About SSF
94080: AMERICA'S LIFE SCIENCE ZIP CODE
South San Francisco is located on the western shore of the San Francisco Bay, adjacent to San Francisco International Airport. Nearly 50 years ago, South San Francisco transformed into a world class hub for the life sciences industry. South San Francisco’s life sciences cluster forms the heart of a vibrant Bay Area life science ecosystem. Nearby colleges and universities, such as Stanford University; the University of California, Berkeley; and the University of California, San Francisco train a world-class biotechnology workforce.
There are currently more than 25,000 people working for over 250 biotech companies in South San Francisco.
Click here for a list of biotechnology companies in South San Francisco(PDF, 132KB) .
Click here for a more detailed overview of the biotechnology industry in South San Francisco.(PDF, 11MB)
A PRO-HOUSING COMMUNITY
South San Francisco was designated a pro-housing community by the California Department of Housing and Community Development in 2023. 818 housing units are under construction or recently completed.
QUALITY SCHOOLS
The South San Francisco Unified School District (SSFUSD) is a nationally recognized leader in the Green Schools Movement. SSFUSD is home to four California Distinguished Schools and two California Gold Ribbon Schools.
ACCESSIBLE BY PUBLIC TRANSIT
The City of South San Francisco runs a free shuttle, which connects residential neighborhoods to the life science cluster east of Highway 101. The shuttle also serves South San Francisco’s CalTrain and BART stations. South San Francisco is served by a the San Francisco Bay Ferry, which directly connects the Life Sciences area in Oyster Point with the cities of Oakland and Alameda. The Ferry Terminal is connected to the rest of the City by a SamTrans bus.
MODERN PARKS & LIBRARIES
A State-of-the-Art Library, Parks and Recreation building opened in 2023. Turf sports fields were installed at Orange Park in 2023. And a new aquatic center is under construction at Orange Park with a scheduled to opening in 2025.
CLOSE TO WORLD CLASS RECREATION
South San Francisco is a short drive away from San Bruno Mountain State and County Park, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and Muir Woods National Monument. The nearby cities of San Francisco and Oakland provide opportunities for attending the symphony, theater, concerts and major league sporting events. The Sierra Nevada Mountains are a day’s drive from South San Francisco, and offer world class skiing at Lake Tahoe and Mammoth Lakes, spectacular hiking at Yosemite National Park, and fishing on various rivers and streams.