Local operating-model alignment analysis

Best Franchise Opportunities We Assessed in San Francisco, California

We compared 14 franchise concepts for San Francisco, California.

What “best” means in this ranking“Best” means the strongest modeled local operating alignment among the franchise concepts assessed on this page. It does not estimate earnings or determine which franchise is best for a particular candidate.
Analysis by Thomas Jepsen, MSc Model: 0.9.0
14Concepts evaluated
21Sources used
17Primary sources
32Local metrics

Evaluation set

Why these concepts were evaluated

This is not a ranking of every franchise that may be offered in the city.

14Concepts assessed

Concepts were included when enough operating-model information existed to assign a provisional local-sensitivity profile. Unresolved inputs reduce confidence or remain conditional rather than automatically excluding a concept.

A brand’s participation in our referral network does not add points or change its position.

City-level conclusions

What stood out in our assessment

Highest category average (limited comparison)Restoration

66.5 average across 2 concepts

Largest positive factorTarget-market demand

1.1 points average among 12 affected concepts

Largest negative factorLabor and staffing friction

1.6 points average reduction among 14 affected concepts

Most assumption-sensitive rankWorkout Anytime

Tested rank range spans 6 positions

Executive conclusion

What the ranking means for San Francisco, California

Our San Francisco, California analysis favored concepts whose operating requirements matched the city’s strongest service-demand conditions without depending too heavily on inexpensive labor, easy routing, or low-cost commercial space. City Wide, ActionCOACH, and Pillar To Post Home Inspectors produced the three highest modeled alignment scores in the evaluated set. Target-market demand was the strongest positive factor: it materially affected 12 concepts and added 1.1 points on average among them. Labor and staffing friction was the broadest negative pressure, reducing the 14 exposed concepts by 1.6 points on average. The result is not that the highest-ranked brand is universally better. It means that, under the documented city assumptions and the operating profiles available to us, its local advantages outweighed its modeled constraints more effectively. Territory boundaries, candidate capabilities, capital structure, franchise economics, current FDD disclosures, and local franchisee validation remain outside this ranking and can materially change the decision.

How this differs from a directory: the model does not award points for brand popularity, advertising placement, or referral compensation. It tests how documented local conditions interact with each concept’s operating requirements.

Best franchise opportunities assessed

Top 10 local-alignment scores from 14 concepts assessed

“Best” refers to modeled local operating alignment among the concepts assessed—not expected earnings, franchise-system quality, or candidate fit.

Rankings use full-precision scores.Displayed values use one decimal place. Identical displayed scores can therefore have different ranks, and close results should be treated as effectively similar.
RankFranchiseAlignment and tierLargest advantageLargest constraintEvidence confidence
1City WideFacility management
71.9Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment
+1.8 ptsTarget-market demand -0.5 ptsLabor and staffing friction Moderate evidence confidence
2ActionCOACHBusiness coaching
71.8Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment
+1.5 ptsTarget-market demand -0.2 ptsTerritory quality Moderate evidence confidence
3Pillar To Post Home InspectorsHome inspection
69.7Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment
+0.9 ptsTarget-market demand -0.9 ptsTransportation, routing, and parking Moderate evidence confidence
4HomeSmilesProperty maintenance services
69.4Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment
+1.6 ptsTarget-market demand -1.6 ptsLabor and staffing friction Moderate evidence confidence
5FASTSIGNSSigns and graphics
69.4Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment
+1.7 ptsTarget-market demand -0.8 ptsLabor and staffing friction Moderate evidence confidence
6Tiger AdjustersPublic insurance adjusting
69.3Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment
+0.4 ptsTarget-market demand -0.6 ptsLabor and staffing friction Moderate evidence confidence
7Jan-Pro InternationalCommercial cleaning
68.2Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment
+1.6 ptsTarget-market demand -2.5 ptsLabor and staffing friction Moderate evidence confidence
8Mister Sparky ElectricElectrical
67.3Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment
+1.2 ptsProperty replacement-cycle demand -2.6 ptsLabor and staffing friction Moderate evidence confidence
9Aire ServHVAC installation, repair, and maintenance
67.1Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment
+1.1 ptsProperty replacement-cycle demand -2.8 ptsLabor and staffing friction Moderate evidence confidence
10ZOOM DRAINDrain and sewer service
66.8Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment
+0.9 ptsTarget-market demand -2.3 ptsLabor and staffing friction Moderate evidence confidence

View all 14 score calculations

Original factor comparison

How each factor affected the highest-rated franchise concepts

The graph includes the top 14 concepts by local-alignment score. Only nonzero score contributions are plotted. A factor is removed when every displayed concept received 0.0 points from it. Hover or focus a concept name to highlight all of its remaining data points.

