Best suburbs in San Francisco

Young happy women shopping for vegetables and fruits.
NDAB Creativity // Shutterstock
- Population: 3,419
- Median home value: $930,600
- Median rental price: $1,915

- Top schools nearby: Redwood High School (grade A+), Tamalpais High School (grade A+), The New School of San Francisco (grade A+)
- Top private schools nearby: Marin Academy (grade A+), The Branson School (grade A+), San Francisco University High School (grade A+)

- Overall Niche grade: A−
--- Weather grade: A
--- Cost of living grade: D
--- Outdoor activities grade: A−
#20. Marin City, California
Couple in business clothes leaving home for work.
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
- Population: 2,778
- Median home value: $2,000,001
- Median rental price: $3,153

- Top schools nearby: Redwood High School (grade A+), Tamalpais High School (grade A+), Sir Francis Drake High School (grade A)
- Top private schools nearby: Marin Academy (grade A+), The Branson School (grade A+), San Domenico School (grade A+)

- Overall Niche grade: A
--- Weather grade: A+
--- Cost of living grade: D+
--- Outdoor activities grade: A
#19. Sleepy Hollow, California
Mother and children playing basketball on driveway.
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
- Population: 22,825
- Median home value: $1,874,100
- Median rental price: $3,322

- Top schools nearby: Mills High School (grade A+), Burlingame High School (grade A+), The New School of San Francisco (grade A+)
- Top private schools nearby: The Nueva School (grade A+), Crystal Springs Uplands School (grade A+), Lick-Wilmerding High School (grade A+)

- Overall Niche grade: A
--- Weather grade: A+
--- Cost of living grade: D+
--- Outdoor activities grade: A
#18. Millbrae, California
Customers enjoying meals in busy restaurant.
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
- Population: 7,233
- Median home value: $1,735,000
- Median rental price: $3,345

- Top schools nearby: Redwood High School (grade A+), Tamalpais High School (grade A+), The New School of San Francisco (grade A+)
- Top private schools nearby: Marin Academy (grade A+), The Branson School (grade A+), Urban School of San Francisco (grade A+)

- Overall Niche grade: A
--- Weather grade: A
--- Cost of living grade: D+
--- Outdoor activities grade: A
#17. Sausalito, California
Female bakery stall owner at a farmers market.
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
- Population: 9,115
- Median home value: $2,000,001
- Median rental price: $3,490

- Top schools nearby: Redwood High School (grade A+), Tamalpais High School (grade A+), Strawberry Point Elementary School (grade A)
- Top private schools nearby: Marin Academy (grade A+), The Branson School (grade A+), San Francisco University High School (grade A+)

- Overall Niche grade: A
--- Weather grade: A+
--- Cost of living grade: D+
--- Outdoor activities grade: A
#16. Tiburon, California
Woman pushing child on swing on playground.
oneinchpunch // Shutterstock
- Population: 5,632
- Median home value: $1,925,000
- Median rental price: $2,857

- Top schools nearby: Redwood High School (grade A+), Tamalpais High School (grade A+), The New School of San Francisco (grade A+)
- Top private schools nearby: Marin Academy (grade A+), The Branson School (grade A+), San Francisco University High School (grade A+)

- Overall Niche grade: A
--- Weather grade: A
--- Cost of living grade: D+
--- Outdoor activities grade: A
#15. Strawberry, California
Father giving piggyback ride to his daughter while walking outside.
Akarawut // Shutterstock
- Population: 7,410
- Median home value: $2,000,001
- Median rental price: $2,741

- Top schools nearby: Redwood High School (grade A+), Ross Elementary School (grade A+), Tamalpais High School (grade A+)
- Top private schools nearby: Marin Academy (grade A+), The Branson School (grade A+), San Francisco University High School (grade A+)

- Overall Niche grade: A
--- Weather grade: A
--- Cost of living grade: C−
--- Outdoor activities grade: A
#14. Kentfield, California
Young man and little girl laughing with ice cream.
YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV // Shutterstock
- Population: 2,537
- Median home value: $2,000,001
- Median rental price: $3,108

- Top schools nearby: Redwood High School (grade A+), Ross Elementary School (grade A+), Tamalpais High School (grade A+)
- Top private schools nearby: Marin Academy (grade A+), The Branson School (grade A+), San Domenico School (grade A+)

- Overall Niche grade: A
--- Weather grade: A
--- Cost of living grade: C−
--- Outdoor activities grade: A
#13. Ross, California
Happy family with child and shopping cart buying food at grocery store.
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
- Population: 7,567
- Median home value: $1,006,100
- Median rental price: $2,293

- Top schools nearby: Redwood High School (grade A+), Tamalpais High School (grade A+), Sir Francis Drake High School (grade A)
- Top private schools nearby: Marin Academy (grade A+), The Branson School (grade A+), San Domenico School (grade A+)

- Overall Niche grade: A
--- Weather grade: A+
--- Cost of living grade: D+
--- Outdoor activities grade: A−
#12. Fairfax, California
A group of young children getting on the schoolbus.
Stuart Monk // Shutterstock
- Population: 2,327
- Median home value: $2,000,001
- Median rental price: $3,501

- Top schools nearby: Redwood High School (grade A+), Tamalpais High School (grade A+), Sir Francis Drake High School (grade A)
- Top private schools nearby: Marin Academy (grade A+), The Bay School of San Francisco (grade A+), Marin Catholic High School (grade A)

- Overall Niche grade: A
--- Weather grade: A+
--- Cost of living grade: C−
--- Outdoor activities grade: A
#11. Belvedere, California
Boy learning to ride a bicycle with his father in park.
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
- Population: 104,165
- Median home value: $1,508,900
- Median rental price: $2,971

