San Francisco, California

San Francisco: The seventeenth most populous city in the United States and the center of the San Francisco Bay Area.

About

San Francisco is a city located in the county of City and of San Francisco in the U.S. state of California. Its population at the 2010 census was 805,235. After 10 years in 2020 city had an estimated population of 866,606 inhabitants.

The city was created 249 years ago in 1776.

San Francisco is a major city located in the northern California Bay Area along the Pacific coast. As of July 29, 2023, its population is approximately 874,961 residents. Here are some key facts about San Francisco:

History

San Francisco was founded in 1776 by Spanish colonists. It joined the U.S. after the Mexican-American War and grew rapidly during the Gold Rush era of the 1800s.

Geography

San Francisco is located on a peninsula surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay. Iconic landmarks include the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz island.

Economy

San Francisco is a global hub for finance and technology. Major companies headquartered there include Twitter, Uber, Airbnb, Wells Fargo and Gap Inc.

Culture & Diversity

The city is renowned for its diverse neighborhoods like Chinatown and Little Italy. Popular attractions include Fisherman's Wharf, cable cars, and performing arts venues.

Climate & Lifestyle

San Francisco has a cool Mediterranean climate year-round. Outdoor activities like hiking and cycling are popular. The hilly terrain provides stunning views.

In summary, San Francisco is a leading economic, cultural, and technological center known for its cool climate, liberal politics, diverse communities, and iconic landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge.

San Francisco locator map
Location of San Francisco on California map.

Quick Facts about San Francisco

Population 866,606 (2020)
Country United States of America
State California (United States)
County City and County of San Francisco
Different from San Francisco
Twitter username sfgov
Postal code 94107, 94105, 94109, 94133, 94103, 94108, 94110
Phone Area Codes 628, 415
Official name San Francisco
Water as percent of area 79.79%
Land as percent of area 20.21%
Continent North America
Easternmost point Point(-122.35948 37.81451)
Northernmost point Point(-122.47732 37.81106)
Latitude & Longitude 37.7749,-122.4194
Legislative body San Francisco Board of Supervisors
Named for Francis of Assisi
Altitude 171 feet / 52 meters
Capital city San Francisco is capital of San Francisco County
Establishment June 29, 1776 (249 years ago)
Time Zone Pacific Time Zone, UTC−08:00
Local time 16:26:21 (15th April 2026)
Population growth 7.08% (2010-2020)
Weather 40℉ Partly Cloudy then Patchy Fog 7-days weather
San Francisco from the Marin Headlands in March 2019 image
San Francisco from the Marin Headlands in March 2019 image

Geography

San Francisco is located at 37°46'30"N 122°25'10"W (37.7749300, -122.4194200). It has 5 neighbors: Alameda, Brisbane, Daly City, Richmond and Sausalito.

San Francisco map

Click "full screen" full screen map icon to open full mode. View satellite images

Weather

40°F
Partly Cloudy then Patchy Fog
2 to 8 mph W Tonight

Patchy fog after 4am. Partly cloudy. Low around 40, with temperatures rising to around 42 overnight. West wind 2 to 8 mph.

7-Day Forecast

Official website of San Francisco

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Demographics

The population of San Francisco increased by 7.08% in 10 years.

Year Population % Change Method
1848 1,000 - census
1849 25,000 96% estimation process
1860 56,802 55.99% estimation process
1870 149,473 62% estimation process
1880 233,959 36.11% census
1890 298,997 21.75% census
1900 342,782 12.77% estimation process
1910 416,912 17.78% estimation process
1920 506,676 17.72% estimation process
1930 634,394 20.13% estimation process
1940 634,536 0.02% census
1950 775,357 18.16% census
1960 740,316 -4.73% census
1970 715,674 -3.44% census
1980 678,974 -5.41% census
1990 723,959 6.21% census
2000 776,733 6.79% estimation process
2005 739,426 -5.05% estimation process
2010 805,235 8.17% census
2011 815,650 1.28% estimation process
2012 828,876 1.6% estimation process
2013 839,572 1.27% estimation process
2014 850,750 1.31% estimation process
2015 863,010 1.42% estimation process
2016 871,512 0.98% estimation process
2017 878,040 0.74% estimation process
2018 880,696 0.3% estimation process
2019 881,549 0.1% estimation process
2020 866,606 -1.72% estimation process
Map of countries with a smaller population than San Francisco

