Salaries in Daly City, CA

You might think Daly City is just a foggy bedroom community for San Francisco, but it’s got a surprisingly robust job market for a place of its size—under 100,000 people. The real story isn't the median income, which looks decent at $104,079, but what that money actually buys you here.

With a cost of living index of 118.2, you’re paying a premium. That $2,304 monthly rent for a one-bedroom isn't a typo, and it’s the anchor dragging down purchasing power. For the average salary of $57,352, the COL-adjusted reality is a much starker $48,521. It’s not a bargain; it’s a squeeze. You’re paying for proximity to the Peninsula job engine, not for Daly City itself to be cheap.

So who actually thrives here? This isn't a city of startups. It’s a hub for public sector and healthcare workers, plus a surprising number of tech-adjacent roles. Sutter Health and Kaiser Permanente are huge employers, which is why registered nurses pull in over $90,000. And don't forget the massive Westlake Shopping Center or the nearby biotech firms in South San Francisco that pull in software developers, who top the list at $134,208. It’s a practical, service-and-healthcare economy.

Here’s my honest take: wages are not keeping up with the cost. That 5.2% unemployment rate is actually a bit high for the Bay Area in 2026, suggesting the job market isn’t as tight as you’d expect. This city works well for established professionals, especially dual-income couples in healthcare or tech, who can leverage that high gross salary. For everyone else, it’s a tough climb.

The numbers below break it all down—who gets paid what, and what that salary really means for your wallet here.