Factor impact among the highest-rated franchise conceptsDiverging dot plot showing nonzero factor score contributions for the top 14 concepts. Zero-point concept-factor pairs are omitted, and factors with no nonzero contributions are excluded.+3.0+1.50.0-1.5-3.0
Target-market demand
#1 City Wide · Target-market demand · +1.8 pts1#2 ActionCOACH · Target-market demand · +1.5 pts2#3 Pillar To Post Home Inspectors · Target-market demand · +0.9 pts3#4 HomeSmiles · Target-market demand · +1.6 pts4#5 FASTSIGNS · Target-market demand · +1.7 pts5#6 Tiger Adjusters · Target-market demand · +0.4 pts6#7 Jan-Pro International · Target-market demand · +1.6 pts7#8 Mister Sparky Electric · Target-market demand · +0.5 pts8#9 Aire Serv · Target-market demand · +0.9 pts9#10 ZOOM DRAIN · Target-market demand · +0.9 pts10#11 Mr. Rooter · Target-market demand · +0.8 pts11#12 Workout Anytime · Target-market demand · +0.4 pts12
Property replacement-cycle demand
#3 Pillar To Post Home Inspectors · Property replacement-cycle demand · +0.3 pts3#8 Mister Sparky Electric · Property replacement-cycle demand · +1.2 pts8#9 Aire Serv · Property replacement-cycle demand · +1.1 pts9#10 ZOOM DRAIN · Property replacement-cycle demand · +0.6 pts10#11 Mr. Rooter · Property replacement-cycle demand · +0.6 pts11#13 Rainbow International Restoration · Property replacement-cycle demand · +0.5 pts13#14 PuroClean · Property replacement-cycle demand · +0.5 pts14
Labor and staffing friction
#1 City Wide · Labor and staffing friction · -0.5 pts1#2 ActionCOACH · Labor and staffing friction · -0.1 pts2#3 Pillar To Post Home Inspectors · Labor and staffing friction · -0.4 pts3#4 HomeSmiles · Labor and staffing friction · -1.6 pts4#5 FASTSIGNS · Labor and staffing friction · -0.8 pts5#6 Tiger Adjusters · Labor and staffing friction · -0.6 pts6#7 Jan-Pro International · Labor and staffing friction · -2.5 pts7#8 Mister Sparky Electric · Labor and staffing friction · -2.6 pts8#9 Aire Serv · Labor and staffing friction · -2.8 pts9#10 ZOOM DRAIN · Labor and staffing friction · -2.3 pts10#11 Mr. Rooter · Labor and staffing friction · -2.4 pts11#12 Workout Anytime · Labor and staffing friction · -1.4 pts12#13 Rainbow International Restoration · Labor and staffing friction · -2.4 pts13#14 PuroClean · Labor and staffing friction · -2.3 pts14
Transportation, routing, and parking
#1 City Wide · Transportation, routing, and parking · -0.1 pts1#2 ActionCOACH · Transportation, routing, and parking · -0.1 pts2#3 Pillar To Post Home Inspectors · Transportation, routing, and parking · -0.9 pts3#4 HomeSmiles · Transportation, routing, and parking · -0.5 pts4#5 FASTSIGNS · Transportation, routing, and parking · -0.6 pts5#6 Tiger Adjusters · Transportation, routing, and parking · -0.5 pts6#7 Jan-Pro International · Transportation, routing, and parking · -0.6 pts7#8 Mister Sparky Electric · Transportation, routing, and parking · -1.3 pts8#9 Aire Serv · Transportation, routing, and parking · -1.6 pts9#10 ZOOM DRAIN · Transportation, routing, and parking · -2.0 pts10#11 Mr. Rooter · Transportation, routing, and parking · -1.8 pts11#12 Workout Anytime · Transportation, routing, and parking · -0.2 pts12#13 Rainbow International Restoration · Transportation, routing, and parking · -1.4 pts13#14 PuroClean · Transportation, routing, and parking · -1.6 pts14
Real estate and site feasibility
#5 FASTSIGNS · Real estate and site feasibility · -0.5 pts5#12 Workout Anytime · Real estate and site feasibility · -1.1 pts12
Referral ecosystem
#1 City Wide · Referral ecosystem · +0.8 pts1#2 ActionCOACH · Referral ecosystem · +0.6 pts2#3 Pillar To Post Home Inspectors · Referral ecosystem · +0.4 pts3#4 HomeSmiles · Referral ecosystem · +0.6 pts4#5 FASTSIGNS · Referral ecosystem · +0.3 pts5#6 Tiger Adjusters · Referral ecosystem · +0.4 pts6#7 Jan-Pro International · Referral ecosystem · +0.2 pts7#8 Mister Sparky Electric · Referral ecosystem · +0.1 pts8#10 ZOOM DRAIN · Referral ecosystem · +0.4 pts10#11 Mr. Rooter · Referral ecosystem · +0.2 pts11#13 Rainbow International Restoration · Referral ecosystem · +0.5 pts13#14 PuroClean · Referral ecosystem · +0.5 pts14
Territory quality
#1 City Wide · Territory quality · -0.1 pts1#2 ActionCOACH · Territory quality · -0.2 pts2#3 Pillar To Post Home Inspectors · Territory quality · -0.5 pts3#4 HomeSmiles · Territory quality · -0.6 pts4#5 FASTSIGNS · Territory quality · -0.7 pts5#6 Tiger Adjusters · Territory quality · -0.4 pts6#7 Jan-Pro International · Territory quality · -0.4 pts7#8 Mister Sparky Electric · Territory quality · -0.6 pts8#9 Aire Serv · Territory quality · -0.6 pts9#10 ZOOM DRAIN · Territory quality · -0.7 pts10#11 Mr. Rooter · Territory quality · -0.7 pts11#12 Workout Anytime · Territory quality · -1.3 pts12#13 Rainbow International Restoration · Territory quality · -0.6 pts13#14 PuroClean · Territory quality · -0.6 pts14
Primary source records by factorTarget-market demand: [1] [2] [3] [5] [10] [12]Property replacement-cycle demand: [3] [4] [16] [20]Competitive environment: [5] [1] [19]Labor and staffing friction: [6] [7] [8] [9] [4]Transportation, routing, and parking: [13] [14] [15]Real estate and site feasibility: [10] [11] [12] [17] [18] [19] [20]Sales and customer acquisition: [5] [1] [6]Referral ecosystem: [5] [6] [1] [3]Territory quality: [10] [11] [12] [13] [19] [1]Regulatory and operating friction: [7] [16] [17] [18] [19] [14] [15] [20] [21]
View the chart data as a table
ConceptTarget-market demandProperty replacement-cycle demandLabor and staffing frictionTransportation, routing, and parkingReal estate and site feasibilityReferral ecosystemTerritory quality
#1 City Wide+1.8 pts—-0.5 pts-0.1 pts—+0.8 pts-0.1 pts
#2 ActionCOACH+1.5 pts—-0.1 pts-0.1 pts—+0.6 pts-0.2 pts
#3 Pillar To Post Home Inspectors+0.9 pts+0.3 pts-0.4 pts-0.9 pts—+0.4 pts-0.5 pts
#4 HomeSmiles+1.6 pts—-1.6 pts-0.5 pts—+0.6 pts-0.6 pts
#5 FASTSIGNS+1.7 pts—-0.8 pts-0.6 pts-0.5 pts+0.3 pts-0.7 pts
#6 Tiger Adjusters+0.4 pts—-0.6 pts-0.5 pts—+0.4 pts-0.4 pts
#7 Jan-Pro International+1.6 pts—-2.5 pts-0.6 pts—+0.2 pts-0.4 pts
#8 Mister Sparky Electric+0.5 pts+1.2 pts-2.6 pts-1.3 pts—+0.1 pts-0.6 pts
#9 Aire Serv+0.9 pts+1.1 pts-2.8 pts-1.6 pts——-0.6 pts
#10 ZOOM DRAIN+0.9 pts+0.6 pts-2.3 pts-2.0 pts—+0.4 pts-0.7 pts
#11 Mr. Rooter+0.8 pts+0.6 pts-2.4 pts-1.8 pts—+0.2 pts-0.7 pts
#12 Workout Anytime+0.4 pts—-1.4 pts-0.2 pts-1.1 pts—-1.3 pts
#13 Rainbow International Restoration—+0.5 pts-2.4 pts-1.4 pts—+0.5 pts-0.6 pts
#14 PuroClean—+0.5 pts-2.3 pts-1.6 pts—+0.5 pts-0.6 pts

Rank stability

Which positions depend most on individual assumptions?

The line shows the best and worst rank reached when one factor was removed from every concept. A narrow range indicates a more stable position.

#1 City WideStable · tested #1–#2
#2 ActionCOACHStable · tested #1–#2
#3 Pillar To Post Home InspectorsModerately sensitive · tested #3–#5
#4 HomeSmilesModerately sensitive · tested #3–#6
#5 FASTSIGNSModerately sensitive · tested #3–#6
#6 Tiger AdjustersHighly sensitive · tested #3–#7
#7 Jan-Pro InternationalHighly sensitive · tested #4–#8
#8 Mister Sparky ElectricModerately sensitive · tested #7–#10
#9 Aire ServHighly sensitive · tested #9–#13
#10 ZOOM DRAINHighly sensitive · tested #8–#13
#11 Mr. RooterHighly sensitive · tested #10–#14
#12 Workout AnytimeHighly sensitive · tested #8–#14
#13 Rainbow International RestorationHighly sensitive · tested #9–#13
#14 PuroCleanHighly sensitive · tested #10–#14

Neutralizing a factor removes it from every concept. A concept can move down even when its own score improves because competitors may benefit more.

Worked score example

How we calculated City Wide

This example uses the same ledger shown for every concept and must reconcile exactly to the published score.

Full score ledger

Every factor is classified so a displayed zero is not confused with missing, conditional, or non-applicable evidence.

Neutral model baseline70.0
Target-market demand+1.8
Property replacement-cycle demandNot applicable to this operating model
Competitive environmentNot included in the score
Labor and staffing friction-0.5
Transportation, routing, and parking-0.1
Real estate and site feasibilityNot applicable to this operating model
Sales and customer acquisitionNot included in the score
Referral ecosystem+0.8
Territory quality-0.1
Regulatory and operating frictionDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Full-precision calculated score71.88
Published local-market alignment71.9

Factor calculations use full precision. Contributions and published scores are displayed to one decimal place; ranking order uses the full-precision score.