- Top schools nearby: Aragon High School (grade A+), Carlmont High School (grade A+), San Mateo High School (grade A+)
- Top private schools nearby: The Nueva School (grade A+), Castilleja School (grade A+), Crystal Springs Uplands School (grade A+)

- Overall Niche grade: A
--- Weather grade: A+
--- Cost of living grade: D+
--- Outdoor activities grade: A
#10. San Mateo, California
Two woman in small town downtown laughing.
Laura Beach // Shutterstock
- Population: 14,199
- Median home value: $2,000,001
- Median rental price: $2,988

- Top schools nearby: Redwood High School (grade A+), Tamalpais High School (grade A+), The New School of San Francisco (grade A+)
- Top private schools nearby: Marin Academy (grade A+), The Branson School (grade A+), San Francisco University High School (grade A+)

- Overall Niche grade: A
--- Weather grade: A
--- Cost of living grade: C−
--- Outdoor activities grade: A
#9. Mill Valley, California
Staff serving a customer in a busy coffee shop.
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
- Population: 11,258
- Median home value: $2,000,001
- Median rental price: $3,501

- Top schools nearby: Aragon High School (grade A+), Burlingame High School (grade A+), San Mateo High School (grade A+)
- Top private schools nearby: The Nueva School (grade A+), Crystal Springs Uplands School (grade A+), Lick-Wilmerding High School (grade A+)

- Overall Niche grade: A+
--- Weather grade: A+
--- Cost of living grade: C−
--- Outdoor activities grade: A
#8. Hillsborough, California
Shot of a smiling senior couple taking together in a cafe.
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
- Population: 12,969
- Median home value: $1,691,900
- Median rental price: $2,714

- Top schools nearby: Redwood High School (grade A+), Tamalpais High School (grade A+), Neil Cummins Elementary School (grade A)
- Top private schools nearby: Marin Academy (grade A+), The Branson School (grade A+), San Francisco University High School (grade A+)

- Overall Niche grade: A+
--- Weather grade: A
--- Cost of living grade: D+
--- Outdoor activities grade: A
#7. Larkspur, California
A family playing soccer together.
Robert Kneschke // Shutterstock
- Population: 12,761
- Median home value: $1,473,100
- Median rental price: $2,459

- Top schools nearby: Redwood High School (grade A+), Tamalpais High School (grade A+), Sir Francis Drake High School (grade A)
- Top private schools nearby: Marin Academy (grade A+), The Branson School (grade A+), San Domenico School (grade A+)

- Overall Niche grade: A+
--- Weather grade: A+
--- Cost of living grade: D+
--- Outdoor activities grade: A
#6. San Anselmo, California
Happy young family sitting in a park.
Mila Supinskaya Glashchenko // Shutterstock
- Population: 30,490
- Median home value: $2,000,001
- Median rental price: $2,759

- Top schools nearby: Carlmont High School (grade A+), Bullis Charter School (grade A+), Mariposa (grade A)
- Top private schools nearby: The Nueva School (grade A+), Castilleja School (grade A+), Crystal Springs Uplands School (grade A+)

- Overall Niche grade: A+
--- Weather grade: A+
--- Cost of living grade: C−
--- Outdoor activities grade: A+
#5. San Carlos, California
Happy family in backyard with dog.
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
- Population: 10,155
- Median home value: $1,640,900
- Median rental price: $3,361

- Top schools nearby: Redwood High School (grade A+), Tamalpais High School (grade A+), Strawberry Point Elementary School (grade A)
- Top private schools nearby: Marin Academy (grade A+), The Branson School (grade A+), San Francisco University High School (grade A+)

- Overall Niche grade: A+
--- Weather grade: A
--- Cost of living grade: D+
--- Outdoor activities grade: A
#4. Corte Madera, California
Back view of a little girl on fathers shoulders and mom walking alongside.
F8 studio // Shutterstock
- Population: 30,995
- Median home value: $2,000,001
- Median rental price: $2,591

- Top schools nearby: Mills High School (grade A+), Burlingame High School (grade A+), The New School of San Francisco (grade A+)
- Top private schools nearby: The Nueva School (grade A+), Crystal Springs Uplands School (grade A+), Lick-Wilmerding High School (grade A+)

- Overall Niche grade: A+
--- Weather grade: A+
--- Cost of living grade: C−
--- Outdoor activities grade: A
#3. Burlingame, California
Little boy running with his dog on a leash.
FamVeld // Shutterstock
- Population: 27,820
- Median home value: $2,000,001
- Median rental price: $2,842

- Top schools nearby: Carlmont High School (grade A+), Mariposa (grade A), Hoover Elementary School (grade A)
- Top private schools nearby: The Nueva School (grade A+), Castilleja School (grade A+), Crystal Springs Uplands School (grade A+)

- Overall Niche grade: A+
--- Weather grade: A+
--- Cost of living grade: C−
--- Outdoor activities grade: A
#2. Belmont, California
Senior couple on walk with a dog.
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
- Population: 33,215
- Median home value: $1,673,100
- Median rental price: $3,501

- Top schools nearby: Carlmont High School (grade A+), San Mateo High School (grade A+), Hillsdale High School (grade A+)
- Top private schools nearby: The Nueva School (grade A+), Castilleja School (grade A+), Crystal Springs Uplands School (grade A+)

- Overall Niche grade: A+
--- Weather grade: A+
--- Cost of living grade: D+
--- Outdoor activities grade: A

This story features data reporting and writing by Emma Rubin and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 67 metros.

#1. Foster City, California
Pete Niesen // Shutterstock