Poverty and living standards in San Francisco, California: official figures
11.2% of residents of San Francisco (91,125 people) had incomes below the federal poverty line in the 2020-2024 American Community Survey, 358th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 12.5%; California: 12.0%).
How many children live in poverty in San Francisco?
9.0% of children under 18 in San Francisco lived below the poverty line in 2020-2024 (10,042 children), 197th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 16.1%; California: 15.0%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyWhat is the poverty rate for older people in San Francisco?
By age, the poverty rate in San Francisco was 5.6% for children under 6 and 15.8% for residents aged 60 and over in 2020-2024 (US: 17.2% and 11.0%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many people in San Francisco live in deep poverty?
47,680 people in San Francisco, 5.8% of residents, had incomes below half the poverty line in 2020-2024, 411th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 6.0%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many renters in San Francisco are cost-burdened?
39.6% of renting households in San Francisco spent 30% or more of their income on rent and utilities in 2020-2024 (85,000 households), 32nd lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 51.1%; California: 55.3%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many households in San Francisco spend half their income on rent?
19.8% of renting households in San Francisco spent half or more of their income on rent and utilities, 75th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 25.9%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many people in San Francisco are food insecure?
An estimated 13.4% of adults in San Francisco experienced food insecurity in the past year, joint 160th lowest of 592 US cities of 50,000 or more with an estimate, and 10.3% housing insecurity (CDC PLACES model-based estimate for 2023, age-adjusted).
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copyHow San Francisco compares with other cities in the United States
Residents below the poverty line (2020-2024)
San Francisco ranks 466 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Residents below the poverty line |
|---|---|---|
| 463 | Davie | 11.2% |
| 464 | Jeffersonville | 11.2% |
| 465 | Manchester | 11.2% |
| 466 | San Francisco | 11.2% |
| 467 | Sterling Heights | 11.1% |
| 468 | Joliet | 11.1% |
| 469 | Oxnard | 11.0% |
Children under 18 below the poverty line (2020-2024)
San Francisco ranks 627 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Children under 18 below the poverty line |
|---|---|---|
| 624 | Boulder | 9.1% |
| 625 | Yucaipa | 9.1% |
| 626 | DeSoto | 9.1% |
| 627 | San Francisco | 9.0% |
| 628 | Walnut Creek | 9.0% |
| 629 | Cheyenne | 9.0% |
| 630 | San Mateo | 9.0% |
Residents with incomes below half the poverty line (2020-2024)
San Francisco ranks 411 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Residents with incomes below half the poverty line |
|---|---|---|
| 408 | Aurora | 5.8% |
| 409 | Smyrna | 5.8% |
| 410 | Delray Beach | 5.8% |
| 411 | San Francisco | 5.8% |
| 412 | Tamarac | 5.8% |
| 413 | La Mesa | 5.8% |
| 414 | Anaheim | 5.8% |
Renting households spending 30% or more of income on rent (2020-2024)
San Francisco ranks 792 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Renting households spending 30% or more of income on rent |
|---|---|---|
| 789 | Greer | 40.1% |
| 790 | Arlington Heights | 40.1% |
| 791 | St. Louis Park | 39.7% |
| 792 | San Francisco | 39.6% |
| 793 | Bismarck | 39.6% |
| 794 | Naperville | 39.5% |
| 795 | Cuyahoga Falls | 39.4% |
Adults experiencing food insecurity (age-adjusted model estimate) (2023)
San Francisco ranks 427 of 592, highest first.
| Rank | City | Adults experiencing food insecurity (age-adjusted model estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| 424 | Santa Cruz | 13.5% |
| 425 | Fountain Valley | 13.5% |
| 426 | Diamond Bar | 13.5% |
| 427 | San Francisco | 13.4% |
| 428 | Burbank | 13.4% |
| 429 | Asheville | 13.4% |
| 430 | Chino Hills | 13.4% |
More on San Francisco: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · all cities in the United States
Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: PLACES: Place Data (GIS Friendly Format), 2025 release: model-based age-adjusted prevalence among adults, for every place (data.cdc.gov API, columns used), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b2174bcc660f…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B17020: Poverty Status in the Past 12 Months by Age (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 e79a292f34605560506b7f4b5c8ea242c9d6e203c8e95ba675565ddb7758571e), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 41bab025d213…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table C17002: Ratio of Income to Poverty Level in the Past 12 Months (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 dc3dc675113683ec3ff2a0e29a840f43e03268151d7f14b922658d7306da5187), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 31aa364bfddf…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B25070: Gross Rent as a Percentage of Household Income in the Past 12 Months (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 862ccc17d913305d11e6f802ce4518d76b30585ea0b05b251cd8cf21f8661386), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 4f8d499d9e95…)
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