Starting pointThe operating-model baseline shown in the first ledger row.
InteractionsAny interaction or gate is included in the relevant contribution or calibration row.
Confidence treatmentEvidence confidence is disclosed separately unless the model definition explicitly applies a calibration adjustment.
RoundingFull-precision contributions are summed before the final displayed score is rounded to one decimal place; whole-number results are shown without a trailing decimal.

Interpretation

How to interpret the result

City Wide, ActionCOACH, Pillar To Post Home Inspectors led because their operating requirements captured more of the local support from target-market demand while remaining less exposed to labor and staffing friction. The same city condition can help one operating model and constrain another, so score differences should be read through each concept's factor pattern rather than as a universal franchise-quality verdict. The ordering is most assumption-sensitive for Tiger Adjusters, Jan-Pro International, Aire Serv; their ranks move more widely when individual factors are neutralized.

Factor impact

Which local conditions changed scores or rankings?

We neutralized one factor at a time, recalculated every score, and then measured both absolute score movement and changes in rank order.

Observed model effectPositive local support

Target-market demand

We tested how much of the city’s theoretical customer and business demand remained usable after operating friction.

We applied a measurable adjustment to 12 of 14 concepts. When we neutralized the factor and recalculated the table, 13 concepts changed position. Tiger Adjusters moved from #6 to #3, the largest movement among concepts directly affected by this factor.

Concepts adjusted12 of 14
Average among affected+1.1 pts
Average across all concepts+0.9 pts
Concepts changing rank13

Concepts helped most

City WideFacility management
+1.8 pts
FASTSIGNSSigns and graphics
+1.7 pts
HomeSmilesProperty maintenance services
+1.6 pts
Jan-Pro InternationalCommercial cleaning
+1.6 pts
ActionCOACHBusiness coaching
+1.5 pts
Measured but not differentiating in this concept set
  • Competitive environmentNo material score adjustment
  • Sales and customer acquisitionNo material score adjustment
  • Regulatory and operating frictionNo material score adjustment

Category comparisons

Best franchise categories we assessed in San Francisco, California

Category summaries are shown only when at least two concepts qualified. Two-concept comparisons are explicitly labeled as limited.

Limited two-concept comparison

Best Restoration franchise opportunities we assessed in San Francisco, California

66.5

2 Restoration concepts qualified for comparison, with scores ranging from 66.4 to 66.5. Rainbow International Restoration ranked highest at 66.5. Referral ecosystem added 0.5 points on average among the affected concepts. Labor and staffing friction reduced the exposed concepts by 2.4 points on average.

Interpret cautiously: A 0.1-point spread is too small to support a strong brand-level conclusion from city alignment alone.

Concepts compared
2
Score range
66.4–66.5
Category average
66.5
Rainbow International Restoration66.5
PuroClean66.4

Compare all assessed concepts

Explore the complete score calculations

14 concepts shown. Expand a concept to see how each factor was treated and the single next check most capable of changing the result.

#1Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment71.9

City Wide

Facility management · B2B facility management and vendor coordination

Increase +1.8 pts Target-market demandReduction -0.5 pts Labor and staffing friction

Rank sensitivity: Stable

How we scored this concept

Full score ledger

Every factor is classified so a displayed zero is not confused with missing, conditional, or non-applicable evidence.

Neutral model baseline70.0
Target-market demand+1.8
Property replacement-cycle demandNot applicable to this operating model
Competitive environmentNot included in the score
Labor and staffing friction-0.5
Transportation, routing, and parking-0.1
Real estate and site feasibilityNot applicable to this operating model
Sales and customer acquisitionNot included in the score
Referral ecosystem+0.8
Territory quality-0.1
Regulatory and operating frictionDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Full-precision calculated score71.88
Published local-market alignment71.9

Factor calculations use full precision. Contributions and published scores are displayed to one decimal place; ranking order uses the full-precision score.

Evidence confidence

City Modifier Evidence
Adequate
Factor Research Coverage
Strong
Franchise-profile completeness
Limited
Source-evidence confidence
Strong
Geographic applicability
Adequate
Overall evidence confidence
Moderate evidence confidence
Largest absolute effect
Target-market demand +1.8 pts
Tested rank range
#1–#2

Most important next check

How many qualified facility and property-management accounts must be reachable for City Wide to support its local contract pipeline?

#2Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment71.8

ActionCOACH

Business coaching · home-based B2B advisory

Increase +1.5 pts Target-market demandReduction -0.2 pts Territory quality

Rank sensitivity: Stable

How we scored this concept

Full score ledger

Every factor is classified so a displayed zero is not confused with missing, conditional, or non-applicable evidence.

Neutral model baseline70.0
Target-market demand+1.5
Property replacement-cycle demandNot applicable to this operating model
Competitive environmentNot included in the score
Labor and staffing friction-0.1
Transportation, routing, and parking-0.1
Real estate and site feasibilityEffect below the publication threshold
Sales and customer acquisitionNot included in the score
Referral ecosystem+0.6
Territory quality-0.2
Regulatory and operating frictionDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Full-precision calculated score71.76
Published local-market alignment71.8

Factor calculations use full precision. Contributions and published scores are displayed to one decimal place; ranking order uses the full-precision score.

Evidence confidence

City Modifier Evidence
Adequate
Factor Research Coverage
Strong
Franchise-profile completeness
Limited
Source-evidence confidence
Strong
Geographic applicability
Adequate
Overall evidence confidence
Moderate evidence confidence
Largest absolute effect
Target-market demand +1.5 pts
Tested rank range
#1–#2

Most important next check

Which business-owner segments are expected to produce the most repeatable coaching demand for ActionCOACH?

#3Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment69.7

Pillar To Post Home Inspectors

Home inspection · mobile property inspection service

Increase +0.9 pts Target-market demandReduction -0.9 pts Transportation, routing, and parking

Rank sensitivity: Moderately sensitive

How we scored this concept

Full score ledger

Every factor is classified so a displayed zero is not confused with missing, conditional, or non-applicable evidence.

Neutral model baseline70.0
Target-market demand+0.9
Property replacement-cycle demand+0.3
Competitive environmentNot included in the score
Labor and staffing friction-0.4
Transportation, routing, and parking-0.9
Real estate and site feasibilityNot applicable to this operating model
Sales and customer acquisitionNot included in the score
Referral ecosystem+0.4
Territory quality-0.5
Regulatory and operating frictionDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Full-precision calculated score69.73
Published local-market alignment69.7

Factor calculations use full precision. Contributions and published scores are displayed to one decimal place; ranking order uses the full-precision score.

Evidence confidence

City Modifier Evidence
Adequate
Factor Research Coverage
Strong
Franchise-profile completeness
Limited
Source-evidence confidence
Strong
Geographic applicability
Adequate
Overall evidence confidence
Moderate evidence confidence
Largest absolute effect
Target-market demand +0.9 pts
Tested rank range
#3–#5

Most important next check

What service radius and drive-time ceiling has Pillar To Post Home Inspectors validated for the proposed territory?

#4Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment69.4

HomeSmiles

Property maintenance services · Home-based mobile property-maintenance franchise using equipped service vans and technician crews to deliver bundled…

Increase +1.6 pts Target-market demandReduction -1.6 pts Labor and staffing friction

Rank sensitivity: Moderately sensitive

How we scored this concept

Full score ledger

Every factor is classified so a displayed zero is not confused with missing, conditional, or non-applicable evidence.

