With a population of 826,079 in 2025, San Francisco ranks as a top U.S. city for per capita income and density, anchoring a combined statistical area of roughly 9.2 million people. Founded by Spanish settlers in 1776 and named for Saint Francis of Assisi, the city exploded during the 1849 Gold Rush and was dramatically rebuilt after the 1906 earthquake and fire. Post-WWII, it became a global epicenter of liberal activism, fueling the Summer of Love and the gay rights movement. Its economy is a powerhouse, with a 2024 GDP of $268 billion, driven by tech leaders like Salesforce, Uber, and OpenAI, as well as finance and healthcare. The city is famous for landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars, and Alcatraz, plus institutions such as the SFMOMA and the San Francisco Symphony, and hosts major sports teams like the Giants and Warriors. Finally, San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and its integrated transit networks (BART, Caltrain, Muni) connect the city seamlessly to the wider Bay Area.