Over 874,000 people are living in San Francisco right now, and with good reason! As the gem of Northern California, it’s known for both the booming tech industry and its stunning natural views.
With close proximity to wine country and redwoods, as well as one of the cultural and tech centers of the world, who wouldn’t want to live in San Francisco?
However, if you’re moving to San Francisco, it’s time to do your research on neighborhoods in San Francisco. Each neighborhood comes with its own unique charms, and some will be better suited to your priorities than others.
Transportation, budget, culture: these are just a few considerations of living in this gorgeous city. That’s why we’ve assembled a San Francisco neighborhood guide. It’s time to make your California living dreams come true!
Pacific Heights
If you’re a fan of Full House and/or Victorian homes, this may be the neighborhood for you. The city is 49 square miles, but some of the most iconic San Francisco views come from this neighborhood.
Have you heard of the Painted Ladies? A popular feature on both postcards and Instagram feeds, these Victorian and Edwardian homes are world-famous pops of color in this neighborhood.
As the lush homes indicate, this neighborhood is the home of the wealthy and the cultured. With a median home price of two million dollars, residents can afford the luxurious views and green spaces in this neighborhood.
If you’re a fan of getting outside, even while living in the 17th largest city in the United States, this could be a great neighborhood. Alta Plaza, for instance, is almost twelve acres of urban paradise.
Featuring a playground, tennis attractions, and swaths of greenery you won’t get elsewhere in San Francisco, the views are almost worth the cost of a roof over your head. On a clear day, you’ll be able to see Alcatraz and San Francisco Bay from this park.
But if you prefer to spend less time outside and more time soaking up the culture, the Palace of Fine Arts is the true gem of Pacific Heights. As an homage to Greco-Roman architecture, it serves as both a massive exhibition center and a theater.
Nob Hill
There’s no getting around it—when you think San Francisco, you think Nob Hill. Due to a long rich cultural history, complete with all the ramifications of redlining and gentrification, the borders of some San Francisco neighborhoods are disputed.
Depending on who you ask, a certain corner could be part of the Castro neighborhood. If you ask someone else, it could very well be a part of Haight-Ashbury.
These distinctions aren’t bothersome when you move to Nob Hill. You know when you’re there, given the million-dollar homes and upscale vibes.
Nob Hill is where many tourists go when they want a once-in-a-lifetime San Francisco experience. Classics like the Ritz-Carlton and the Hotel Fairmont are located in Nob Hill.
Technically, Nob Hill is small. If you come from a rural area, a neighborhood that spans 1.3 acres is no sizeable feat. But Nob Hill packs culture and wealth into every corner of the neighborhood.
With world-class restaurants and art galleries, this might not be the place to live if you’re watching your budget. There are so many Michelin-star restaurants that you’ll never be lacking for new options to tempt your palate! But no matter what neighborhood you live in, Nob Hill is always worth a visit.
Much like Pacific Heights, Nob Hill also boasts an impressive park. Huntington Park is known for its gorgeous statues and fountains, which could make for a great post-work stroll if you are so inclined to put this on your list of San Francisco activities.
The Castro
The Castro is one of the most important neighborhoods in San Francisco, as both a cultural touchstone and a bastion of LGBTQ+ rights. Known colloquially as ‘the first gay neighborhood in America’, the community has a vibrant history that has impacted the entire city.
San Francisco is known for being an LGBTQ haven, which is exceptional considering California is quite progressive overall when it comes to protecting its LGBTQ citizens. This reputation is largely thanks to the Castro neighborhood.
By blending gorgeous Victorian homes and a hip artistic vibe, this neighborhood is a standout gem in San Francisco. The community prioritizes its position as a safe space, which lends itself to activism and serving as a safe haven for many queer youths.
This emphasis on diversity and inclusion has attracted some of the greatest artists and chefs in the world. From gourmet burgers to world-class brunch, some of San Francisco’s best culinary options are in the Castro.
One of the highlights of this neighborhood is the Rainbow Honor Walk. With plaques that commemorate LGBTQ people who made a major impact—such as Freddie Mercury—it’s a touchstone when it comes to San Francisco sites.
If you’re young and looking for an exciting, progressive neighborhood, the Castro might be a great option for you when living in San Francisco.
Haight-Asbury
Feeling nostalgia for some ’60s hippie activism and flower power? If so, Haight-Asbury could be the perfect place for you. With a rich history of art and cultural activism, it’s the perfect place for someone with bohemian tastes.
The Summer of Love movement started in this neighborhood. Janis Joplin, the Grateful Dead, and Jefferson Airplane all lived in Haight-Asbury at some point.
The sixties shaped this neighborhood, and that influence is still readily apparent. Many of the homes are brightly colored, with bohemian settings that make it the perfect place for any budding artist to draw inspiration.
If you prefer some nostalgia with your art, this is the perfect neighborhood. It’s a treasure trove of old movies, vinyl records, cassettes, old posters, and other classic vintage items that can only be found in the secondhand stores of Haight-Asbury.
