San Francisco vs Los Angeles at a glance
The table puts each measure for both cities side by side. Each row uses one source for both cities, so the figures can be compared directly. Zillow and Redfin measure different things: Zillow's typical home value estimates the middle of all homes, while Redfin's median sale price covers only homes that sold.
| Measure (source, month) | San Francisco | Los Angeles |
|---|---|---|
| Zillow typical home value (Sept 2026) | $1,441,021 | $927,891 |
| One-year change, Zillow | +15.5% | -0.5% |
| Ten-year change, Zillow | +28.7% | +73.2% |
| Zillow typical rent (Sept 2026) | $4,784 | $2,772 |
| Redfin median sale price (3 months to Sept 2026) | $1,579,248 | $1,032,508 |
| Redfin median price per sq ft | $1,103 | $623 |
| Redfin median days on market | 17 | 56 |
| Redfin months of supply | 2.1 | 5.4 |
| Combined sales tax (CDTFA, Oct 1, 2026) | 8.625% | 10.25% |
| County unemployment (EDD, Sept 2026) | 4.0% | 4.5% |
| Population (Census estimate, 2025) | 826,079 | 3,869,089 |
San Francisco is a consolidated city and county, so its county figures and city figures describe the same place. Los Angeles is one of many cities in Los Angeles County, so where only county data exists we say so.
Home prices: how far apart are they?
San Francisco home values: rising fast again
Zillow's typical home value in San Francisco was $1,441,021 in September 2026, up 15.5% from $1,247,321 a year earlier. That climb followed a slide and two flat years: the city's value peaked at $1,481,613 in May 2022, so it is now 2.7% below that high. Over five years the gain is only 3.3%, which shows how much ground the city gave up after 2022 before this year's rebound.
Los Angeles home values: flat for a year
Zillow's typical home value in Los Angeles was $927,891 in September 2026, down 0.5% in a year and 4.3% below the December 2024 peak of $969,339. Over ten years, though, Los Angeles values rose 73.2%, against 28.7% in San Francisco. A buyer who looks only at the last twelve months gets a very different picture from one who looks at the decade.
Price per square foot in each city
Redfin's median price per square foot over the three months to September 2026 was $1,103 in San Francisco and $623 in Los Angeles. In practical terms, the same budget buys about 77% more floor space in Los Angeles. A $1.2 million budget covers roughly 1,090 square feet at San Francisco's median rate and about 1,925 square feet at LA's.
Condos and houses: county medians by type
Redfin's August 2026 county figures split prices by property type. In San Francisco County, the median single-family sale was $1,712,000 and the median condo or co-op $1,245,000. In Los Angeles County, the single-family median was $1,021,250 and the condo median $628,000. Condos in San Francisco cost nearly twice the LA County condo median, a wider gap than for houses. These are single-month county figures, so treat them as a snapshot.
The range inside each city, by ZIP code
Both cities span a wide range. Among San Francisco ZIP codes with at least 20 sales in the three months to September 2026, Redfin's median ran from $774,772 in 94102 to $3,034,108 in 94123. In Los Angeles, the same measure ran from $504,852 in 90012 to $3,322,524 in 90077. Los Angeles has far more ZIP codes, 80 with at least 20 sales against 22 in San Francisco, so there are more lower-priced pockets to search. Our Los Angeles ZIP code guide covers each one.
How fast homes sell in each city
San Francisco: bidding above asking is the norm
In the three months to September 2026, Redfin counted 1,411 San Francisco sales, up 7.5% from a year earlier. Homes sold in a median of 17 days, the average sale closed at 115.0% of list price, and 69.0% of homes sold above asking. Inventory was 960 homes, down 18.2%, or 2.1 months of supply. Many San Francisco sellers price below expected value to draw offers, so the list price is a poor guide to the final price.
Los Angeles: more choice and more time
Over the same three months, Redfin counted 4,729 Los Angeles sales, down 4.8%. The median home took 56 days to sell, the average sale closed at 99.2% of list, and 30.1% sold above asking. Inventory was 8,383 homes, or 5.4 months of supply. Buyers in Los Angeles usually have time to inspect, compare and negotiate; buyers in San Francisco often need inspections done before offer day. See our Los Angeles housing market report for the monthly trend.