Neutral model baseline70.0
Target-market demand+1.6
Property replacement-cycle demandNot applicable to this operating model
Competitive environmentNot included in the score
Labor and staffing friction-1.6
Transportation, routing, and parking-0.5
Real estate and site feasibilityNot applicable to this operating model
Sales and customer acquisitionNot included in the score
Referral ecosystem+0.6
Territory quality-0.6
Regulatory and operating frictionDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Full-precision calculated score69.43
Published local-market alignment69.4

Factor calculations use full precision. Contributions and published scores are displayed to one decimal place; ranking order uses the full-precision score.

Evidence confidence

City Modifier Evidence
Adequate
Factor Research Coverage
Strong
Franchise-profile completeness
Adequate
Source-evidence confidence
Strong
Geographic applicability
Adequate
Overall evidence confidence
Moderate evidence confidence
Largest absolute effect
Labor and staffing friction -1.6 pts
Tested rank range
#3–#6

Most important next check

How many qualified facility and property-management accounts must be reachable for HomeSmiles to support its local contract pipeline?

#5Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment69.4

FASTSIGNS

Signs and graphics · B2B production and installation center

Increase +1.7 pts Target-market demandReduction -0.8 pts Labor and staffing friction

Rank sensitivity: Moderately sensitive

How we scored this concept

Full score ledger

Every factor is classified so a displayed zero is not confused with missing, conditional, or non-applicable evidence.

Neutral model baseline70.0
Target-market demand+1.7
Property replacement-cycle demandNot applicable to this operating model
Competitive environmentNot included in the score
Labor and staffing friction-0.8
Transportation, routing, and parking-0.6
Real estate and site feasibility-0.5
Sales and customer acquisitionNot included in the score
Referral ecosystem+0.3
Territory quality-0.7
Regulatory and operating frictionDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Full-precision calculated score69.38
Published local-market alignment69.4

Factor calculations use full precision. Contributions and published scores are displayed to one decimal place; ranking order uses the full-precision score.

Evidence confidence

City Modifier Evidence
Adequate
Factor Research Coverage
Strong
Franchise-profile completeness
Limited
Source-evidence confidence
Strong
Geographic applicability
Adequate
Overall evidence confidence
Moderate evidence confidence
Largest absolute effect
Target-market demand +1.7 pts
Tested rank range
#3–#6

Most important next check

Which local customer verticals are expected to generate repeat signage and graphics work for FASTSIGNS?

#6Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment69.3

Tiger Adjusters

Public insurance adjusting · Home-based, referral-led public insurance adjusting business combining local property inspections with…

Increase +0.4 pts Target-market demandReduction -0.6 pts Labor and staffing friction

Rank sensitivity: Highly sensitive

How we scored this concept

Full score ledger

Every factor is classified so a displayed zero is not confused with missing, conditional, or non-applicable evidence.

Neutral model baseline70.0
Target-market demand+0.4
Property replacement-cycle demandNot applicable to this operating model
Competitive environmentNot included in the score
Labor and staffing friction-0.6
Transportation, routing, and parking-0.5
Real estate and site feasibilityNot applicable to this operating model
Sales and customer acquisitionNot included in the score
Referral ecosystem+0.4
Territory quality-0.4
Regulatory and operating frictionDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Full-precision calculated score69.32
Published local-market alignment69.3

Factor calculations use full precision. Contributions and published scores are displayed to one decimal place; ranking order uses the full-precision score.

Evidence confidence

City Modifier Evidence
Adequate
Factor Research Coverage
Strong
Franchise-profile completeness
Adequate
Source-evidence confidence
Strong
Geographic applicability
Adequate
Overall evidence confidence
Moderate evidence confidence
Largest absolute effect
Labor and staffing friction -0.6 pts
Tested rank range
#3–#7

Most important next check

What daily vehicle utilization and travel-time allowance are built into Tiger Adjusters's operating plan?

#7Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment68.2

Jan-Pro International

Commercial cleaning · recurring commercial route service

Increase +1.6 pts Target-market demandReduction -2.5 pts Labor and staffing friction

Rank sensitivity: Highly sensitive

How we scored this concept

Full score ledger

Every factor is classified so a displayed zero is not confused with missing, conditional, or non-applicable evidence.

Neutral model baseline70.0
Target-market demand+1.6
Property replacement-cycle demandNot applicable to this operating model
Competitive environmentNot included in the score
Labor and staffing friction-2.5
Transportation, routing, and parking-0.6
Real estate and site feasibilityNot applicable to this operating model
Sales and customer acquisitionNot included in the score
Referral ecosystem+0.2
Territory quality-0.4
Regulatory and operating frictionDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Full-precision calculated score68.24
Published local-market alignment68.2

Factor calculations use full precision. Contributions and published scores are displayed to one decimal place; ranking order uses the full-precision score.

Evidence confidence

City Modifier Evidence
Adequate
Factor Research Coverage
Strong
Franchise-profile completeness
Limited
Source-evidence confidence
Strong
Geographic applicability
Adequate
Overall evidence confidence
Moderate evidence confidence
Largest absolute effect
Labor and staffing friction -2.5 pts
Tested rank range
#4–#8

Most important next check

What opening staffing ratio, wage range, and retention plan does Jan-Pro International assume for frontline roles?

#8Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment67.3

Mister Sparky Electric

Electrical · skilled-trade home service

Increase +1.2 pts Property replacement-cycle demandReduction -2.6 pts Labor and staffing friction

Rank sensitivity: Moderately sensitive

How we scored this concept

Full score ledger

Every factor is classified so a displayed zero is not confused with missing, conditional, or non-applicable evidence.

Neutral model baseline70.0
Target-market demand+0.5
Property replacement-cycle demand+1.2
Competitive environmentNot included in the score
Labor and staffing friction-2.6
Transportation, routing, and parking-1.3
Real estate and site feasibilityNot applicable to this operating model
Sales and customer acquisitionNot included in the score
Referral ecosystem+0.1
Territory quality-0.6
Regulatory and operating frictionDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Full-precision calculated score67.27
Published local-market alignment67.3

Factor calculations use full precision. Contributions and published scores are displayed to one decimal place; ranking order uses the full-precision score.

Evidence confidence

City Modifier Evidence
Adequate
Factor Research Coverage
Strong
Franchise-profile completeness
Limited
Source-evidence confidence
Strong
Geographic applicability
Adequate
Overall evidence confidence
Moderate evidence confidence
Largest absolute effect
Labor and staffing friction -2.6 pts
Tested rank range
#7–#10

Most important next check

Which licensed roles must Mister Sparky Electric hire or contract locally, and what recruiting timeline is built into the opening plan?

#9Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment67.1

Aire Serv

HVAC installation, repair, and maintenance · Manager-led mobile HVAC installation, repair, maintenance, and emergency service business using skilled technicians…

Increase +1.1 pts Property replacement-cycle demandReduction -2.8 pts Labor and staffing friction

Rank sensitivity: Highly sensitive

How we scored this concept

Full score ledger

Every factor is classified so a displayed zero is not confused with missing, conditional, or non-applicable evidence.

Neutral model baseline70.0
Target-market demand+0.9
Property replacement-cycle demand+1.1
Competitive environmentNot included in the score
Labor and staffing friction-2.8
Transportation, routing, and parking-1.6
Real estate and site feasibilityNot applicable to this operating model
Sales and customer acquisitionNot included in the score
Referral ecosystemNot applicable to this operating model
Territory quality-0.6
Regulatory and operating frictionDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Full-precision calculated score67.06
Published local-market alignment67.1

Factor calculations use full precision. Contributions and published scores are displayed to one decimal place; ranking order uses the full-precision score.