Like many of the older neighborhoods in San Francisco, there’s a bit of a housing crunch here. This is especially true if you can’t afford to spend more than a million dollars on a new home.
North Beach
As far as a San Francisco neighborhood guide goes, this is the location we’d highlight for history buffs. Back in the day, this was where the beatnik movement started, which formed a micro-literary revolution for its’ time.
North Beach is also the home of Little Italy. You’ll be drenched in red, white, and green if you choose to move to this neighborhood. If you’re Italian, or you’re simply a big fan of the food, this could be the perfect place for you.
Many Italian restaurants fill North Beach, so you’ll never be wanting when it comes to a dish of gelato or a plate of lasagna. But the draw of North Beach goes far beyond culinary attractions.
There are also a lot of historical murals. San Francisco has been around for a long time, and this is reflected in the historical murals that depict Great Depression life in this city.
If you prefer religious history, Saints Peter and Paul Church is an icon in the Catholic tradition. With imposing design and a great view, this could be the perfect place for you to go to weekly mass while living in San Francisco.
The Mission District
Art, food, and history? If you want to have your cake and eat it too, the Mission District might very well be a perfect option.
One of the highlights of living in the Mission District is the food. San Francisco is known for its chocolate and sourdough, two things that tourists tend to pick up during their visits to the city. But there’s every reason you should still try what the city has to offer when you live here!
The Mission District features the Dandelion Chocolate Factory, one of the best places to sweeten your new arrival to San Francisco. But if you prefer a more diverse cultural approach in the neighborhood you plan to call home, this district has you covered.
The Mission Dolores Park brings everyone in the neighborhood together. When the sun finally pierces through the heavy San Francisco fog, the park is the place to be. Everyone gathers here to sunbathe and to get in some great shots of the city skyline.
If you’re young and artistic, finding a supportive community in your new neighborhood is crucial. This neighborhood supports non-profit locations that help artists stay on their feet in this city.
From sponsoring residency programs to hosting poetry readings and art showings, the Mission District has helped keep many artists’ careers alive.
The Fisherman’s Wharf
No guide to neighborhoods and San Francisco suburbs is complete without a mention of the biggest tourist attraction of them all. From sea lions to cable cars, this is what most people think of when they visit San Francisco.
However, visiting San Francisco and actually living in one of the neighborhoods are two different things. When you initially move to San Francisco, this neighborhood has everything at your fingertips.
It can feel like the quintessential San Francisco experience because it is. You’ll be able to throw yourself into San Francisco experiences by taking the cable cars, getting pictures of the sea lions, trying some classic cuisine, and so much more.
However, actually living near Fisherman’s Wharf gets very old, very quickly. It’s loud and crowded because of the millions of tourists that pass through. It can feel like a fight to get anywhere, which means this neighborhood loses its livability very quickly.
Potrero Hill
You may not fit into the bohemian, artsy, young, and single stereotype that fits many newcomers to the city. That stereotype is changing quickly because people have been moving to San Francisco for tech jobs more than ever in the past decade.
If you’re a bonafide member of Silicon Valley, Portrero Hill might be the perfect place for you. As a low-crime district, it’s highly accessible and great for a young family to get started in a very expensive city.
With easy access to the freeway, you can get to work quickly and easily. But even in Portrero Hill, it’s not all work and no play.
Bordered by hipster neighborhoods such as Dogpatch, some of that art and culture still seeps its way into this Silicon Valley enclave. If you’re looking for a starter neighborhood to go along with that Silicon Valley salary, this could be perfect for you!
Golden Gate Park and the Avenues
Depending on where you come from and what you’re used to, San Francisco proper can be quite intimidating. It’s a huge city, heavily reliant on walking and public transportation. This can make San Francisco feel claustrophobic, even during the best of times.
If this describes your feelings toward San Francisco, never fear! Try looking outwards from the city center, towards one of its most iconic landmarks.
The Golden Gate Bridge is a little ways from the dead center of San Francisco. It’s a little closer to Ocean Beach, which qualifies as a San Francisco suburb.
This neighborhood is also a good place if you can’t afford to buy a home. Purchasing real estate in San Francisco is quite an expensive proposition, which is why this neighborhood’s focus on providing apartment rentals to its residents could be perfect.
It’s also great if you’re looking for an ideal melting pot of all that San Francisco has to offer.
From Irish pubs to Italian eateries, from Chinatown staples to French croissants, there’s nothing this neighborhood doesn’t offer. For a San Francisco newbie, there’s no better place to jump in and get your feet wet!
A San Francisco Neighborhood Guide
If you’re starting to feel overwhelmed by this San Francisco neighborhood guide, never fear! Remember that the city is only 49 square miles. That sounds like a lot, but only until you remember that New York City is 302 square miles by comparison.
In reality, San Francisco is rather tiny. It’s just a city that makes the most of the space that it is, which is exactly what we do when we help you move to San Francisco.
If you’re interested in the easiest move of your life, contact us today! We’d be happy to help.