San Francisco is home to remarkable views of the world’s greatest bay; a dreamy landscape filled with steep streets and architectural charm in the financial centre of North California. It’s familiar to many as a romanticised city, featured in countless films as an iconic and eye-catching setting and celebrated for its rich culture of art, music and delicious food.
Despite the rise in rental costs, employees are still relocating for business in San Francisco – perhaps to make the most of a large number of Silicon Valley tech giants which are thriving in the city’s booming economy, or simply to settle in one of the happiest places to live in America. But why is business in San Francisco such a power move for companies and what makes it a great place to live in?
Progressive culture
As an early investor in the world of high-tech innovation, it’s no wonder this city is a leader in the industry. But the great thing about living in San Francisco and being a part of its progressive culture is the fact it doesn’t limit you to one particular background or demographic. The city was also the origin for gay rights and the ‘60's counterculture movement, opening up an incredibly diverse demographic that has paved the way to a positive minority-majority population and global community for business in San Francisco. As a result, this progressive culture has helped develop opportunities in the city and welcomed an influx of diverse companies that have all relocated to be a part of the city’s vibrant culture experienced when living in San Francisco.
Tech opportunities
It isn’t just the popular attractions in San Francisco that have shaped this promising city - the Golden Gate Bridge and local super teams Giants and the Warriors are undeniably a large part of the city’s tapestry - but its identity as a tech hub has progressively woven itself into the city’s unique identity.
It’s a start up’s galore in San Francisco, and thanks to the San Francisco and San Jose metropolitan area now known as Silicon Valley, San Francisco is one of the world’s premier hubs for innovation. Its reputation isn’t going to be dismissed anytime soon either; with technology now changing the way people living in San Francisco are driving, eating and communicating on a daily basis, the future of innovative hubs is here to stay.
Although London, Hong Kong and Tokyo are all strong contenders when it comes to continuous tech growth, business in San Francisco is strengthened by the tech workforce which has grown by more than 51,500 jobs in 2018.
Mild weather
It’s a city renowned for its low hanging clouds and foggy hues, but the weather conditions are really part of the appeal for those who are living in San Francisco.
There are remarkably very little extremities when it comes to weather conditions, with practically no extreme heat, humidity or snowy conditions compared with the sweltering weather conditions in the East Coast.
It avoids the negative impact involved with the flow of commerce for business in San Francisco including severe snowstorms and heavy rain that can often shut down transportation networks or even flood buildings as seen in other cities such as New York.
If fog is something you want to avoid in the city, make sure to explore the eastern neighbourhoods where it’s less pronounced. San Francisco has the coolest daily temperatures in the country for June and July, perfect to enjoy national holidays in the city such as 4th July.
Career opportunities
Although the living cost for rent is particularly high for residents living in San Francisco, the multitude of career opportunities are also great, and a predominant reason the city and its Silicon Valley neighbour have the highest household income in the nation.
Named the 4th best state in America for career opportunities, it is no wonder the Californian city is a magnet for young professionals and small companies. Perhaps one of the most noteworthy reasons a lot of business in San Francisco has flourished and as a result, encouraged the plethora of career opportunities it offers, is the unrivalled starting salary. With an impressive starting salary of $6,526 a month, professionals relocating or visiting for business in San Francisco are all welcomed by the attractive employment.
Easy Transportation
BART
The number one form of transportation in the city is the Bay Area Rapid Transit system or BART as it’s known to those living in San Francisco. The all-electric train is fast, inexpensive and dependable compared with other city transportation around the world.
The decade-old system is well trusted by those conducting business in San Francisco and connects both San Francisco International Airport and Oakland International Airport, making it a convenient travel option to avoid the inevitable city traffic faced by pedestrians.
Cable Cars
The view is a large part of the charm for those travelling throughout the city on cable cars, with an estimated 9.7 million people who are either visiting or living in San Francisco taking a nine mile per hour ride each year.
It’s an iconic part of the city’s identity worldwide, and historically the last manually operated system in the world; it’s no wonder that neither City Hall, San Andreas, nor any large business in San Francisco could threaten the existence of cable cars – with three populous lines that cover: Powell-Hyde, Powell-Mason and California Street.
TIP: For the best views, we suggest riding on the right side of the car if you’re departing from Powell & Market and the left side if you’re departing from Hyde & Beach.
Culinary Eats
The food scene in San Francisco is second to none – with a range of diverse and delicious flavours to enjoy when visiting for business in San Francisco.
The city boasts 55 Michelin-starred restaurants, each showcasing some of the best food America has to its name, and thanks to the city’s unique climate, there is an array of agricultural products grown near the city that play a large part in the authenticity of San Francisco’s cuisine.
With top bakeries spotted all around the Bay, living in San Francisco offers you a whole range of modern eateries to explore, including some of the best coffee shops the neighbourhood has to offer.
If you’re still undecided whether San Francisco is a great place to live, why not discover where San Francisco makes it in the most iconic US cities by industry or consider our 8 best corporate furnished apartments in San Francisco for your business travels.
