San Francisco vs Seattle
Seattle leads San Francisco by 2 points on the TRAIL Index, 73 to 71. San Francisco grades better on 4 measures, Seattle on 5; the same 37 measures from public sources for both.
Scores by each organisation's criteria
- TRAIL Index: San Francisco 71, Seattle 73
- OECD: San Francisco 72, Seattle 69
- UN Tourism: San Francisco 71, Seattle 71
- UNDRR: San Francisco 69, Seattle 65
Theme by theme
- Demand and seasonality: San Francisco 80, Seattle 58
- Economy and jobs: San Francisco 94, Seattle 92
- Climate and hazards: San Francisco 65, Seattle 65
- Water and environment: San Francisco 63, Seattle 63
- Community and housing: San Francisco 33, Seattle 63
- Access and continuity: San Francisco 88, Seattle 79
Where San Francisco is stronger
- Municipal waste per resident: 513.8 kg per resident per year (San Francisco Planning Department / CalRecycle, Potrero Power Station Mixed-Use Project EIR / CalRecycle Jurisdiction Review, 2022). Between 450 and 550: grade 2/4.
- Short-let density: 1.8 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (Inside Airbnb and U.S. Census Bureau (2024 ACS 1-Year Estimates), 2024–2026). Between 1 and 2: grade 2/4.
- Tourism crisis and recovery plan: A written destination crisis plan (San Francisco Travel Association, 2025). Grade 2/4.
- Dedicated tourism funding: A dedicated source plus a reserve or stabilisation fund for downturns (San Francisco Tourism Improvement District (SFTID), 2025-2026). Grade 4/4.
Where Seattle is stronger
- Hotel bed or room occupancy: 70.3 % average annual occupancy (metro figure) (Kidder Mathews (via STR data), 2024). Between 65 and 75: grade 3/4.
- Water scarcity: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.
- Green space: 28.1 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (City of Seattle, Office of Sustainability & Environment, 2021 Tree Canopy Assessment, 2021). Between 20 and 30: grade 2/4.
- Rent growth: 0.7 % change in rents over the last 12 months (Zillow, What's it like to live in Seattle, WA?, September 2025–September 2026). At or below 3: grade 4/4.
- Access redundancy: 4 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (Port of Seattle, Amtrak, and Washington State Department of Transportation, 2024). At or above 4: grade 4/4.
Country context (World Economic Forum)
- United States: #2 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
- United States: #2 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
San Francisco in full · Seattle in full
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