Moving to Daly City is a great choice. It’s a safe and family-friendly city that’s perfect for settling down, planting roots, and raising your kids. Daly City, known as the “Gateway to the Peninsula,” was incorporated in 1911 and was named after John Daly, a local businessman. Daly City is most famous for being home to the Grand National Rodeo, which is held annually. Overall, living in Daly City is the perfect choice!
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Where Is Daly City?
Daly City is a waterfront city that’s part of San Mateo County and borders San Francisco. A few of the other cities near Daly City are Pacifica, San Mateo, Oakland, and Fremont. The main city near Daly City, though, is San Francisco; it’s 8 miles from Daly City to San Francisco.
Daly City Information
- Daly City County: San Mateo
- Daly City Area Square: 7.6 square mile
- Daly City Zip Code(s): 94014-94017
- Daly City Area Code(s): (417), (628), and (650)
- Daly City Elevation: 344 above sea level
- Daly City Time Zone: Pacific Standard Time (PST)
- The Closest Airport: The closest airport to Daly City is the San Francisco International Airport (SFO) which is 8 miles away
Daly City Population & Demographics
The population of Daly City is 101,221, and the population density is 13,251.5 people per square mile. Since the year 2010, Daly City has only grown by 98 residents, so it hasn’t grown by much.
Daly City demographics:
- 15% White, 21% Hispanic, 58% Asian, 3% Biracial, 3% African American, 1% Other
- Gender Breakdown: 48% female and 52% male
- 49.8% Foreign-Born Population
- Median Household Income: $95,424, which is higher than the state median household income of $84,907 but lower than the metro average of $116,005
- Median Age: 44 years old
- Educational Attainment: 87.2% of the residents graduated from High School, and 36.2% have received their Bachelor’s degree
- Close to San Francisco, which has a large LGBTQ community
John Madden, Sam Rockwell, and John Robinson are just a few of the notable people from Daly City.
Transportation
The public transportation option for Daly City is the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART). For BART, the green and blue lines service Daly City. You’ll find State Routes 82, 1, and 35, along with Interstate 280. The airport closest to Daly City is the San Francisco International Airport (SFO).
Cost of Living in Daly City
Daly City is an expensive and affluent neighborhood in San Mateo County. With the cost of living in Daly City being 110.7% higher than the national average, it’s a high-priced community, so keep that in mind when moving to Daly City.
According to the Economic Policy Institute, a family of four in San Mateo County needs to bring home an average of $172,888 per year to live comfortably in Daly City.
Typical Daly City living expenses
- Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant $25.00
- Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) $7.00
- Milk (regular, 1 gallon) $5.96
- Bread (1 loaf) $4.53
- Oranges (1 pound) $2.23
- Apples (1 pound) $2.85
- Beef Round (1 pound) $8.61
- Eggs (regular, 12) $5.83
- Average Cost of Gasoline per gallon $5.57
- Fitness Club (Per Month, 1 Adult) $99.84
- Average Daly City Utilities per Month: $320
Source: Numbeo
Income, sales, & property tax in Daly City, CA
- State Tax: 6%
- County Tax: 0.25%
- Daly City Tax: 0.50%
- Average Property Tax Rate In County: 0.56%
House prices & rent
Buying or renting in Daly City takes planning and budgeting due to the high prices.
Daly City Real Estate | Average Rent & Home Price
Homes in Daly City are beautiful and unique. Some of the most popular architectural styles in Daly City are contemporary, modern, monostylistic, and traditional. The median sale price for homes in Daly City is $1,090,000, and the average sale price per square foot comes to $789 in Daly City. If you plan on purchasing a home in Daly City, there are plenty of gorgeous houses for sale in Daly City—- a beautiful waterfront community.
When you’re moving, you often try to stick to a budget. Here’s the breakdown of the types of real estate and their median sale prices, so you can determine what to be looking for:
- Single-family: $1,120,000
- Condos: $595,000
- Townhouses: $772,500
Based on the information above, a condo is the cheapest real estate option in Daly City.
If purchasing a house isn’t in your budget, or you’re just more comfortable renting, there are plenty of options to choose from in Daly City. The average rent in Daly City for a 626 square foot apartment is $2,425, according to RentCafe, and there are over 100 apartments available for rent.
Daly City Neighborhoods | Where to Live in Daly City
When you’re moving to the Bay Area, you’re probably wondering what are the best neighborhoods in Daly City or where to live in Daly City. Here are two of the most desirable Daly City neighborhoods!
