The place to reside in San Francisco (west)
BACK TO ALL AREAS
Fog-draped streets and dim sum destinations call alongside Golden Gate Park
By Leilani Marie Labong | April 14, 2021 10:00 AM
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Why do people move to San Francisco? Is it for the singular landscape, all dramatic hills and breathtaking coastline, the perfect topography for fog to cling to or completely engulf? Is it for the chance to live in proximity to that world-famous bridge, a monumental feat of engineering in International Orange, a gateway for people and ideas from all over the world? Perhaps it’s the city’s history as the birthplace of counterculture — after all, progressive views in politics, the arts and technology are constantly percolating here, brewing entire movements and new industries.
Whatever the reason, San Francisco transplants join the city’s great migratory tradition and boomtown reputation. Back in the days of the Gold Rush, throngs of prospectors converged on the area, gaze trained upon the glint of them thar hills, while these days fortune seekers arriving within S.F.’s 47 square miles have another promising frontier in their sights — technology. In fact, more than half of California’s tech jobs are located in the Bay Area, and San Francisco’s biggest employer is the marketing software company Salesforce. Pre-COVID, nearly 10,000 employees were headquartered in its 61-story East Cut skyscraper. Genentech, Wells Fargo Bank, Sutter Health and Kaiser Permanente also employ large swaths of San Francisco’s workforce.
But art was here long before tech. The list of literary icons and visual artists that have called the city home is legendarily lengthy, including late poet Maya Angelou, author Dave Eggers, sculptor Richard Serra, painter Wayne Thiebaud and the late Ruth Asawa, known for her ethereal, net-like works in wire. There are 44 museums and other cultural institutions here, some of the most prominent set in the bucolic 1,000-acre environs of Golden Gate Park. The culinary scene is equally vibrant, home to sourdough pioneers, legendary seafood counters and upstart taco spots serving quesabirria to legions of clamoring fans.
Source: American Community Survey Census Data.
The bureaucracy of the public schools, overseen by the San Francisco Unified School District, can be difficult to maneuver, with plenty of competition for spots at Lowell High or Ruth Asawa School of the Arts. The city public transportation system of buses and light rails is run by Muni, which has been temporarily hobbled by the pandemic, but is expected to resume full service soon. (Routes noted below reflect pre-pandemic service.) The BART rapid transit system spans the Bay Area, including eight stops within San Francisco.
Due to its geographical size and building restrictions, housing inventory in S.F. is limited. While more high-end residential towers and mid-rise developments are popping up amid the rich architectural landscape, the tech boom has also brought an epidemic of evictions — longtime tenants, many low-income, forced from rent-controlled apartments. In spite of a pandemic-related exodus, approximately 49% of homes in San Francisco sell for above the asking price, and even with a 26.7% drop in rents over the course of 2020, a one-bedroom apartment still commands over $2,650 per month, and prices are climbing again.
San Francisco has 36 neighborhoods from which to choose, each with its own distinctive character. We’ve profiled 14 across the city — from eastern enclaves that are generally more urban and buzzy to the western districts that tend to be sleepier, foggier and more family-oriented.
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Food lover’s hub
Parks
Waterfront
Retail haven
Vibrant nightlife
Commuter’s Dream
Richmond
A multicultural restaurant hub flanked by fabulous parks
data dive
| Key Facts | Richmond | California |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 71,999 | 39,512,223 |
| Median household income | $108,718 | $75,235 |
| Median home value | $1,349,233 | $505,000 |
| Median rent | $1,979 | $1,503 |
| Avg. commute (mins.) | 35.7 | 29.8 |
Source: American Community Survey data. Medians for neighborhoods and multi-city areas are weighted based on population of component areas
the neighborhood
The Richmond is divided into three sections — Inner (i.e. eastern), Central and Outer (i.e. western) Richmond — and neighborhood denizens are prideful of these distinctions. Clement Street is the hub of the Richmond’s retail and restaurants, with a bustling multicultural vibe represented in dim sum spots, Burmese joints and Michelin-starred sushi. The neighborhood’s other main artery is Lake Street, which runs parallel to Clement and is a designated pandemic-era “slow street” — rather than cars, you’re likely to see rollerbladers and skateboarders take their wheels to the blacktop instead.
