San Francisco, CA vs Chicago, IL: where should you move?
San Francisco: Peak urbanism and peak price; fog is free. Chicago: World city at half the coastal price; taxes and winter.
Dimension
San Francisco
Chicago
Median home price
$1142K
$360K
Effective property tax
0.75%
2.08%
Tax friendliness
2/10
5/10
Winter mildness
7/10
3/10
Summer comfort
10/10
8/10
Walkability
8/10
7/10
Outdoor access
9/10
5/10
Culture & food
10/10
10/10
Healthcare
10/10
10/10
Airport connectivity
9/10
10/10
Schools
7/10
6/10
Safety
5/10
4/10
Hazard safety (10 = lowest risk)
3/10
7/10
Growth trajectory
1/10
3/10
Pick San Francisco if your priorities lean: Effective property tax, Winter mildness, Summer comfort, Walkability. Pick Chicago if they lean: Median home price, Tax friendliness, Airport connectivity, Hazard safety (10 = lowest risk). There is no universal winner — only a winner for your weights.