“Counties like it” are metro-area counties with a similar population and a median household income near San Francisco's ($125,456). Ahead or behind means more than 15% better or worse than the typical one.
Ahead of similar counties on 3 measures:
Behind similar counties on 5 measures:
About the same on 3: life expectancy, unemployment, households with broadband internet.
| Measure | San Francisco | Typical similar county |
|---|---|---|
| Population change, 2020–2024 | -5.4% 874,826 → 827,526 | 2.6% |
| School spending per student (day-to-day costs) | $22,979 | $18,511 |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2024 population estimates; Census Annual Survey of School System Finances (school year 2023), current spending divided by enrollment across the districts based in the county.
“Counties like it” means other counties in a metro area with a similar number of people and a similar median household income (about $125,456 here). Comparing with them, instead of the whole country, shows what similar places have managed. San Francisco County is furthest behind on bridges rated poor, drug overdose deaths per 100,000, households with severe housing problems.
| Measure | San Francisco County | Typical similar county | Doing best among similar counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drug overdose deaths per 100,000 behind similar counties | 63.3 | 20.9 | Collin County, TX 10.1 Fort Bend County, TX 10.3 Denton County, TX 10.3 |
| Life expectancy about the same | 82.4 years | 80.4 years | Fairfax County, VA 84.5 years San Mateo County, CA 84.1 years Santa Clara County, CA 83.8 years |
| Adults under 65 without health insurance ahead of similar counties | 4.2% | 5.9% | Norfolk County, MA 2.4% Middlesex County, MA 2.4% Plymouth County, MA 2.4% |
| Residents per primary care doctor ahead of similar counties | 610 | 1,179 | Howard County, MD 545 Cumberland County, ME 603 Waukesha County, WI 713 |
| Residents per mental health provider ahead of similar counties | 90 | 269 | Burlington County, NJ 89 New York County, NY 90 Boulder County, CO 106 |
| Children in poverty behind similar counties | 10.8% | 7.9% | Douglas County, CO 3.1% Waukesha County, WI 4.4% Hamilton County, IN 4.5% |
| Food insecurity behind similar counties | 11.2% | 9.7% | Washington County, MN 6.5% Nassau County, NY 7.0% Dakota County, MN 7.1% |
| Households with severe housing problems behind similar counties | 23.6% | 15.0% | Hamilton County, IN 8.1% St. Charles County, MO 8.2% Forsyth County, GA 9.4% |
| Unemployment about the same | 3.3% | 3.3% | Howard County, MD 1.7% Anne Arundel County, MD 1.8% Montgomery County, MD 1.9% |
| Households with broadband internet about the same | 92.3% | 94.0% | Douglas County, CO 97.7% Forsyth County, GA 97.2% Fairfax County, VA 96.3% |
| Bridges rated poor behind similar counties | 13.9% | 4.6% | Forsyth County, GA 0.0% Cherokee County, GA 0.0% Cobb County, GA 0.0% |
“Behind” or “ahead” means more than 15% worse or better than the typical (median) similar county; small differences can be noise. Sources: County Health Rankings 2025 (health, money and internet), Vera Institute (jail, latest year from 2015 on), FHWA National Bridge Inventory 2025, HUD (metro areas), Census 2024 population. What has worked elsewhere on each of these.
“Highest” and “lowest” are just order, not grades: a high rank for poverty or hazard losses means more of it. Each figure's source is in its section below.
Related: By the numbers · The money trail · Audits · What has worked. Spot an error? Report it.