Westlake | Known for its monostylistic architecture
What was once a place filled with sand dunes became one of the best waterfront communities to live in Daly City. The community of Westlake was built by a builder from San Francisco named Henry Doelger. This area is also known for its monostylistic architecture, which inspired Malvina Reynolds to write “Little Boxes,” a popular folk song back in the 60s.
Serramonte | Family-friendly neighborhood
Serramonte is a neighborhood in Daly City that’s also a suburb of San Francisco. This family-friendly neighborhood has been around since 1963 after a real estate company transformed the land into a beautiful residential space to settle down.
Daly City Weather & Climate
Daly City’s climate is warm-summer Mediterranean (Csb). During the spring and summer months, the weather is comfortable, arid, and clear skies, and the temperature ranges from the low 60s to the low 70s. During the fall and winter months, the weather is wet, cold, and cloudy, and the temperature ranges from the mid 50s to the low 60s. The best time to visit Daly City is between July and October.
The average rainfall in Daly City is 19 inches per year. Some of the unique natural disasters that can take place in California include wildfires, flooding, earthquakes, and extreme heat.
Daly City Restaurants
When it comes to cities and communities, food is something that brings people together and can help make an area unique. Here are some of the best restaurants in Daly City, CA!
Original Joe’s Westlake
What started as a small restaurant in 1937 has turned into one of the most popular Daly City restaurants, serving Italian-American-inspired dishes. Original Joe’s has been featured in Bon Appetit, Eater, San Francisco Chronicle, and many other magazines. You can find everything from fine wines to house specialties, like baked lasagna, the famous hamburger sandwich, and their pot roast.
11 Glenwood Ave, Daly City, CA 94015 (650) 755-7400
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California Fish Grill
As a partner with the Monterey Bay Aquarium, California Fish Grill only serves the best fish possible. They have everything from the classic fish and chips to coastal tacos, grilled specialties, sandwiches, and signature salads.
153C Serramonte Center, Daly City, CA 94015 (650) 517-5712
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Celia’s
Cocktails, horchata, chimichangas, tortilla soup, enchiladas, tacos, and tamales are just a few of the many popular items that Celias serves. As an authentic Mexican restaurant in Daly City, Celias works hard to provide high-quality, fresh, and natural home-style Mexican food.
379 Gellert Blvd, Daly City, CA 94015 (650) 755-6213
Things to Do in Daly City
Daly City is home to endless things to do for both residents and tourists– which makes living in Daly City a one of a kind place. Whether you’re looking for a local park to spend the Saturday as a family, the top local attractions, museums, upcoming entertainment options, or popular places to shop, Daly City has something for everyone!
Top Daly City Attractions
Dave & Buster’s
What first started as a restaurant in the 70s has turned into one of the hottest places for people of all ages to come and enjoy games and the arcade, especially fun with kids. Whether you enjoy the classic games, like Skee-ball, or the latest additions, like Top Gun Maverick, Dave and Buster’s has everything that you want in an arcade and more!
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Bad Axe Throwing
Bad Axe Throwing is a fun, family-friendly activity that’s great for people of all ages. Whether you’re coming for a family night out, a birthday party, or to join a league, the Bad Axe Throwing has 40+ locations throughout the United States and Canada since opening in 2014.
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Century Daly City 20 XD And IMAX
Century in Daly City is the local movie theater that is the perfect place to spend a Saturday as a family or to rent out and throw a private party. They have all of the newly released featured movies like The Super Mario Bros, Hypnotic, Guardians Of The Galaxy, and so much more!
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Classic Bowling Center
With a full-service cafe, an arcade filled with classic games, a sports bar, and 60 bowling lanes, Classic Bowling is the place to be on a Friday night or to celebrate your next birthday. And if you’re hoping to get a lane on a weekend without a wait, it’s recommended that you make a reservation.
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Daly City Parks & Outdoors
Gellert Park
Gellert Park is best known for its activities, such as a soccer field, tennis court, basketball court, baseball field, playground, and track – great for running or walking. This dog-friendly park has everything you’re looking for to spend a day as a family or to throw a party in their clubhouse that holds up to 130 people.
Mussel Rock Park
With plenty of trails to explore and scenic views, Mussel Rock Park is one of the most popular places in Daly City to end your night and take in the beautiful ocean views.
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Hillside Park
While Hillside Park might be on the smaller side, it’s still a great place to enjoy a picnic, relax, and have your dog run around. There’s a small hiking area, tennis courts, and a playground for your kids to get their wiggles out.
