San Francisco

California

City page

Chicago

Illinois

City page

What Stands Out

A quick read on this comparison

Deterministic summaries based on the data in view.

Best for affordability: Chicago, Illinois

Chicago, Illinois looks like the easiest place here to live with less financial drag. It comes out ahead on rent and home price.

Biggest tradeoff: Chicago, Illinois

Chicago, Illinois is the sharpest split in this comparison: strong on daily convenience, weaker on safety.

Potential dealbreaker: San Francisco, California

San Francisco, California needs a closer look before you get too attached, especially on tax burden.

Comparison Matrix

City
Route
General Info
Population864,8162,664,452
Population Density18.2k /sq mi12.0k /sq mi
Elevation52 ft(16 m)587 ft(179 m)
Housing & Wealth
Median Home
$1,268,418
$304,487
Median Rent
$3,666
$2,191
Median Income$136,689$71,673
Rent Burden32%37%
Climate & Risks
Sunny Days240 days/yr212 days/yr
Avg. High62°F59°F
Comfort Score91/100Excellent47/100Mixed
Temp Swing13°F48°F
Annual Rainfall23"(58 cm)44"(112 cm)
Annual Snowfall0"(0 cm)11"(28 cm)
Air Quality
AQI 59 (Avg)1 days > 100
AQI 50 (Avg)19 days > 100
Infrastructure & Lifestyle
Walk Score7272
Transit Score100100
Safety Score58 / 10030 / 100
School Rating6.3/107.3/10
Flood Risk (FEMA)
minimalMinimal Risk
minimalMinimal Risk
Fire Risk (FEMA)
minimalMinimal
minimalMinimal
Internet Access
Fiber: 55%Cable: 99%
Fiber: 33%Cable: 99%
Demographics
Median Age39.3 years35.3 years
College Educated60%42%
Remote Workers23%16%
Nature Access
Local Nature & Reserves
Finding...
Finding...
Scouting & Local Help
Plan a first lookWays to plan a first visit or connect with a relevant local partner.
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