San Francisco: what paychecks leave after rent
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area: 2,373,920 jobs, median pay of $74,260 across all occupations, and a $2,290 one-bedroom Fair Market Rent.
The typical worker in San Francisco, earning the all-occupations median of $74,260, takes home about $5,089 a month after federal taxes. A one-bedroom at HUD's Fair Market Rent would take 45% of that. The median wage is 0.81× the income needed to keep that rent at 30% of gross pay, which falls short of the guideline.
Of the 10 jobs covered here, software developers have the most room (20% of take-home on a 1BR). Retail Salespersons are the most squeezed (73%).
Census figures add context: the ACS 2020–2024 5-year median gross rent paid by all renter households in the metro was $2,474 (±$12), and median household income was $136,027 (±$1,102).
Rent share of take-home pay, by job
All jobs in San Francisco
| Job | Median pay | Take-home / mo | Hours of work | 1BR share | Left after 1BR | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developer | $186,640 | $11,581 | 25.5 h | 20% | $9,291 | 2.04× |
| Registered Nurse | $186,610 | $11,579 | 25.5 h | 20% | $9,289 | 2.04× |
| Police Officer | $132,000 | $8,457 | 36.1 h | 27% | $6,167 | 1.44× |
| Accountant or Auditor | $110,730 | $7,227 | 43.0 h | 32% | $4,937 | 1.21× |
| Elementary School Teacher | $101,860 | $6,707 | — h | 34% | $4,417 | 1.11× |
| Electrician | $92,830 | $6,178 | 51.3 h | 37% | $3,888 | 1.01× |
| Truck Driver | $66,450 | $4,631 | 71.7 h | 49% | $2,341 | 0.72× |
| Medical Assistant | $59,790 | $4,185 | 79.7 h | 55% | $1,895 | 0.65× |
| Fast Food Worker | $43,870 | $3,119 | 108.6 h | 73% | $829 | 0.48× |
| Retail Salesperson | $43,850 | $3,118 | 108.6 h | 73% | $828 | 0.48× |
HUD rent areas in this metro
| HUD FMR area | Population | 1BR | 2BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakland-Fremont, CA HUD Metro FMR Area | 2,814,485 | $2,290 | $2,805 |
| San Francisco, CA HUD Metro FMR Area | 1,830,544 | $3,003 | $3,697 |
HUD splits this metro into several rent areas. Highlighted is the most populous one, which this site uses for every comparison.
Sources & method
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — metropolitan areas — vintage: May 2025 estimates. File:
oesm25ma.zip, retrieved 2026-10-06. - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD USER), Fair Market Rents, FY2027 — vintage: FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026). File:
FY27_FMRs.xlsx, retrieved 2026-10-05. - U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates: Median gross rent (B25064) — vintage: ACS 2020–2024 5-year. File:
acsdt5y2024-b25064.dat, retrieved 2026-10-05. - U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates: Median household income (B19013) — vintage: ACS 2020–2024 5-year. File:
acsdt5y2024-b19013.dat, retrieved 2026-10-05. - Internal Revenue Service, Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (tax year 2026 brackets, $16,100 standard deduction) and SSA's $184,500 wage base, used for the take-home estimate.
Take-home = annual wage − 2026 federal income tax (single filer, standard deduction) − Social Security and Medicare. State and local income taxes are not deducted. Wages are May 2025 estimates; rents are HUD Fair Market Rents FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026). Full details on the methodology page. Page data last rebuilt 2026-10-06.