Mar Vista Stables
Mar Vista Stables offers everything from horseback riding lessons to boarding and winter and summer camps. You can go riding down by Thornton State Beach or the beautiful hills. Beginners are always welcome, and you can make reservations to ride the trails.
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Daly City Museums, Entertainment & Arts
Cow Palace Arena & Event Center
Cow Palace has been an iconic event center in the Bay area since 1941 that has everything from arena shows, private events, sports competitions, consumer shows, grand national shows, and family-friendly events.
Daly City History Museum
The Daly City History Guild Museum & Archive helps keep the history of Daly City alive for centuries to come. It has everything from old artifacts to photos, and they offer lectures to talk about the history of Daly City.
Shopping in Daly City
Serramonte Center
Serramonte is a local shopping mall with a variety of different storefronts, like Bath & Body Works, World Market, Dicks Sporting Goods, Divano Furniture, and Hollister, and eateries, like Hawaiian King BBQ, Buffalo Wild Wings, and California Fish Grill.
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Westlake Shopping Center
Westlake Shopping Center has everything from local events, like the annual chalk festival, to local storefronts and businesses and popular dining options. This family-friendly shopping mall has everything you need and more!
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Map of Daly City Things to Do
Sports
While Daly City isn’t a significant city in the sports world, it’s close to other cities, like San Francisco, with excellent and highly-ranked sports teams. San Francisco has everything from the San Francisco Bulls (ice hockey), San Francisco Giants (baseball), the Golden State Warriors (basketball), and the San Francisco 49ers (football). With San Francisco only being a short drive, you can easily catch all of the big games!
Daly City Crime Rate
The total crime rate in Daly City, CA, is 1,546 per 100k people, which is 34.1% lower than the national average, and 40.1% lower than the state average. The Daly City violent crime rate is 180 per 100k people, or 53.6% lower than the national average, and the Daly City homicide rate is 0. The Daly City property crime rate is 1,366 per 100k people, which is 30.2% lower than the national average.
Overall, Daly City is a VERY safe and family-friendly community that’s perfect for calling home!
Here’s how the Daly City crime rate compares to other major cities nearby:
- El Cajon: The total crime rate is 2,289 per 100k people, which is 2.4% lower than the national average. When compared to Daly City, El Cajon has a 38.8% higher crime rate.
- Inglewood: The total crime rate is 2,939 per 100k people, which is 25.3% higher than the national average. When compared to Daly City, Inglewood has a 62.1% higher crime rate.
- San Mateo: The total crime rate is 2,451 per 100k people, which is 4.5% lower than the national average. When compared to Daly City, San Mateo has a 45.3% higher crime rate.
- Burbank: The total crime rate is 2,585 per 100k people, which is 10.2% higher than the national average. When compared to Daly City, Burbank has a 50.3% higher crime rate.
When you compare Daly City to these four major California cities, Daly City is a much safer place to call home. With plenty of safe and secure neighborhoods, Daly City is a great place to raise a family. You’ll also find 127 employees (98 sworn officers) with the Daly City Police Department, who help serve and protect this California city.
Jobs in Daly City
The top employers in Daly City are the City of Daly City, Cow Palace, and the Jefferson School District. When it comes to the type of industries that are the most popular in Daly City, they are the following: government, entertainment, and education. The average salary in Daly City is $91,000, and the average hourly wage in Daly City is $22.13, according to Payscale.
The unemployment rate in Daly City is 6.2%, which is slightly higher than the United States average of 6%, but still close to being on par with the rest of the country.
If you plan on relocating without a job, there are over 50,000 jobs available on Indeed within a 25 mile radius, as well as a variety of Daly City government jobs.
Daly City Schools
Daly City is part of two school districts, the Jefferson Elementary School District and the Jefferson Union High School District. A few schools that are available throughout the district include Franklin Delano Roosevelt K-8th, Susan B Anthony, George Washington Elementary, and Jefferson High School.
There are four library branches within Daly City, including John Daly Branch, Bayshore Branch, Westlake Branch, and the Serramonte Main Branch.
There are plenty of great colleges nearby, with the most popular universities being San Francisco State University, City College of San Francisco (community college), and the University of San Francisco.
Are you interested in moving to Daly City? AMS Relocation is an award-winning relocation company. Since 1949, we have served 250,000+ customers, have 45+ employees, and have a <1% claims rate. As an agent of Bekins and a ProMover, our professional Daly City movers will make your relocation as seamless as possible. For a free estimate, contact our customer service department at 650-284-2931!
