One city, one county
San Francisco is California’s only consolidated city and county: the city limits and the county boundary are identical.
San Francisco is a consolidated city and county, so its municipal and county boundaries are the same. The 2020 Census counted 873,965 residents; the Census Bureau estimates 826,079 in July 2025. With 18,629 people per square mile in 2020, it is by far the densest large city in California.
Key indicators
Population
826,079
July 2025 estimate · Census Bureau
2020 Census population
873,965
April 2020 · Census Bureau
Households
363,970
ACS 2020–2024
Population density
18,629 /mi²
2020 · Census Bureau
Median household income
$140,970
ACS 2020–2024 · 2024 dollars
Foreign-born residents
34.0%
ACS 2020–2024
Asian residents
35.2%
Asian alone · Census Bureau QuickFacts
Hispanic or Latino residents
16.2%
ACS 2020–2024
Owner-occupied housing
38.2%
ACS 2020–2024 · Census Bureau
Median owner-occupied home value
$1,394,500
ACS 2020–2024 · Census Bureau
Historical data
Pick an indicator to see its long-run evolution.
Population · decennial census
1860–2020873,965▲ 1439%
U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (historical counts as compiled from Census publications); 2010 and 2020 confirmed against Census QuickFacts. The 1850 count was lost and is not shown.
Data summary
| Indicator | Value | Year and source |
|---|---|---|
| Population estimate | 826,079 | 2025 · Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 |
| Population, 2020 Census | 873,965 | 2020 · Decennial Census |
| Population, 2010 Census | 805,235 | 2010 · Decennial Census |
| Households | 363,970 | 2020–2024 · ACS 5-year |
| Population per square mile | 18,629.1 | 2020 · Census Bureau |
| Median household income | $140,970 | 2020–2024 · ACS 5-year |
| Residents under 18 | 13.7% | Census Bureau QuickFacts |
| Residents 65 and over | 17.6% | Census Bureau QuickFacts |
| Owner-occupied housing | 38.2% | ACS 2020–2024 |
| Median owner-occupied home value | $1,394,500 | 2020–2024 · ACS 5-year |
San Francisco in context
Comparable indicators for the city, California and the United States.
| Indicator | City | California | U.S. | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population, 2020 Census | 873,965 | 39,538,223 | 331,449,281 | 2020 · Census Bureau |
| Population estimate | 826,079 | 39,355,309 | 341,784,857 | 2025 · Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 |
Did you know? San Francisco
Fewer residents than in 2020
The Census Bureau estimates a 6.0% decline between its April 2020 estimates base (878,550) and July 2025 (826,079).
A city with few children
Only 13.7% of residents are under 18, while 17.6% are 65 or older.
A decade with no growth
The 1930 and 1940 censuses recorded almost identical populations: 634,394 and 634,536 residents.