If you are looking for a new place to live in the Bay Area, you might be wondering which city is better for you: Oakland or San Francisco.
These two cities are close to each other, but they have different characteristics that can affect your quality of life, and ultimately your choice.
So let’s compare a few aspects and find out if one has an edge over the other.
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Cost of Living
Both cities have a high cost of living compared to national averages, but San Francisco is generally more expensive across most categories.
For instance, housing in San Francisco is significantly pricier than in Oakland. The same goes for food and groceries, healthcare, utilities, and transportation. On average, living in San Francisco will cost you about $$6,035 per month for a single person, while Oakland comes in slightly lower at $$4,234 per month.
So, if you’re deciding between these two cities and the cost of living is a major factor for you, Oakland may be the more favorable option.
Verdict: Oakland Wins
Weather
San Francisco has more sunny days per year than Oakland, with an average of 259 days compared to Oakland’s 261 days. However, San Francisco receives more rainfall than Oakland, with an average of 24.6 inches per year compared to Oakland’s 23.6 inches.
In terms of temperature, San Francisco has a cooler climate than Oakland. The average high temperature in San Francisco during summer is around 67.2°F, while in Oakland it is around 71.7°F. During winter, the average low temperature in San Francisco is around 45.5°F, while in Oakland it is around 43.7°F.
San Francisco experiences more windy days than Oakland, with an average wind speed of 20-35 mph compared to Oakland’s average wind speed of 5-12 mph.
From the above information, if you prefer a cooler climate with less wind and more rainfall, then San Francisco might be a better choice for you. However, if you prefer warmer temperatures with less rainfall and wind, then Oakland might be a better choice for you.
Verdict: Draw
Public Transportation
The public transportation in Oakland and San Francisco is similar when it comes to traveling between the two cities using BART. However, when it comes to traveling within each city, San Francisco has a clear advantage over Oakland in terms of public transportation options, quality, and performance.
Depending on your preferences and needs, you may find one city more suitable than the other for public transportation. If you value the diversity and convenience of public transportation within the city, you may prefer San Francisco over Oakland.
If you don’t mind using buses or shuttles as your main mode of public transportation within the city, you may be fine with Oakland as well.
Verdict: San Fransisco Wins
Job Opportunities
The job opportunities in Oakland and San Francisco are quite different, despite their proximity. Oakland tends to have more jobs in education, health care, social services, and manufacturing than San Francisco. Oakland also has a lower cost of living than San Francisco.
On the other hand, San Francisco tends to have more jobs in technology, finance, tourism, and entertainment than Oakland. San Francisco also has a higher average salary than Oakland, which may compensate for its higher cost of living.
In terms of job satisfaction, both cities have pros and cons. Oakland has a more relaxed and diverse culture than San Francisco, which may appeal to some workers who value flexibility and inclusion. Oakland also has less traffic and congestion than San Francisco, which may reduce your commute time and stress level.
However, San Francisco has more prestige and innovation than Oakland, which may attract some workers who seek recognition and challenge. San Francisco also has more amenities and attractions than Oakland, which may enhance your quality of life and entertainment options.
Verdict: San Fransisco Wins
Cuisine & Lifestyle
Cuisine
First, let’s talk about the cuisine. Oakland is famous for its Mission-style burrito, which is a huge tortilla stuffed with beans, meat, salsa, cheese, and other toppings.
It’s a filling and satisfying meal that originated in the Mission District of San Francisco but has become more popular in Oakland. Oakland is also known for its cioppino, a seafood stew with tomato broth that features clams, shrimp, scallops, mussels, crab, and fish.
San Francisco is famous for its clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl, which is a creamy soup with clams, potatoes, and bacon served inside a hollowed-out loaf of sourdough bread. It’s a warm and comforting dish that you can find at Boudin Bakery or Fog Harbor Fish House.
San Francisco is also known for its sumo crunch Sushirrito, which is a cross between sushi and burrito. It’s a large seaweed wrap filled with rice, raw fish, veggies, and sauces. It’s a fresh and innovative dish that you can try at Sushirrito or We Sushi.
Lifestyle
Now let’s talk about the lifestyle. Both cities have a lot to offer in terms of culture, entertainment, nature, and wellness. You can find plenty of museums, theaters, music venues, art galleries, parks, trails, beaches, and spas in both cities. However, there are some aspects that each city excels at.
