Pacifica, CA

Census place 0654806 · pop 37,261

D58/ 100
😐 Meh
A
in CA
📍 California ranks #49 of 50 states →
🏆 Air27 AQI · top 4%
🚽 Cost$1,249,800 · bottom 2%
Taxes
0.63% property · US 0.99%8.99% sales · US 7.00%up to 13.30% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Housing cost$1,249,8002

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$1,249,800 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Rent$3,659/mo3

U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities

$3,659/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Population growth (5yr)-4.4%10

U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities

-4.4% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Natural disaster riskCounty-level99/10011

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

99/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Commute time27 min29

U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities

27 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Property crime rate1317/100k49

U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities

1317 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Unemployment rateCounty-level3.5%56

U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities

3.5% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Violent crime rate148/100k61

U.S. median 152/100k · better than most cities

148 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Homeownership67.7%61

U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities

67.7% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Income inequality0.4262

U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities

Gini 0.42 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Property-tax burden0.63%80

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.63% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Bachelor's degree or higher48.9%81

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

48.9% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Poverty rate5.8%82

U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities

5.8% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level0 days85

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Physical inactivity18.5%85

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

18.5% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Poor mental health14.1%86

U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities

14.1% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Adult smoking8.6%89

U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities

8.6% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Uninsured adults5.4%90

U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities

5.4% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Broadband access96.8%92

U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities

96.8% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Adult obesity23.7%94

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

23.7% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Median household income$160,52396

U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities

$160,523 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Air quality (AQI)County-level27 AQI96

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

27 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Frequently asked

Is Pacifica, CA a good place to live?
By the numbers, Pacifica scores 58/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is air quality (aqi) and its weakest is housing cost. California overall ranks #49 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
How safe is Pacifica, CA?
Pacifica reports 148 violent crimes per 100k and 1317 property crimes per 100k — better than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Pacifica, CA expensive to live in?
Pacifica has a median home value of $1,249,800 and typical rent around $3,659/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Pacifica, CA?
Its weakest measured area is housing cost ($1,249,800) — 2/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Pacifica, CA best at?
Its strongest measured area is air quality (aqi) (27 AQI) — 96/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.