Updated May 2026 · Redfin
San Francisco vs San Jose: real estate market, May 2026
A side-by-side housing-market snapshot for San Francisco, CA and San Jose, CA for May 2026: San Jose at a $1.4M median versus $1.77M in San Francisco, plus days on market and the buyer-vs-seller balance, straight from the Redfin Data Center.
| Metric | San Francisco, CA | San Jose, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | $1.77M ▲ +14.6% | $1.4M ▼ -6.5% |
| Days on market | 16 ▼ -15.8% | 20 ▲ +42.9% |
| Homes for sale | 925 ▼ -33.7% | 1,084 ▲ +5.3% |
| Sale-to-list | 115.6% ▲ +8.7% | 102.7% ▼ -0.4% |
| Months of supply | 1.6 ▼ -42.9% | 2.0 ▼ -4.8% |
| Homes sold | 561 ▲ +11.1% | 536 ▲ +10.3% |
Figures from Redfin Data Center. Verify against your MLS before posting.
The verdict
As of May 2026, San Jose is the more affordable of the two at a $1,402,500 median sale price, about 21% below San Francisco ($1,770,000). San Francisco is the faster-moving market, with homes going under contract in about 16 days versus 20 in San Jose.
Which market fits your client?
For a buyer client, San Jose offers a little more breathing room, with 2.0 months of supply against 1.6 in San Francisco, which usually means less bidding pressure. For a seller client, San Francisco is the tighter market, with a 115.6% sale-to-list ratio. On price momentum, San Francisco is appreciating faster (+14.6% vs -6.5% year over year).
How we compare these markets
We built LOKAL to pull San Francisco's and San Jose's numbers straight from the Redfin Data Center, so an agent and a client compare like for like. For May 2026 we recorded a $1.4M median in San Jose and a $1.77M median in San Francisco, against roughly $1.5M a year earlier in 2025. Redfin has published this market data monthly since 2020, which is what lets us show year-over-year change here in 2026. For complementary demographics on each metro — population, median household income — see the U.S. Census Bureau. LOKAL is independent and not affiliated with Redfin; always verify against your MLS before you publish.
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LOKAL builds the finished carousel, story and square, with these Redfin figures already in place, for San Francisco or San Jose.
Full San Francisco and San Jose market updates
Frequently asked
- Is San Francisco or San Jose more affordable?
- As of May 2026, San Jose is the more affordable market at a $1,402,500 median sale price, about 21% below San Francisco ($1,770,000), per the Redfin Data Center.
- Which market moves faster, San Francisco or San Jose?
- San Francisco moves faster: a typical listing goes under contract in about 16 days, versus 20 days in San Jose (May 2026).
- Is San Francisco or San Jose better for buyers right now?
- San Jose gives buyers a little more room, with 2.0 months of supply versus 1.6 in San Francisco. More months of supply usually means less competition and more negotiating leverage for buyers.
- Where do these San Francisco and San Jose numbers come from?
- Both metros draw on the Redfin Data Center, refreshed monthly. LOKAL turns the figures into a ready-to-post carousel, story and square for either city. LOKAL is not affiliated with Redfin; always verify against your local MLS before quoting figures to clients.
More San Francisco comparisons
Data: Redfin · Redfin Data Center. Figures are metro-level snapshots, not valuations for a specific home.