Houston vs San Francisco
Compare Houston, TX and San Francisco, CA on cost, HUD rent, safety, climate, commute, schools, outdoor access, food, and source-labeled relocation data.
The verdict
Houston is the cheaper metro on paper: ACS median rent runs $1,301/mo versus $2,336/mo in San Francisco — a gap of about $1,035/mo — and HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents show $1,357/mo against $3,359/mo. State income tax also separates them — Houston's rate is roughly 0% versus 13.3%. Across the four public-data screens Houston comes out ahead (262 vs 243 summed points), though San Francisco still wins specific categories below.
Climate is a real differentiator: Houston runs summer highs near 94°F and winter lows near 42°F, while San Francisco runs 72°F and 46°F. Long-term hazard exposure also separates them: Houston screens more resilient on the FEMA National Risk Index composite (38 vs 5/100, higher = lower expected annual loss per resident). If lower housing cost leads your list, start with Houston; if walkable daily life matters more, San Francisco screens stronger on the walkability proxy (56 vs 22). These are metro-level public-data screens — verify neighborhoods, school districts, commutes, and actual listings before deciding.
Category summary
Houston leads 71 to 35 on the cost and climate screen.
Houston leads 78 to 75 on the work screen.
San Francisco leads 63 to 55 on the daily life screen.
San Francisco leads 70 to 58 on the community screen.
$85,000 in Houston is roughly $39,695 in San Francisco using WhereToThrive's cost index and state-tax adjustment.
Category comparison
| Metric | Houston | San Francisco | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACS median gross rent | $1,301/mo | $2,336/mo | Houston |
| HUD 2BR FMR | $1,357/mo | $3,359/mo | Houston |
| Median home value | $254,000 | $1,073,000 | Houston |
| State income tax | None | 13.3% | Houston |
| Average commute | 32.5 min | 35.6 min | Houston |
| Safety score | 31/100 | 42/100 | San Francisco |
| School score | 6/10 | 8/10 | San Francisco |
| Walkability estimate | 22/100 | 56/100 | San Francisco |
| Outdoor score | 7/10 | 8/10 | San Francisco |
| Restaurants per 100k | 181.2 | 238.7 | San Francisco |
| Mountain distance | 299 mi | 2 mi | San Francisco |
| Coast distance | 19 mi | 2 mi | San Francisco |
| Climate-risk composite (FEMA NRI) | 38/100 | 5/100 | Houston |
| Earthquake risk percentile (NRI) | 13th | 99th | Houston |
| Hurricane risk percentile (NRI) | 85th | 0th | San Francisco |
| Tornado risk percentile (NRI) | 90th | 11th | San Francisco |
What stands out
Houston stronger signals
- No state income tax
- Major airport access
- Trail access within 45 miles
- Public park/protected-area signal within 0 miles
Houston tradeoffs
- Lower safety score than stronger alternatives
San Francisco stronger signals
- Major airport access
- Strong food and nightlife amenities score
- Strong outdoor access
- Public park/protected-area signal within 1 miles
San Francisco tradeoffs
- Premium housing market
- High top marginal state income tax
- Higher natural disaster risk
- Lower safety score than stronger alternatives
Common questions
Is Houston cheaper than San Francisco?
On public benchmarks Houston is the cheaper metro: ACS median rent is $1,301/mo in Houston vs $2,336/mo in San Francisco; HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents are $1,357/mo vs $3,359/mo; state income tax is 0% vs 13.3%.
Is Houston or San Francisco safer?
San Francisco screens safer at the metro level: safety scores are 31/100 for Houston and 42/100 for San Francisco (FBI-reported metro rates; neighborhood variation is larger than metro averages).
Which is better for families, Houston or San Francisco?
School screens show 6/10 for Houston vs 8/10 for San Francisco, alongside the safety scores above. It is a metro-level screen; verify specific school districts before weighting it heavily.
How different is the climate between Houston and San Francisco?
Houston: summer highs near 94°F, winter lows near 42°F, disaster-risk band 2/3. San Francisco: 72°F / 46°F, disaster-risk band 3/3 (NOAA climate normals).
Keep researching
Score this comparison with your own constraints
Public comparison pages use equal-weighted signals. The questionnaire reweights cities around your housing budget, climate preferences, work needs, family needs, and daily-life priorities.
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