Thinking of Moving to San Francisco?
The City by the Bay is increasingly becoming a popular stomping ground among the tech elite. Some of these newcomers can afford to buy, while others are lucky to slide into a rent-controlled apartment. But today’s real estate market is drastically different than those of the past century when free-spirited people, immigrants, and working-class individuals easily moved to this melting pot. Oh yeah, and when you tell your friends you’re moving, don’t call the City “Frisco.”
Living in San Francisco
At approximately 49-square-miles and 852,469 multicultural humans strong, San Francisco is the second-most densely populated major city in the country, after New York. It’s fairly common knowledge that it’s expensive to rent or buy property in San Francisco, yet its romantic lure continues. The median home value in San Francisco is $1,130,400 (Zillow), and the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $3,500 (Zumper).
Once you get over the sticker shock and finally nab a place, you’ll find it’s easy to start calling the city home. Whether you live in a historical Victorian, two-floor flat, or 24-unit building, San Francisco’s quaint, quirky, walkable neighborhoods generally offer loads of coffee shops, restaurants, and shops to fuel the soul.
Traffic
The strong local economy is creating a lot of hustle and bustle when it comes to moving in and around the city. Commute times are lengthening, thanks to local roadway and freeway bottlenecks. Fortunately, San Francisco’s extensive bus, trolley, streetcar, and famous cable car system help folks move about the City. The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) subway services the East side of town, and a new efficient light-rail subway—connecting South of Market, Yerba Buena, Union Square and Chinatown—is slated to open in 2019. Of course, Lyft and Uber are extremely popular options for getting around if you don’t want to take public transportation or drive your own car during congested peak hours. Riding on two wheels is an increasingly popular mode of conveyance with an estimated 75,000 San Franciscans traveling to work by bike every day.
Weather
It’s all about wearing layers in San Francisco—ward off a potential cool ocean breeze with a sweater or shed that pullover when the sun heats you up. Wintertime is generally the rainy season, and summer usually brings with it thick fog. Locals like to boast that, thanks to warmer fall temps, September and October are the best weather months to plan a visit.
The City by the Bay boasts an average temperature of 57 with 2,950 hours of sunlight annually.