Evidence confidence

City Modifier Evidence
Adequate
Factor Research Coverage
Strong
Franchise-profile completeness
Adequate
Source-evidence confidence
Strong
Geographic applicability
Adequate
Overall evidence confidence
Moderate evidence confidence
Largest absolute effect
Labor and staffing friction -2.8 pts
Tested rank range
#9–#13

Most important next check

Which HVAC technician specialties must Aire Serv staff first, and what recruiting and training runway is built into the opening plan?

#10Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment66.8

ZOOM DRAIN

Drain and sewer service · emergency skilled-trade route service

Increase +0.9 pts Target-market demandReduction -2.3 pts Labor and staffing friction

Rank sensitivity: Highly sensitive

How we scored this concept

Full score ledger

Every factor is classified so a displayed zero is not confused with missing, conditional, or non-applicable evidence.

Neutral model baseline70.0
Target-market demand+0.8
Property replacement-cycle demand+0.6
Competitive environmentNot included in the score
Labor and staffing friction-2.3
Transportation, routing, and parking-2.0
Real estate and site feasibilityNot applicable to this operating model
Sales and customer acquisitionNot included in the score
Referral ecosystem+0.4
Territory quality-0.7
Regulatory and operating frictionDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Full-precision calculated score66.83
Published local-market alignment66.8

Factor calculations use full precision. Contributions and published scores are displayed to one decimal place; ranking order uses the full-precision score.

Evidence confidence

City Modifier Evidence
Adequate
Factor Research Coverage
Strong
Franchise-profile completeness
Limited
Source-evidence confidence
Strong
Geographic applicability
Adequate
Overall evidence confidence
Moderate evidence confidence
Largest absolute effect
Labor and staffing friction -2.3 pts
Tested rank range
#8–#13

Most important next check

Where must ZOOM DRAIN stage crews and vehicles to protect after-hours response times across the proposed territory?

#11Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment66.7

Mr. Rooter

Plumbing · scheduled and emergency skilled-trade service

Increase +0.8 pts Target-market demandReduction -2.4 pts Labor and staffing friction

Rank sensitivity: Highly sensitive

How we scored this concept

Full score ledger

Every factor is classified so a displayed zero is not confused with missing, conditional, or non-applicable evidence.

Neutral model baseline70.0
Target-market demand+0.8
Property replacement-cycle demand+0.6
Competitive environmentNot included in the score
Labor and staffing friction-2.4
Transportation, routing, and parking-1.8
Real estate and site feasibilityNot applicable to this operating model
Sales and customer acquisitionNot included in the score
Referral ecosystem+0.2
Territory quality-0.7
Regulatory and operating frictionDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Full-precision calculated score66.72
Published local-market alignment66.7

Factor calculations use full precision. Contributions and published scores are displayed to one decimal place; ranking order uses the full-precision score.

Evidence confidence

City Modifier Evidence
Adequate
Factor Research Coverage
Strong
Franchise-profile completeness
Limited
Source-evidence confidence
Strong
Geographic applicability
Adequate
Overall evidence confidence
Moderate evidence confidence
Largest absolute effect
Labor and staffing friction -2.4 pts
Tested rank range
#10–#14

Most important next check

How many field vehicles must Mr. Rooter deploy, and where would they begin and end each service day?

#12Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment66.5

Workout Anytime

Fitness · fixed-location membership fitness

Increase +0.4 pts Target-market demandReduction -1.4 pts Labor and staffing friction

Rank sensitivity: Highly sensitive

How we scored this concept

Full score ledger

Every factor is classified so a displayed zero is not confused with missing, conditional, or non-applicable evidence.

Neutral model baseline70.0
Target-market demand+0.4
Property replacement-cycle demandNot applicable to this operating model
Competitive environmentNot included in the score
Labor and staffing friction-1.4
Transportation, routing, and parking-0.2
Real estate and site feasibility-1.1
Sales and customer acquisitionNot included in the score
Referral ecosystemNot applicable to this operating model
Territory quality-1.3
Regulatory and operating frictionDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Full-precision calculated score66.54
Published local-market alignment66.5

Factor calculations use full precision. Contributions and published scores are displayed to one decimal place; ranking order uses the full-precision score.

Evidence confidence

City Modifier Evidence
Adequate
Factor Research Coverage
Strong
Franchise-profile completeness
Limited
Source-evidence confidence
Strong
Geographic applicability
Adequate
Overall evidence confidence
Moderate evidence confidence
Largest absolute effect
Labor and staffing friction -1.4 pts
Tested rank range
#8–#14

Most important next check

What manager profile and compensation range does Workout Anytime assume before the owner can step back from daily operations?

#13Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment66.5

Rainbow International Restoration

Restoration · emergency property restoration

Increase +0.5 pts Referral ecosystemReduction -2.4 pts Labor and staffing friction

Rank sensitivity: Highly sensitive

How we scored this concept

Full score ledger

Every factor is classified so a displayed zero is not confused with missing, conditional, or non-applicable evidence.

Neutral model baseline70.0
Target-market demandNot applicable to this operating model
Property replacement-cycle demand+0.5
Competitive environmentNot included in the score
Labor and staffing friction-2.4
Transportation, routing, and parking-1.4
Real estate and site feasibilityNot applicable to this operating model
Sales and customer acquisitionNot included in the score
Referral ecosystem+0.5
Territory quality-0.6
Regulatory and operating frictionDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Full-precision calculated score66.50
Published local-market alignment66.5

Factor calculations use full precision. Contributions and published scores are displayed to one decimal place; ranking order uses the full-precision score.

Evidence confidence

City Modifier Evidence
Adequate
Factor Research Coverage
Strong
Franchise-profile completeness
Limited
Source-evidence confidence
Strong
Geographic applicability
Adequate
Overall evidence confidence
Moderate evidence confidence
Largest absolute effect
Labor and staffing friction -2.4 pts
Tested rank range
#9–#13

Most important next check

Which ZIP codes can Rainbow International Restoration serve within its target emergency-response time under normal and peak traffic conditions?

#14Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment66.4

PuroClean

Restoration · emergency property restoration

Increase +0.5 pts Referral ecosystemReduction -2.3 pts Labor and staffing friction

Rank sensitivity: Highly sensitive

How we scored this concept

Full score ledger

Every factor is classified so a displayed zero is not confused with missing, conditional, or non-applicable evidence.

Neutral model baseline70.0
Target-market demandNot applicable to this operating model
Property replacement-cycle demand+0.5
Competitive environmentNot included in the score
Labor and staffing friction-2.3
Transportation, routing, and parking-1.6
Real estate and site feasibilityNot applicable to this operating model
Sales and customer acquisitionNot included in the score
Referral ecosystem+0.5
Territory quality-0.6
Regulatory and operating frictionDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating condition
Full-precision calculated score66.40
Published local-market alignment66.4

Factor calculations use full precision. Contributions and published scores are displayed to one decimal place; ranking order uses the full-precision score.

Evidence confidence

City Modifier Evidence
Adequate
Factor Research Coverage
Strong
Franchise-profile completeness
Limited
Source-evidence confidence
Strong
Geographic applicability
Adequate
Overall evidence confidence
Moderate evidence confidence
Largest absolute effect
Labor and staffing friction -2.3 pts
Tested rank range
#10–#14

Most important next check

What dispatch zones and maximum drive-time assumptions does PuroClean use for urgent service calls?

