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FRC Employer Affordability Report · May 2026

San Francisco Fire Department
San Francisco, CA

"SF firefighters earn $115K — one of the highest in the US. Still can't afford SF."
🚨 Housing Affordability Score
9%
of homes within 30 minutes of San Francisco Fire Department's San Francisco campus are affordable on the median employee salary of $115,000/yr.
Median Employee Salary
$115,000/yr
Median Home Price — San Francisco
$1,250,000
Monthly PITI (20% down)
$6,452/mo
Income Required
$215,066/yr needed
📍 Nearest Affordable ZIP Code
Hayward, CA
20 miles from San Francisco Fire Department campus · ZIP 94544
📊 FRC Corporate Affordability Index (CAI) — May 2026

As of May 2026, the FRC Corporate-CAI for a Firefighter at this employer stands at 14% — meaning 86% of local housing inventory is mathematically out of reach based on standardized underwriting at $115,000 median salary. Source: FinanceRateCalc.com Corporate-CAI, BLS OEWS, Zillow ZHVI.

The Reality

San Francisco firefighters are among the highest-paid in the nation at $115,000 median. It's still not enough: affording the median SF home would require 78% of gross income.

San Francisco has attempted to address first-responder housing through the Below Market Rate program and inclusionary housing requirements in new developments. But with the city's median home price at $1.25M, even firefighters who work in San Francisco increasingly live in Hayward, Oakland, or Daly City.

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Data Disclaimer: Salary data is programmatically aggregated from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and public employer disclosures. Housing affordability metrics are estimates based on FRC proprietary algorithms and current market rates. This analysis is for informational and educational purposes only, and does not constitute financial advice, official endorsement, employment verification, or any affiliation with the named entities. All company names and trademarks are property of their respective owners. FinanceRateCalc.com is an independent financial education platform with no commercial relationship with any employer mentioned.

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The other half of the answer

Affordability tells you what the numbers allow. It does not tell you whether a lender will say yes — and that varies more than almost anyone realises.

21.7%
of FHA applications denied statewide in CA, 2025 · national 22.1%
This market's lenders → Which lenders approve most → Already denied? →

CFPB HMDA 2025, computed by FinanceRateCalc. Figures cover the highest-volume lenders published for this market, not all lenders. Rates reflect applicant mix as well as lender practice — historical observations, not predictions. Free, CC BY 4.0, not independently reproduced.

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