Demographic Facts

Estimated population as of July 1, 2019 : 14,441
Based on demographic estimates as of April 1, 2010 : 15,180
Based on demographic estimates as of 1 April 2010 : -4.9%
April 1, 2020 Population : 14,714
April 1, 2010 Population : 15,194
People under 5 years old, percentage : 5.6%
People under 18 years old, percentage : 23.4%
People over 65 (%) : 13.9%
Female persons, % : 51.1%
White only, percent : 95.7%
Black or African American alone, percent : 1.4%
American Indian and Alaska Native only, % : 0.2%
Asians alone % : 0.1%
Only Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders, % : 0.0%
% of people who have participated in two or more races : 2.2%
% of Hispanic or Latino : 3.2%
White people, not Hispanic or Latino people, make up the majority of the population. : 93.0%
2015-2019 Veterans : 932
Percentage of foreign-born people, 2015-2019 : 1.0%
Rate of owner-occupied housing units, 2015-2019 : 58.2%
San Francisco zip code is 94102. County name: San Francisco, County fips: 06075
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Economic Facts

Rate of owner-occupied housing units, 2015-2019 : 58.2%
Owner-occupied housing unit median value, 2015-2019 : $84,300
From 2015 to 2019, the median selected monthly owner costs - with a mortgage : $915
Monthly owner costs, without a mortgage, at the median, 2015-2019 : $403
2015-2019 median gross rent : $731
2015-2019 Households : 6,033
Population per household, 2015-2019 : 2.36
Living in the same house a year ago, percentage of people aged one year and up, 2015-2019 : 86.7%
Languages other than English spoken at home, as a percentage of people aged 5 and up, 2015-2019 : 2.6%
Households with computers, %, 2015-2019 : 88.1%
Percentage of households with a broadband Internet subscription, 2015-2019 : 80.3%
Percentage of people aged 25 and up with a high school diploma or higher, 2015-2019 : 89.5%
Bachelor's degree or higher, proportion of people aged 25 and up, 2015-2019 : 12.1%
Percentage of people under the age of 65 who have a disability, 2015-2019 : 11.7%
Persons under the age of 65 who do not have health insurance, as a percentage : 6.5%
Total civilian labor force, percent of population aged 16 and up, 2015-2019 : 64.0%
Female labor force participation in the civilian labor force, as a percentage of the population aged 16 and up, 2015-2019 : 56.3%
Total sales of lodging and food services in 2012 ($1,000) : 19,936
Total receipts/revenue for health care and social assistance in 2012 ($1,000) : 168,666
Manufacturers' total shipments in 2012 ($1,000) : 160,168
2012 total retail sales ($1,000) : 46,121
2012 total retail sales per capita : $3,105
Mean commute time to work (in minutes), workers aged 16 and up, 2015-2019 : 23.7
2015-2019 median household income (in 2019 dollars) : $45,203
Income per capita in the previous 12 months (in 2019 dollars), 2015-2019 : $22,947
Percentage of people living in poverty : 16.4%
Total number of businesses in 2012 : 1,265
Men-owned businesses in 2012 : 769
Women-owned businesses in 2012 : 406
Minority-owned businesses in 2012 : 34
Non-minority-owned businesses in 2012 : 1,190
Veteran-owned businesses in 2012 : 99
Nonveteran-owned businesses in 2012 : 1,110
2010 population per square mile : 2,906.3
2010 land area in square miles : 5.23
Residential units, July 1, 2019 : 6,380
Rate of owner-occupied housing units, 2015-2019 : 71.6%
Owner-occupied housing unit median value, 2015-2019 : $135,200
From 2015 to 2019, the median selected monthly owner costs - with a mortgage : $1,188
Monthly owner costs, without a mortgage, at the median, 2015-2019 : $480
2015-2019 median gross rent : $713
Permits for construction, 2020 : 24
2015-2019 Households : 5,656
Population per household, 2015-2019 : 2.25
Living in the same house a year ago, percentage of people aged one year and up, 2015-2019 : 85.2%
Languages other than English spoken at home, as a percentage of people aged 5 and up, 2015-2019 : 5.3%
Households with computers, %, 2015-2019 : 87.9%