Metric registry

The 32 local metrics behind this analysis

The registry exposes the raw value, period, geography, factor mapping, and source for every public metric used in the city research.

View all local metrics
MetricRaw valuePeriodGeographyHow usedSource
Resident population estimate on July 1, 2025826,079peopleJuly 1, 2025 population estimate; 2020-2024 ACS estimates; 2022 economic data; 2023 business reference year where displayedSan Francisco, CaliforniaEvidence for Target-market demand, Territory quality [1] [2]
Population change from the April 2020 estimates base to July 2025-5.972percentApril 1, 2020 estimates base through July 1, 2025San Francisco, CaliforniaEvidence for Target-market demand [2]
Population change from July 2024 to July 20250.625percentApril 1, 2020 estimates base through July 1, 2025San Francisco, CaliforniaEvidence for Target-market demand [2]
Estimated households in the 2020-2024 period363,970householdsJuly 1, 2025 population estimate; 2020-2024 ACS estimates; 2022 economic data; 2023 business reference year where displayedSan Francisco, CaliforniaEvidence for Target-market demand, Territory quality [1]
Median household income in 2024 dollars140,970usd 2024July 1, 2025 population estimate; 2020-2024 ACS estimates; 2022 economic data; 2023 business reference year where displayedSan Francisco, CaliforniaEvidence for Target-market demand [1]
Adults age 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or higher60.3percentJuly 1, 2025 population estimate; 2020-2024 ACS estimates; 2022 economic data; 2023 business reference year where displayedSan Francisco, CaliforniaEvidence for Referral ecosystem, Labor and staffing friction [1]
Active registered business locations displayed by DataSF126,000business locations approximateActive registration status as updated July 20, 2026San Francisco, CaliforniaEvidence for Target-market demand, Referral ecosystem, Territory quality [5]
Total dwelling units at the end of 2025422,958housing unitsCalendar year 2025 and year-end 2025 housing stockSan Francisco, CaliforniaEvidence for Target-market demand, Property replacement-cycle demand, Territory quality [3]
Net housing-unit additions completed in 20252,669housing unitsCalendar year 2025 and year-end 2025 housing stockSan Francisco, CaliforniaEvidence for Target-market demand, Property replacement-cycle demand [3]
Year-over-year increase in the city housing stock during 20250.6percentCalendar year 2025 and year-end 2025 housing stockSan Francisco, CaliforniaEvidence for Target-market demand [3]
Housing units in buildings with two or more unitsunits: 328,441; share: 77.653housing units and percentCalendar year 2025 and year-end 2025 housing stockSan Francisco, CaliforniaEvidence for Property replacement-cycle demand, Referral ecosystem, Territory quality [3]
Housing units in buildings with 20 or more unitsunits: 165,805; share: 39housing units and percentCalendar year 2025 and year-end 2025 housing stockSan Francisco, CaliforniaEvidence for Property replacement-cycle demand, Referral ecosystem, Territory quality [3]
Housing units built in 1939 or earlierunits: 187,977; total units: 414,553; share: 45.345housing units and percent2022 ACS 1-year estimatesSan Francisco County, CaliforniaEvidence for Property replacement-cycle demand, Labor and staffing friction [4]
Mean hourly wages for operating-relevant major occupational groupsall occupations: 48.19; food preparation and serving: 22.91; building and grounds cleaning and maintenance: 25.46; sales and related: 36.06; office and administrative support: 32.96; construction and extraction: 43.66; installation maintenance and repair: 38.95; transportation and material moving: 30.45usd per hourMay 2025San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CaliforniaEvidence for Labor and staffing friction [6]
Local mean-hourly-wage premiums over corresponding U.S. major occupational groupsall occupations: 43.68; food preparation and serving: 28.28; building and grounds cleaning and maintenance: 29.5; office and administrative support: 32.96; construction and extraction: 38.96; installation maintenance and repair: 27.96; transportation and material moving: 27.09percent above us meanMay 2025San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CaliforniaEvidence for Labor and staffing friction [6]
Employment shares in selected professional occupational groupsmanagement: 9.4; business and financial operations: 8.7; computer and mathematical: 6.6percent of msa employmentMay 2025San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CaliforniaEvidence for Referral ecosystem, Labor and staffing friction [6]
San Francisco minimum wage effective July 1, 202619.61usd per hourCurrent ordinance accessed July 2026San Francisco, CaliforniaEvidence for Labor and staffing friction, Regulatory and operating friction [7] [8]
California minimum wage effective January 1, 202616.9usd per hourRate effective January 1, 2026CaliforniaEvidence for Labor and staffing friction, Regulatory and operating friction [9]
San Francisco minimum-wage premium over the California statewide ratedifference: 2.71; premium: 16.036usd per hour and percentRate effective July 1, 2026San Francisco compared with CaliforniaEvidence for Labor and staffing friction [8] [9]
San Francisco office market conditions in Q2 2026vacancy rate: 29.2; net absorption sqft: 963,980; average asking rate: 72.96; asking rate basis: annual full service grossmixedSecond quarter 2026San Francisco office marketEvidence for Real estate and site feasibility, Target-market demand, Territory quality [10]
San Francisco industrial market conditions in Q1 2026vacancy rate: 8.3; net absorption sqft: 155,156; average asking rate monthly: 1.82; asking rate basis: monthly industrial gross; annualized asking rate: 21.84mixedFirst quarter 2026San Francisco industrial marketEvidence for Real estate and site feasibility, Territory quality [11]
Difference between reported office and industrial vacancy rates20.9percentage pointsSecond quarter 2026San Francisco office Q2 2026 versus industrial Q1 2026Evidence for Real estate and site feasibility, Territory quality [10] [11]
Retail availability and rent performance varied materially by formatlive work play average asking rent: 27.8; rent unit: usd per square foot per year; office adjacent condition: higher availability and slower pricing growth; high street five year rent growth: nearly flatmixedFourth quarter 2024San Francisco high-street, office-adjacent, and live-work-play retail districtsEvidence for Target-market demand, Real estate and site feasibility, Territory quality [12]
SFMTA treats curb space as a limited resource with neighborhood-specific priorities and greater goods-loading need downtown and on commercial corridorsdifferent neighborhoods have different needs: yes; goods loading need higher in downtown and commercial corridors: yes; growing loading needs are policy objective: yespolicy findingsCitywide policy framework; current implementation context reviewed July 2026San Francisco curb networkEvidence for Transportation, routing, and parking, Territory quality [13]
Commercial loading zones impose vehicle, active-loading, payment, and time-limit conditionstypical time limit minutes: 30; commercial plate generally required: yes; meter payment generally required: yes; active loading required: yes; six wheel zones restricted to six wheel trucks: yesrule conditionsCurrent rules accessed July 2026San Francisco commercial loading zonesEvidence for Transportation, routing, and parking, Regulatory and operating friction [14]
Contractor parking permit conditions and fiscal-year 2026-2027 feeannual fee: 3,197; six month fee: 1,598; commercial plate required: yes; eligible businesses: California-licensed construction or pest-control trades; meter and rpp time limit exemptions: yes; yellow six wheel loading zone use prohibited: yes; principal business address exclusion: within 1,500 feet or three blocks, whichever is greaterusd and conditionsFiscal year 2026-2027 fee and current permit rulesEligible contractor vehicles in San FranciscoEvidence for Transportation, routing, and parking, Regulatory and operating friction [15]
Existing Buildings Ordinance coverage thresholds and recurring requirementsnonresidential minimum conditioned sqft: 10,000; multifamily minimum conditioned sqft: 50,000; benchmarking frequency: annual; benchmarking due month day: May 1; commercial energy audit frequency years: 5thresholds and frequencyCurrent requirements accessed July 2026Covered San Francisco nonresidential and multifamily buildingsEvidence for Regulatory and operating friction, Property replacement-cycle demand [16]
Renewable-electricity requirement for large commercial buildingsminimum gross sqft: 50,000; renewable electricity share required: 100; transition deadline: 2030-12-31; documentation due: 2031-04-01threshold and deadlinesCurrent requirements accessed July 2026San Francisco commercial buildings at or above the specified sizeEvidence for Regulatory and operating friction, Property replacement-cycle demand [16]
Sign installation or material alteration generally requires a permit and standards vary by zoning and special sign districtpermit required for: install, replace, reconstruct, expand, intensify, relocate; district specific rules: yesrule conditionsGuidance last updated September 3, 2025; accessed July 2026San FranciscoEvidence for Regulatory and operating friction, Real estate and site feasibility [17]
Covered storefronts must maintain unobstructed visibility into the storeminimum visibility: 75; limited exceptions apply: yes; code section: Planning Code Section 145.1percent and conditionsGuidance last updated July 23, 2026San FranciscoEvidence for Regulatory and operating friction, Real estate and site feasibility [18]
Formula retail is subject to conditional-use review or prohibition in specified districtsformula retail threshold: 11 or more other retail establishments in operation or approved worldwide; conditional use in some districts: yes; prohibited in some districts: yesrule conditionsCurrent controls accessed July 2026San FranciscoEvidence for Regulatory and operating friction, Real estate and site feasibility, Territory quality [19]
Slope-protection review applies only where geographic exposure and project-scope triggers are metgeographic triggers: earthquake-induced landslide zone, average slope greater than 25 percent; project triggers: new structure with more than 1,000 square feet of roof area, addition exceeding 500 square feet, shoring, underpinning, grading exceeding 50 cubic yards, other substantial slope impactconditional thresholdsCurrent project-trigger framework reviewed July 2026San FranciscoEvidence for Regulatory and operating friction, Real estate and site feasibility, Property replacement-cycle demand [20] [21]

