A small, tightly packed city with a plethora of different cultures and charm, San Francisco has a lot to offer in its tiny, 49 square miles. These 20 neighborhoods, all with their own unique personalities and quirks, are the most in-demand areas in San Francisco to rent.
1. SOMA
The land of start ups, trendy bars, and luxury condos, SOMA is the most popular neighborhood to rent in San Francisco. Large and spread out, this area has many opportunities for residential and commercial development. While there is an endless stream of techies walking throughout, SOMA is a lot more than just available workspace for companies. Check out the impressive graffiti and murals hidden in alleyways, the beautiful Yerba Buena gardens, and the variety of museums.
2. Tenderloin
Although the Tenderloin may have a reputation as the grittier area of San Francisco, this neighborhood has many hidden gems and is thriving with culture. If there’s anywhere to find cheap, delicious food from a mom and pop shop, it’s the Tenderloin. With affordable rent, in comparison to the rest of the city, and it’s proximity to downtown and the Financial District, more and more people are looking to find a home here.
3. Downtown/Financial District
Close to shopping, many corporate work offices, and event venues, Downtown San Francisco is always lively and bustling. The availability of stable housing here, the majority of which are older apartment buildings, coupled with its incredible diversity makes Downtown one of the most popular neighborhoods in San Francisco.
4. South Beach
A beautiful neighborhood tucked next to SOMA, South Beach has some of the most expensive real estate in San Francisco. The luxury high rise condos, trendy coffee shops, and easy transportation, both within the city or across the bay, makes this neighborhood incredibly appealing to young professionals. Catch a game at the ballpark or jog along the beautiful waterfront.
5. Nob Hill
Swanky and iconic, Nob Hill boasts ritzy hotels, historic landmarks, and Victorian styled buildings. Vintage cocktail lounges and modern boutiques give this neighborhood a fusion of both timeless allure and a new, upscale vibe. Although rental rates are higher in this area, the captivating ambience more than makes up for it.
6. Presidio
Due to its unprecedented views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Presidio is one of the most desirable neighborhoods to live in the city. Lined with historic military bunks and Victorian styled apartments, the Presidio, hidden by lush hiking trails and brimming creeks, has an untainted natural beauty that is hard to find anywhere else in the city.
7. Pacific Heights
If you want panoramic views of San Francisco, from the Golden Gate Bridge to the bay, in a serene environment, the luxurious Pacific Heights is the neighborhood with all of that and more. This area has a long legacy of wealth and grandeur, as exemplified by its beautiful mansions and elegant, historic architecture, so it is a very popular scenic spot among both residents of the city and visitors.
8. Civic Center
Home to important, historical buildings such as San Francisco’s City Hall, the symphony, and Orpheum theater, the Civic Center has a lot of attractions. Although a majority of this neighborhood is occupied by businesses, there are still some apartment buildings, inhabited by families and young professionals, at a slightly lower rate than the city median.
9. Mission
Eclectic and exuberant, the Mission is thriving with popular bars and clubs, upscale restaurants and street food vendors (bacon wrapped hot dogs anyone?), and an amazing art and music scene. Young professionals, especially, love the vibrant culture and availability of both luxury apartment buildings and older three and four bedroom houses. If you want boozy brunch in the day time and lively nightlife later, the Mission has got your back.
10. Lower Pacific Heights
Similar to Pacific Heights, Lower Pacific Heights also has beautiful architecture and an upscale vibe. Lower Pacific Heights, however, is much less residential. It includes the chic Fillmore street, full of high-end shops and restaurants, and Sundance Kabuki cinema, a posh theater that serves cocktails.
11. Russian Hill
Home to the famous Lombard street, amazing views of the Bay, and stretches of tracks for the iconic cable cars to run through it, Russian Hill is a stunning, highly desired neighborhood. Although mainly residential, Russian Hill still has a few quaint shops and eateries sprinkled throughout. The residents in this area are mostly professionals, who are single or married with no children, renting their home.
12. Western Addition
Incredibly diverse, the Western Addition is popular among both families and young professionals. As an area that tends to have rent prices below the city average, Western Addition, with its elegant, Victorian styled apartments and modern high rises, is great for anyone looking to live in a neighborhood that has a vibrant culture without the high rent prices San Francisco is known for. Who wouldn’t want to live close to the Painted Ladies?
13. Financial District
Most of the residential housing in the Financial District are sky-rise apartments, and for pretty steep costs, but if you’re a professional working in the area, living in this neighborhood will save you a lot on commute time and expenses. The bustling Financial District is occupied mainly by sky scrapers, used by large, corporate businesses, tons of quick lunch spots, and an endless amount of coffee shops.
14. Marina
Decked out in cool work out gear and armed with pressed juices in their hands, the young, hip residents of the Marina head out to exercise classes or go shopping in posh retail stores for the day. At night, the Marina offers up some trendy restaurants and fun, although always crowded, bars. Recent grads and young professionals love this energetic neighborhood for its lower rental prices and lively ambience.
15. Lakeshore
Popular among families and especially young graduates, Lakeshore has reasonably priced homes and a quiet, pleasant atmosphere. This neighborhood includes Lake Merced and many parks, there are not many shops or restaurants besides Lakeshore Plaza, so any nature lover hoping for an apartment away from the usual crowds of city life would feel right at home in this area.
16. Outer Richmond
A mainly residential area, Outer Richmond is a safe and relatively quiet neighborhood that houses many families. Enveloped by Golden Gate Park, Ocean Beach, and the Lands End hiking trail, the Outer Richmond is a tranquil escape from the rest of the bustling city. The many types of ethnically diverse eateries, calm surroundings, and lower rental prices make the Outer Richmond an appealing area to live in for many, although the commute time to downtown may reach near an hour.
17. Laurel Heights
A sweet and charming neighborhood, Laurel Heights boasts beautiful townhouses, Victorian homes, and modern apartments. Although it is a mainly residential area, a few chic shops, fun bars, and trendy restaurants can be found in this neighborhood as well. With the Presidio situated right next to it, Laurel Heights is an intersection of entertaining city life and the peaceful leisure of a calm residential neighborhood.
18. Hayes Valley
Bordered by lively neighborhoods such as SOMA, Mission, and Castro, Hayes Valley is centrally located in a convenient location for the young professional who always wants something to do. Hayes Valley is trendy and upscale, covered with modern luxury apartments, art galleries, and posh restaurants and bars.
19. Haight Ashbury
An intersection of hippie culture and trendy boutiques, Haight Ashbury is a popular neighborhood for both free spirits and white collar professionals. Walking around the area, you will get whiffs of burning incense, see bright, bold murals painted on the walls of restaurants and shops, and probably hear someone playing live music around the corner. Victorian styled homes and older apartment buildings are peppered throughout this neighborhood.
20. West of Twin Peaks
Located around the highest point in San Francisco, West of Twin Peaks has breath taking views of the city. The real estate in this neighborhood consists of modern luxury apartments and multiple story houses so the rent prices tend to be higher than the city average. West of Twin Peaks is also a difficult place to live if you do not own a car since not many buses run through these windy streets. With that in mind, however, you will probably stay incredibly fit from all the walking.
Images courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons.
Our methodology: To find the most popular neighborhoods in San Francisco, we created a Popularity Index that covers city listing data from the past quarter. The Popularity Index was calculated by incorporating the number of listings in a neighborhood, the number of unique messages sent within a neighborhood, and the portion of traffic captured in a neighborhood in correspondence to total city traffic.
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