Percentage of households with a broadband Internet subscription, 2015-2019 : 84.4%
Percentage of people aged 25 and up with a high school diploma or higher, 2015-2019 : 93.6%
Bachelor's degree or higher, proportion of people aged 25 and up, 2015-2019 : 28.4%
Percentage of people under the age of 65 who have a disability, 2015-2019 : 8.4%
Persons under the age of 65 who do not have health insurance, as a percentage : 8.0%
Total civilian labor force, percent of population aged 16 and up, 2015-2019 : 64.4%
Female labor force participation in the civilian labor force, as a percentage of the population aged 16 and up, 2015-2019 : 56.7%
Total sales of lodging and food services in 2012 ($1,000) : 32,190
Total receipts/revenue for health care and social assistance in 2012 ($1,000) : 79,853
Manufacturers' total shipments in 2012 ($1,000) : 359,326
2012 total retail sales ($1,000) : 290,248
2012 total retail sales per capita : $21,115
Mean commute time to work (in minutes), workers aged 16 and up, 2015-2019 : 17.1
2015-2019 median household income (in 2019 dollars) : $60,298
Income per capita in the previous 12 months (in 2019 dollars), 2015-2019 : $32,975
Percentage of people living in poverty : 9.4%
Total number of employer establishments, 2019 : 515
2019 total employment : 6,588
2019 total annual payroll ($1,000) : 255,749
Total employment, change in percentage terms, 2018-2019 : 0.3%
2018 total non-employer establishments : 1,100
Total number of businesses in 2012 : 1,543
Men-owned businesses in 2012 : 744
Women-owned businesses in 2012 : 420
Minority-owned businesses in 2012 : F
Non-minority-owned businesses in 2012 : 1,406
Veteran-owned businesses in 2012 : 127
Nonveteran-owned businesses in 2012 : 1,275
2010 population per square mile : 23.9
2010 land area in square miles : 572.51
Rate of owner-occupied housing units, 2015-2019 : 44.1%
Owner-occupied housing unit median value, 2015-2019 : $292,400
From 2015 to 2019, the median selected monthly owner costs - with a mortgage : $1,579
Monthly owner costs, without a mortgage, at the median, 2015-2019 : $450
2015-2019 median gross rent : $984
2015-2019 Households : 29,942
Population per household, 2015-2019 : 2.12
Living in the same house a year ago, percentage of people aged one year and up, 2015-2019 : 74.2%
Languages other than English spoken at home, as a percentage of people aged 5 and up, 2015-2019 : 8.5%
Households with computers, %, 2015-2019 : 89.2%
Percentage of households with a broadband Internet subscription, 2015-2019 : 82.4%
Percentage of people aged 25 and up with a high school diploma or higher, 2015-2019 : 89.9%
Bachelor's degree or higher, proportion of people aged 25 and up, 2015-2019 : 50.3%
Percentage of people under the age of 65 who have a disability, 2015-2019 : 7.7%
Persons under the age of 65 who do not have health insurance, as a percentage : 11.6%
Total civilian labor force, percent of population aged 16 and up, 2015-2019 : 69.0%
Female labor force participation in the civilian labor force, as a percentage of the population aged 16 and up, 2015-2019 : 66.2%
Total sales of lodging and food services in 2012 ($1,000) : 539,853
Total receipts/revenue for health care and social assistance in 2012 ($1,000) : 838,659
Manufacturers' total shipments in 2012 ($1,000) : 1,260,227
2012 total retail sales ($1,000) : 3,109,217
2012 total retail sales per capita : $51,215
Mean commute time to work (in minutes), workers aged 16 and up, 2015-2019 : 19.5
2015-2019 median household income (in 2019 dollars) : $56,609
Income per capita in the previous 12 months (in 2019 dollars), 2015-2019 : $42,090
Percentage of people living in poverty : 13.4%
Total number of businesses in 2012 : 10,161
Men-owned businesses in 2012 : 5,490
Women-owned businesses in 2012 : 2,869
Minority-owned businesses in 2012 : 1,592
Non-minority-owned businesses in 2012 : 7,630
Veteran-owned businesses in 2012 : 1,073
Nonveteran-owned businesses in 2012 : 7,876
2010 population per square mile : 2,037.4
2010 land area in square miles : 28.67