How to use the ranking

What the model can and cannot establish

  • Scores measure local operating alignment, not expected financial performance or franchise-system quality.
  • Citywide evidence may not describe the exact site or territory ultimately offered.
  • Conditional effects are shown for diligence but do not change the published score until their applicability is established.

Methodology

How the local-alignment ranking is calculated

01

Measure the city

Collect reusable local metrics with source, period, geography, and confidence fields.

02

Profile each operating model

Map each franchise to controlled operating attributes and local sensitivities.

03

Apply scoreable effects

Score only effects that apply without an unresolved site, territory, customer, or project gate.

04

Preserve conditional effects

Keep location- or territory-dependent issues visible for diligence without automatically changing the score.

05

Test rank sensitivity

Remove one factor at a time from every concept and rerank using full-precision scores.

06

Generate public output

Create the ranking, factor-status ledger, visuals, metric registry, and automated quality report from the same data.

How the common baseline becomes a city-specific score

Every concept starts from the same 70.0 reference point, so differences come only from modeled local interactions. The current model caps total local movement at ±18.0 points. The score is not a percentage, probability, or estimate of investment quality.

Precision and materiality

Calculations use full-precision values. Published scores and factor contributions display one decimal place, while ranks use full precision. Effects smaller than 0.1 points are identified as below the publication threshold rather than presented as a meaningful zero.

Score tiers

Tier 1 · Strongest modeled alignment80.0–100.0
Tier 2 · Favorable modeled alignment72.0–<80.0
Tier 3 · Mixed modeled alignment64.0–<72.0
Tier 4 · Higher-friction modeled alignment0.0–<64.0

How factor rows are classified

Positive local adjustmentNegative local adjustmentMeasured; no meaningful local adjustmentEffect below the publication thresholdNot applicable to this operating modelDepends on the specific site, territory, or operating conditionNot included in the score
What “best” means here

“Best” means the strongest modeled local operating alignment among the franchise concepts assessed on this page.

Model 0.9.0 · Compiler 0.9.10-nonzero-markers-only · Report generated August 5, 2026 (site timezone)

Model governance

How this report is calculated and corrected

Calculation controls

Model designer
Thomas Jepsen

No concept’s final score is manually raised or lowered after calculation. Before this template is activated, the report is reviewed for source scope, classification, arithmetic, unsupported claims, duplication, and readability.

Model history

  1. Model 0.9.0-calibration · August 4, 2026Added conditional scoring gates, factor-status transparency, rank-sensitivity testing, metric registry output, and factor-impact visualization data.

Corrections policy

Corrected source, geography, or operating-profile evidence triggers a full compiler rerun so every dependent score and visual is recalculated.

Source registry

Evidence represented in this report

Each source identifies its period, scope, and the local metrics it supports. Internal or supplied research is not presented as independently accessible evidence.

  1. 1
    QuickFacts: San Francisco city, California

    Used for: Resident population estimate on July 1, 2025, Estimated households in the 2020-2024 period, Median household income in 2024 dollars, and Adults age 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or higher

    Publisher
    U.S. Census Bureau
    Published
    May 14, 2026
    Data period
    July 1, 2025 population estimate; 2020-2024 ACS estimates; 2022 economic data; 2023 business reference year where displayed
    Scope
    San Francisco city, California
    Locator
    Population, households, education, income, sales, commuting, land area, and business sections
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government
    Accessed
    July 31, 2026
  2. 2
    Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places in California: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2025

    Used for: Resident population estimate on July 1, 2025, Population change from the April 2020 estimates base to July 2025, and Population change from July 2024 to July 2025

    Publisher
    U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division
    Published
    May 1, 2026
    Data period
    April 1, 2020 estimates base through July 1, 2025
    Scope
    Incorporated places in California; San Francisco city row used
    Locator
    San Francisco city row
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government
    Accessed
    July 31, 2026
  3. 3
    Housing Inventory 2025

    Used for: Total dwelling units at the end of 2025, Net housing-unit additions completed in 2025, Year-over-year increase in the city housing stock during 2025, Housing units in buildings with two or more units, and Housing units in buildings with 20 or more units

    Publisher
    San Francisco Planning Department
    Published
    April 1, 2026
    Data period
    Calendar year 2025 and year-end 2025 housing stock
    Scope
    City and County of San Francisco
    Locator
    Housing production summary and Table 12 housing stock by building size
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government
    Accessed
    July 31, 2026
  4. 4
    DP04: Selected Housing Characteristics

    Used for: Housing units built in 1939 or earlier

    Publisher
    U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey
    Published
    September 14, 2023
    Data period
    2022 ACS 1-year estimates
    Scope
    San Francisco County, California; coextensive with the city for this analysis
    Locator
    Year structure built: total housing units and built 1939 or earlier
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government
    Accessed
    July 31, 2026
  5. 5
    Active Business Locations

    Used for: Active registered business locations displayed by DataSF

    Publisher
    City and County of San Francisco, DataSF
    Data period
    Active registration status as updated July 20, 2026
    Scope
    Registered business locations in San Francisco
    Locator
    Dataset summary, row count, active-status definition, and update frequency
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government
    Accessed
    July 31, 2026
  6. 6
    Occupational Employment and Wages in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont — May 2025

    Used for: Mean hourly wages for operating-relevant major occupational groups, Local mean-hourly-wage premiums over corresponding U.S. major occupational groups, and Employment shares in selected professional occupational groups

