Rental market data · 2024 Census estimates

San Francisco, CA rental yield and cash flow

In the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro, the median owner-occupied home was valued at $1,132,900 and the median gross rent was $2,435 a month in 2024. That is a gross rent yield of 2.58%, rank 99 of the 100 largest metros we track.

$1,132,900Median home value (±$9,596)

$2,435Median gross rent / mo (±$26)

2.58%Gross rent yield

38.8Price-to-rent ratio

0.77%Median taxes ÷ median value

45%Renter-occupied homes

0.21%Monthly rent ÷ price (1% rule)

4.65MMetro population

Does the median home cash flow at today's rate?

We priced a hypothetical rental at the metro medians: $1,132,900 purchase, $2,435 rent, 25% down, a 30-year loan at 7.28% (Freddie Mac's 30-year average for the week of October 1, 2026), $8,777 in annual property taxes, insurance at 0.5% of price, and 5% vacancy, 10% repairs and 8% management.

At these assumptions the median-priced home runs about $5,142 a month short of covering its costs (DSCR 0.12). Rent would need to reach about $9,113, 274% above the median, to break even, or the price would need to be near $167,399 for a 1.25 DSCR. Net operating income is about $8,057 a year, a 0.71% cap rate, against $69,763 of annual debt service.

Investment-property loans usually price above the owner-occupant average this survey reports, and your insurance quote, tax bill and rent will differ from a metro median. Change any input below.

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How San Francisco compares

Metros with the nearest gross yields among the 100 we track. * Cash flow uses the same assumptions as above.

Rank	Metro	Median value	Median rent	Gross yield	Price-to-rent	Cash flow / mo*
96	San Diego, CA	$914,700	$2,336	3.06%	32.6	-$3,772
97	Los Angeles, CA	$908,500	$2,114	2.79%	35.8	-$3,914
98	Urban Honolulu, HI	$920,600	$2,001	2.61%	38.3	-$3,792
99	San Francisco, CA	$1,132,900	$2,435	2.58%	38.8	-$5,142
100	San Jose, CA	$1,528,500	$2,827	2.22%	45.1	-$7,137

What these numbers leave out

Census gross rent includes utilities when the tenant pays them, so it can overstate what a landlord collects. Median value describes owner-occupied homes, not the rental stock, and a metro median hides wide neighborhood differences. Treat this page as a screen, then underwrite the specific property.

Sources

U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey 1-year estimates, table B25064 (median gross rent)
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey 1-year estimates, table B25077 (median value, owner-occupied housing units)
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey 1-year estimates, table B25103 (median real estate taxes paid)
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey 1-year estimates, table B25003 (housing tenure)
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey 1-year estimates, table B01003 (total population)
Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (30-year fixed average, week of October 1, 2026)

Data snapshot October 7, 2026. Methodology: all metros.