The Richmond is located on the southwestern border of the Presidio, so residents of the neighborhood’s single-family Craftsmans or Edwardian apartment buildings enjoy easy access to the national park’s nearly 1,500 acres of recreational possibilities, including multi-use trails that emerge from fragrant eucalyptus groves to skirt the shoreline, grassy lawns and one stunning golf course, especially when the fog begins to roll over its embankments. The 38-Geary Muni bus line and the 2-Clement can take you the length of the neighborhood in a matter of minutes.
the schools
| School District | Enrollment | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| san francisco unified | 52,811 | 88.6 |
Source: California Department of Education and U.S. Department of Education. Data from the 2019-2020 school year. High school districts only. Graduation rate represents the share of students graduating high school in four years.
Sunset
Beachfront, dining and acres of parkland, never mind the fog
data dive
| Key Facts | Sunset | California |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 59,830 | 39,512,223 |
| Median household income | $119,176 | $75,235 |
| Median home value | $1,099,005 | $505,000 |
| Median rent | $2,246 | $1,503 |
| Avg. commute (mins.) | 36.6 | 29.8 |
Source: American Community Survey data. Medians for neighborhoods and multi-city areas are weighted based on population of component areas
the neighborhood
Frequently socked in by fog, this historically working-class Asian American neighborhood — also divided into Inner, Central and Outer parcels — may age cars and wooden fences faster than most, but the upside is that many of its inhabitants have lived there for generations, giving the Sunset a feeling of permanence.
Its single-family homes were largely developed as part of the subdivision boom of the 1930s; though now they often sell for well above asking. Golden Gate Park and its world-class museums, botanical gardens and concert lawns are just a crosswalk away over Lincoln Avenue, while Ocean Beach, the westernmost edge of the city, is the site of a loyal dawn patrol of surfers. Among the regulars is renowned shaper and Sunset resident Danny Hess, whose boards are sold at Mollusk Surf Shop at 46th and Irving, around the corner from the beloved General Store vintage shop — both Sunset institutions with national followings.
Ninth Avenue is a lively multicultural destination where you’ll find everything from Korean barbecue to Indian buffets. Head there after an urban hike to the 16th Avenue steps, which feature an ocean-to-sky tiled mosaic over 163 risers, or the Hidden Garden stairs depicting California’s iconic botanicals. The N-Judah is the easiest way to traverse the district.
the schools
| School District | Enrollment | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| san francisco unified | 52,811 | 88.6 |
Source: California Department of Education and U.S. Department of Education. Data from the 2019-2020 school year. High school districts only. Graduation rate represents the share of students graduating high school in four years.
Pacific Heights
A sky-high neighborhood home to some of the loftiest housing prices
data dive
| Key Facts | Pacific Heights | California |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,713 | 39,512,223 |
| Median household income | $183,922 | $75,235 |
| Median home value | $1,715,715 | $505,000 |
| Median rent | $2,545 | $1,503 |
| Avg. commute (mins.) | 33.8 | 29.8 |
Source: American Community Survey data. Medians for neighborhoods and multi-city areas are weighted based on population of component areas
the neighborhood
Arguably the most recognizable San Francisco neighborhood thanks to its appearance in “Mrs. Doubtfire,” Pacific Heights earns its reputation as the city’s poster district based on its quintessentially hilly terrain, wealthy residents and high concentration of beautiful homes, from gingerbread Victorians to English Tudors.
The city’s famous Gold Coast is located here, an enclave of mansions owned by some of tech’s most powerful players, including Oracle CEO Larry Ellison and former Apple chief design officer, Jony Ive.
Retail converges on the popular Fillmore Street (the 22-Fillmore bus heads north-south, while the 1-California goes east-west), where swank clothiers with conjunctive names like Rag & Bone and Scotch & Soda are a stone’s throw from a Crossroads secondhand shop and Starbucks is spitting distance of a Blue Bottle Coffee cafe. The north side of Alta Plaza, a pyramid-shaped park the size of two city blocks, delivers a nosebleed-level view of the bay with some mansions in the foreground for good measure.
the schools
| School District | Enrollment | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| san francisco unified | 52,811 | 88.6 |
Source: California Department of Education and U.S. Department of Education. Data from the 2019-2020 school year. High school districts only. Graduation rate represents the share of students graduating high school in four years.
