San Francisco or Santa Rosa: which is better?
US metro area: head-to-head comparison
Santa Rosa wins on more indicators: 5 of 11 against 3.
- Money: Santa Rosa 1:3
- Climate and risks: tie 2:2
All indicators weigh the same. This is a score based on data, not advice on where to live: different people have different circumstances.
San Francisco
Indicator
Santa Rosa
Money
Better: Santa Rosa (1 : 3)Per capita income
higher is better
✓$136,552
202454% higher
✗$88,832
202435% lower
Typical rent
lower is better
✗$3,445
2026-09-3029% higher
✓$2,666
2026-09-3023% lower
Typical home value
lower is better
✗$1,120,379
2026-09-3043% higher
✓$782,966
2026-09-3030% lower
Price level
lower is better
✗115.6 100 = US average
20247% higher
✓107.8 100 = US average
20247% lower
Climate and risks
Tie (2 : 2)Air: median AQI
lower is better
✗53 AQI
2024179% higher
✓19 AQI
202464% lower
Days with unhealthy air
lower is better
✗1 days per year
2024
✓0 days per year
2024
Hot days (max ≥ +30 °C)
lower is better
✓5 days per year
2016-202592% lower
✗64 days per year
2016-20251155% higher
Frost days (min ≤ −10 °C)
tie
0 days per year
2016-2025
0 days per year
2016-2025
Severe frost (min ≤ −20 °C)
tie
0.0 days per year
2016-2025
0.0 days per year
2016-2025
Ice days (max ≤ 0 °C)
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
0 days per year
2016-2025
0 days per year
2016-2025
Heating degree days
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
1,365 °C·days per year
2016-2025
1,435 °C·days per year
2016-2025
Cooling degree days
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
80 °C·days per year
2016-2025
315 °C·days per year
2016-2025
Rainy days
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
51 days per year
2016-2025
58 days per year
2016-2025
Annual precipitation
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
539 mm per year
2016-2025
893 mm per year
2016-2025
Daylight on December 21
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
9.5 hours
December 21 and June 21 (does not depend on the year)
9.5 hours
December 21 and June 21 (does not depend on the year)
Daylight on June 21
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
14.8 hours
December 21 and June 21 (does not depend on the year)
14.9 hours
December 21 and June 21 (does not depend on the year)
Air humidity
no data for one of the places
74 %
2021-2025
no data
Muggy days (dew point ≥ +20 °C)
no data for one of the places
0 days per year
2021-2025
no data
Distance to the sea
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
2 km
2006-2025
30 km
2006-2025
Earthquakes M4.5+ within 100 km
lower is better
✓0.20 per year
2006-202556% lower
✗0.45 per year
2006-2025125% higher
Strongest earthquake in the period
tie
6.0 magnitude
2006-2025
6.0 magnitude
2006-2025
Urban environment
no winnerPopulation
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
4,648,486 people
2024
485,375 people
2024
A winner is named only for indicators with a known “better / worse” direction. Population and other neutral indicators are shown without a winner. Outdated and missing values are not counted. Details for each place: San Francisco, Santa Rosa.