San Diego, CA vs San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley: Housing Market Comparison (2026)

Side-by-side Alpha Scores, affordability, momentum, supply, jobs, and rental yield · as of July 2026

San Diego, CA vs San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley side by side

Metric San Diego, CA San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley
Alpha Score4825
Price Momentum4850
Inventory Health443
Affordability501
Economic Strength5056
Rental Yield5019
Median Sale Price$925K
Price-to-Income8.3
Payment-to-Income51.1%
Months of Supply3
Gross Rental Yield2.6%
Overvaluation Index40

Highlighted = the stronger read for that metric (supply, valuation, and payment burden are better when lower). Income/rent inputs lag annually.

How San Diego, CA and San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley compare, dimension by dimension

  • Affordability: San Diego, CA leads — San Diego, CA 50/100 vs San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley 1/100.
  • Price Momentum: San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley leads — San Diego, CA 48/100 vs San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley 50/100.
  • Inventory Health: San Diego, CA leads — San Diego, CA 44/100 vs San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley 3/100.
  • Economic Strength: San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley leads — San Diego, CA 50/100 vs San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley 56/100.
  • Rental Yield: San Diego, CA leads — San Diego, CA 50/100 vs San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley 19/100.

Frequently asked questions

Which has a higher Alpha Score, San Diego, CA or San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley?

San Diego, CA scores higher — 48 vs 25 out of 100. The Alpha Score is a 0-100 composite of price momentum, inventory health, affordability, economic strength, and rental yield.

Is San Diego, CA or San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley more affordable?

San Diego, CA is more affordable on our affordability dimension.

Which housing market has stronger momentum, San Diego, CA or San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley?

San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley has stronger price momentum — 50/100 vs 48/100.

Want to swap in other cities, change the metrics, or chart the trend over time? Customize this comparison → in the interactive Compare tool. Or read the San Diego, CA market brief and the San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley brief.