Best Things to Do in San Francisco

1PIER 39

Rating: 4.6 (95731)

The Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA 94133, United States View details

Phone: +14157055500 | Website available

2Ripley's Believe It or Not!

Rating: 4.2 (1322)

175 Jefferson St, San Francisco, CA 94133, United States View details

Phone: +14152029850 | Website available

3Civic Center Plaza

Rating: 4.4 (470)

335 McAllister St, San Francisco, CA 94102, United States View details

Phone: +14158315500

Where to Eat in San Francisco

1Hotel Fairmont San Francisco

Rating: 4.5 (5350)

950 Mason St, San Francisco, CA 94108, United States View details

Phone: +14157725000 | Website available

2Town Hall Restaurant

Rating: 4.3 (638)

342 Howard St, San Francisco, CA 94105, United States View details

Phone: +14159083900 | Website available

3Moffitt Cafe - UCSF Medical Center

Rating: 4.3 (109)

505 Parnassus Ave #294, San Francisco, CA 94143, United States View details

Website available

4Sugar Bowl Bakery

Rating: 3.5 (35)

Kaiser Hospital, 2238 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94115, United States View details

Phone: +14159318880 | Website available

Where to Stay in San Francisco

1Hilton San Francisco Union Square

Rating: 4.2 (9178)

333 O'Farrell St, San Francisco, CA 94102, United States View details

Phone: +14157711400 | Website available

2San Francisco Marriott Marquis

Rating: 4.4 (8064)

780 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94103, United States View details

Phone: +14158961600 | Website available

3Hyatt Regency San Francisco

Rating: 4.4 (5738)

5 Embarcadero Center, San Francisco, CA 94111, United States View details

Phone: +14157881234 | Website available

4The Westin St. Francis San Francisco on Union Square

Rating: 4.4 (4375)

335 Powell St, San Francisco, CA 94102, United States View details

Phone: +14153977000 | Website available

5Palace Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, San Francisco

Rating: 4.5 (4088)

2 New Montgomery St, San Francisco, CA 94105, United States View details

Phone: +14155121111 | Website available

Services and Civic Places in San Francisco

1San Francisco City Hall

Rating: 4.5 (918)

1 Dr Carlton B Goodlett Pl, San Francisco, CA 94102, United States View details

Phone: +14155544000 | Website available

2San Francisco County Clerk

Rating: 3.9 (22)

1 Dr Carlton B Goodlett Pl #168, San Francisco, CA 94102, United States View details

Phone: +14155544950 | Website available

3San Francisco Department of Elections

Rating: 2.9 (12)

1 Dr Carlton B Goodlett Place City Hall, Room 48, San Francisco, CA 94102, United States View details

Phone: +14155544375 | Website available

4Tax Collector

Rating: 2 (12)

1 Dr Carlton B Goodlett Pl #140, San Francisco, CA 94102, United States View details

Phone: +14155544400 | Website available

5City Controller

Rating: 4.3 (10)

1 Dr Carlton B Goodlett Pl #316, San Francisco, CA 94102, United States View details

Phone: +14155547500 | Website available

6San Francisco Board Of Supervisors

Rating: 1.6 (9)

