2027 MNM LIVABILITY INDEX

Daly City

California (CA)
Best for: Bay Area households who want access to San Francisco and a cooler coastal climate
Daly City CA 2027 livability
Medium City
2027 CITY CLASSMedium City100,000–299,999 residents
Modern Livability75.0/ 100
AT A GLANCE

Everyday numbers

Population101,261
Median Home$1,115,000
Median Rent$2,551
Median Household Income$123,547
Cost of LivingRPP 115.6 (US=100; BEA 2024; metro area)
Average Commute28.8 min (ACS 2020-2024)
Unemployment5.3% (ACS 2020-2024; civilian labor force)
Metro AreaSan Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
2027 MODERN LIVABILITY SCORECARD

How this city actually lives

Twelve dimensions capture both hard data and the everyday experience traditional lists tend to miss.

75.0overall
Housing & Financial Reality37.0

Housing burden, taxes, insurance, utilities and what local incomes actually buy.

Ease of Living76.0

Errands, commute friction, parking, services and the effort required for daily life.

Safety & Stability75.0

Personal, neighborhood, road and environmental stability.

Economic Opportunity77.0

Jobs, wages, career mobility, employer diversity and economic resilience.

Health & Wellness83.0

Healthcare access, activity, mental wellness, healthy food and environmental health.

Beauty & Sense of Place79.0

Scenery, architecture, trees, cleanliness, public realm and distinct sense of place.

Mobility & Congestion75.0

Traffic delay, commute reliability, walking, cycling and transit usefulness.

Nature & Escape78.0

Trails, water, mountains, parks, public lands and how easily residents can escape.

Diversity & Belonging92.0

Diversity, integration, accessibility, newcomer friendliness and community connection.

Climate & Environment75.0

Comfortable weather, air quality, severe weather and environmental exposure.

Community & Culture77.0

Restaurants, arts, events, third places, recreation and social life.

Infrastructure & Connectivity85.0

Broadband, utilities, airport, highways, transit and essential connectivity.

THE THINGS OLD-SCHOOL LISTS MISS

What daily life feels like

Traffic / CongestionACS average one-way commute: 28.8 minutes (2020-2024, excluding workers at home). Workplace location and departure time still determine individual travel. This is a commute measure, not a live traffic-delay index.
Weekend EscapeCity parks and local open spaces offer outdoor activity within a heavily developed setting. Regional trips depend on travel time and seasonal conditions.
WalkabilityCitywide Walk Score 66/100 (directory checked October 2026). Some errands can be done on foot; conditions vary by neighborhood.
Airport AccessSan Francisco International Airport (SFO) is a regional air-travel option. Check the airport for current destinations; no drive-time estimate is assumed.
Outdoor AccessCity parks and local open spaces offer outdoor activity within a heavily developed setting.
Healthcare AccessAHMC Seton Medical Center in Daly City provides a local or nearby hospital option. Check insurance networks, service availability and specialist access individually.
Air QualityAir quality changes by day and season. Check AirNow for local ozone and fine-particle conditions, particularly during heat or smoke events; no citywide annual AQI rating is assigned here.
Third Places / Social LifeDaly City's parks and recreation facilities provide public gathering spaces. A dense Peninsula gateway with hillside neighborhoods and a distinctly cool coastal influence. The mix of libraries, cafes and community activities varies by neighborhood.
EDITORIAL VIEW

More than a number

Trajectory: Broadly stable: +0.2% population change from 2024 to 2025 (same Census vintage). This describes population only, not a forecast.
WHY IT STANDS OUT

Why we chose it

Daly City has 101,261 residents in the Census Bureau's July 1, 2025 estimate and is #337 in the incorporated-place population ranking used for this batch. The ACS 2020-2024 estimates report a median owner-occupied home value of $1,115,000, median monthly gross rent of $2,551, and median household income of $123,547. These are survey-period estimates, not current listings or asking rents. City parks and local open spaces offer outdoor activity within a heavily developed setting. Livability scores are provisional editorial assessments for review, not official Census ratings.

REAL LIFE

What living here actually feels like

A dense Peninsula gateway with hillside neighborhoods and a distinctly cool coastal influence.

STRENGTHS

Where it shines

Citywide Walk Score supports some daily errands on foot; Access to AHMC Seton Medical Center in Daly City; City parks and local open spaces offer outdoor activity within a heavily developed setting.

TRADEOFFS

Where it falls short

Very high housing costs; hills; fog and cool summers; earthquake exposure.

ALL 2027 RANKINGS

Where Daly City ranks