Renting in San Francisco vs Los Angeles
Asking rents: a $2,012 monthly gap
Zillow's observed rent index, which tracks asking rents for new leases, was $4,784 in San Francisco and $2,772 in Los Angeles in September 2026. San Francisco rents rose 26.4% in a year, while Los Angeles rents rose 0.8%. Over a 12-month lease, the gap is about $24,144.
What all renters pay, including long-time tenants
The Census Bureau's 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts median gross rent, which includes utilities and covers long-time tenants, at $2,476 in San Francisco and $1,954 across Los Angeles County. Both are far below current asking rents. Renters are the majority in San Francisco: owners occupy 38.2% of homes there, against 45.9% across Los Angeles County.
Rent control in each city
Both cities have local rent rules for older apartments on top of the state's Tenant Protection Act. San Francisco's Rent Board set the allowable annual increase for rent-controlled units at 1.6% for March 1, 2026 through February 28, 2027. Los Angeles applies its Rent Stabilization Ordinance through the Los Angeles Housing Department; ask the landlord whether a unit is covered and check the current allowed increase with LAHD before you sign. If you plan to buy a small apartment building, these rules shape your income in both cities.
Monthly cost of owning a typical home
Here is the math for a home at each city's Zillow typical value, with 20% down and a 30-year fixed loan at 7.24%, the Freddie Mac average for the week of October 29, 2026.
| Item | San Francisco | Los Angeles |
|---|---|---|
| Price (Zillow typical value) | $1,441,021 | $927,891 |
| Down payment (20%) | $288,204 | $185,578 |
| Loan amount | $1,152,817 | $742,313 |
| Principal and interest | $7,856 a month | $5,059 a month |
| Property tax at the 1% base | $1,201 a month | $773 a month |
| Total before bonds, insurance and HOA | $9,057 a month | $5,832 a month |
The 1% figure is the Proposition 13 base only. Every bill also carries voter-approved bonds and special assessments that vary by tax rate area, so the real bill is higher in both cities. Look up the tax rate area for the address; our Los Angeles County property tax guide shows how. The difference before insurance is about $3,225 a month, or $38,700 a year.
Taxes: transfer tax, sales tax and property tax
Transfer tax when you sell
San Francisco charges one combined city and county transfer tax on a sliding scale that applies to the whole price. The rate per $500 is $2.50 up to $250,000, $3.40 to under $1 million, $3.75 from $1 million to under $5 million, $11.25 from $5 million, $27.50 from $10 million and $30.00 from $25 million, per the city's transfer tax page. On a sale at the typical value of $1,441,021, that is about $10,811.
Los Angeles stacks the county's $1.10 per $1,000 with the city's $2.25 per $500. On a sale at LA's typical value of $927,891, that is about $1,021 county plus $4,176 city, or $5,197. Sales above the Measure ULA thresholds also pay 4%, or 5.5% at the top tier; the county Registrar-Recorder lists thresholds of $5.4 million and $10.9 million effective July 1, 2026. Check the current figures with the city's Office of Finance and read our California transfer tax guide for who customarily pays.
Sales tax at the register
The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration lists a combined rate of 8.625% in San Francisco and 10.25% in the City of Los Angeles, effective October 1, 2026. On $20,000 of furniture and appliances for a new home, that is $1,725 in San Francisco against $2,050 in Los Angeles.
Property tax rates
Both cities start from the same Proposition 13 rule: a 1% base on assessed value plus voter-approved debt, with assessed value capped at 2% growth a year until a sale. The difference is in the local add-ons, which you find on the tax rate area for each parcel. Our California property tax guide explains the bill line by line.
Jobs and household income
Unemployment in each county
The Employment Development Department's September 2026 release put unemployment at 4.0% in San Francisco and 4.5% in Los Angeles County, against 5.1% statewide. Both labor markets were tighter than the state as a whole.
