Measure Description
The percentage of San Francisco residents living below the federal poverty threshold measure helps identify the level of poverty in the City. It is one of the most widely followed community indicators of San Franciscans’ economic well-being. The measure is a Citywide trend measure with no performance target.
We use the federal poverty thresholds to report data about poverty in San Francisco, as reported in the Census and American Community Survey (ACS). Data for 2023 will be available at the end of 2024.
Why this Measure is Important
Reporting on poverty in San Francisco provides the public, elected officials, and City staff with a snapshot of the communities most in need of support. This measure helps inform legislation and programs by showing trends over time and trends in poverty rates by age, race, ethnicity, and gender.
The interactive charts below present the level of Poverty in San Francisco.
The chart’s legend is below:
- Y-axis: Percent of San Franciscans below the poverty level
- X-Axis: Calendar years
Poverty in San Francisco
An estimated 10.4 percent of San Francisco residents were in poverty in 2022.
Older residents (those 65 and over) are more likely to be in poverty than other age groups. Poverty rates also vary by race and ethnicity; most notably, Black and African American residents experience poverty at nearly three times the average rate. Additionally, women experience poverty at a higher rate than men.
How Performance is Measured
Poverty levels in San Francisco are calculated based on federal poverty thresholds, as reported in the Census and American Community Survey (ACS). Poverty thresholds are primarily used for calculating all official poverty population statistics. They are updated each year by the Census Bureau and used in surveys like the Current Population Survey and American Community Survey.
After record-high poverty levels partially due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City’s poverty metrics are trending towards pre-pandemic levels.
Data Notes and Sources
This scorecard uses the federal poverty thresholds to report data about poverty in San Francisco, as reported in the Census and American Community Survey (ACS).
The federal government uses two standards to measure poverty that are slightly different: poverty thresholds and poverty guidelines.
- Poverty thresholds are more detailed and primarily used for calculating all official poverty population statistics. They are updated each year by the Census Bureau and used in surveys like the Current Population Survey and American Community Survey.
- Poverty guidelines are a simplified version of the federal poverty thresholds used for administrative purposes — for instance, determining financial eligibility for certain federal programs. They are issued each year in the Federal Register by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Both poverty thresholds and poverty guidelines are updated annually.
Data lag: The American Communities Survey data are typically updated in September every year and reflect the previous calendar year. That is, 2023 data will be not available until the Fall of 2024.
Data limitations: The official poverty measure is based on a family’s pretax cash income and does not include non-cash benefits from housing subsidies, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or other forms of government relief - costs related to housing, clothing, transportation, and other expenses commonly considered basic human needs are not considered.
Additionally these rates are only calculated for people whose poverty status can be determined: People living in prisons, nursing homes, college dorms, military barracks, and other unconventional housing situations are not factored into the poverty estimates.
Additional Information
- Find more data about your community in the US Census Bureau's Narrative Profiles.
- Learn more about the difference between federal poverty thresholds and guidelines.
- Understand how poverty in the U.S. is measured and why it matters.
City Performance Scorecards
This page is part of the City Performance Scorecards.
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