Marina
A hot spot for young professionals, who flock for the energetic nightlife and beachfront
data dive
| Key Facts | Marina | California |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,375 | 39,512,223 |
| Median household income | $158,989 | $75,235 |
| Median home value | $1,888,616 | $505,000 |
| Median rent | $2,481 | $1,503 |
| Avg. commute (mins.) | 31.9 | 29.8 |
Source: American Community Survey data. Medians for neighborhoods and multi-city areas are weighted based on population of component areas
the neighborhood
From the enthusiastic scamper of young professionals who land in the Marina based on its promise of an Urban Outfitters and a raucous nightlife scene, you’d never know this district was built on landfill after the 1906 earthquake. Due to that unstable ground, the neighborhood suffered during the Loma Prieta trembler in 1989, but never fear, many of its signature Marina-style homes and apartment buildings — think extra-wide street-facing bay windows and spare ornamentation — have since been retrofitted to stand the test of time.
The district’s northern border is the San Francisco Bay, so residents are privy to a calm beach and the Marina Green, a vast lawn of plush grass that was once a tidal marsh and became the site of the 1915 Pan Pacific International Exposition. (The Marina’s signature landmark, the Palace of Fine Arts, was built for that high-profile event.) Today, the city’s “front yard” is a popular place to fly kites or go for a stroll with a postcard-worthy backdrop of the Golden Gate Bridge. Getting to the Marina via bus can be a trek, but the 30-Stockton, 22-Fillmore and 19-Polk will get you there — eventually.
the schools
| School District | Enrollment | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| san francisco unified | 52,811 | 88.6 |
Source: California Department of Education and U.S. Department of Education. Data from the 2019-2020 school year. High school districts only. Graduation rate represents the share of students graduating high school in four years.
West Portal/ Parkside
A quiet enclave within the city limits
data dive
| Key Facts | West Portal/Parkside | California |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 39,198 | 39,512,223 |
| Median household income | $124,080 | $75,235 |
| Median home value | $1,128,882 | $505,000 |
| Median rent | $2,165 | $1,503 |
| Avg. commute (mins.) | 37.0 | 29.8 |
Source: American Community Survey data. Medians for neighborhoods and multi-city areas are weighted based on population of component areas
the neighborhood
Parkside residents are territorial about the unique assets of the 94116, which include the San Francisco Zoo and Stern Grove, where the SF Symphony performs often in a eucalyptus-flanked outdoor amphitheater. The neighborhood also exhibits some unique architectural flair in its vintage single-family homes, which include cottages from 1907, Arts and Crafts bungalows and row houses displaying what SF Heritage describes as “Mediterranean exuberance.”
The adjacent West Portal neighborhood — where you emerge from the Twin Peaks tunnel, Sutro Tower looming in the distance behind you — is cozy, quiet and largely residential, with a wide variety of 1920s-era homes, from colonial revival to Marina-style. West Portal station is a bottleneck for trains going in all directions — the K, L and M light rail lines all run through here — which means that it’s easy to hop a train from downtown to peruse the stacks at Book Shop West Portal, stock up on chocolate-covered gummy bears at Shaws or bend an elbow at the neighborhood’s famous dive, the Philosopher’s Club, where the drinks are stiff and, if you lived here, everyone would know your name.
the schools
| School District | Enrollment | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| san francisco unified | 52,811 | 88.6 |
Source: California Department of Education and U.S. Department of Education. Data from the 2019-2020 school year. High school districts only. Graduation rate represents the share of students graduating high school in four years.
Stories from San Francisco (West)
Credits
Editing
Sarah Feldberg • sarah.feldberg@sfchronicle.com • @sarahfeldberg
Copy editing
Marty Cortinas • marty.cortinas@sfchronicle.com • @mindworm
Visuals editing
Guy Wathen • gwathen@sfchronicle.com • @guywathen
Nicole Fruge • nfruge@sfchronicle.com • @photofruge
Design and development
Yoli Martinez • yoli.martinez@sfchronicle.com • @yoli_martinez
Eric Blom • eric.blom@sfchronicle.com • @ejblom
Hilary Fung • hilary.fung@sfchronicle.com • @hil_fung
Danielle Mollette-Parks • dmollette-parks@sfchronicle.com • @daniellemparks
Illustration by Getty Images