1 Dr Carlton B Goodlett Pl #244, San Francisco, CA 94102, United States View details

Phone: +14155545184 | Website available

7San Francisco Office of Vital Records

Rating: 4.4 (8)

101 Grove St #105, San Francisco, CA 94102, United States View details

Phone: +14155542700 | Website available

8San Francisco City Assessor

Rating: 4.9 (8)

1 Dr Carlton B Goodlett Pl #190, San Francisco, CA 94102, United States View details

Phone: +14155545596 | Website available

9San Francisco Mayor's Office

Rating: 3.7 (6)

1 Dr Carlton B Goodlett Pl #200, San Francisco, CA 94102, United States View details

Phone: +14155546141

10San Francisco City Recorder

Rating: 1 (4)

1 Dr Carlton B Goodlett Pl #190, San Francisco, CA 94102, United States View details

Phone: +14155545596 | Website available

People born in San Francisco (200)

People born in San Francisco, including actor Benjamin Bratt, computer scientist Jim Gray, systems software engineer Matthew Dillon, .

More notable people

  • Daniel J. Callaghan (United States Navy Admiral and Navy Medal of Honor recipient) he was born in 26/07/1890
  • Delmer Daves (American film director, producer, and screenwriter (1904-1977)) he was born in 24/07/1904
  • Mervyn LeRoy (American film director, film producer and sometime actor (1900-1987)) he was born in 15/10/1900
  • John Young (American astronaut, naval officer, test pilot and aeronautical engineer) he was born in 24/09/1930
  • Wyatt Halliwell (fictional human) he was born in 02/02/2003
  • Lewis Martin (American actor) he was born in 01/11/1894
  • Gertrude Atherton (Novelist, short story writer) she was born in 14/01/1858
  • Brigid Brannagh (American actress) she was born in 03/08/1972
  • John J. Clausey (United States Navy Medal of Honor recipient) he was born in 16/05/1875
  • Jerry Brown (American politician/lawyer and former governor of California) he was born in 07/04/1938
  • Michele Merkin (American model) she was born in 25/06/1975
  • Robert Frost (American poet) he was born in 26/03/1874
  • Bob Drake (American racing driver) he was born in 14/12/1919
  • Simon Rex (American actor and musician) he was born in 20/07/1974
  • Colleen Camp (American actress and film producer) she was born in 07/06/1953
  • Luis Walter Alvarez (American experimental physicist, inventor, and professor) he was born in 13/06/1911
  • Alice B. Toklas (American writer) she was born in 30/04/1877
  • Roland Totheroh (American cinematographer (1890-1967)) he was born in 29/11/1890

Nearby Schools and Colleges

Schools and campuses linked to San Francisco, CA. Select a name to open its map and contact details.

Code Name City ZIP
110316 California Institute of Integral Studies San Francisco (CA) 94103
122506 San Francisco Conservatory of Music San Francisco (CA) 94102-6011
110398 University of California-Hastings College of Law San Francisco (CA) 94102-4978
454777 San Francisco Institute of Esthetics & Cosmetology Inc San Francisco (CA) 94103
108232 Academy of Art University San Francisco (CA) 94105

Nearby Transit Stations (44)

Rail and bus stations connected to San Francisco, CA. Select a station to open its map and address details.

Code Name Address Type
SFV San Francisco (Civic Center), California 1150 Market Street BUS
SFM San Francisco (Conv Ctr), California 747 Howard St. BUS
SFP San Francisco (Caltrain), California 700 4th St. BUS
SFS San Francisco (Shopping), California 835 Market Street BUS
SFF San Francisco (Financial), California 5 Embarcadero Center BUS

Closest post offices linked to San Francisco.

Post Office Name City ZIP
Fox Plaza Post Office San Francisco (CA) 94102
Bryant Str Post Office San Francisco (CA) 94141
Federal Building San Fran Post Office San Francisco (CA) 94102
San Francisco Gen Del Post Office San Francisco (CA) 94102
Steiner Str Post Office San Francisco (CA) 94115

Other places with the same name (3)

Distance to Other Cities

San Francisco distances to largest California cities