Oakland has a more laid-back and diverse lifestyle than San Francisco. It’s less crowded and expensive than its neighbor across the bay. It has a strong sense of community and social justice. It’s the home of the Black Panther Party and the birthplace of the phrase “Power to the people”.
It celebrates its multicultural heritage and supports local artists and entrepreneurs. You can experience Oakland’s lifestyle by visiting the Indigenous Red Market, dancing at Aloha Club, going gnome hunting, or joining the Black Joy Parade.
San Francisco has a more vibrant and innovative lifestyle than Oakland. It’s more cosmopolitan and progressive than its neighbor to the east. It has a rich history of counterculture movements and technological breakthroughs.
It’s the home of the Summer of Love and the Silicon Valley. It embraces its eccentricity and creativity. You can experience San Francisco’s lifestyle by visiting Alcatraz Island, riding a cable car, eating mochi cheesecake, or joining the Bay to Breakers race.
It’s very difficult to separate the two when it comes to cuisine and lifestyle, especially when both of them have something different to offer.
Verdict: Draw
Crime Rates
First, let’s look at the overall crime rates. According to NeighborhoodScout, both cities have higher crime rates than the national average, but Oakland has a much higher crime rate than San Francisco.
The crime rate in Oakland is 692 per 100,000 residents, which is 2.7 times greater than the U.S. average and makes it one of the most dangerous cities in the country.
The crime rate in San Francisco is 602 per 100,000 residents, which is 2.3 times greater than the U.S. average and makes it a moderately safe city. In Oakland, you have a 1 in 17 chance of becoming a victim of any crime, while in San Francisco, you have a 1 in 20 chance.
Violent Crime rates
Both cities have higher violent crime rates than the national average, but again, Oakland has a much higher violent crime rate than San Francisco.
The violent crime rate in Oakland is 1274 per 100,000 residents, which is nearly three times greater than the U.S. average and makes it one of the most violent cities in the country.
The violent crime rate in San Francisco is 539 per 100,000 residents, which is slightly higher than the U.S. average and makes it a moderately violent city. In Oakland, you have a 1 in 80 chance of becoming a victim of a violent crime, while in San Francisco, you have a 1 in 186 chance.
Property crime rates
Both cities have higher property crime rates than the national average, but once more, Oakland has a much higher property crime rate than San Francisco.
The property crime rate in Oakland is 5390 per 100,000 residents, which is more than twice as high as the U.S. average and makes it one of the most property-crime-prone cities in the country.
The property crime rate in San Francisco is 4894 per 100,000 residents, which is also twice as high as the U.S. average and makes it a high-risk city for property crimes.
So which city has the least crime? Well, based on these statistics, it’s clear that San Francisco has a lower crime rate than Oakland in every category. However, this doesn’t mean that San Francisco is completely safe or that Oakland is completely unsafe as you can find safe areas in Oakland.
Verdict: San Fransisco Wins
Commute times
The average one-way commute in Oakland takes 31.9 minutes, while the average one-way commute in San Francisco takes 32.9 minutes.
That means that both cities have longer commute times than the US average of 26.4 minutes, but San Francisco has a slightly longer commute time than Oakland.
According to GeoStat.org, most workers in both cities have an average commute of under 30 minutes, but some workers have extreme commutes of over an hour each way.
In Oakland, 15 percent of all commutes lasted longer than an hour in 2018, while in San Francisco, 13 percent of all commutes lasted longer than an hour in 2018.
That means that both cities have a similar share of extreme commuters, but Oakland has a slightly higher share than San Francisco.
Looking into these figures, and judging based on the commute times, we can argue that Oakland has a better commute time than San Fransisco.
Verdict: Oakland Wins.
Quality of Life Index
According to Numbeo, San Francisco has a slightly higher overall quality of life index than Oakland, but also a higher cost of living and a longer commute time.
According to Sperling’s BestPlaces, San Francisco has a higher economic score and a lower crime rate than Oakland, but also a lower housing score and a higher traffic congestion.
Based on these comparisons, we would say that San Francisco has a slight edge over Oakland in terms of quality of life, but it also comes with some trade-offs that you should consider.
Verdict: San Fransisco Wins
Oakland Vs. San Fransisco: The Verdict
Overall, San Fransisco won in several categories (4) vs. Oakland (2) but, depending on your preferences and the reasons you are comparing the two, you might still consider Oakland over San Fransisco.
We would love to hear your thoughts! Which city do you think is better?
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