Is San Francisco County, CA good for real estate investing?

San Francisco County has an investment score of 42/100, rated as "Avoid". The county ranks #689 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

What is the rent-to-price ratio in San Francisco?

The rent-to-price ratio in San Francisco County is 3.59% annually, which ranks in the 3th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in San Francisco?

The median home price in San Francisco County is $1,369,235. This ranks #999 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in San Francisco?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in San Francisco County would generate negative cash flow of $4,512/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

San Francisco County

CaliforniaPopulation: 851,036San Francisco, CA Metro

/100

Avoid

#689 of 1,000 counties

#28 in California (58 counties)

Analysis by RentalCalcs ResearchIndependent data + algorithm-driven scoring

Updated June 1, 2026Sources: Zillow ZHVI, Zillow ZORI, US Census ACS, Tax Foundation

Market Snapshot

$1,369,235

Median Home Price

486% above national median

$4,101/mo

Median Rent

172% above national median

3.59%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 97% nationally

-$4,512

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Scenario comparison

Same $4,101/mo rent assumption, 20% down, 6.85% rate. What changes is the acquisition price.

Scenario	Purchase price	Monthly cash flow	Cap rate	Cash-on-cash
75% of median value-add or distressed	$1,026,926	-$2,718/mo	3.1%	-13.8%
Median typical MLS deal	$1,369,235	-$4,512/mo	2.3%	-17.2%
125% of median newer / premium	$1,711,544	-$6,306/mo	1.9%	-19.2%

Price History

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$1,369,235

Down Payment (20%)$273,847

Loan Amount$1,095,388

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$4,101

Monthly P&I-$7,178

Est. Expenses (35%)-$1,435

Net Cash Flow-$4,512/mo

2.3%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-17.2%

Cash-on-Cash Return

3.59%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 2.3% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on county median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Actual results vary by property.

Run Full Analysis Try House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

42/100

Cash Flow(30%)

24/100

Based on 3.59% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

89/100

Based on 6.0% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

0/100

Based on price relative to estimated local incomes.

Scores are calculated using real Zillow home value and rent data, Census population data, and economic indicators. The weighted average produces the overall investment score. Markets with missing rent data use estimated values based on regional averages.

Investment Outlook

Strengths

+Strong price appreciation (+6.0% YoY)
+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Below-average rent-to-price ratio (3.59%)
-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$4,512/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 2.3% < mortgage rate 6.9%)
-High price-to-income ratio makes financing challenging

Economic Indicators

Population

851,036

Median Income

—

Data pending

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

—

Data pending

Who this market fits

Best for

+Appreciation buyers: YoY growth is meaningfully above the long-run average
+Patient holders willing to accept negative carry for equity gains
+All-cash buyers: removing debt service flips the cap rate to actual yield

Skip if

−You need positive cash flow on day one at typical leverage
−You can't tolerate negative leverage (cap rate below mortgage rate today)
−You rely on FHA-style financing: prices are stretched relative to local incomes
−You want a market with broad institutional consensus on fundamentals

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
San BernardinoCA	43	$541,638	$2,440	5.41%	Avoid	View
San JoaquinCA	43	$523,017	$2,356	5.41%	Avoid	View
CurrentSan FranciscoCA	42	$1,369,235	$4,101	3.59%	Avoid
RiversideCA	42	$598,126	$2,554	5.12%	Avoid	View
SacramentoCA	42	$518,553	$2,149	4.97%	Avoid	View
El DoradoCA	42	$636,684	$2,389	4.50%	Avoid	View

The Bottom Line

AvoidSan Francisco may be challenging for traditional rentals. High prices or low rents make cash flow difficult.

San Francisco County in California scores 42/100, ranking #689 of 1,000 US counties (top 91%). At 20% down and current rates, a median-priced rental loses about $4512/month; the 3.59% gross rent-to-price ratio doesn't survive debt service. The thesis here is appreciation, value-add, house hacking, or all-cash.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-4,512/mo

Cap Rate

2.3%

Cash-on-Cash

-17.2%

Related markets

Markets like San Francisco with stronger cash flow

Cheaper alternatives to San Francisco

Head-to-head comparisons

All counties in California →

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Scenario comparison

Same $4,101/mo rent assumption, 20% down, 6.85% rate. What changes is the acquisition price.

Scenario	Purchase price	Monthly cash flow	Cap rate	Cash-on-cash
75% of median value-add or distressed	$1,026,926	-$2,718/mo	3.1%	-13.8%
Median typical MLS deal	$1,369,235	-$4,512/mo	2.3%	-17.2%
125% of median newer / premium	$1,711,544	-$6,306/mo	1.9%	-19.2%

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$1,369,235

Down Payment (20%)$273,847

Loan Amount$1,095,388

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$4,101

Monthly P&I-$7,178

Est. Expenses (35%)-$1,435

Net Cash Flow-$4,512/mo

2.3%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-17.2%

Cash-on-Cash Return

3.59%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 2.3% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on county median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Actual results vary by property.

Run Full Analysis Try House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

42/100

Cash Flow(30%)

24/100

Based on 3.59% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

89/100

Based on 6.0% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

0/100

Based on price relative to estimated local incomes.

Who this market fits

Best for

+Appreciation buyers: YoY growth is meaningfully above the long-run average
+Patient holders willing to accept negative carry for equity gains
+All-cash buyers: removing debt service flips the cap rate to actual yield

Skip if

−You need positive cash flow on day one at typical leverage
−You can't tolerate negative leverage (cap rate below mortgage rate today)
−You rely on FHA-style financing: prices are stretched relative to local incomes
−You want a market with broad institutional consensus on fundamentals

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
San BernardinoCA	43	$541,638	$2,440	5.41%	Avoid	View
San JoaquinCA	43	$523,017	$2,356	5.41%	Avoid	View
CurrentSan FranciscoCA	42	$1,369,235	$4,101	3.59%	Avoid
RiversideCA	42	$598,126	$2,554	5.12%	Avoid	View
SacramentoCA	42	$518,553	$2,149	4.97%	Avoid	View
El DoradoCA	42	$636,684	$2,389	4.50%	Avoid	View

The Bottom Line

AvoidSan Francisco may be challenging for traditional rentals. High prices or low rents make cash flow difficult.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-4,512/mo

Cap Rate

2.3%

Cash-on-Cash

-17.2%