    Publisher
    U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
    Published
    July 9, 2026
    Data period
    May 2025
    Scope
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont metropolitan statistical area
    Locator
    Table A major occupational groups, employment shares, and mean hourly wages
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government
    Accessed
    July 31, 2026
  7. 7
    San Francisco Labor and Employment Code — Minimum Wage Ordinance

    Used for: San Francisco minimum wage effective July 1, 2026

    Publisher
    City and County of San Francisco
    Data period
    Current ordinance accessed July 2026
    Scope
    Employees performing covered work in San Francisco
    Locator
    Minimum wage payment requirement and annual CPI adjustment provision
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government
    Accessed
    July 31, 2026
  8. 8
    San Francisco Announces 2026 Minimum Wage Increases

    Used for: San Francisco minimum wage effective July 1, 2026 and San Francisco minimum-wage premium over the California statewide rate

    Publisher
    Bloomberg Tax
    Published
    March 26, 2026
    Data period
    Rate effective July 1, 2026
    Scope
    City and County of San Francisco
    Locator
    First paragraph reporting the July 1, 2026 rate and prior rate
    Source tier
    Tier 3 · credible professional reporting
    Accessed
    July 31, 2026
  9. 9
    Minimum Wage

    Used for: California minimum wage effective January 1, 2026 and San Francisco minimum-wage premium over the California statewide rate

    Publisher
    California Department of Industrial Relations
    Published
    December 1, 2025
    Data period
    Rate effective January 1, 2026
    Scope
    State of California
    Locator
    California minimum wage effective January 1, 2026
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government
    Accessed
    July 31, 2026
  10. 10
    San Francisco Office Figures Q2 2026

    Used for: San Francisco office market conditions in Q2 2026 and Difference between reported office and industrial vacancy rates

    Publisher
    CBRE
    Published
    July 10, 2026
    Data period
    Second quarter 2026
    Scope
    San Francisco office market
    Locator
    Overall vacancy, net absorption, and average asking rate summary
    Source tier
    Tier 3 · credible industry
    Accessed
    July 31, 2026
  11. 11
    San Francisco Industrial Figures Q1 2026

    Used for: San Francisco industrial market conditions in Q1 2026 and Difference between reported office and industrial vacancy rates

    Publisher
    CBRE
    Published
    April 29, 2026
    Data period
    First quarter 2026
    Scope
    San Francisco industrial market
    Locator
    Overall vacancy, net absorption, and average asking rate summary
    Source tier
    Tier 3 · credible industry
    Accessed
    July 31, 2026
  12. 12
    2025 Retail Rent Dynamics

    Used for: Retail availability and rent performance varied materially by format

    Publisher
    CBRE
    Published
    May 7, 2025
    Data period
    Fourth quarter 2024
    Scope
    San Francisco retail formats with national comparison markets
    Locator
    Executive Summary, San Francisco high-street discussion, and Live-Work-Play section
    Source tier
    Tier 3 · credible industry
    Accessed
    July 31, 2026
  13. 13
    Curb Management Strategy

    Used for: SFMTA treats curb space as a limited resource with neighborhood-specific priorities and greater goods-loading need downtown and on commercial corridors

    Publisher
    San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency
    Published
    February 14, 2020
    Data period
    Citywide policy framework; current implementation context reviewed July 2026
    Scope
    Citywide with neighborhood and corridor variation
    Locator
    Goods-loading geography, growing loading needs, compliance, and limited-curb framework
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government
    Accessed
    July 31, 2026
  14. 14
    Loading and Short-Term Parking FAQs

    Used for: Commercial loading zones impose vehicle, active-loading, payment, and time-limit conditions

    Publisher
    San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency
    Data period
    Current rules accessed July 2026
    Scope
    San Francisco commercial and general loading zones
    Locator
    Eligible vehicles, typical commercial-loading time limits, meter payment, and active-loading rules
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government
    Accessed
    July 31, 2026
  15. 15
    Contractor Parking Permits

    Used for: Contractor parking permit conditions and fiscal-year 2026-2027 fee

    Publisher
    San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency
    Data period
    Fiscal year 2026-2027 fee and current permit rules
    Scope
    Eligible commercial contractor vehicles operating in San Francisco
    Locator
    Requirements, exemptions, prohibited uses, fees, and application processing
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government
    Accessed
    July 31, 2026
  16. 16
    San Francisco’s Existing Buildings Ordinance

    Used for: Existing Buildings Ordinance coverage thresholds and recurring requirements and Renewable-electricity requirement for large commercial buildings

    Publisher
    San Francisco Environment Department
    Data period
    Current requirements accessed July 2026
    Scope
    Covered nonresidential and multifamily buildings in San Francisco
    Locator
    Coverage thresholds, annual benchmarking, five-year commercial audits, and renewable-electricity deadlines
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government
    Accessed
    July 31, 2026
  17. 17
    Signs

    Used for: Sign installation or material alteration generally requires a permit and standards vary by zoning and special sign district

    Publisher
    San Francisco Planning Department
    Data period
    Guidance last updated September 3, 2025; accessed July 2026
    Scope
    San Francisco with zoning- and special-sign-district variation
    Locator
    Permit requirement and district-specific sign requirements
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government
    Accessed
    July 31, 2026
  18. 18
    Standards for Storefront Transparency

    Used for: Covered storefronts must maintain unobstructed visibility into the store

    Publisher
    San Francisco Planning Department
    Data period
    Guidance last updated July 23, 2026
    Scope
    Covered San Francisco storefronts, subject to limited exceptions
    Locator
    Planning Code Section 145.1 transparency requirement
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government
    Accessed
    July 31, 2026
  19. 19
    Chain Stores

    Used for: Formula retail is subject to conditional-use review or prohibition in specified districts

    Publisher
    San Francisco Planning Department
    Data period
    Current controls accessed July 2026
    Scope
    Formula retail uses in specified San Francisco zoning districts and special-use districts
    Locator
    Definition, conditional-use triggers, and district prohibitions
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government
    Accessed
    July 31, 2026
  20. 20
    Slope Protection Act

    Used for: Slope-protection review applies only where geographic exposure and project-scope triggers are met

    Publisher
    San Francisco Department of Building Inspection
    Data period
    Current project-trigger framework reviewed July 2026
    Scope
    Properties in earthquake-induced landslide zones or with average slope exceeding 25 percent, subject to project triggers
    Locator
    Geographic and project-scope triggers for slope-protection review
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government
    Accessed
    July 31, 2026
  21. 21
    PermitSF Legislation

    Used for: Slope-protection review applies only where geographic exposure and project-scope triggers are met

    Publisher
    City and County of San Francisco
    Published
    October 30, 2025
    Data period
    Permit reforms effective in 2025 and reviewed July 2026
    Scope
    San Francisco permitting process and specified project types
    Locator
    Slope-review and permit-process reforms
    Source tier
    Tier 1 · government
    Accessed
    July 31, 2026

Before contacting a franchisor

Complete the next layer of due diligence

  • Confirm the exact protected territory and neighboring units.
  • Review the current Franchise Disclosure Document.
  • Validate local staffing, licensing, insurance, and service-base assumptions.
  • Obtain location, vehicle, buildout, or working-capital estimates.
  • Speak with current and former franchisees.
  • Build a candidate-specific financial scenario.

Apply the analysis to your situation

Review how these market findings apply to your budget, role, and proposed territory.

The city score does not include your experience, capital structure, time commitment, financing, or exact territory.

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