Median household income
The Census Bureau's 2024 small-area estimates put median household income at $137,184 in San Francisco and $90,757 across Los Angeles County. San Francisco earns more, but its housing costs more still: the Zillow typical value is about 10.5 times San Francisco's median income and about 10.2 times LA County's, so the price-to-income strain is close in both places. Los Angeles County's figure covers many cities, so incomes inside the City of Los Angeles vary widely by area.
Commuting and getting around
San Francisco: a small, dense city
San Francisco is compact and sits on the tip of a peninsula, with BART, Muni Metro, buses and cable cars, plus Caltrain to the Peninsula and San Jose. Many buyers weigh walking distance to a Muni or BART stop as heavily as parking. Bridges and the peninsula shape limit how far a commute can sprawl.
Los Angeles: distance and the car
Los Angeles spreads across a much larger area, and most households rely on a car. LA Metro runs rail and bus lines, but where you live relative to work matters more than in San Francisco. Before you buy, drive the commute at rush hour on a weekday from the address you are considering. The Los Angeles neighborhoods guide compares areas by price and location.
Climate, wildfire, earthquakes and insurance
Climate: cool fog vs warm and dry
San Francisco summers are cool and often foggy, especially near the ocean. Los Angeles is warmer and sunnier for most of the year, and inland valleys get much hotter than the coast. Both cities get most of their rain in winter. Check whether a home has cooling: many older San Francisco homes were built without it, and in Los Angeles a home's cooling system is a bigger part of the inspection and the power bill.
Wildfire risk and the Palisades fire
Wildfire is a larger factor in Los Angeles, which has hillside neighborhoods next to brush. The Palisades fire, which started on January 7, 2025, burned 23,448 acres and destroyed 6,845 structures, according to CAL FIRE. Zillow's typical value in Pacific Palisades was down 5.9% in a year to September 2026. Check the fire hazard severity zone for any LA address on CAL FIRE's map; see our wildfire zones guide.
Earthquakes and older buildings
Both cities sit near major faults, so earthquake risk does not separate them. What separates individual homes is age, construction and soil. Ask for any seismic retrofit records, and for a multi-unit building, ask whether it was on the city's mandatory retrofit list and whether the work is signed off. Standard homeowners policies exclude quake damage; our earthquake insurance guide covers the California Earthquake Authority.
Homeowners insurance
Insurers have cut back new policies in high-fire areas, which matters more in parts of Los Angeles. Get an insurance quote before you remove your contingencies. If no insurer will write a policy, the California FAIR Plan is the fallback.
Day-to-day life and housing stock
Housing types you will find
San Francisco's housing is mostly older flats, Victorian and Edwardian row houses, and condos, with few new detached homes. Los Angeles has far more detached houses with yards, from hillside homes to flat-lot bungalows, plus a large condo market. If you need a garage, a yard or single-level living, Los Angeles offers more of it for the money. Condo buyers in both cities should check the building's balcony inspection status under SB 326 or SB 721; see our balcony inspection guide.
Parks, coast and things to do
San Francisco has Golden Gate Park, the Presidio and Ocean Beach within city limits. Los Angeles has Griffith Park, the Santa Monica Mountains and miles of nearby beaches. Both have major museums, pro sports and dense restaurant scenes. Visit at the times you would actually live there: a weekday evening and a weekend morning tell you more than a sunny afternoon tour.
How to choose between San Francisco and Los Angeles
Use this checklist to compare specific homes, not just the two cities:
- Budget: run the monthly payment for the actual price, with the parcel's full tax rate, insurance and HOA dues.
- Space: compare price per square foot for the home types you want, not the citywide median.
- Offer strategy: in San Francisco expect bidding above list; in Los Angeles expect room to negotiate. Our California home buying guide covers contingencies.
- Commute: test the trip at rush hour from the address.
- Hazards: check the fire hazard zone, earthquake retrofit records and insurance quotes before you commit.
- Selling costs later: estimate transfer tax at your expected sale price, including any Measure ULA tier in Los Angeles.
- Rentals: if you plan to rent the home out, check local rent rules first.
If you are weighing the Bay Area more widely, compare San Jose vs San Francisco or the best suburbs of San Francisco. For Southern California, see Los Angeles vs San Diego and the best suburbs of Los Angeles.