Situated on the Pacific Ocean coast, halfway between Half Moon Bay and San Francisco, Pacifica is a city in San Mateo County, California. San Pedro Creek, which originates on Sweeney Ridge's western slope, is crossed by Pacifica. San Andreas Creek, which cascades down the eastern side of Sweeney Ridge, is located in the extreme eastern region of Pacifica. These two creeks led the Portola expedition in the direction of San Francisco Bay. Pacifica Quarry is crossed by Calera Creek, which is designated as an ESHA Environmentally Sensitive Habitat.

The Mediterranean summertime climate that Pacifica, California, experiences is warm and typical of coastal regions. The typical temperature ranges for January are 45.8 °F (7.7 °C) to 56.7 °F (13.7 °C), while for September, they are 53.9 °F (12.2 °C) to 71.8 °F (22.1 °C). There are, on average, 66 days per year with detectable precipitation, mostly between October and May, according to climate data. There is more sun in the southeast than in the rest of the city, especially in areas like Park Pacifica. Record highs and lows for the city are 102 °F (39 °C) and 23 °F (−5 °C), respectively. 30.29 inches (769 mm) of precipitation falls on average per year, though there have been noticeable changes throughout time. Summer fogs frequently result in light drizzle, and there is hardly any snowfall.

In terms of education, Pacifica offers both public and private alternatives. Public schools include the Pacifica School District, which consists of multiple elementary and middle schools, and Good Shepherd School and Pacific Bay Christian School. Although Oddstad Elementary, which was open from 1969 to 2005, is no longer in use, the city is home to public high schools that are a member of the Jefferson Union High School District, including Oceana High School and Terra Nova High School. While Terra Nova provides a more typical experience with a wide variety of sports and clubs, Oceana places more emphasis on extended classrooms, senior displays, and community service. San Mateo County Libraries operates the Pacifica-Sanchez Library and the Pacifica-Sharp Park Library, which house Pacifica's public library services.

The leading employers in Pacifica, as per the city's 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, include the Pacifica School District with 499 employees, followed by the City of Pacifica with 282 employees, and Safeway with 262 employees. Other significant contributors to local employment are the Jefferson Union High School District, Oceana Market, Ace Hardware, Recology of the Coast, Rite Aid, Ross, and the North Coast County Water District, each with varying numbers of employees ranging from 22 to 137.