Pacifica, California

The Real Fog City

Pedro Point
Pedro Point
Rockaway Beach
Rockaway Beach
The World's Most Scenic Taco Bell
The World's Most Scenic Taco Bell
Pacifica Homes
Pacifica Homes

36,517

Population

Sunny Days: 259
68100 Affordability
85100 Schools
67100 Diversity
86100 Safety

The best surfer out there is the one having the most fun. - Phil Edwards

The Best Thing About Pacifica?

It’s Pretty Frickin Groovy

It’s a foggy beachtown with stellar surfing, the most beautiful Taco Bell on God’s green earth and pound for pound more open green spaces than any city in the area. What’s not to love? Pretty much everything here is good. The pier is good, the bbq is good, the haircuts are good, the fish and chips are good and the lifestyle is just chill and good. When it’s scorching hot inland it’s always quite a bit cooler here. And that’s true for both the temps and the people. Everyone here is a bit more nonchalantly cooler than the rest of the area - the singles, the couples, even the families and the dogs are groovy in Pacifica.

The Worst Thing About Pacifica?

The isolation

Many people will argue for the fog as the worst thing about Pacifica but that’s a tiny bit of a myth. Sure it blows in the summer but most of the year it clears up and is sunny-ish. What does kind of suck about Pacifica is it’s pretty isolated from most of the Bay Area. You’re a short hop to San Francisco but most other destinations require you to drive through the mountains and across convoluted roads to get there. Some of that isolation is part of the charm but to many it can lead to feeling a bit alone.

Lifestyle of Pacifica

In addition to the aforementioned groovy surfer scene it’s important to remember that Pacifica is a suburb. Lots of families enjoy the coastal lifestyle and raising their kids in an extreme outdoor culture. Obviously taking the kiddos to the beach is a treat but there are also tons of hiking and biking trails as well as parks, golf courses and even an archery range. While there are plenty of traditional smaller parks for play there are also amazing places like Frontierland Park. It has a wonderful playground space, and picnic/BBQ amenities but it also has a massive outdoor open space and it nestles up to the hills of Pacifica offering everyone all the trails and hikes they could possibly want.

There are six miles of beach and one thousand acres that belong to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. So when it comes to living outdoors you and the family won’t tire of things to do in Pacifica. There isn’t a major downtown but Pacifica does have a couple dozen restaurants/bars to keep locals happy when they don’t feel like driving 15 minutes to San Francisco. Like a lot of California coastal towns the commercial districts stretch narrowly along the ocean and so it’s less dense and walkable as a result.

Pacifica also has a nonstop stream of community events happening, like the Pacific Coast Fog Fest, a mixed entertainment fair that happens in September (ironically when the fog clears) and includes local foods and brews, a race, a big parade and countless other fun activities for the kids and the grownups. There is also a big Farmer’s Market, an Art Center, a performing Arts Theater, and plenty of live music at Sam’s Castle and other more intimate spots. For a small town it offers a lot to do. Check out the calendar of events for all the happenings.

Schools in Pacifica

The Pacifica School District only manages the schools in the area at the elementary school level. The schools in the district are a mix of B’s, B+’s and A-’s on niche.com so if you’re focused on the scoring of the schools then keep an eye out for the neighborhood you choose. At the high school level Pacifica is in the Jefferson Union High School District. Two schools, Oceana and Terra Nova, are in Pacifica and both are considered decent schools with Terra Nova edging out Oceana by most standardized grading standards. There is a beautiful theater and sports facilities at Terra Nova and overall a ton of school price among the students, families and faculty so good options at that level in Pacifica.

Why You Should Move Here Now?

Feelin Groovy

Whether you’re a young professional looking to enjoy the surf and tacos or a family interested in raising fabulous beach kids Pacifica could be your spot. There are plenty of traditional suburbs surrounding San Francisco if that’s your thing but if you’re ready for something with more groove then check out Pacifica.

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Living in Pacifica

Neighborhoods in Pacifica

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Fairmont

Families

As you descend the beautiful Highway 1 from San Francisco into Pacifica the first neighborhood you enter is Fairmont. This community, built mostly by developer Henry Doelger, offers some of the best views of the city. The homes built by Doelger were made famous in the theme song, “Little Boxes”, on the TV show Weeds. Built after WWII for returning soldiers, they are notable for their small size, typically under 1,500 sq ft. with a median price of $1.5m. Expect the smaller homes that have not yet been expanded/updated to be under the median and the newer/remodeled homes to be over the median.

Pacifica has no true downtown but Fairmont isn’t bad for walkability to the restaurants and shops in the neighborhood. There’s a large shopping center and two great playground parks in the hood so things are pretty convenient for locals. Even nicer you get the best views in the city when you make these walks!