francisco
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Rent averages $292/mo less ($2,024 vs $2,316)
7% cheaper overall cost of living than San Francisco
Smaller class sizes — 19.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails San Francisco by $44,085/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 110.1)
Key Differences at a Glance
San Francisco
Median Income
$44,085
$136,689 vs $92,604/yr
Santa Rosa
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 110.1 vs 117.1 (100 = US avg)
Santa Rosa
Violent Crime
43% lower
342.6 vs 596.5 per 100k
Santa Rosa
Median Home Value
$687k less
$661,700 vs $1,348,700
Santa Rosa
Summer Heat
19.8°F warmer
July avg high 81.6°F vs 61.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | San Francisco, CA | Santa Rosa, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 117.1⚠ High | 110.1⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,348,700⚠ High | $661,700⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,316⚠ High | $2,024⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $136,689 ✓ Higher | $92,604 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 31.8 min⚠ High | 22.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.4% ✓ Higher | 8.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 169⚠ High | 79 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 157⚠ High | 90 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 187⚠ High | 63 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (108) ✓ Better | B- (90) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.0:1 | 19.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 59.8% ✓ Higher | 34.7% |
| High School or Higher | 88.8% ✓ Higher | 85.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | San Francisco Unified | Rincon Valley Union Elementary |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.0°F | 59.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 61.8°F | 81.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 30.0" ✓ Drier | 31.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 851,036 ✓ Larger | 178,221 |
| Median Age | 39.3 | 40.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 38.6% | 55.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 13.6% | 20.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.7% | 18.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
San Francisco's cost of living index is 117.1 vs Santa Rosa's 110.1 (US average = 100).
Santa Rosa is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Santa Rosa leads 14 of 22 categories. San Francisco wins 8 and Santa Rosa wins 14. 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 San Francisco to Santa Rosa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,348,700 vs $661,700 median home), income ($136,689 vs $92,604), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
San Francisco, CA and Santa Rosa, CA are about 53 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.